Pro recorder player reacts to the BBC/Guardian media controversy | Team Recorder

37 thoughts on “Pro recorder player reacts to the BBC/Guardian media controversy | Team Recorder”

1. Thank you so much everyone for your thoughtful and insightful comments! Let's keep the conversation going!

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2. The teacher who introduced us, as 10-11 year olds to reading music and playing the school recorders (wash under tap before using) was named Mrs Porter. She had perfect pitch. Imagine her pain, and that she did it to better us all.

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3. Hi Sarah! Such a nice correction of attitude you are offering here, firm but kind. It is true that some people, upon learning one plays the recorder, will say „I used to do that too, in third grade.“ Not so a friend of mine, who plays viola in a world-renowned string quartet. He said „Respect! I am sure that instrument is quite demanding!“ Goes to show that whatever someone says mainly reveals something about the speaker…

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4. Terrific and insightful piece here. Yes, the usual cheap/obvious jokes about youngsters learning music and I've joined in on these at times BUT any conversation will conclude that from small acorns we get mighty oaks. Much like sport, it doesn't matter if you are too good to begin, but you learn the teamwork, collaboration, invention and the old classic, just have fun. Strong foundations. Anyway, your philosophy here is bang on and you rightly highlight the risk of future generations missing out.

   For me, the introduction of a recorder at a critical point during a jazz funk piece can produce an incredible soaring effect. Love it.

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5. I am so glad I was taught to play the recorder in school, it has allowed me 40+ years later to buy a bass recorder, pick it up and play it (albeit with practice) on music I am composing for my MA course. Thank you for an insightful and thoughtful video, you have another subscriber!

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6. Do they base the future of writing on the achievements of those who are the age of beginning writers, most of whom will never go on with it? How about the future of journalism on people like Boris Johnson who have worked as journalists?

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7. To generalise this problem, I'd like to hypothese that we are generally surrounded by so much perfection ('curated content'), that we are startled when we hear anything worse than beautiful.

   To bring things in balance, I advocate for an approach to embrace and discover the ugliness in music making as a music professional myself. Find the limits of what you think is beautiful, see how any audience responds, and correct your assumptions — because usually what you find ugly, the audience experiences liberating if you only embrace it and put it in the right context!

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8. The Mandalorian theme song gave me a new appreciation for the recorder. Despite what happened to the show in the third season, that theme is a bop.

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9. Your assessment is spot-on, Sarah! Thank you so much! I'm an enthusiastic amateur, but also old enough to have gone to primary school (in the US) before recorder became ubiquitous. So I was naive when started (around age 50!), oblivious to all the baggage. Didn't take long to catch on!

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10. I couldn't agree more, Sarah. I was a first study recorder player at a London university (in fact the ONLY one) in the late 80s and I have spent 40 years saying exactly this! I can't think of any other instrumentalists that have to start a conversation by defending what they do. I have even had to take to task music degree university friends in the last couple of weeks who have perpetuated the meme about how useful learning to play 'London's Burning' has been in their adult life (my retort is, of course, that it has been much more useful to me than, say, pythagoras!). I have been so pleased to find your channel – you speak so eloquently about not just the recorder but the problem with arts education as a whole. Keep fighting the good fight! xxx

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11. In the meantime, the little ensembl of recorders and other instruments (but mostly recorders) that I play in plays all kinds of music – classical, modern, folk, and all sounds great. Sure, we are no professionals, but we are enthusiastic and keep getting better. Recorder is an amazing instrument. And I love your channel. Thanks for the oiling and cleaning instructions 😊

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12. I hear you Sarah and I agree …But! thanks largely to your channel, I have progressed massively and play in public with my fiddle playing friend Hooray! Thank you 😊 🎶hopefully new ways to learn will open up for everyone 🤞🏻

