La Follia for recorder ensemble

[joe@jozartmusic.com]

Thank you Vic,
Nice piece and nice performance. I didn't think much about recorders until I heard your music. Are these the same recorders that the kids play in school classes?

[VicDiesel]

Joe,

the school instrument is the soprano. While there are two sopranos in this piece (they play the chromatic variation), most of the time I use the larger sizes: alto, tenor, and bass. They're a bit less strident. The alto is the most commonly used instrument for serious recorder sonatas and concerts.

Of course my instruments are quite a bit more expensive than the school recorders too.....

By the way, in the last variation there are two recorders that are smaller than the soprano. They are better as special effect than as main instrument.

Victor.

[Whataguy!]

Very nice piece, Vic. Very well thought out and inspiring. You've also got some monster players performing for you. Great work all around.

[VicDiesel]

Originally Posted by Whataguy!

You've also got some monster players performing for you.

Allow me to introduce the monster players. That's on soprano: me. On alto, me. On tenor, eh, you get the idea.

Most of this piece was written in one 10 hour long overdubbing session. I was writing it as I was playing it. Probably the most efficient work I've ever done. Composing usually take me much longer.

Victor.

[Whataguy!]

Vic, how would you like to record for me? That's some great playing. I've given up trying to find a recorder player for a piece I've written.

[Boneman]

Originally Posted by MaestroX

This is a great piece, probably the best i've ever heard for a recorder ensemble. Both the composing and the performance I find outstanding.

What is the instrumentation?

I'm also intrigued that recorders can play chromatically. How is this done?

I expect that Vic will back me here. The recorder is a mis understood instrument amongst many people. Once you get past the early days it really blossoms. I used to compose for a recorder consort so I got to understand the instruments. There is much good music written for it.

In my time I have taught it to a high standard and found it amazing as to what it can do.

I found this

http://www.srp.org.uk/nyro/2002/audio/track17.mp3

[VicDiesel]

Originally Posted by Boneman

I expect that Vic will back me here. The recorder is a mis understood instrument amongst many people.

Absolutely.

The fact that there are so many low level players doesn't mean there aren't also high level ones. You can play most of the baroque repertoire for traverso on a recorder, typically by transposing it up a minor third and playing it on an alto. There is also lots of very challenging contemporary music for recorder.

The recorder has a chromatic reach of two octaves and a note or two. The highest notes are not very subtle (this composition of mine stays well within two octaves on each voice) and the more chromatic you play the harder it gets (those chromatic scales I use are very hard) but it's all there.

Victor.