Handel: Sonata for Recorder and Harpsichord in B-flat Major (HWV 377) (Sopranino Recorder)

0:00 I. Allegro 2:05 II. Adagio 3:18 III. Allegro Handel wrote several recorder sonatas, and most of the flute and oboe sonatas are in the right range to be played on recorders as well, or require only minimal modification. The alto or treble recorder was the solo instrument of choice throughout the baroque era, but the recorder family includes several other instruments: the soprano or descant that many are familiar with from educational settings, the tenor an octave below, the bass an octave below the alto, and a fifth member called the sopranino, an octave higher than the alto. Consequently, anything written for alto can be played on sopranino, though it sounds an octave higher. While the top notes are so high in pitch they cannot help being somewhat piercing in quality, the lower notes are actually not very powerful and need a discreet accompaniment. Since I am trying to showcase each of the voices of the recorder family individually, I picked this shorter sonata that also rarely goes up into the top range to show off the smallest regularly found member (no, I will not attempt to play a complete sonata on a Garklein, or piccolo recorder). Sopranino is surprisingly difficult to play, partly because of its small size, and partly because there is very little room for error with the air control. I hope that I have done justice to this piece in my attempt to demonstrate this tiny instrument.