Let’s face it. Twinkle twinkle little star is a classic. Here it is, in all its glory, for your enjoyment. Arranged for Soprano recorder. Oh, the joy!
Ode to Joy Notes for Recorder
Ode to Joy is one of the most popular songs for young children to play. Here are the notes for the song, arranged for soprano recorder. Feel free to print, distribute, and play as you wish. Have fun!
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Recorder Songs
Recorder Songs
If you’re learning to play the recorder, one of the first and most obvious concerns is finding songs to play. Before you begin your search, it’s important to understand a little bit about the evolution and history of the recorder.
The recorder is among the oldest woodwind instruments, with existing examples dating back almost a thousand years. The recorder enjoyed a high degree of popularity through the renaissance and baroque periods, where it was among the instruments of choice for both solo and ensemble repertoire.
The recorder eventually fell out of favor, as the transverse flute gained popularity. Suffice it to say that the dynamic flexibility and tonal character of the transverse flute made it a much more appealing instrument for composers. After about 1750, there was very little (if any) repertoire written for the recorder.
The recorder existed, basically forgotten, until the early 20th century, when a renewed interest in authentic performance brought the recorder back to the forefront. Over the last hundred years, the instrument has slowly gained popularity, and now enjoys a following among both amateur players and serious musicians.
Because of the peculiar path of the recorder, recorder songs can be broadly divided into three categories:
1. Recorder music which was composed before the year 1750.
2. Recorder music which was composed after the year 1910.
3. Music which was composed for another instrument (flute, clarinet, bassoon) between 1750 and 1910 which has been arranged or transposed for recorder.
All that being said, there are actually a wealth of recorder songs available to choose from. Much of this literature is available online, for free.
Recorder Songs for Beginners
In the beginning stages, the recorder is actually very easy to learn. The fingerings are simple, and the tone can be produced with very little effort. For adult beginners who are just starting out on the recorder, I recommend a book called “The Recorder From Zero”. Unlike most kids book which start with more perennial favorites like “hot crossed buns”, The Recorder From Zero draws its literature from renaissance, baroque, and contemporary music. The melodies are accompanied by concise explanations which make understanding easy. Charles Fischer, the author, has the first 10 lessons uploaded to his website, which you can access for free here.
Easy Recorder Songs
If you’re interested in exploring more historical repertoire for the recorder, consider starting with pieces like “The Bird Fancier’s Delight,” designed as a type of instructional manual for recorder. The sonatas by Handel are also among the easier pieces in the repertoire, but are also considered among the most beautiful. Because of the popularity of the recorder among semi-amateur musicians in the early 1700′s there’s a huge body of work available, which spans across all ability levels. One of the best resources for free, easy recorder songs online is imslp. This is a free archive where users can upload editions of works which are beyond copyright (which applies to most of the recorder’s literature). There are a number of first editions and manuscripts available for viewing, which is a real boon.
Easy Recorder Songs for Kids
Because of the recorder’s abundant use as a teaching tool for elementary school students, there is a literally overwhelming body of literature written for kids learning to play the recorder. Honestly, all of them are about the same. You’ll find every possible iteration of the notes B, A, and G imaginable. Because these ultra-introductory methods are so similar, I recommend picking one your child can get excited about. I really like the theme-driven books, which exist for a wide variety of children’s characters and trends. There’s everything from Harry Potter to Hannah Montana. While it’s hard to find these books for free, they’re readily available, and are usually extremely inexpensive – in the five to ten dollar range. Amazon.com has an excellent selection, and most local music stores keep a wide variety in stock.
Recorder Songs for Kids
Once your budding recorder player builds up some basic skill on the instrument, you’ll probably want to advance to a more serious method that teaches more than just B, A, and G. For this, I recommend a publisher called “Sweet Pipes”. Sweet Pipes publishes quite a bit of basic, kid-friendly literature that’s based in solid recorder technique. One of my favorites is the “Recorders Without Borders” series by Nina Stern. The series is an amalgamation of tunes from different countries. The structure and pace of the material is great for young learners.
Recorder Songs with Notes
Some of the best notated songbooks for the recorder were actually created hundreds of years ago, in the heyday of the recorder. The instructional books by Hotteterre and Quantz (although written mainly for transverse flute) offer great insight into correct fingerings, notes, and practices on the instrument. For a more contemporary guide, try the Hugh Orr book, “Basic Recorder Technique”, which also provides recorder songs with notes.
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Alto Recorder or Tenor Recorder?
If you’re new to the recorder, you might be asking yourself this very question. Here’s some information to help you decide between an alto recorder or tenor recorder:
- The Alto recorder is the traditional instrument of the baroque solo repertoire. While tenor recorders were certainly used during the recorders historical heyday, their use was restricted to consort playing. There are no significant solo works from this time period written for the instrument.
- In spite of the tenor recorder’s humble beginnings, the instrument has gained popularity among modern composers. Pete Rose, Walter Mays and others have written truly amazing virtuosic works for the tenor recorder.
- Pragmatically speaking, tenor recorders are somewhat more expensive than alto recorders. If cost is a factor in purchasing your first recorder, an alto model is almost certainly a more economical option.
- Given the popularity of the alto recorder, tenor recorder players are somewhat more “in demand” in consorts. Many proficient tenor players find that they have an easier time finding and recruiting consort partners.
- Tenor recorders have a significantly wider reach between the fingers, and are much heavier than alto recorders. If you have small hands or wrist problems, you might find the tenor recorder difficult.
- Like the soprano recorder, the tenor recorder is in C. In contrast, the alto recorder is fingered in F. If your primary experience with the recorder has been in a school setting (where soprano recorders are most prevalent), the tenor recorder may be an easier transition than the alto recorder.
