The Recorder Group

Leader:  Joan Gibson - recorder@ashbyu3a.co.uk -

The recorder group, meet twice a month, to make music in a relaxed, fun way. I would hope that we would be able to cater for a wide range of experience and skill. We usually meet each month on the 1st and 3rd Thursdays at 10am, but occasionally it varies. Check here for up to date information.

March and April

On 29th March at Stanton Methodist Church, Derbyshire, 6 of our members took part in a concert to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the church. We had arranged an additional couple of rehearsals, so that we wouldn’t disgrace ourselves.

The other performers at the concert were The Boundary Singers, a ladies’ choir who meet at the York Road Methodist Church in Church Gresley, and a group of Fijians from Lichfield, who, we understand, attend Stanton Church.

We played mostly 3- and 4-part pieces which we have played before: some folk songs (Eriskay Love Lilt), popular songs from the 20th century (Tiptoe Through the Tulips), Baroque (a march by Handel), Pieces by Purcell, Brahms and Fauré, and we finished with “The Hippopotamus Song” by Flanders and Swann. The audience were invited to sing along with this one, and they did. We included 5 sizes of recorder: soprano (previously known as descant), alto, tenor, bass and great bass. Some of these were a surprise to the audience, whose previous experience of recorders was in the school classroom: not a nice sound. We were pleased to receive compliments from the audience and the organisers of the concert.

During our April meetings, we continued with Gaspar Sanz’ Spanish Airs and Dances, Jolly Joan’s Fugue, Three Dances for recorder quartet by Wynne, as well as other music we are considering for the Open Day. We had 8 members at each of the month’s meetings.

Our next project is the music we will be playing during the Open Day. We will repeat some from the concert, as we are familiar with it, and it was well received. We are also continuing with other music which we are still learning, to stretch the brains.