Mono Monday Music

The C18th was a time of growth and development in the making of musical instruments. As well as the earliest pianos, one major development, invention, was making woodwind instruments in three pieces that fitted together (rather than one long tube) and adding keys for ease and accuracy of playing (rather than open holes).  The rise of the orchestra in the C18th and the subsequent competition between instruments for volume and virtuosity,  eventually led to the demise of the recorder (also called Flute a Bec, an instrument of nobility and purity of sound during the Medieval and Renaissance periods, used for courtly music) as it was gradually replaced by the now louder, easier to play transverse (side) flute, previously a folk music instrument. Today's photo is one of my own wooden recorders,for Mono Monday with the theme of C18th Inventions.  Thank you to Laurie 54 for hosting.

The recorder was made in many different sizes as can be seen in this lovely (short) piece by English Renaissance composer John Dowland here.  Well worth two minutes of your time (imo).

Hotteterre: Principles of the Flute, Recorder and Oboe (Principes De La Flute) The finest flutist of his time and honored "Flûte de la Chambre du Roi" at the court of Louis XIV, Jacques-Martin Hotteterre (c. 1680–1760) wrote this instruction book for the transverse flute, recorder, and oboe. This treatise (originally titled Principes de la Flûte) was an important force in the competition between the flute and recorder and hastened the virtual extinction of the recorder as either an ensemble or solo instrument.( More information here Amazon)