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13. Omg. My turn to rant…
    BbC breakfast …. I can't tell you how much I hate them. Especially the women on the programme. They are not nice to male co presenters. I found them regularly rude and disrespectful too often and regularly show a better than thou high and mighty attitude. Grrrrrr. Stopped watching a long time ago, so didn't see this.
    As for the have I got news for you cast… . Well I must admit I like them. But they don't hold back on anyone, so everyone gets the same treatment.
    Have to add though that I also believe music shops or lack of are a major concern too here in uk too.
    When I started out on my new recorder adventure last year it was next to impossible to get a recorder. And I found music shops less than helpful unless you want keyboard, drums or guitar or uke.
    Cardiff has 3 music shops. Gamlins kept a few under the counter and was reluctant to show me. I asked to see a base but I'm sure it was a smaller one. A smaller store had some tin whistles. The other store just did keyboard drums n guitars. Locally we have a shop that only specialises in guitar's and Ukes.
    Shops can no longer compete and without the specialists youngsters don't stand a chance.
    I am absolutely with you.

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14. I found you on YouTube about a year or so ago.
    You made me want to pick up a recorder and learn to play properly. I have always had a cheepy one but splashed out on a yamaha. That was great but I struggled with the high notes. So determined not to be defeated I found a new youtuber demonstrating the aulos. Got one. My playing started to improve, but now I feel I've hit a brick wall.
    A recorder was always my go to instrument to tinker out a tune by ear. So it has been nice to try and learn to play by reading the music.
    I always tell people to check out your YouTube tutorials. You've taught me so much. Thank you.
    I'm in Wales uk.

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15. Music ed in the US is similarly shunted to the wayside.

    I'm a flute teacher, and often my students will put more effort into sports than to their musoc practice. That's just where society is sitting right now, which is incredibly sad.

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16. The other thing you can say about the presenters showing off their musical skills is that they have enthusiasm. It is much easier to add refinement to someone with enthusiasm than it is to add energy to someone who is apathetic. I am sure some of that comes from their professional role as hosts for the show and are expected to show interest in whatever topic shows up on that day's program, but the willingness to put oneself out in a potentially embarrassing manner is not a trait to take lightly. A good portion of it is needed every time you walk out onto a stage, no matter what level of training and practice you have.

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17. In my city even at the music school the recorder is looked down upon 😢

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18. Go Sarah, well argued.

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19. Excuse me, but is marmite of the instrument world a complement? I think it should be.

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20. I stole my brother's recorder he was given by school, so my parents bought the same one, not because he was anyhow interested, but he still wanted to fight over it. I think a plastic recorder is fine for a beginner, It was a shame that they were not adviced of what to buy: the recorders are out of tune (I got to keep my brother's one in the end) and even a professional cannot fix it. That is bad for the ear training. But I still let the children have a go: I don't get mad about the abuse and if they get stay interested enough to want one of their own, then I will advice to not to get the same one.

    From a beginner's point of view, a recorder is a great instrument for a child. Apart from being possibly the cheapest beginner instrument, it is light, portable, doesn't take much space and it helps with learning the proper way of breathing, from diaphram – it might even help an asthmatic child to control their breathing. (These reasons also make it great for a backpacker.)

    i forgot to mention that I went to school in the early sevnties in Finland: schools had already abandoned instrumental teaching by then and all we did was sing. However, we were given a song book that taugh the hand signs, notes on the stave – comparing to songs I knew and could play by ear taught me to read the very basics – and how to play them on the recorder (only the one octave, I had to figure out the rest: no access to books and the fingering chart was missing from even the recrorder my parents bought)

    My grade 2 teacher actually used the hand signs and tried to get us to listen to each other and sing the same note, so at least we sounded a tad better than a herd of cows with a stomach ache during end of year show for parents. I still remember most of the hand signs, if not all, because of her! Hers were the only music education I ever got and I am so grateful for those crumbs.

    As awful as my recorder souded it made me love Medieval music, not just Bach and Mozart. It is one of my biggest regrets not being able to have music lessons as a child, because of the cost and lack of teachers. My dream of becoming a professional musician never materialised.

