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Alto recorder for sale

Update: Recorder sold!

Have a listen:


Dear recorder players,

I’m selling a baroque alto recorder, made in boxwood, 415 Hz (after Denner) by Joachim Rohmer for 1100€.

I bought the instrument in 2011 at the ERTA ibérica recorder exposition in Madrid. Of all recorders from the Rohmer Recorders workshop I loved this one most. The voicing is quite open and it allows quite a lot of air. The low notes are very strong and powerful.

I’m a bit sad to let it go, but I bought another recorder and unfortunately I can’t keep both of them.

Thanks for your interest,
Milena

Contact

Hola flautistas,

Vendo una flauta alto barroca, madera de boj, 415 Hz (según Denner) de Joachim Rohmer por 1100€.

Compré el instrumento en 2011 en la exposición de flautas del encuentro de la ERTA ibérica en Madrid. De todas las flautas que traían del taller de Rohmer ésta específicamente me encantó. Es una flauta bastante abierta que se deja soplar bien. Tiene graves muy potentes.

Me da mucha pena venderla, pero he comprado otra alto y por desgracia no me puedo quedar con las dos.

Gracias,
Milena

Contacto

“It is not likely that anybody could question the necessity of ornaments. They are found everywhere in music, and are not only useful, but indispensable. They connect the notes; they give them life. They emphasise them, and besides giving accent and meaning they render them grateful; they illustrate the sentiments, be they sad or merry, and take an important part in the general effect. They give to the player an opportunity to show off his technical skill and powers of expression. A mediocre composition can be made attractive by their aid, and the best melody without them may seem obscure and meaningless.”

— Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach (1714-1788) in Versuch über die wahre Art das Clavier zu spielen (Berlin, 1753)

(☞ found on dolmetsch.com‘s music theory online: ornamentation)

Diminutions on Io son ferito ahi lasso — A video from 06-02-15

G.P. da Palestrina & G.B. Bovicelli — Io son ferito ahi lasso

Milena Cord-to-Krax, recorder | Alejandro Casal, harpsichord

Last Friday I played these diminutions from Bovicelli’s treatise Regole, passaggi di musica, madrigali et motetti passeggiati (Venice, 1594). Bovicelli himself was a singer, but they work just as fine as an instrumental version, I think.

☞ I’m playing a g-alto ‘Ganassi’ recorder by Monika Musch.

Videos: recital 2013-2014

Here are three videos of my final recital of the academic year 2013-2014 recorded on June 12, 2014 at Sevilla’s Conservatorio Superior.

Beautiful 16th century diminutions:

C. de Rore & R. Rogniono — Anchor che col partire
Milena Cord-to-Krax, recorder (☞ Ganassi Tenor by Monika Musch)
Alejandro Casal, organ

This diminution is from Riccardo Rogniono’s diminution instruction book Passaggi per potersi essercitare nel diminuire terminatamente con ogni sorte d’instrumenti… (Venecia 1592).

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A fine contemporary piece:

Calliope Tsoupaki — Charavgi
Milena Cord-to-Krax, recorder (☞ Ganassi g-Alto by Monika Musch)

Charavgi means the very beginning of dawn in greek. As the composer explains she tried not only to describe this moment but tu create a transformation of the musical material which ends just in the moment of the sunrise.

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More 16th century diminutions, but the second of the three rounds on the Madrigal was embellished by myself:

J. Arcadelt & D. Ortiz & M. Cord-to-Krax — Recercada II, Diferentia & Recercada III after O felici occhi miei
Milena Cord-to-Krax, recorder (☞ Consort Tenor & g-Basset by Bob Marvin)
Alejandro Casal, harpsichord

This are 3 different versions of diminutions on the same madrigal: the first one are diminutions by Ortiz for the upper voice, the second version are diminutions by myself, after Ortiz, for the bass voice and the third version are again original diminutions by Ortiz as well for the bass voice. These appear as well in Ortiz’ great instruction book for diminutions Trattado de Glosas.

Today’s listening: Ecos Fidelles – Wilbert Hazelzet

Ecos Fidelles – Pieces pour la flute traversiere par M. Hotteterre (Glossa, 1996)

Wilbert Hazelzet, traverso
Konrad Junghänel, theorbo | Jaap ter Linden, viola da gamba | Jaques Ogg, harpsichord

Quick context:

  • Where? – Early 18th c. France
  • Who? – Jacques Hotteterre (1673-1763): wind instrumentalist and composer, ordinaire de la chambre du roy
  • What? Preludes, Suites & Aires for traverso

This is intense. Hazelzet’s thick and round sound in this recording is really full of intention. Specially in the slow movements he often inflates long notes, apparently reaching the limits of the instrument and provoking a very profound way of listening to the music: as if it was of major importance. And then there are the delicate piano notes — just (almost) everything seems to be in its place in a natural and at the same time challenging, sophisticated and elegant way. Which is also true for his ornaments, no extravagancy but coherence and beauty.

When it comes to the basso continuo interpretation in French baroque music in general, most of the time the density of ornamentation is much lighter than in the solo part, and I don’t see why it should be this way.

Apart from the well chosen famous Suites (the last one on the CD – in g minor – being really interesting for its very high continuo part in the first two movements), Hazelzet recorded the more seldom played Preludes from Hotteterre’s L’art de prèluder sur la flûte traversière and the less known French songs, Airs, ornamented by Hotteterre, which I enjoy very much. They are a great example of how vocal music can work perfectly for an instrumental emsemble.

So, here we have a superb album, which lacks any superficiality: highly recommended! I hope for a new CD of Hotteterre’s works by Mister Hazelzet. Or maybe the Concerts royaux by F. Couperin?

Glosas on O felici occhi miei — A video from last February’s students concert


J. Arcadelt & D. Ortiz & M. Cord-to-Krax — Recercada II, Diferentia & Recercada III after O felici occhi miei
Milena Cord-to-Krax, recorder; Alejandro Casal, harpsichord

Last February’s student concert at Seville’s Conservatory was on the topic of 16th century music. I played three different versions of J. Arcadelt’s madrigal O felici occhi miei: the first one are diminutions by Diego Ortiz for the upper voice, played on a consort tenor blockflute by Bob Marvin. The second version are diminutions by myself, after Ortiz, for the bass voice and the third version are again original glosas by Ortiz as well for the bass voice — these are played on a consort g basset by Bob Marvin.