Re: recorder

[Matt Jaffey <mjaffey2...>]

On playing klezmer on recorder:

I've heard Kurt Bjorling play, in concert, a medley of hongas on a Rumanian
shepherd's flute, accompanied by strings (and maybe tsimbl?). Because I
play Playford repertoire (English Baroque - for dances) with recorder
players, I was curious how well what Kurt did would translate to recorder,
and I asked him. He said he has actually tried it himself, but found the
tone of the recorder to be too "bright and cheerful" for him. He then
brought out a recorder and showed me some of the various experiments he has
tried to change the tone, such as: putting a strip of hard plastic in the
mouthpiece and/or rectangular sound hole, or putting a toothpick between
the mouthpiece and the body of the instrument - these things tend to make
for a breathier, whispier sound. Needless to say, my recorder playing
friends wouldn't go for these ideas.

>From what I've read, flute or flute-like instruments played a significant
role in klezmer, early 19th c. and before. I don't suppose anyone has any
idea what that repertoire was or how it was played. In any case, it
certainly predates the use of the clarinet, and all the corresponding
characteristics of style that we take for granted today to define klezmer.

Matt



---------------------- jewish-music (at) shamash(dot)org ---------------------+