My Boyfriend has a Küng Studio recorder (Pear wood, Alto recorder). I love the sound. He is just a beginner, and is self teaching. But i love that he tries to play an instrument
I play an marple Rottenburgh and an pearwood from Mollenhauer. I love them so incredible much. I would say the Rottenburgh sounds rich, heartwarming und naturally like birds in the woods, the Mollenhauer sounds light and clear like an angels voice. Thank you so much for your videos, your smile while telling and showing me so much things Im really interesting in!
Oh my my... I've been having this Mollenhauer Denner for over a year and, thanks to this video, I've just learned that the majority of shorcomings is due not to the instrument but to my lack of practice XD Nontheless, I think that some notes, like a-flat4 or d5, require extremely subtle adaptations of fingering and air stream. But! With the right focus, the tuning appears to be very nice :) I love your reviews, Sarah!
I chose the M pear wood from Thomann. My daughter has been playing an alto Maple Amazon recorder for a year. It is time to level up. And we value not requiring a lot of air. I came back to revisit this video. Love from California ❤
Listening to these, I think the phone speakers are too small to work well with the subtle differences between these instruments. A couple of years ago, I convinced my wife to stop at the Von Huene place in Boston, the nearest recorder shop to NYC. I played a number of different instruments to see if I could tell the difference between different models and woods. The differences were a good deal more audible than on this video.
Jonathan Baker Same here! And sometimes the difference is more in how you relate to the instrument - what it demands of you as you play it and what it gives back - than how an audience hears it, I think.
Oh this video came out after I bought a Mollenhauer Denner Pearwood alto in Early Music Shop. Can’t wait to try and learn! I played the descent recorder in teenage. I don’t live in UK so no approval service. I watched Sarah’s video and decided on that model. The price is the main reason for the wood choice. And that Sarah said more expensive wood doesn’t mean a better instrument. Anyway thanks so much for teaching us so much about the recorder. Otherwise I would not pick it up again. 👍😊Still love the sweet sound of recorder after so many years (and despite I am also learning the piano. It sounds so cool to play two instruments)
I play at a California thing called Renaissance Faire. It is an outdoor and pretty noisy environment. The environment is also important in choosing an instrument. I bought a relatively inexpensive Kung two-piece soprano several years ago, choosing it from several suggested instruments in the shop specifically because I could tell it would carry really well outdoors but still have a sweet sound (unlike, say, my plastic Aulos sopranino, which carries well but...). For indoors, especially in an acoustically bouncy room, I prefer my Moeck rottenburgh instruments, but for Faire, I love that Kung. (pandemic footnote: this was the first year since our RenFaire began in 1963 that the event was not held.)
My new Mollenhauer Denner in Olivewood is due to arrive today!! I already have a soprano and I'll be getting the matching alto. Today will be an excellent day :) Thank you Sarah for all you do!
And also I'd like to thank you Sarah for this amazing channel. It's not only informative, but also entertaining, reassuring (a recorder player needs that) and overall wholesome. This is my absolute favorite UA-cam channel. :)
I got my Kung Studio recorder. WOW! the sound of it compared to my plastics is such a wide difference I was really blown away. I am just a beginner but I can tell the sound difference compared to the plastic recorder I have and it is huge. Thanks again for doing this video.
My first Soprano recorder was given to me by a close neighbor it was a Mollenhaure made out of maple but it didn't have a good tone was too soft and was frustrating I also had a Moerk which also was maple had a pleasant sound don't remember what happened to it definitely better than Moellenhaurer nowadays I have a Aulos Soprano and a Treibert Alto which I'm okay with but there's nothing like wood, love the feel and the playing is finer and professional, the biggest downside is price unless you're looking to become seriously involved in studying and want to pursue your recorder playing professionally then spending hundreds of dollars or euros is a good investment but for me at least plastic is sufficient
I received my Kung Superio Alto (in pearwood) from the Early Music Shop a few days ago, after watching your live stream. I like it but find it hard to play a high F that is not too loud. So I put the head joint from my Mollenhauer Denner on the body of the Superio and I like it better. The high F is easier to play and the low notes are stronger than on my Denner, and the tuning is not affected if I pull out the head joint by about 1 or 2 mm. So this combination is now my favorite recorder (excluding my Mollenhauer Modern alto).
An update: Since I had trouble playing high F softly on my new Kung Superio, I put some tape over the thumb hole, leaving only the top 1 mm open, and the high F was easy to play (with the Superio head joint). So I decided to try a better technique using my thumbnail, and I achieved some improvement. So I don't need to use the Denner head joint. I wonder if an octave key can be added to make the high F easier, like on the Eagle recorder.
Great video! I would be very interested in a video about various styles of tenor recorders in the intermediate range. There a lot of variations between keyed, keyless, knick, straight, etc. and it can be very difficult to understand the differences.
Thank you for this vid! I just upgraded from my plastic Yamana treble in immitaion rosewood (that has served me fantastically as I started back up btw!) Via Early Music Shop. The website has little sound clips of a lot of the manyyy models which is helpful paired with this more in depth video! I chose a Mollenhauer Denner in Pearwood... it was between that and the Moeck Rottenburg in Maple, I would have been happy with either- the Moeck is really clear and sweet but I love the Denners more rich full sound, and without any overtones. (And my budget doesn't quite stretch to ebony or grenadilla...!) Lol. I am SO excited. It's due in 1-4 working days, it's Wednesday. Saturday?! 😂🤞
Yay! I’ve been agonizing over what my first wood recorder was going to be. And trying to research wood density and makers and not knowing what anything meant! Haha
I'd really like a video on classical models of recorder, like the Rottenburgh, the Denner, the Hotterre or the Bressan. Not necessarily comparing the brand, more the shape.