Remember that eventually, most advanced recorder players own both alto and tenor recorders (in addition to many others!) and play both models proficiently. Most importantly, playing the recorder is about playing music and having fun!
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Tenor Recorder Thumb Rest
Many, although not all, recorder players choose to use a thumb rest when playing the tenor recorder. Although most experienced musicians agree that thumb rests are not necessary for alto, soprano, or other large recorders, the challenging weight distribution of the tenor recorder means that for some players, a thumb rest may be the only way to comfortably play the instrument.
While a thumb rest can greatly enhance your playing, it’s important to take care — an improperly placed thumb rest can cause severe performance injuries, and can even damage your tenor recorder.
Before you mount the thumb rest, experiment to find the best position for installation. The easiest way to do this is by wrapping a couple of thick rubber bands around the recorder, where you think the thumb rest should go. These will provide support for your left thumb, and give you a rough idea of what the thumb rest will feel like if installed in that spot. Move the rubber band up and down to adjust the positioning. Watch out for soreness, stiffness, or excessive tension in your left thumb. Don’t rush this process. It can take days or weeks to determine the best positioning for your thumbrest.
Once you’ve determined where your thumb rest should go, consider mounting a removable option. A thick piece of cork adhered with an acid-free rubber cement is easy to apply at home, provides all the support you need, and is easy to remove without damaging the finish of your instrument.
If you do decide to mount a permanent (screw mounted) thumb rest, always have a professional repair person do the work. The bore walls of the tenor recorder are quite thin, and if you’re not careful, you could actually screw through the wood and into the bore, permanently damaging the instrument!
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Tenor Recorder
The tenor recorder is the next size down from the alto recorder, and is keyed in C, like the soprano recorder. Tenor recorders are available both with and without low C keys. Traditionally the role of the tenor has been as the “middle voice” in recorder consort playing, a role which is probably still its most important. It should be noted, though, that the popularity of the tenor recorder has extended beyond consort playing, and there are a number of new pieces being written which use the instrument in a solo capacity. Composers like Pete Rose have, in recent years, composed highly virtuosic pieces which have become part of the standard literature for the instrument. Well known makers of tenor recorders include Yamaha, Aulos, Moeck, and Mollenhauer, among others.
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Alto Recorder
The alto recorder is by far the most popular size of recorder, and the one most commonly used for solo playing. Most of the wonderful, expressive recorder music of the baroque era was written for the alto; including the Handel Sonatas, Telemann Sonatas, etc. Because of the close relationship between the alto recorder and the flute, much of the baroque literature for the flute can also be played on the recorder; some classic examples are the Telemann Fantasies and the Bach Partita, lovely pieces which work just as well on recorder as they do on the flute. The alto is keyed in F, and has a range of almost 3 octaves.
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Aulos Recorder
Aulos recorders are some of the most well known and well respected beginner recorders available. Like Yamaha, Aulos focuses specifically on the “learners” recorder market, and produces a range of recorders from garklein all the way down to bass which are appropriate for beginning students, intermediate students, or even for professionals as a warm-up or practice instrument. Aulos recorders are known for having a very pleasant sound, especially among other plastic recorders.
Aulos recorders are extremely reasonably priced, and are a great value for the quality. As with all recorders, I recommend that even a beginner start with a mid to high range model; the price difference is really quite small (even the very best Aulos alto recorder is only $30 or $40), and the difference in tone, response, and tuning is dramatic. Make sure you purchase one with a curved (not straight) windway, which is the biggest determining factor in tone and flexibility.
Many players prefer the tone of Aulos recorders over the tone of Yamahas. Yamaha recorders tend to be glassier and more projecting, while recorders from Aulos tend to be softer, more blended, and more diffuse, making them a safe choice for use as part of a consort. I actually have both a Yamaha and an Aulos recorder- which one I use depends on the repertoire, as well as the space where I’m playing.
If you’re considering purchasing a recorder, Aulos really should be at the top of your list!
Bass Recorder
The Bass recorder is one of the lowest voices in the recorder family, and certainly the lowest voice typically used in consort music.
Bass recorders are fingered in F, like the alto and the sopranino. Wooden models are actually surprisingly sparse, probably due to their lack of significant solo repertoire. Fortunately though, there are some excellent plastic options available from makers like Yamaha and Aulos.
The most common use of the bass recorder is as the bass voice in a recorder consort. Very little historical music exists which features the bass recorder outside of this context, but in recent years new composers have taken notice of the expressive capabilities of the instrument. Perhaps most notably, American composer Pete Rose has written some truly original and virtuosic pieces for the bass recorder that are quickly becoming standards in the repertoire.
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Soprano Recorder
The soprano recorder is one of the most widely played sizes of recorder; this is likely because it is the recorder favored by classroom music teachers, who prefer it to the alto based on its smaller size.
The soprano recorder is tuned in C, and has a normal playing range of about 3 octaves. Most qualified instrument makers will produce several soprano models. Great quality soprano recorders can be purchased from Yamaha, Aulos, Zen-On, Moeck, and Mollenhauer. Of course, there are more expensive hand-made options available, but the options listed above are great for beginning or intermediate students.
As with all recorders, those sopranos with a curved windway sound a little sweeter than those with a straight windway, and are a hallmark of better-made instruments.
Historically speaking, the main function of the soprano recorder is as a member of the recorder consort, a group of recorders of different sizes. There are also a number of very nice solo compositions for the instrument from the 16th and 17th centuries, by composers like Van Eyck and Frescobaldi.
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