ARS NOVA extra: Giant recorders



Worth noting, listed here are makers who offer Great Bass and contrabass recorders  that are not readily available in the U.S. 

 

Adriana Breukink (Enschede, Netherlands): Pitched at a=466, Adriana produces handmade Renaissance Bassano model consorts including C-Bass and Contrabass in a natural oiled finish. She often comes to the U.S. to exhibit at the Boston and Berkeley Early Music Festivals.

Coolsma: A bit of an unknown in the U.S., but there are square-profile Great Bass in C and Contrabass recorders by Coolsma, made of birch plywood, found on Aafab in The Netherlands and the Early Music Shop in England.

Francesco Li Virghi (Orte, Italy): These are lightweight handmade Renaissance instruments including C-bass and Contrabass in his Praetorius line, and a C-bass in his Rafi-Grece line. He rarely ships to the US and prefers to sell in person at his workshop. It would be worth the trip!      

Prescott (Hanover, NH): Pitched at a=440, Tom Prescott’s beautiful natural oiled maple wood Renaissance instruments are in use all over the world, including a set that was custom made for the Flanders Recorder Quartet. His “Great Bass in F” is still available.

Adrian Brown (The Netherlands) (a=466) https://adrianbrown.org/home/ 

Martin Praetorius (Germany) (a=440) www.martin-praetorius.de

Andreas Schöni (Switzerland) (a=440 or a=466)

Ture Bergstrøm (Denmark) (a=440) http://bergstrom.dk


 

Photo: Prescott Workshop