The Kung sounded quite nice but I can imagine that it's not for everyone. I've always found Mollenhauer having a bit more flexibility than Moeck (but also a more airy tone, sometimes too much), so I was surprised you find it more focussed than the Moeck, maybe they've changed. I love the Moeck sopranos for my beginner students. The boxwood Moeck alto recorders, unfortunately, had a huge risk of closing off almost all the time for at least 25% of my students who bought them in Valencia, a very humid location due to its own microclimate. In the end I asked them to buy olive wood Moeck altos, which worked MUCH better!!! I find they sound better too. They are a little bit more expensive, but it's worth it, especially in very humid areas.
Interesting consideration about taking climate into account. Where I am, it can get extremely dry in the winter, and I've heard about more than one olive wood recorder cracking in a dry climate. I'm very concerned about cracks as my own old boxwood Fehr alto developed a crack. I'm playing an 80s maple Moeck Rottenburgh right now, which is holding up very well. I was planning to visit some shops in person this summer and have put aside money to upgrade, but that's not happening.
Hi Ma'am Sarah...thank you so much for information. I'm a recorder Player too..I just mainly used soprano, I'll be aiming to get wooden alto recorder soon...nice to hear. God bless 😇
Always try several items of the one you intend to buy because although these are standardly produced there can be wide differences w.r.t the sound. I have used several Mollenhauer (D, A) and Moeck (D, A, T) and a tenor Kung and they are very very good recorders.
Yves de Lombaerde All my recorders have been purchased online from Germany (or France, once) to get the best price. I have sent the German ones back towards the end of the long guarantee period if I have any problems with them - and after a little bit of expert tic they come back far, far better.
The other recorder in this price range (that is on sale and the early music shop) is the Mollenhauer Dream and Dream Edition, they each only come in one wood. So if it comes to it, I'm just going to have to try it, but they have some very interesting previously owned instruments in this price bracket currently, so I plan to try them first.
Looking forward to the livestream, as well as the discussion on different types of wood! I'd be especially interested in the various forms of boxwood. It seems like there's "real" European boxwood (buxus sempervirens) that's to be reserved for more expensive instruments, and then there are the Maracaibo and Indian boxwoods, which seem to find their way into less expensive instruments. I'd love to hear your thoughts on these.
My favourites were the Moeck ones. I like the roundness and clarity in their tone, and the less breathyness they have. Anyways all of them sounded nice!
I have a Moeck Rottenburg alto in maple that I bought on the strength of your first video on wooden recorders. I'm delighted with it! Alas, I didn't get it from the Early Music Shop but from a competitor in London (I'm from Canada). Best CAD $540 I ever spent!
I LOVE my Moeck alto rosewood!! It’s the perfect sound in my opinion. People always say they love hearing me play it. It’s going to be on my next album. Can’t beat the beauty of the reddish rosewood either. 😊
It also appears that the boxwood retains its warmth in the light of greater presence than the maple, but construction might explain some of that, too. But we choose soundboards for guitars based on the qualities present in the various types of wood, so...
I’m excited about your Level Up course! I have an alto Küng in cherry. It’s a little over ten years old but I haven’t played it as consistently as I should have done. I use my Yamaha “rosewood” plastic during class normally (alto and soprano). I’m looking forward to seeing the live stream. Tuesday is teacher appreciation day here and I might convince myself that I could treat myself to a new instrument!
my first was a moeck rottenburgh, palisander. i tried küng and mollenhauer as well. i played and practiced extensively then eventually got a handmade stanesby reproduction. but the moeck still gets a regular workout.
Increíble! un montón de flautas y todas suenan bien en sus agudos! Yo, con una Moeck de arce que compré siempre tuve problemas para que sonara bien. Saludos.
It's perhaps worth clarifying that these "boxwood" instruments aren't true boxwood; they're made of other woods that have similar qualities to boxwood. The Denner is made from castellowood, for example. Although the sound will not be the same as true boxwood, they don't warp like true boxwood. I have the Mollenhauer Denner in castellowood, in both treble and descent sizes, and I'm very happy with them both. They're a very nice step up from a good plastic recorder and as an intermediate player, I doubt I will ever feel the need for a better recorder.
True! I find it really annoying that they don't tell the actual sort of wood they are made from. It's totally misleading the customers! I am sure a lot of people would still like them and choose them. But I want to know what I get, for heavens sake!
That's right. The Moeck Rotembourgh is made of Zapatero, boxwood family. I own three original Rotembourgh in European boxwood from 1995 I had the luck to buy used online, and they are still great instruments.
Squishasaurus's HowTo Thank you so much for that - at last I have some light on the subject! I have several Mollenhauer Castillo Denners and have often wondered what difference being a Castillo boxwood instrument makes. I am so glad they are not going to warp! Now would someone care to shed some light on the Zapatero boxwood Instruments, please? All recorders on the market seem to be one or the other - I don’t think I’ve seen anything labelled as just plain boxwood.
@@AnnFBug I've found the following website a mine of information on recorders, including on types of wood: www.saundersrecorders.com/info2.htm. Hope this helps.
