About recorders and quenas
Unlike other wind instruments in the orchestra, the recorder and quena are not difficult to play. In addition to their ease of use, their simple and beautiful sound soothes our heart.
A familiar music instrument
Around the 12th century, the word 'record' meant the chirping of a little bird. One theory has it that the recorder was so named because it was used to teach birds how to sing a song. The early recorders were made of wood, but some were made of ivory. Because of its ease of playing, the recorder gained popularity as a star instrument among aristocrats in the 16th century. The recorder was added to the orchestra in the early 18th century, but completely disappeared by the 1790s. However, an Englishman named Arnold Dolmetsch revived the recorder in the 20th century. Along with the revival came the plastic recorders which are widely used at present, making the recorder a popular musical instrument played by children around the world.
There are roughly four types of recorders. The most commonly used recorder is the soprano recorder. In addition, there are the alto, tenor, and bass recorders. Children with small hands should start with the soprano recorder. You can enjoy the gentle sound of the recorder simply by closing the finger holes and breathing into it. Its simple operation makes the recorder the best musical instrument for starting to learn to play music.
The vertical flute of Central and South America
The quena is a vertical flute that originated in South American countries, such as Peru and Bolivia. The early quenas were made from animal and bird bones, clay, or gourd, but the modern counterparts are made from bamboo or wood. The earlier models had 3–4 holes at the front, and the modern models are standardised on six holes at the front to play the Western scale. Using the same principle as a Japanese shakuhachi (bamboo flute), a quena player produces sound by blowing air to the U-shaped or V-shaped notch on the top of the embouchure hole.
The commonly used quena is 35–40 cm long and pitched one note above the alto recorder. The quena smaller than this is called the 'quenilla', and the quena larger than this is called 'quenacho'. Well-known quena players include the Argentines Antonio Pantoja, Uña Ramos, and Raul Mercado, and the Bolivians Rolando Encinas and Lucho Cavour. In addition, many people create quenas by themselves. The quena is an instrument which offers more than one way to enjoy it.
Range of the recorder
