Recorder is a type of flute that has a whistle mouthpiece. The instrument consists of a wooden or plastic tube with a row of seven finger holes and a thumb hole. A recorder is held almost vertically, and the holes are covered or uncovered to play different notes. The instrument has a soft, mellow tone. The most popular sizes of recorders are, from smallest to largest, soprano, alto, tenor, and bass.
The recorder was invented during the Middle Ages and has remained basically unchanged. It became popular during the 1500’s and 1600’s and was an important part of the music of the Renaissance. By the mid-1700’s, the modern flute had largely replaced the recorder. Since about 1920, however, a revival of interest has developed in the recorder and in recorder music of the Renaissance and baroque periods of music history.
