Soprano c"
Alto g' '
In his tutor for diminution "La Fontegara", published1535 in Venice, Sylvestro Ganassi describes how he succeeded in enhancing the tonal range of recorder playing over the contemporary one and a half octave by using special fingerings.
It is controversial if he alluded to a specific recorder type. Only very few still existing instruments of that period enable more than only one or two notes being played with the "Ganassi fingering". The best known of these is an alto recorder in the Kusthistorisches Museum in Vienna. Reconstructions of this recorder enable a range of much more than two octaves without difficulty.
The typical construction of these recorders is the cylindrical bore with the wide conical bell at the bottom. They have a strong, stabile sound which particularly in the high register is clear and bright.
I supply Ganassi recorders in 466, 440 and 415 Hz. one instrument allows the combination of 2 bodies in neighboured pitches if desired.
They are made in 2 parts, with a wide brass ring if requested.
Sound samples :
LA DADA
Han Tol - recorder (Ganassi soprano recorder in 440 Hz from boxwood)
(Han Tol is now a member of the "Flanders Recorder Quartet")
David Mings - dulcian
Patrick Ayrton- harpsichord
from: "Italian Music for Virtuosi"
LA CAPRIOLA
Joachim Arndt - recorder (Ganassi alto recorder in 415 Hz from boxwood
Anne Sabin - cello
Claudia Schweitzer- harpsichord
from: "Dario Castello - Sonate"
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