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21. Thank you, Sarah, for this psychological support. I am still excited to hear an oriental piece. Accept my greetings to you and your followers around the world

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22. Hi Sarah — I love my recorder and am stoked to have learned how to play it while in the 2nd grade; otherwise, I wouldn’t need able to read music today. Also, I was happy to find you here on youTube because you helped me get reconnected with the recorder 💕 So thank you for sharing your thoughts and for helping us learn. Cheers!

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23. When I was at primary school in the 80s, everyone in my class had to learn the descant recorder. It introduced me to musical notation, and I went on to learn treble and tenor recorders and clarinet. Same with my niece now. Totally agree with you that early exposure is crucial.

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24. Who cares what a right-wing rag like the Guardian has to say?

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25. The tabloids, snobbish "judges" on talent shows and internet trolls are little more than deleatants with only a superficial understanding of music, making pompous, ignorant statements, broadcasting their misinformation.😂😂😂😂

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26. Where to find Recorder repertoire….. with Piano there so much to choose from.

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27. waves from bagpipeland

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28. Thank you for this, Sarah. I have a conservatory degree in recorder and I teach and perform, mostly in the Eastern US. I also play other "weird" woodwinds that are often disparaged (especially historical and folk bagpipes), but like you, this is my full-time job and I love it. Your ability to stay somewhat positive in the face of what's happening is really impressive–thank you for not just giving in to despair/snarkiness/fighting fire with fire. I wish I could face the situation with your equanimity. Everything that's been happening in the UK has been happening here in the USA as well, where it's even harder to get any sort of arts funding and arts education is being completely phased out of entire public school systems, often in favor of bigger budgets for sports programs (and I'm not against sports at all, as I think they also teach valuable life lessons…but too many people see it as a binary choice, just like STEM vs. liberal arts). I think it's true that the entire "ecosystem" is collapsing…when I moved to Boston 20 years ago to go to conservatory, there were many more performance opportunities, and three strong EM conservatory programs. All three have measurably declined now–the conservatory where I did my Master's was sold off lock, stock, and barrel to another institution in another state, who immediately ended their preparatory program, which dated back over 75 years. "Too many generations" indeed…I think the decline in instrument makers on this side of the pond is worrying too. Tom Prescott retired this year, of course (deservedly so), and it makes me sad to realize that once Patrick von Huene hangs up his tools (I've worked on and off for von Huene for the past 20 years and have so much respect for the people there), there will no longer be any professional-quality recorders being made in the United States. Perhaps the worst effect of the financial strangling of the arts is how conservative concert programming has gotten. Boston used to be a hub for both HIP and new music, but the major ensembles here are "running scared" to the point that they program the same warhorses year after year–even French Baroque music is considered too risky, and too likely to alienate the ever-dwindling and ever-aging donor base. On one level I don't blame them, because they're just trying to survive, but it becomes a vicious cycle where everyone is too frightened of financial disaster to take a chance on anything, whether it's new school programs or new concert programs. People here are still making beautiful music, skilled teachers are still inpsiring, and a few amazing kids are still bucking the trend to pursue careers in early music, but the generational disconnect that Tom mentioned is already here. In a country where we can't even seem to keep our school kids from being shot at on a daily basis, I don't know we turn it around.

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29. I'm pretty sure my neighbours are not fond of my amateur opera singing, but I was never too keen on the drum kit across the road either. What I find interesting is that no-one takes the piss out of literally the daggyiest musician scene in the world, harpists. We just have really terrible aesthetics when it comes to attire and overall music video nous. If you want cringeworthy vids just type harp into YouTube. You'll either find people wearing plastic LOTR ears or fashions not seen in other genres since the 80's. Do not even get me started on people attempting to look sexy with a harp…..😬It's as if a $50,000 instrument makes up for total lack of all other taste.

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30. Why do journalists have to be so oppressive?

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31. Dear Sarah, Venezuelan here on my mid 40's.

    We did not have musical nor artistic education in my school. Singing was relegated to the National Anthem and Religious Music, not as a chorus but as everyone singing the same tune. Arts was a cerebral subject with no workshops, just textbooks… not even visits to our Museums!.

