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Jaap Slingerland

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SP2313 - The Sweet Pipes Recorder Book - Book 1 - Soprano

by Gerald Burakoff

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Jaap Slingerland said: " Admittedly, I took one year of recorder lessons as a kid, and I am used to some level of music as a singer and guitarist. Turns out I do love the sound of the soprano recorder too, and playing melodies; the instrument is so closely connected to the v Admittedly, I took one year of recorder lessons as a kid, and I am used to some level of music as a singer and guitarist. Turns out I do love the sound of the soprano recorder too, and playing melodies; the instrument is so closely connected to the voice, and it extends it. Sarah Jeffery advised 'The Sweet Pipes Recorder Book' in her YouTube video about the alto recorder, and that is how I discovered this method about the soprano/descant recorder.

Compared to colorful children's methods, this one cuts to the chase: it quickly covers some technique and history (it's nice to have history, coming from western guitar) and gives some brief advice throughout.

The book is 42 years old, but recorder music is timeless; yet, some more current music would suit a new edition. What I nonetheless like most is how the book combines technical training/warm-up with a long and varied list of historical tunes, almost from the very start, with incrementing difficulty; and how it cleverly treats (a few of) the higher notes (d, e, c sharp) before forked fingering (f, b flat, g sharp), which is deemed harder than the partly opened thumb hole. I just can't wait to play, and feel, that first well placed pure accidental.

The sheet music offers no clues for interpretation, except phrasing (breath marks), perhaps to avoid distraction; but as an adult player, I do want to play with some emotion and I'd like the book to help me. On the other hand, the absence of interpretation makes it tempting to invent your own and to experiment with rhythm, legato, staccato, tempo, etc. The provenance of a song (e.g. Irish) is a small clue, though.

In the back, it has 13 ensemble pieces you can play using the 14 notes you've learned in this book. Throughout, it refers to (part of) a piece if you're ready for it (in terms of notes). The final page is a fingering chart, secretly challenging you to wander into the high notes this soprano instrument is so renowned for.

Recorder players with no prior musical experience whatsoever may find this method a tad dry: not because of its lack of illustrations, but because it doesn't explicitly mention everything it makes you play (eighth notes, six-quarter time, syncopation, etc). Of course, you can look all this theory up. Dry indeed. ...more "

Oct 01, 2021 04:58AM · see review