Bass recorder recommendation - >2 octaves

[Tim2723]

I must say James, that it is indeed a handsome instrument. The turnings are elegantly understated. I especially like the curves of the key-works. What is the finish on the metal parts? It doesn't quite look like gold-plate. The bit looks wooden. I don't think I'd care for that personally, but what do you think of it?

[James_Alto]

Thanks Tim.

It's the most expensive recorder and heaviest recorder I own.

The keywork is all brass - and there is a (crucial) F# key. I bought a bass recorder without one, after I broke the Roessler's F# key years ago ...and regretted it.

The bit on the bocal is indeed wooden - maple I think. I dread to think what it would look like after a year or two. Thankfully, the bocal size is identical to the Roessler bocal which I have - that has a plastic bit. The Mollenhauer bit actually feels more refined between the lips, than the Roessler plastic. I don't expect the bit on the bocal will last too long, but thankfully Mollenhauer do replacement parts, as wel as a recorder clinic for repairs to everything - including the labiums. With the plastic bit ... I hit my incisors with the Roessler when I got carried away doing a Charlie Parkin' and it was really really sore.

The Mollenhauer sound is really special - I can single it out from a gang of Kungs, Moecks, Roesslers, Yamahas, Aulos etc in the same league. Its articulation is exceptionally clear - very surprising for such a deep rich woody warm sound. The Roessler is the best comparison, and its articulation is not as precise either. I think the turnings are more than decorative - the head cap is the most gorgeous designed head cap I've ever seen. Inside - its design collects so little condensation, unlike every other recorder I have, due to its vertical entry into the head block.

If I was broke, I'd be happy with the Roessler. As it is, I broke my Roessler, and the Mollenhauer costs 2x more, given the rise of inflation since Roessler went out of business. I can't say how beautiful the intonation is. Except for the low 'B' fingered note - it is really tricky to get without breaking octave.

If you ever want to try one, get down to the Early Music Festival in Greenwich. They will have them on demo as well as the Great Basses. I'd love to try a Great Bass, but the temptation ....

[Tim2723]

Well, I wish you many happy years with it. Funny you should mention the F# key. Thirty years ago I bought a tenor with no C# key. This was long before I had Internet companions to warn me. I still have it, but it almost never sees the light of day.

[JackCampin]

I have two good tenors without the C# key, and one with. I never missed not having the key on the other instruments, which I've had for 20 years, and in the 6 months since I got the one with the C/C# double key I don't think I've ever used it.

Whether you need the double key depends on what you play. Me: mostly Scottish trad, some Eastern European and Middle Eastern, some Renaissance and mediaeval, occasionally playing along with singers in folk/Americana. I can think of only one trad tune from the British Isles whose range makes the low C# essential (and my repertoire must run to a few thousand of them). If you play jazz I guess you would need it.

[James_Alto]

My experience of the split lowest keys is like Tim's ... my older bass recorder had the F# (this is the #@*(($! key that broke and left my bass recorder dormant for so long)

When I got a plastic substitute, it didn't have the F# key. I really missed it. I think because there is a lot of folk music I'm playing in the key of D which requires it - it's great getting the lowest octave going. I seem to try and insert a F# key wherein possible

Yes - I do improvise a lot - mostly because I'm having to re-learn transposition on the bass recorder, which makes sheet playing slower, whereas if I improvise, it just kind of flows along. Funny enough, none of the modal or scalar improvisations I've done ever require the F#.....

Wonder if any of you have experience with the Renaissance Bass recorder?

Hunt's Bass Recorder synopsis suggests that it has a fuller tone than the standard bass recorder, however its octave range is limited to one octave and a sixth. I didn't bother with these as this octave range renders it useless to me, but I wonder if anyone has had the pleasure of hearing one in consort.

[JackCampin]

I've tried a Kynseker reproduction Renaissance bass. It was unbelievably powerful, but its range was only an octave and a fifth. Enough for the music written for it, and plenty if you're accompanying folk tunes. No low F# key of course.

I still don't get why anyone would want a low C# key on tenor if their main thing was folk music, still less a low F# on a bass. The tunes almost never go there and if you're making up a bass line you can just go somewhere else in the same chord. Gimme a specific example. (I believe there are pieces by Purcell that need it - not something I've done much of). Given that it's just one more thing to break, what's the point?

[James_Alto]

I've tried a Kynseker reproduction Renaissance bass. It was unbelievably powerful, but its range was only an octave and a fifth. Enough for the music written for it, and plenty if you're accompanying folk tunes. No low F# key of course.

I still don't get why anyone would want a low C# key on tenor if their main thing was folk music, still less a low F# on a bass. The tunes almost never go there and if you're making up a bass line you can just go somewhere else in the same chord. Gimme a specific example. (I believe there are pieces by Purcell that need it - not something I've done much of). Given that it's just one more thing to break, what's the point?

I hope to try one out next time I'm at the Early Music Festival.

I would prefer a Great Bass though - capable of at least 2 octaves. I'm not great for doing joint jams/jives - prefer solo 99 percent of the time

I'm not sure about the low C# on tenor, although for the bass recorder, the low F# is really essential for my repertoire (non-ITM). Loieillet's Allegro ma non troppo requires a low F#; as does Leclair's Adagio and Hotteterre's Gavotte en Rondeau. Much music written for basso continuo can be played on the 'flauto basso dolce' (I prefer this name as it gets away from the terrible image of school kids with plastic screamers), and anything in the treble clef can be transposed and played an octave lower than the written music.

Guess I'm just curious as to how familiar repertoire music I know, sounds played on a deeper richer instrument

As for folk music - yes ...I'd agree I've not had much use for it yet. Maybe I need to start writing a few pieces making great use of the F# key before I break it