    In that regard I was unfortunate. On the other hand our school (which included what you would call elementary, middle and high school) was so darn good that almost everyone got into their preferred Universities and Faculties!.

    Imagine my surprise when I discovered in my early 30's that I yearned to learn traverse flute. By that time every chance of becoming a Professional had long vanished so I play for myself and exceptionally with a Venezuelan Cuatro (a kind of baritone Ukulele with returning tuning) player.

    A year ago I took a 2.00 mm mechanical pencil and a notebook and I started drawing.

    Love that I found those two Hobbies eventually, but discovering them earlier could have brought me a lot of fun, maybe a different worldview… Alas, no tears for the spilled milk.

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32. Recorder players unite! Beautiful, powerful video, Sarah. Thank you. I am self taught. Recorder is my third instrument. I'm classically trained on piano, but no instrument has challenged, frustrated and absolutely delighted me like the recorder. I practice outside. People hear Bach being played on a "strange flute" wafting through the neighborhood or park and often they come to ask me about it. They are always surprised when I tell them that my Alto is a recorder. They say, wait… Like that plastic thing we played in school? They tend to leave the conversation with a new appreciation for the instrument. It's my way of supporting recorder visibility and education. The best experience was when my 9 year old neighbor heard me play and raced inside to get his school recorder so we could play together!

    The recorder is the most difficult instrument I have ever played and I love it a way I haven't loved other instruments that I'm far better at. There's just something magical about it and I hope people start to realize what musicians have known for hundreds of years.. The recorder is a beautiful, sublime instrument that takes great mastery.

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33. I like this channel and I don't play recorder. I am a self taught guitarist and mandolin player looking for an audience.

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34. Writers like that are responding mostly to money. Recorders, banjos, accordions, do not cost a lot and are played by the working class, therefore they are ridiculed. Expensive instruments can be played badly, but the writers are too cagey to ridicule them because moneyed people are powerful. Me, I love recorders and feel sure that they will always have a following.

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35. Here in Malta the recorder is almost dead. And so is the mandolin. We used to have mandolin orchestras nothing now.

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36. So much to say in response to this! First, wonderful to hear you are teaching at RCM, where I learned recorder in the eighties, not as one of my instruments, but as a compulsory 2nd year course for GRSM students. Following that, as a music teacher, I had two recorder groups, one of which performed madrigals to a high degree of musicality.

    I tried to repeat this success in the school from which I retired last year, but I was hindered at every turn from using the recorders in the classroom with young teenagers, even though they seemed keen when I started. No, teach them plastic trombones instead, I was ordered, even though I have never played any brass instrument. I take comfort from the one individual recorder player whose mum wanted her to move on to a 'proper' instrument, but who loved it so much, she just kept going… until her family took her back to Germany.

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37. At the Peter Gabriel concert in Amsterdam last week, I’m pretty sure there was a guy playing recorder (and tin whistle and flute, unsurprisingly) in at least one song, but we were too far away to be certain and the video guy was useless at filming the musicians). The only musical education at primary level in the late 60s/early 70s I had in Kent was singing with a BBC Radio programme and singing hymns in assembly. We also got to muck around with xylophones and a glorious wooden glockenspiel (but I think they mixed the names up). My parents gave me a book and Schott wooden recorder and I taught myself. Listened to Michaela Petri and was in awe. At senior school, two friends and I set up a lunchtime recorder club because the teacher didn’t have time, but we did get to perform at school concerts. If you wanted to learn an orchestral instrument, there were peripatetic teachers, but they never told us how much it cost, so I just assumed my parents couldn’t afford it. I dreamt of learning the flute (inspired by James Galway) and eventually took lessons in my 40s and joined an ensemble, but stopped playing when the local music school shut down so there’s no one place to sign up for lessons. I got more complaints about the ear-piercing quality of the flute than the recorder.
    Positive note: my 3 children had no music lessons in Dutch primary school, but it was compulsory in senior school, at least for a couple of years. Two now play guitar for fun in a band with friends. The third would, if she had time. I’m not sure any of them can read music, though.

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