She has the smile the size of Texas and a heart just as big. Come out this  Friday, February 19 at 7:00 pm to share some recorder fun with Vicki Boeckman! Here's what she has to say about the music she has selected to share:

Greetings dear Portlandiers!

 

Goodness, it has been a while. Hard to believe that we are already in the middle of February of this new year 2016. The months and weeks are zipping right on by. Looking through my files I discovered that it was exactly one year ago - February of 2015 - when I last had the pleasure of leading your group. I am excited to be back in Portland and have the opportunity to see and hear you all again. So much wonderful music making going on all around!

 

For our playing session I've chosen a variety of pieces for various levels of proficiency. We'll start off with everyone playing movements from Suite #15 from Johann Hermann Schein's Banchetto Musicale from 1617. Schein was one of the earliest composers to introduce the Italian Baroque style into German music. Heralded mostly for his sacred and secular vocal works, the collection of suites in Banchetto Musicale (A Musical Banquet) is an outstanding example of Schein's craft at composing instrumental works.

We'll then move on to a fun piece by the clever British composer Steve Marshall called Counter Intelligence where the emphasis is on rhythm. Players are asked to clap, snap fingers, stomp feet as well as play the recorder! Loads of fun! Then I believe Zoe will whisk a smaller group of players away. Those who are left will go on to play Lully's lovely Passacaille from Act V of Armide from 1686. There is a wonderful story to go with that which will have to wait until February 19th. Finally, as a teaser/sneak preview for one of my Menucha classes we will play the splendid Rejouissance from Handel's Music for the Royal Fireworks!

 

All sizes of recorders, viols (and perhaps a bari sax played softly) are welcome. If anyone would like parts ahead of time, please do not hesitate to contact me and I will send pdf files. See you soon!

 

Vicki

vickiboeckman@comcast.net

There are a lot of good instruments and music for sale at the end of this newsletter. Take a look and see if anything interests you! 

See you all come:

Friday, February 19th, 7 p.m., TaborSpace dining room in the basement! Bring a stand light if you need more light!

Play on!

Laura Kuhlman

shawm1550@gmail.com

I like to be exposed to new ideas, new recordings, new ensembles, new shoes...really just about  anything new fascinates me. I thought I would share just a couple new to me items.

Tish Berlin and Francis Blaker began a six week "practice challenge" and I decided to jump on the band wagon. Finding time to really practice for something other than a concert can be pretty hard sometimes but I have found the practice challenge refreshing.

I decided to really work on some basic techniques like breath control, articulation and even a couple solos. Looking through some of my technique books I dusted off the series of books by Aldo Abreu: Warm-ups & Technical Exercises, Articulation Exercises (Part1 &2) and Finger Exercises. These books are not for the faint of heart.  Reading the table of contents makes me tired but alas, I am slogging through them, page by page. I take just a few lines from each book every day and I am finding my fingers getting more and more nimble. I love what Aldo says at the beginning of the Finger Exercise book: "The most productive way to benefit from these (exercises) is to spend no longer than 10-15 minutes a day without dwelling on patterns". These books are a wonderful edition to any library. Aldo includes wonderful fingering charts for trills and extended ranges at the end of each book.

Another book I found while scrounging is The Charlton Method for the Recorder. While the cover says for the "advanced" player, I think anyone wishing to advance their technique can find something to work on. There are exercises for both soprano and alto or really "C" and "F" instruments. There is a superb section on historical ornaments for both renaissance and baroque styles. There are many duets in the back of the book to show off your new found skills. A little birdie told me that Bill Lazar stocks this book!

What is your something new? Do you have a CD, a book, a piece of music you have discovered? Write a short review and I will print it here in the PRS newsletter.

 

Sheet music for sale, never published before :  Baroque recorder music by Babell, Carissimi, Corelli (attrib.), Fede, Finch, Fiocco, Paisible, Rosier, Schickhardt, Steffani, Torri, and Vinci.  Edited and published by PRS member David Lasocki , recipient of the American Recorder Society's Distinguished Achievement Award.  Also books on recorder history.  Go to www.instantharmony.net.

Mollenhauer Morgan Special edition Denner Alto A-440
Mollenhouer renaissance alto in G (a440, plumwood, almost new $670) and an Aulos bass (with bocal, almost new $325) If interested, contact Anthony Allen: allena392@gmail.com

Moeck Rottenburgh alto recorder, rosewood, in excellent shape. Beautiful warm tone and easy high register. Fitted with f-key, making it ideal for smaller hands. Hard case included. $500.

Reply to scampportland@gmail.com or Susan Campbell 503-288-4024

Moeck Renaissance Consort Recorders, alto and soprano. These matching recorders are nearly brand new and little used.   They are pitched at 440, and use renaissance fingering (except they use baroque closed fingering for g and d), producing meantone temperament. Hard case, renaissance fingering chart and maintenance kit included. $1150.

Reply to scampportland@gmail.com or Susan Campbell 503-288-4024

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