Contrabass Digest

2001-03-04

Date: Sat, 3 Mar 2001 21:42:47 -0500
From: Jim Katz
Subject: Re: [CB] Giant Breukink recorder

Could this really make a useful sound in a consort? I have a family of
recorders from sopranino to bass. The bass is so much softer than the rest,
and requires a lot of air to get there. Even allowing for the probability
that my instrument is not a great one, how could a 3-meter instrument make
audible music?

Jim

Jim Katz,DSB
(Distant Second Bassoon)
I Medici di McGill
Physician Orchestra
Montreal, Quebec, Canada

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Date: Sun, 4 Mar 2001 00:09:52 -0500
From: Eric Mumpower
Subject: Re: [CB] Giant Breukink recorder

> Could this really make a useful sound in a consort?

I'm not sure. I tootled a little bit on a roughly-two-meter-tall great-bass
recorder 6-8 years ago, but at the time I had almost no experience with
recorders, so I can't really place it in context. My memory is that it does
make a useful sound, but is very very subtle. :-)
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Date: Sat, 03 Mar 2001 22:23:25 -0800
From: Grant Green
Subject: Re: [CB] Giant Breukink recorder

At 09:42 PM 3/3/01 -0500, Jim wrote:
>Could this really make a useful sound in a consort? I have a family of
>recorders from sopranino to bass. The bass is so much softer than the rest,
>and requires a lot of air to get there. Even allowing for the probability
>that my instrument is not a great one, how could a 3-meter instrument make
>audible music?

Possible, if it was made Renaissance-style.  The Ren recorders tend to have
more limited range, and softer timbre, but louder volume in the lowest 1.5
octaves.  Most recorders made today (except those specifically made Ren
style) are Baroque style, which have a 2+ octave range, sweeter timbre, but
weaker lower notes.

Grant
 
 

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Date: Sun, 04 Mar 2001 11:54:13 +0100
From: Hans Mons
Subject: Re: [CB] A big recorder

This recorder is a real instrument.  As far as I know Adriana made this
recorder for the Amsterdam Loeki Stardust ensemble, and they are really
playing it in concerts.
This is a renaissance style recorder and therefore has the absolute minimum
amount of keys.  The three keys you see on the picture is the minimum you
need for a recorder of this size.

Hans

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Date: Sun, 04 Mar 2001 14:53:19 -0800
From: bitwise
Subject: Re: [CB] A big recorder

Thanks for the information, Hans. I was mainly focusing on the
distance between toneholes. Even on the much smaller bass
clarinet, the distance between some toneholes exceeds the human
fingerspan. I am curious how this was addressed in an instrument
with only three keys.

Craig

***End of Contrabass Digest***

 
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