If you told me seven years ago that I would play Byrd’s Fantasia 2 in a Renaissance recorder consort, I wouldn’t believe you.  But that’s what I did last Monday night!

I recently got a Renaissance alto recorder in F, and as it was with my other recorders, it was a group effort to make it playable.  

Thomas Prescott is a fine recorder maker in New Hampshire.  He makes Renaissance instruments, and for mine, he drilled the seventh hole directly in line with the sixth.

Prescott Alto in F

Then my recorder travelled across the Atlantic to Peter Worrell.  Once again, Peter created beautiful, high-quality keys on holes 4 and 5 for my left pinky.

Keys on 4th and 5th holes

I ordered a brass thumb rest from Lazar’s Early Music and made an adjustable neckstrap out of parachute cord and a cord stopper.  

Finally, I needed a brace.  My husband is an aspiring bagpipe maker, and he is excited about any opportunity to create something beautiful out of wood.  I am proud to show off my new recorder brace, courtesy of Stephen Thomforde!  He turned a brace, created a tenon wrapped with hemp, and made a piece to hold brass tubing which he attached to the recorder with epoxy.  The wood was a little slippery, so I dipped it in liquid rubber. Ta-da!

I am so grateful for people who use their skills to make music possible for me.  What a lucky musician I am!