Hi Sarah! I'm a regular follower of your videos. I'm a newbie recorder player but I want to play everything from Garklein up to the Basset. Garklein is really (as they say in German), gar....klein (very small) for my hands, so inspiring my wife and toddler son to learn that. So I go up from Sopranino. I do play a few songs beyond Hot Cross Buns and other children songs. I originally wanted to learn to play the Boehm flute but when I came across your channel, I changed my mind and bought recorder after recorder (all plastic, cos that's all I can afford). But I'm happy playing songs like Amazing Grace, Little Drummer Boy, and Little Buttercup on those... Thanks a lot for inspiring me with your infectiously enthusiastic teaching... Here I have one question and one comment - 1. Question - I'm trying to play the tenor (Yamaha plastic, baroque) and the basset (Yamaha plastic, baroque). Initially without thumb rests and got severe thumb-ache on my right hand. I've bought the thumb rests now, but it's only been a couple of days since I'm playing with these on. Still my hand and thumb hurt. Do you have any advice for remedy? 2. Comment - I came across this international collaboration and was looking for your name. Alas, didn't see it, but here it is for you just in case you haven't come across it yet - ua-cam.com/video/XXI_j4xcmQQ/v-deo.html
How to try out instruments in a situation where they are not yet played in? Two weeks to try out an instrument is not a lot when you need to only play for a few minutes each day on instruments that haven’t been played in. Any tips on how to approach this? For example in trying out the highest notes we’re supposed to stay away from on instruments that are new? Thanks!
Hello there! I'm a Panamanian student of music and I'm on a short budget to buy a wood soprano recorder, I'm interested on the Hofner 9550/9520 model. But I would like your opinion or if is not too much to ask, maybe a video on budget wooden recorders. Below $100.00 thanks!
Congratulations for the partnership! These instruments sound good, but you know, it's different if you can play them yourself. In our family we have two wooden altos at the moment, a Denner bought last year and a Rottenburgh I found when looked for used instruments and it's made in 1990's or 1980's. Anyway, they're a bit different but I love them both and so does my daughter. By the way, boxwood isn't an option in Oulu, Finland, where I live. It's because of the climate I think, but boxwood recorders look like bananas after being a year in our city. That's why we have recorders made of pearwood, maple, rosewood and olive wood.
@@Team_Recorder Nice! I have thought it would be nice to hear a professional's thoughts about different woods. And I must say I love my Moeck Rottenburgh made of palisander. They way it sound, the feel it gives. But just because I haven't tried everything I would like to hear what are the differences.
I HAVE to make a plug for the Mollenhauer Kynseker! (mine is f alto in plumwood) Do not be thinking Renaissance vs Baroque or such - all that is straight out the window. It has a curved windway with hand-filleted corners, overtones through the roof (when blown), and considerable dynamics.
For tone I preferred the Kung Superior but I had the impression that the Mollenhauer Denner or the Moeck Rottenburgh were more playable. In the end I think I would choose the Denner.
Late comer here - old (71) and played Boehm flute for some 25 years when I was younger, took up traverso in the early 80s and played it for 4 years. Gave up flute in the early 90s, as my computer career took over. Now that I'm retired, I've taken up traverso again, having bought a G.A. Rottenburgh and a Palanca from Ariel Louis. I recently bought an Aulos plastic traverso in order to increase my practice time, since the wooden flutes have time limits. How do you, as a fipple flute player, compare wooden instruments to plastic ones? Plastic recorders have been around for a long time. Plastic traversos not so long. They weren't available as an option when I first took up traverso in the 80's. Since it's been three years since you posted this, I'll be surprised to hear back, but if you happen on to this, a response would be much appreciated.
Ooooh, I missed the live stream, so annoyed with myself. Lovely, informative, helpful video! I have a question: I never like bottom G's because they don't sound as nice as bottom F's (louder, and hornier, if that makes sense). I got the impression the Mollenhauer recorders were a teeny bit more even between those notes than the Moeck - or is that just my ears, my headphones, or the recording room? Thanks for doing these videos.
Hi Sarah! I'm a university music student who just fell in love with playing the recorder on the side. My technique is okay, but my articulation is too detached and heavy. How can I get the stylistic legato articulation so many professionals have? Thank you very much!
Watch her videos about articulation! One thing I just found out recently (I've switched to studying the recorder recently too) is that if you always articulate your notes with the same "hard" syllable, like "tu" it will indeed sound heavy. You have to start varying your articulation, mainly in the faster notes, you can try matching hard and soft syllables, like "tu" and "ru" or "tu" and "lu", some people use "du" too. Don't know if you understand what I mean, because I don't know if in english you use the same syllables as in portuguese, but you have to match then and you can do that in a variety of ways that will sound different, like "turu turu turu" our "turu tutu" or "tutu turu" etc
I have a Rottenburg pearwood. I am not satisfied with the speed of response and the stability of the highest tones. I don't know if changing the wood to a Moeck grenadilla would solve the problem of playing high notes quickly and jumps from low to high notes, without delayed response? Or better to change the model...to Mollenhauer? I think it would be practical to compare different models of the same wood because this way you can get the wrong impression about the model. Moeck pear is not the same rank as Mollenhauer grenadilla but...Moeck grenadilla and Mollenhauer grenadilla are already comparable.
Hi everybody, and hi Sarah ! Thank you for your amazing videos ! I need an advice if someone can answer... I just bought a beautyfull new alto recorder in grenadilla wood (Moeck Rottenburgh). Must I oil it first, before acclimatization ? (I'm not sure about the word « acclimatization » in English (I'm french), when you play only a few minutes each day and more an more during one and a half month). I have no recorder teacher so I ask here, I guess someone knows if it's better. I've seen all your videos Sarah, and I love it ! I am a flute player but i love recorder so much too !
Just starting to learn the recorder, bought one of those Yamaha bio degradable sopranos. Seem ok but I perhaps wish I had bought an alto one. As for these wooden ones, I can tell very little difference between them. They all have a tendency to sound very reedy on certain notes and to be honest it wouldnt make me spend hundreds as opposed to 30 quid on a yamaha one. Perhaps its the microphone or my headphones or both. I can only imagine they sound different in the flesh, or wood as the case may be.
