Treble Recorder in F
Catalogue number: 1.4
Original name: Treble recorder in F.
Place of origin: England, c.1780. This recorder is its maker鈥檚 only known specimen.
Overall size: 495mm total length: Head joint: 189.3mm; main joint: 204.1mm; foot joint: 101.3mm.
Sounding length: 438.2mm.
Bore: Head joint: 18mm; main joint: 18mm - 14.3mm; foot joint: 14.3mm - 12.5mm.
Technical description: three sections of a light wood, possibly box. String on tenons. Seven finger holes, one thumb hole. It seems to prefer Hotteterre fingering
Finger-holes |
Diameter |
Distance from foot (distance to hole centres) |
|
Left-hand, thumb: |
5.8mm |
291.1mm |
|
Left hand, first finger: |
5.7mm |
272.8mm |
|
Left hand second finger: |
5.8mm |
246.0mm |
|
Left hand third finger: |
5.8mm |
211.3mm |
|
Right hand, first finger: |
5.8mm |
172.6mm |
|
Right hand, second finger: |
5.4mm |
141.0mm |
|
Right hand, third finger: |
5.0mm |
110.6mm |
|
Right hand, fourth finger: |
5.3mm |
79.2mm |
Inscription: Stamped on all three joints: 鈥淔OLEY鈥�/ [motif: a fan or plume shape within a square].
Faults: Slightly warped and there is quite a large chip off the foot-joint (not affecting the bore). Slight damage to lip.
Usable pitch: Plays at a鈥� = 420 Hz.
Performance characteristics: The instrument has an unfocussed tone with a breathy quality, probably due to the damage to the lip. The two octave range is considerably contracted, ie the distance between f鈥� and f鈥欌�欌�� is much too narrow.
The middle part of the range is relatively usable, eg from g鈥� to d鈥欌��. However, even here, g鈥欌�� is very sharp and requires the addition of finger 4 all the time. F鈥欌�� is also sharp and requires finger 5 or possibly 4 all the time.
Specific references: This instrument is listed in the New Langwill Index. It is the only known instrument by Foley.
Recording references:
Illustration references: See below
Previous owner: Mrs A Scott-James. Donated to Birmingham School of Music, 1936.
Previous collection numbers: A: item 15.
Gallery of Images
