On Playing the Baroque Treble Recorder in G TodayAuthor(s): Dale HigbeeSource: The Galpin Society Journal, Vol. 52 (Apr., 1999), pp. 387-388Published by: Galpin SocietyStable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/842554 .

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ON PLAYING THE BAROQUE TREBLE RECORDER IN G TODAY

Almost forty years ago I read Thurston Dart's article 'Bach's "Fiauti d'echo"' (Music & Letters, October 1960, XLI/4. pp.331-341) and responded with my note with the same title (Music & Letters, April 1962, XLIII/2, pp.192-193). In brief, I expressed my opinion that Bach called for a pair of standard treble recorders in F in his Brandenburg Concerto No. 4. I have found that a fingered high F# is possible with some historic and modern treble recorders in F, and not with others. Perhaps Bach's first recorder player had an instrument where it worked, but his second player did not. In any case, Telemann wrote an occasional high F# for treble recorder in F. Now, after all the extended debate in print as to whether Bach intended Flauto I to play a treble recorder in G, Thomas Sherwood suggests ('Baroque G Recorders?' GS], LI, July 1998, pp.267- 269) that treble recorders in G were most likely not available to Bach.

Baroque treble recorders in G are, however, available today. I have a pair of fine instruments made by Alec Loretto at a-415, and Dolmetsch makes baroque treble recorders in G both at a-415 and a-440. These instruments have a somewhat brighter sound than their counterparts in F, so, to my ear, if a G recorder is used on Flauto I and an F recorder on Flauto II in Bach's Fourth Brandenburg Concerto, they are not well matched, especially when they play in unison or canon, as Edgar Hunt points out ('High F# and the Treble Recorder,' GSJ XLII, March 1994, pp. 161-163).

It is curious that the whole debate on this subject has been concerned only with Bach's Fourth Brandenburg Concerto. Nobody seems to have wondered about what other music the treble recorder in G might have been used for, if, in fact, the instrument existed during the baroque period.

With the music of Vivaldi there is some controversy over which pieces are for recorder and which for transverse flute, and some of the concerti attributed to the treble recorder in F are in fact more suitable for the flute or the treble recorder in G. A prime example is the Concerto in D major, RV 92, for recorder, violin, and bassoon or violoncello. This work includes some prominent high F#s in bars 48-49 of the opening movement, and the whole piece is much more comfortable if transposed one tone lower and played on a recorder in G. The well-known Concerto in D major 'La Pastorella,' RV 95, for recorder, oboe, violin, bassoon and continuo has two prominent high F#s in bars 71-72 of the first movement, and the entire work fits the recorder much better if transposed one tone lower; I play it on G recorder also, although in the first movement there is a low F# in bar 67, which I put up an octave. Another Concerto in D, RV 94 also for recorder, oboe, violin, bassoon and continuo has prominent high F#s in a tutti passage in bars 81 and 85- 87 of the last movement. The whole concerto feels more like a piece for

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flute than recorder to me, and it is awkward on treble recorder in E I have played it on treble recorder in G, and I like it even better on voice flute (tenor recorder in D), playing the tutti passage mentioned an octave lower.

I have found the baroque treble recorder in G a worthwhile addition to the tools available to 'the compleat recorder player' for playing music

composed for flute or violin where the range fits the recorder, where

transposing the part one tone lower makes it more idiomatic for the recorder, and where there are prominent high F#s (E on the G recorder). Years ago as a schoolboy I played a C piccolo in a band when most of the

parts were written for Db piccolo, which I learned to transpose at sight. Now I do the same for treble recorder in G, as well as 'third flute'

(soprano recorder in A, useful for playing oboe d'amore music), 'fourth flute' (soprano recorder in Bb, useful for playing oboe and violin music in flat keys), 'sixth flute' (soprano recorder in D), and 'voice flute' (tenor recorder in D, useful for flute and violin music in sharp keys), all of which I play regularly, in addition to the standard recorders in C and E

DALE HIGBEE

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