Good question! I think if you don't play it for more than 30 minutes a day you'll be fine. Just keep listening, and if it feels very stuck or tired, scale it back a bit. The instruments get played in the shop too, so they will be able to stand a bit of playing I reckon!
Love your videos! I play the piano and the violin but I have just got a Yamaha alto recorder based on Your recommendations and im really pleased with it! Learning on my own but progress is quite fast, I must say. Probably I have gained tons of patience and become inmune to sound nightmares as a violinist🤣 however im wondering if theres a way to learn fingering using tone and semitone distance. I cant seem to find any explanation of this kind online so maybe the way is just memorizing them? Thanks in advance
Hi Sarah, and hi recorder players! :) I have a rather serious problem. My throat hurts a lot after practice (very high up, right underneath the jaw) and I'm afraid it'll damage me permanently in the long run. I know that you should articulate with your tounge, not your throat, and I paid attention to this from the very beginning. I also know that breath support is super important for a relaxed throat, that's why I spent the last days laying on my back with a book on my belly, and doing various breathing exercises. Still... it hurts, even hours after practice, and I practice very very carefully. No pieces, only breathing and slow articulation. I'm a bit desperate for answers at this point, because I don't find enough information online. That's why I'm asking you here, even though it doesn't relate to the video. Team Recorder has helped me so much so far, and I must be doing something wrong after all. I absolutely love playing the recorder, and I miss being able to play without the constant fest of injury. Thanks a bunch for any idea or advice any of you could give me. :)
I would be curious of a comparison between these moderately priced wooden recorders and some higher tier plastic instruments, such as the aulos haka or even the bernolin resin recorder, just to understand fully the different capabilities of each instrument Great video by the way, I was really curious about these recorder models :)
I own the Aulos Haka (alto) and Bernolin resin (alto) and posted a comment mentioning these. Aulos Haka is great with easy high notes. Bernolin resin is supposed to have better tone (subjective) but definitely has stronger low notes but more difficult and louder high notes. The Mollenhauer Denner is more like the Aulos Haka than the Bernolin resin. I'm not sure the Denner is worth the greater price since it's not much better than the Aulos Haka. Maybe the more expensive handmade Mollenhauer Denner Edition recorders are significantly better.
Hi Sarah, I notice that the thumbhole of the Denner range is smaller than the others'. I have been taking some time to get used to it when I switch from my Aulos plastic to the Moll. Denner.
I own a Mollenhauer Canta Alto. I have small hands and short fingers so it‘s not so easy to play for me. I‘ve heard Küng is good for people with smaller hands. Is there a difference between the Mollenhauer models and the Küngs?
Ooh come along for the live stream next Tuesday if you can, and we can test it out together! If not, it'll be up on my channel to watch back at a later date.
The recorders seem quite ecpensive to me. Maybe it's cheaper if you get them directly from the producer? I'm going to get one from Moeck via my teacher, probably a Rottenburg in boxwood, which would be 325 €.
My Boyfriend has a Küng Studio recorder (Pear wood, Alto recorder). I love the sound. He is just a beginner, and is self teaching. But i love that he tries to play an instrument
This woman is so charismatic and enthusiastic she could convince me that clapping clam shells together would be a great way to make music.
Team Clam
I visited the early music shop right before lockdown and I was taken aback by the amount of recorders all in one place,,, truly beautiful
The focus and profoundness of the Denner-boxwood-Mollenhauer-recorder: I am baffled.
I just got the Moeck Rondo as an upgrade from my plastic Yamaha and it's like night and day. So much warmer sounding and pleasant to play.
The very high notes on my yamaha pink one are so loud, but that might just be me lol😏
One slight side effect of watching you review recorders is that i can near play your favourite tune to test recorders by ear now
I like the Küng Superior most. Oh wait, no. I like Sarah most. :)
Superio ,I have it and I play jazz on it
I play an marple Rottenburgh and an pearwood from Mollenhauer. I love them so incredible much. I would say the Rottenburgh sounds rich, heartwarming und naturally like birds in the woods, the Mollenhauer sounds light and clear like an angels voice.
Thank you so much for your videos, your smile while telling and showing me so much things Im really interesting in!
Love your videos, you inspired me to start learning the recorder
Oh my my... I've been having this Mollenhauer Denner for over a year and, thanks to this video, I've just learned that the majority of shorcomings is due not to the instrument but to my lack of practice XD Nontheless, I think that some notes, like a-flat4 or d5, require extremely subtle adaptations of fingering and air stream. But! With the right focus, the tuning appears to be very nice :) I love your reviews, Sarah!
Thanks Sarah for this video I just purchased the Kung Studio model from Thomann. I really appreciate you playing this. I really loved the sound of it.
Great!
I chose the M pear wood from Thomann. My daughter has been playing an alto Maple Amazon recorder for a year. It is time to level up. And we value not requiring a lot of air. I came back to revisit this video. Love from California ❤
Why am I hooked on recorder videos?!
Thank you, Sarah, I bought a recorder after I watched your presentation. Very good stuff.
Listening to these, I think the phone speakers are too small to work well with the subtle differences between these instruments. A couple of years ago, I convinced my wife to stop at the Von Huene place in Boston, the nearest recorder shop to NYC. I played a number of different instruments to see if I could tell the difference between different models and woods. The differences were a good deal more audible than on this video.
Jonathan Baker
Same here! And sometimes the difference is more in how you relate to the instrument - what it demands of you as you play it and what it gives back - than how an audience hears it, I think.
