Orpheus Music News

With many of us in lockdown at the moment, playing recorder is a real consolation. If you're looking for a creative outlet why not try out our Recorder Sextet composition competition? More info below. 

We also got another shipment of new music from Europe which we are excited to add to our catalogue. In it we received the newest CD from Flander Duo. Have a listen to a full concert below by the full Flanders Quartet.   

Recorder Gathering 2022 Update

So much can change so quickly. Over a month ago we were excited to open registration for our much-anticipated recorder course, and within a week 12 million Aussies found themselves in yet another lockdown. It's so hard to predict what the situation will be in a few weeks' time, let alone a few months. 

We have looked at as many options as we can, and we've decided to postpone the Recorder Gathering until April 19-24. Our venue has been confirmed and will still be held at The New England Conservatorium of Music. We'd like to thank them for their support.

We have received many emails and comments from the Australian recorder community who dearly wish to be reunited at our annual course and we are doing are best to organize an incredible and covid-safe event.

We would like to offer our thanks for all the support we have received from the recorder community......  and also for your patience as we try and find a viable solution.

We will announce when to register in a few weeks on our website, facebook and our instagram page.

Recorders

Studio Tenor in Pearwood

• Made from selected Pearwood.
• Baroque double holes.
• Suitable for beginners as well as for ensemble playing.
• The Kung Studio model recorders have a warm and pleasant sound.

The sound of the studio recorders is warm and combines well with other recorders.

Flanders Recorder Duo

AE10316

Twenty-Eight tracks total featuring two equal recorder parts. Features classical and contemporary music, ranging from the 16th to the 21st centuries. Recorders: Tom Beets and Joris Van Goethem.

Read Joris Van Goethem's interview from earlier this year about this album. 

Composing for the Recorder Rescources

A Comprehensive Guide to composition. Starting with the basics, this book covers many facets of composition. An interesting and easy to read publication.

1. Rudiments 
2. Notation 
3. Rhythm 
4. Melody 
5. Harmony 
6. Counterpoint 
7. Texture 
8. Figuration 
9. Ostinato 
10. Riff 
11. Instruments 
12. Forms 
13. Techniques and Genres 
14. Styles and Periods 
15. Word Setting

RECORDERS IN ENSEMBLES AND CONSORTS - COMPOSING FOR THE RECORDER

By Benjamin Thorn [Excerpt]

Massed recorders can be one of the world's truly horrible musical experiences. In the main this is because variable ability of players usually ensures tuning problems and also because the general pitch is quite high (frequently an octave higher than any other common ensemble) which can disturb some people. Low pitched recorder ensembles are a much more pleasant sound. 

Tuning, or apparent tuning problems are also caused by the structure of the recorder's harmonics and the absence of vibrato. Two or more recorders that are in fact quite well in tune will still have a 'different' sound quality that some people interpret as being out of tune. This is particularly noticeable if parts are being doubled by more than one player. A compositional consequence of this is that dissonances between recorder parts sound much more pronounced and exciting than on other instruments and can be exploited extremely effectively. You also need to be careful about writing too many unisons, octaves or other perfect consonances since the effect may not quite be what you imagine.

Some use of dynamics is possible in ensemble music so long as the whole ensemble changes at the same time (and you're not too worried about the slight changes in pitch), but is possibly best left to difference between large sections or movements. 
Many contemporary aleatoric techniques are extremely effective when played by ensembles. Massed multiphonics also work very well (and in fact are more effective than those by a soloist). 

Since most recorder players play several different sizes, changes of instrumentation (between movements is most convenient) to vary the pitch profile of a piece is quite possible and can be effective. 

While there are some virtuosic consorts, the chances of widespread performances are much higher if the level of technical difficulty is not too great. (Similarly most consorts are usually fairly musically conservative.) Do not write virtuosic consort music unless you have particular performers in mind.