Paetzold Recorder

Photo: June 14, 2016

Our recorder orchestra, Flutissimo,  had our last encounter of the season, which is really the first encounter to get ready for the next season. Music was distributed to practise over the summer. Above you can see the lowest recorder in our group, a contrabass by Paetzold (the lowest note is an F an octave and a half below middle C).



And the view from the other side. We jokingly call it an IKEA recorder because it looks like something that was made to be self-assembled. These recorders, while costing less than traditional recorders, still have a lovely sound. You can hear them below in a recorder consort.



Quinta Essentia Recorder playing Chaconne des Africains by Lully

The recorder family is made up instruments in C (the bottom note of the recorder) and in F. There are other recorders, but they are found less often in recorder orchestras. I have a recorder in D which works well when playing duets with a baroque flute (which just happens to be what my spouse plays).



This picture was taken several years ago and includes a number of my instruments. From smallest and highest pitch on the left to the largest and lowest pitch, they alternate from C to F instruments. The Paetzold contrabass would be the next one (though it is not my recorder) in the line and lower than my large C or great bass. To give you an idea of the range, the lowest note of the fourth recorder from the left, the tenor, is middle C. Each instrument plays 2 octaves easily with possibilities in the third octave. When I carry all these with me to rehearsal I am quite loaded down!