Oh this video came out after I bought a Mollenhauer Denner Pearwood alto in Early Music Shop. Can’t wait to try and learn! I played the descent recorder in teenage. I don’t live in UK so no approval service. I watched Sarah’s video and decided on that model. The price is the main reason for the wood choice. And that Sarah said more expensive wood doesn’t mean a better instrument. Anyway thanks so much for teaching us so much about the recorder. Otherwise I would not pick it up again. 👍😊Still love the sweet sound of recorder after so many years (and despite I am also learning the piano. It sounds so cool to play two instruments)
You may want to consider one of Sarah's level up your playing classes.
I'm living for the Küng!! That low register is 🔥🔥🔥
I play at a California thing called Renaissance Faire. It is an outdoor and pretty noisy environment. The environment is also important in choosing an instrument. I bought a relatively inexpensive Kung two-piece soprano several years ago, choosing it from several suggested instruments in the shop specifically because I could tell it would carry really well outdoors but still have a sweet sound (unlike, say, my plastic Aulos sopranino, which carries well but...). For indoors, especially in an acoustically bouncy room, I prefer my Moeck rottenburgh instruments, but for Faire, I love that Kung. (pandemic footnote: this was the first year since our RenFaire began in 1963 that the event was not held.)
You do the big one at Glen Hellen?
Edit- oops just read it’s now at the Santa Fe dam. Aww I miss SoCal. Sorry there’s no Faire this year.
My new Mollenhauer Denner in Olivewood is due to arrive today!! I already have a soprano and I'll be getting the matching alto. Today will be an excellent day :) Thank you Sarah for all you do!
Very very helpful again, big compliment! It makes me even more happy with my recent purchase of my Rottenburgh. Right choice.
This makes me feel much better. So reassuring to know that this is a truely difficult note change!
And also I'd like to thank you Sarah for this amazing channel. It's not only informative, but also entertaining, reassuring (a recorder player needs that) and overall wholesome.
This is my absolute favorite UA-cam channel. :)
Awesome intro to the choice of recorder!
I got my Kung Studio recorder. WOW! the sound of it compared to my plastics is such a wide difference I was really blown away. I am just a beginner but I can tell the sound difference compared to the plastic recorder I have and it is huge. Thanks again for doing this video.
Thank you so much for this video! I've recently decided that I'm ready to find a good wooden alto and this is super helpful!
My first Soprano recorder was given to me by a close neighbor it was a Mollenhaure made out of maple but it
didn't have a good tone was too soft
and was frustrating I also had a Moerk
which also was maple had a pleasant
sound don't remember what happened
to it definitely better than Moellenhaurer nowadays I have a Aulos Soprano and a Treibert Alto
which I'm okay with but there's nothing
like wood, love the feel and the playing
is finer and professional, the biggest
downside is price unless you're looking to become seriously involved in studying and want to pursue your
recorder playing professionally then
spending hundreds of dollars or euros
is a good investment but for me at
least plastic is sufficient
I received my Kung Superio Alto (in pearwood) from the Early Music Shop a few days ago, after watching your live stream. I like it but find it hard to play a high F that is not too loud. So I put the head joint from my Mollenhauer Denner on the body of the Superio and I like it better. The high F is easier to play and the low notes are stronger than on my Denner, and the tuning is not affected if I pull out the head joint by about 1 or 2 mm. So this combination is now my favorite recorder (excluding my Mollenhauer Modern alto).
An update: Since I had trouble playing high F softly on my new Kung Superio, I put some tape over the thumb hole, leaving only the top 1 mm open, and the high F was easy to play (with the Superio head joint). So I decided to try a better technique using my thumbnail, and I achieved some improvement. So I don't need to use the Denner head joint. I wonder if an octave key can be added to make the high F easier, like on the Eagle recorder.
I'm watching this with my Moeck Rondo next to me 😂
Great video!
Thanks Sarah~ I’m moving from a Yamaha plastic to a Mollenhauer wooden and I’m so excited
Nice video. Mollenhauer, the Jacob Denner, is top, you have to listen very carefully. A pearwood, a boxwood, and a olivewood are my favourites.
Wow I really love the sound of the Kung Studio model. I think it is really beautiful.
What a coincidence, my Küng Superio is arriving in the post tomorrow!
this is a dangerous partnership, I bet you'll be keeping a good number of the instruments you test :)
Love your videos - very informative, and interesting to learn about this instrument
Great video! I would be very interested in a video about various styles of tenor recorders in the intermediate range. There a lot of variations between keyed, keyless, knick, straight, etc. and it can be very difficult to understand the differences.
Thank you for this vid! I just upgraded from my plastic Yamana treble in immitaion rosewood (that has served me fantastically as I started back up btw!) Via Early Music Shop. The website has little sound clips of a lot of the manyyy models which is helpful paired with this more in depth video! I chose a Mollenhauer Denner in Pearwood... it was between that and the Moeck Rottenburg in Maple, I would have been happy with either- the Moeck is really clear and sweet but I love the Denners more rich full sound, and without any overtones. (And my budget doesn't quite stretch to ebony or grenadilla...!) Lol. I am SO excited. It's due in 1-4 working days, it's Wednesday. Saturday?! 😂🤞
Yay! I’ve been agonizing over what my first wood recorder was going to be. And trying to research wood density and makers and not knowing what anything meant! Haha
Cool ! I i will purchase the Canta in pearwood as soon as possible
I love the Mollenhauer Denner. I own one in pearwood and it sounds beautiful!
I'd really like a video on classical models of recorder, like the Rottenburgh, the Denner, the Hotterre or the Bressan. Not necessarily comparing the brand, more the shape.
