Image of history books. Image from http://www.stjohns.edu/academics/undergraduate/liberalarts/departments/history
History of the Recorder
Image of five recorders of various neutral colors. Text above recorders is "History of Recorders". Image created by S. Swint.
Video of recorders, both present and from the past. Images are shown while listening to a recorder performance. Video from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b7kiJ-k2GdU Did you know that the recorder didn't always look like the recorders we use today? Recorders also come in different sizes. Do you think the bigger recorders have a lower or high pitch? |
Text on image is The recorder was known as the English flute in the 16th, 17th, and 18th centuries. The earliest recorder dates from the 1400's. A faded image of the recorders from the previous slide is in the background. Image created by S. Swint.
Image of three people from the Renaissance era playing recorder. Text above the image is many composers of the day, like Bach, Telemann, and Handel used the recorder. Kings, queens, and common folk all used the recorder. Image created by S. Swint
Image of girl playing a recorder. Text below image is practice every day and you will see results! Image created by S. Swint.
The recorder is a woodwind musical instrument of the family known as fipple flutes or internal duct flutes—whistle-like instruments which include the tin whistle. The recorder is end-blown and the mouth of the instrument is constricted by a wooden plug, known as a block or fipple. It is distinguished from other members of the family by having holes for seven fingers (the lower one or two often doubled to facilitate the production of semitones) and one for the thumb of the uppermost hand. The bore of the recorder is tapered slightly, being widest at the mouthpiece end and narrowest towards the foot on Baroque recorders, or flared almost like a trumpet at the bottom on Renaissance instruments.
Video describing the history of the recorder.
It is hard to believe that the recorder has been around since Medieval Times! Many composers have written music for the recorder. Watch this video to learn more about the history of the recorder. |
Video of a recorder ensemble performance with a variety of different recorders being used. Video from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WXkRgUvY6PM You will be AMAZED when you see all the different recorders performing here! Have you ever seen a recorder as large as the one on the right? This song was composed a long time ago. The composer, John Dowland, was born in 1563 and died in 1626. |
While the recorders we use in school are typically made of plastic, recorders for expert recorder players are made from wood. The process of making a recorder, beginning from a tree trunk, is fascinating! Watch this video to see how it is done! |
Video of how a wooden recorder is made. Video from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=20e-GSF7hUU |
Choose an Assessment
- Make a timeline to tell the history of the recorder OR
- Make up a song/rap to tell the history in your own words Submit your chosen assessment by recording it in your steam journal for class or uploading the video on your flipgrid: