Moeck Recorders: Rottenburgh, Steenbergen, Denner, Hotteterre

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Rottenburgh Recorders

Like the violin, the "classical" recorder originates from the Baroque Era. Recorder making centers were Paris, London, Amsterdam, Nuremberg and Brussels.
Friedrich von Huene subjected almost all original instruments of this period extant in museums to detailed inspection. The Moeck Rottenburgh baroque recorders at modern pitch were conceived using these data combined with that obtained from instruments by Jean-Hyacinth-Joseph Rottenburgh.  The Moeck Rottenburghs are today's most-played baroque solo recorders and proved to be particularly reliable. A special feature is their brilliant upper register.

All instruments have double holes or double keys.  In hard case.  The bass is available with either an A415 or A442 middle joint, or both.

Reliable and versatile for ensemble-playing or as solo instrument.

Steenbergen Recorders

As an alternative - unique instruments rather than series recorders - we offer our MOECK Steenbergen recorders (soprano a¹ = 442 and 415 Hz) after originals in the Frans Brüggen Collection. They have a very narrow windway which seems to lead the air stream almost over the edge. Thus they are elastic in dynamics and articulation, even with varying air pressure.  The high notes speak well and their warm and bright sound is "typically Baroque."
Range over two octaves.  In hard case.

The Steenbergen soprano is the sweetest soprano I know of.

Jacob Denner (1681 - 1735, Nuremberg) Alto Recorder
after the original from the Musikhistorisk Museum Copenhagen

Jacob Denner is a son and successor of the famous woodwind-maker Johann Christoph Denner of Nuremberg who already during his lifetime was held in great esteem. Just like his father, Jacob Denner was well-known for the excellent quality of his instruments far beyond the borders of his home country. Exquisite examples of Denner originals are kept in various museums or are in private possession. "Our" Denner is built after a model from the "Musikhistorisk Museum" in Copenhagen. According to many renowned recorder-makers it is the best preserved instrument made by Denner. We offer this beautiful recorder in today's customary tuning a¹ = 440 Hz so that it may be played by a large circle of players. Compared to our Stanesby, which has a full, mellow tone and an unusual wide dynamic range for a baroque recorder, the Denner speaks clearly and effortlessly and the tone colour is perfectly balanced in all registers. It has a slender and refined tone with a brilliance to it rendering it ideal for solo playing. This agile instrument is extremely reliable in all registers and is therefore particularly suitable for virtuoso music with a lot of fast notes involved such as in the works of Georg Philipp Telemann.

Thomas Stanesby senior (1668 - 1734, London) Alto Recorder

Reconstruction: Ralf Ehlert

Indian boxwood, natural or antique patina, oiled. In hard case. A415 or A442.

The recorder of the London woodwind instrument makers Thomas Stanesby senior, Peter Bressan (immigrated from France) and Thomas Stanesby junior have a special place among the recorders handed down from the Baroque period. What we can read in Samuel Pepys' famous diaries (1660-69) is that recorders were very popular in England. Well-known composers or players included Handel, Paisible, Loeillet, Finger and Pepusch. There were also many tutors for schools and arrangements from which music could be played.
We found that the alto recorder by Stanesby senior, in the Frans Brüggen collection in Amsterdam, lends itself particularly well to reconstruction because of its characteristic tone in the lower, middle and upper register. This model is a very effective solo instrument owing to its beautiful sound, easy response and reliability.

Ehlert Soprano, Alto & Tenor, developed by Ralf Ehlert (A=442)

Most recorder players have the desire to occasionally express themselves beyond the delicate and discreet character of their instrument, especially when playing together with other instruments. In an ensemble with modern strings, wind, or keyboard instruments, one would no doubt rather have an instrument that will prevail and compete with the sound of the others. However at the same time one does not want to do without the clear and typical recorder sound.

    The new Ehlert recorders combines the advantages of various historic models:

• Due to the wide conical bore, it has the strength of tone of a renaissance recorder
• Due to a windway designed after baroque models, it has both the flexibility of sound and dynamics of a baroque recorder
• Due to its design, it has a large compass (2-1/2 octaves) with the advantage that the f sharp³ (c sharp³) no longer has to be played by the awkward closing of the bottom hole. Although the instrument is significantly longer than a standard recorder, it does not require any keys besides the double key on the foot joint in order to close the two bottom holes comfortably.
• The new Ehlert soprano, alto and tenor have been modeled on baroque tenors (Hotteterre, Bressan e.g.) as well as long-bore German recorders made around 1930, and therefore can be played with the customary baroque fingerings. Thus, there is no need to learn new fingerings, except of course for the pitches higher than f sharp³ (c sharp³).

    The new Ehlert soprano, alto or tenor is suitable for recorder music from all styles and periods. On account of its strong tone color and volume, it is particularly suitable for playing with piano and other "modern" instruments.  It is strong enough to hold its own with a Baroque orchestra.

Ehlert Tenor Fingering Chart

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Consort Renaissance Recorders

Our series of Renaissance recorders are based on instruments in the Hofburgmuseum, Vienna. This famous collection contains a significant number of very well preserved Renaissance recorders which are on the main constructed in one piece.

Unlike the originals, the head and lower joint of our own series of Renaissance recorders are provided with tenon joints reinforced with a brass ring. The basic playing pitch is 440 Hz (the originals play at 460 Hz). The tenons allow a little adjustment to the pitch.

The fingering of the new series of Renaissance recorders differs somewhat from the conventional Baroque fingering. They are designed with the original Renaissance fingering (R) producing mean tone temperament. The purity of thirds in mean tone is particularly attractive when used for ensemble playing. The series is also available with conventional fingering (B) and temperament.

The instruments are made from dark stained Maple and are treated with linseed oil. They must be oiled regularly until the wood becomes naturally impregnated, particularly in the earlier stages of the instrument´s use.

When voicing this series, we have taken care that the recorders blend well in ensemble, voicing out any prominent sounds or dynamics.

The instruments have a range of one octave and a sixth.