The Kung sounded quite nice but I can imagine that it's not for everyone. I've always found Mollenhauer having a bit more flexibility than Moeck (but also a more airy tone, sometimes too much), so I was surprised you find it more focussed than the Moeck, maybe they've changed. I love the Moeck sopranos for my beginner students. The boxwood Moeck alto recorders, unfortunately, had a huge risk of closing off almost all the time for at least 25% of my students who bought them in Valencia, a very humid location due to its own microclimate. In the end I asked them to buy olive wood Moeck altos, which worked MUCH better!!! I find they sound better too. They are a little bit more expensive, but it's worth it, especially in very humid areas.
Lobke Sprenkeling
Never tried an olive wood instrument but the appearance of the wood grain is very appealing!
Ann Burgess It is! And they sound really nice!
Interesting consideration about taking climate into account. Where I am, it can get extremely dry in the winter, and I've heard about more than one olive wood recorder cracking in a dry climate. I'm very concerned about cracks as my own old boxwood Fehr alto developed a crack. I'm playing an 80s maple Moeck Rottenburgh right now, which is holding up very well. I was planning to visit some shops in person this summer and have put aside money to upgrade, but that's not happening.
Hi Ma'am Sarah...thank you so much for information. I'm a recorder Player too..I just mainly used soprano, I'll be aiming to get wooden alto recorder soon...nice to hear. God bless 😇
Always try several items of the one you intend to buy because although these are standardly produced there can be wide differences w.r.t the sound.
I have used several Mollenhauer (D, A) and Moeck (D, A, T) and a tenor Kung and they are very very good recorders.
Yves de Lombaerde
All my recorders have been purchased online from Germany (or France, once) to get the best price. I have sent the German ones back towards the end of the long guarantee period if I have any problems with them - and after a little bit of expert tic they come back far, far better.
The other recorder in this price range (that is on sale and the early music shop) is the Mollenhauer Dream and Dream Edition, they each only come in one wood. So if it comes to it, I'm just going to have to try it, but they have some very interesting previously owned instruments in this price bracket currently, so I plan to try them first.
Looking forward to the livestream, as well as the discussion on different types of wood! I'd be especially interested in the various forms of boxwood. It seems like there's "real" European boxwood (buxus sempervirens) that's to be reserved for more expensive instruments, and then there are the Maracaibo and Indian boxwoods, which seem to find their way into less expensive instruments. I'd love to hear your thoughts on these.
Love this
My favourites were the Moeck ones. I like the roundness and clarity in their tone, and the less breathyness they have. Anyways all of them sounded nice!
I have a Moeck Rottenburg alto in maple that I bought on the strength of your first video on wooden recorders. I'm delighted with it! Alas, I didn't get it from the Early Music Shop but from a competitor in London (I'm from Canada). Best CAD $540 I ever spent!
In London, Ontario? What store?
@@Bleudejade London England. Just Flutes.
I LOVE my Moeck alto rosewood!! It’s the perfect sound in my opinion. People always say they love hearing me play it. It’s going to be on my next album. Can’t beat the beauty of the reddish rosewood either. 😊
Sarah RULES!!!
Estou amando acompanhar esse canal, muito bommm
7:27 is what I waiting for
Excellent video, really valuable. Thanks Sarah!
It also appears that the boxwood retains its warmth in the light of greater presence than the maple, but construction might explain some of that, too. But we choose soundboards for guitars based on the qualities present in the various types of wood, so...
I’m excited about your Level Up course! I have an alto Küng in cherry. It’s a little over ten years old but I haven’t played it as consistently as I should have done. I use my Yamaha “rosewood” plastic during class normally (alto and soprano). I’m looking forward to seeing the live stream. Tuesday is teacher appreciation day here and I might convince myself that I could treat myself to a new instrument!
my first was a moeck rottenburgh, palisander. i tried küng and mollenhauer as well. i played and practiced extensively then eventually got a handmade stanesby reproduction. but the moeck still gets a regular workout.
Got it. It good to watch twice.
So good thank for introduce them I, I'm Asian but I like tin whistle so much
Great info - thank you!
Increíble! un montón de flautas y todas suenan bien en sus agudos! Yo, con una Moeck de arce que compré siempre tuve problemas para que sonara bien. Saludos.
It's perhaps worth clarifying that these "boxwood" instruments aren't true boxwood; they're made of other woods that have similar qualities to boxwood. The Denner is made from castellowood, for example. Although the sound will not be the same as true boxwood, they don't warp like true boxwood. I have the Mollenhauer Denner in castellowood, in both treble and descent sizes, and I'm very happy with them both. They're a very nice step up from a good plastic recorder and as an intermediate player, I doubt I will ever feel the need for a better recorder.
True. As far as I know all three of them are made from Castello wood.
True! I find it really annoying that they don't tell the actual sort of wood they are made from. It's totally misleading the customers! I am sure a lot of people would still like them and choose them. But I want to know what I get, for heavens sake!
That's right. The Moeck Rotembourgh is made of Zapatero, boxwood family. I own three original Rotembourgh in European boxwood from 1995 I had the luck to buy used online, and they are still great instruments.
Squishasaurus's HowTo
Thank you so much for that - at last I have some light on the subject! I have several Mollenhauer Castillo Denners and have often wondered what difference being a Castillo boxwood instrument makes. I am so glad they are not going to warp!
Now would someone care to shed some light on the Zapatero boxwood Instruments, please? All recorders on the market seem to be one or the other - I don’t think I’ve seen anything labelled as just plain boxwood.
@@AnnFBug I've found the following website a mine of information on recorders, including on types of wood: www.saundersrecorders.com/info2.htm. Hope this helps.
