Renaissance recorders
after S. Ganassi
- Soprano c"
- Alto g'
In his tutor book on diminutions "La Fontegara", published in Venice in 1535, Sylvestro Ganassi describes how he succeeded in increasing 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 instruments surviving from this period will play more than only one or two extra notes with the "Ganassi fingerings". The best known of these is an alto recorder in the Kunsthistorisches 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 a wide conical bell at the bottom. They have a strong, stable sound which is clear and bright, particularly in the high register.
I supply Ganassi recorders in 440 and 415 Hz (altos also in 466). 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.