The 7th or so bar of the first song sounds like the lick, and i keep expecting to hear it each time
Hi Sarah! I'm a regular follower of your videos. I'm a newbie recorder player but I want to play everything from Garklein up to the Basset. Garklein is really (as they say in German), gar....klein (very small) for my hands, so inspiring my wife and toddler son to learn that. So I go up from Sopranino. I do play a few songs beyond Hot Cross Buns and other children songs. I originally wanted to learn to play the Boehm flute but when I came across your channel, I changed my mind and bought recorder after recorder (all plastic, cos that's all I can afford). But I'm happy playing songs like Amazing Grace, Little Drummer Boy, and Little Buttercup on those... Thanks a lot for inspiring me with your infectiously enthusiastic teaching... Here I have one question and one comment -
1. Question - I'm trying to play the tenor (Yamaha plastic, baroque) and the basset (Yamaha plastic, baroque). Initially without thumb rests and got severe thumb-ache on my right hand. I've bought the thumb rests now, but it's only been a couple of days since I'm playing with these on. Still my hand and thumb hurt. Do you have any advice for remedy?
2. Comment - I came across this international collaboration and was looking for your name. Alas, didn't see it, but here it is for you just in case you haven't come across it yet - ua-cam.com/video/XXI_j4xcmQQ/v-deo.html
Puxa vida, desculpa Sarah, não estava on line, só vi agora sua postagem. Você está linda demais ❤❤❤
Perfect ! Will be there on 5th May 😁😁
Can you do a review on the new Fehr recorders? Specifically, the Altos model 4 or 5. Thanks!
How to try out instruments in a situation where they are not yet played in? Two weeks to try out an instrument is not a lot when you need to only play for a few minutes each day on instruments that haven’t been played in. Any tips on how to approach this? For example in trying out the highest notes we’re supposed to stay away from on instruments that are new? Thanks!
Great pronunciation of the German trademarks!
That's cool! I'm planning to go to EMS in a few months to get a new soprano.
Hello Sarah, this was interesting and informative.
Hello there! I'm a Panamanian student of music and I'm on a short budget to buy a wood soprano recorder, I'm interested on the Hofner 9550/9520 model. But I would like your opinion or if is not too much to ask, maybe a video on budget wooden recorders. Below $100.00 thanks!
Congratulations for the partnership! These instruments sound good, but you know, it's different if you can play them yourself. In our family we have two wooden altos at the moment, a Denner bought last year and a Rottenburgh I found when looked for used instruments and it's made in 1990's or 1980's. Anyway, they're a bit different but I love them both and so does my daughter. By the way, boxwood isn't an option in Oulu, Finland, where I live. It's because of the climate I think, but boxwood recorders look like bananas after being a year in our city. That's why we have recorders made of pearwood, maple, rosewood and olive wood.
Ohh good to know! I can give you a spoiler - in two weeks I'm releasing a video comparing SEVEN different woods of recorder :)
@@Team_Recorder Nice! I have thought it would be nice to hear a professional's thoughts about different woods. And I must say I love my Moeck Rottenburgh made of palisander. They way it sound, the feel it gives. But just because I haven't tried everything I would like to hear what are the differences.
I HAVE to make a plug for the Mollenhauer Kynseker! (mine is f alto in plumwood)
Do not be thinking Renaissance vs Baroque or such - all that is straight out the window.
It has a curved windway with hand-filleted corners, overtones through the roof (when blown), and considerable dynamics.
Louis Sheffield I am really interested to read this because I’m seriously thinking of getting a Kynseker. Thank you for your opinion on these!
@@donnahughes-barton9737 Are you ever in the Washington DC area of the USA?
I live in VA nearby, and we would be DELIGHTED to have you by!
For tone I preferred the Kung Superior but I had the impression that the Mollenhauer Denner or the Moeck Rottenburgh were more playable. In the end I think I would choose the Denner.
Late comer here - old (71) and played Boehm flute for some 25 years when I was younger, took up traverso in the early 80s and played it for 4 years. Gave up flute in the early 90s, as my computer career took over. Now that I'm retired, I've taken up traverso again, having bought a G.A. Rottenburgh and a Palanca from Ariel Louis. I recently bought an Aulos plastic traverso in order to increase my practice time, since the wooden flutes have time limits. How do you, as a fipple flute player, compare wooden instruments to plastic ones? Plastic recorders have been around for a long time. Plastic traversos not so long. They weren't available as an option when I first took up traverso in the 80's. Since it's been three years since you posted this, I'll be surprised to hear back, but if you happen on to this, a response would be much appreciated.
Ooooh, I missed the live stream, so annoyed with myself. Lovely, informative, helpful video! I have a question: I never like bottom G's because they don't sound as nice as bottom F's (louder, and hornier, if that makes sense). I got the impression the Mollenhauer recorders were a teeny bit more even between those notes than the Moeck - or is that just my ears, my headphones, or the recording room? Thanks for doing these videos.
Mollenhauer Boxwood is the best!
i love the intro
Do you have a compassion among the various Moeck Rottenburgh 4300 series? What are the differences?
Hi Sarah! I'm a university music student who just fell in love with playing the recorder on the side. My technique is okay, but my articulation is too detached and heavy. How can I get the stylistic legato articulation so many professionals have? Thank you very much!
Watch her videos about articulation! One thing I just found out recently (I've switched to studying the recorder recently too) is that if you always articulate your notes with the same "hard" syllable, like "tu" it will indeed sound heavy. You have to start varying your articulation, mainly in the faster notes, you can try matching hard and soft syllables, like "tu" and "ru" or "tu" and "lu", some people use "du" too. Don't know if you understand what I mean, because I don't know if in english you use the same syllables as in portuguese, but you have to match then and you can do that in a variety of ways that will sound different, like "turu turu turu" our "turu tutu" or "tutu turu" etc
I find that the Mollenhauer'sound is lighter than Kung and Moeck... both woods... isn't it ? What about cherry tree ?
What about The Wooden yamaha YRA-801 and also the yamaha YRA-901 (415). They have them at the earymusicshop in London.
I think I would pick the Mollenhauer! But I'm not a musician. lol
I have a Rottenburg pearwood. I am not satisfied with the speed of response and the stability of the highest tones. I don't know if changing the wood to a Moeck grenadilla would solve the problem of playing high notes quickly and jumps from low to high notes, without delayed response?
Or better to change the model...to Mollenhauer?
I think it would be practical to compare different models of the same wood because this way you can get the wrong impression about the model.
Moeck pear is not the same rank as Mollenhauer grenadilla but...Moeck grenadilla and Mollenhauer grenadilla are already comparable.
Hi everybody, and hi Sarah ! Thank you for your amazing videos !
I need an advice if someone can answer... I just bought a beautyfull new alto recorder in grenadilla wood (Moeck Rottenburgh). Must I oil it first, before acclimatization ? (I'm not sure about the word « acclimatization » in English (I'm french), when you play only a few minutes each day and more an more during one and a half month). I have no recorder teacher so I ask here, I guess someone knows if it's better.
I've seen all your videos Sarah, and I love it ! I am a flute player but i love recorder so much too !
Should I wake up at 11pm just to watch the livestream...... Because my time is WIB (GMT+7)
Will you please review tenor of the same brands as well? Thank you.
♥Mollenhauer Denner♥ in boxwood for me. Thank you.
I worked in a music store a long time ago and they had a good assortment of Küng recorders. These were things of beauty and still are today.
Just starting to learn the recorder, bought one of those Yamaha bio degradable sopranos. Seem ok but I perhaps wish I had bought an alto one. As for these wooden ones, I can tell very little difference between them. They all have a tendency to sound very reedy on certain notes and to be honest it wouldnt make me spend hundreds as opposed to 30 quid on a yamaha one. Perhaps its the microphone or my headphones or both. I can only imagine they sound different in the flesh, or wood as the case may be.
You didnot use Yamaha YRS series model?
You are so cool!!!!
How does one balance the need to play in a wooden recorder with wanting to test an instrument out thoroughly in a trial period?
Good question! I think if you don't play it for more than 30 minutes a day you'll be fine. Just keep listening, and if it feels very stuck or tired, scale it back a bit. The instruments get played in the shop too, so they will be able to stand a bit of playing I reckon!
Love your videos! I play the piano and the violin but I have just got a Yamaha alto recorder based on Your recommendations and im really pleased with it! Learning on my own but progress is quite fast, I must say. Probably I have gained tons of patience and become inmune to sound nightmares as a violinist🤣 however im wondering if theres a way to learn fingering using tone and semitone distance. I cant seem to find any explanation of this kind online so maybe the way is just memorizing them? Thanks in advance
Hi Sarah, and hi recorder players! :)
I have a rather serious problem. My throat hurts a lot after practice (very high up, right underneath the jaw) and I'm afraid it'll damage me permanently in the long run.
I know that you should articulate with your tounge, not your throat, and I paid attention to this from the very beginning. I also know that breath support is super important for a relaxed throat, that's why I spent the last days laying on my back with a book on my belly, and doing various breathing exercises. Still... it hurts, even hours after practice, and I practice very very carefully. No pieces, only breathing and slow articulation.
I'm a bit desperate for answers at this point, because I don't find enough information online. That's why I'm asking you here, even though it doesn't relate to the video.
Team Recorder has helped me so much so far, and I must be doing something wrong after all. I absolutely love playing the recorder, and I miss being able to play without the constant fest of injury.
Thanks a bunch for any idea or advice any of you could give me. :)
Update: now I have laryngitis.
I would be curious of a comparison between these moderately priced wooden recorders and some higher tier plastic instruments, such as the aulos haka or even the bernolin resin recorder, just to understand fully the different capabilities of each instrument
Great video by the way, I was really curious about these recorder models :)
Good idea.... aaaand this may be coming very soon ;)
I own the Aulos Haka (alto) and Bernolin resin (alto) and posted a comment mentioning these. Aulos Haka is great with easy high notes. Bernolin resin is supposed to have better tone (subjective) but definitely has stronger low notes but more difficult and louder high notes. The Mollenhauer Denner is more like the Aulos Haka than the Bernolin resin. I'm not sure the Denner is worth the greater price since it's not much better than the Aulos Haka. Maybe the more expensive handmade Mollenhauer Denner Edition recorders are significantly better.
Hi Sarah, I notice that the thumbhole of the Denner range is smaller than the others'. I have been taking some time to get used to it when I switch from my Aulos plastic to the Moll. Denner.
I own a Mollenhauer Canta Alto. I have small hands and short fingers so it‘s not so easy to play for me. I‘ve heard Küng is good for people with smaller hands. Is there a difference between the Mollenhauer models and the Küngs?
Ooh come along for the live stream next Tuesday if you can, and we can test it out together! If not, it'll be up on my channel to watch back at a later date.
The recorders seem quite ecpensive to me. Maybe it's cheaper if you get them directly from the producer? I'm going to get one from Moeck via my teacher, probably a Rottenburg in boxwood, which would be 325 €.
Are there similar choices for a tenor? Which would you recommend to try?
Tenor review coming on a live stream, Tuesday 19 May :)
Hi Sarah, which one would you recommend to a 12 yrs old player? Your videos are great!!!!