When most people think of the recorder, if they do at all, it is usually with hazy memories of elementary school and performing songs like Mary Had a Little Lamb with about a dozen other children in a concert, all playing in different keys, tempos and possibly even notes.
Thankfully for those in attendance at the Brackendale Art Gallery Sunday afternoon (May 29) for a matinee performance of the recorder group Tutti Flutti, the recorder is actually quite a versatile instrument in the hands of people who really do know how to play.
Directed by Dale H. Warr, Tutti Flutti is a Chilliwack-based group that performs music such as Handel, Mozart and Pachelbel, almost entirely on different sized recorders - bass, tenor and soprano. Accompanying the half dozen recorder players at the gallery were Soprano Marlene Boeltz-Nagata and classical guitarist Rod Swanson, who also pulled double duty on a recorder of his own.
Far from the grating, high-whistle sound remembered from youth, the recorder, when handled by practiced musicians, lends itself very well to variety of musical styles and genres. From the happy lilt of Mendelssohn's Allegro non Troppo, which conjured up images of a pleasant alpine meadow, to the haunting melodies of a trio of tunes called the Capriol Suite, the players showed off the instrument's versatility, subtlety and ability to create amazing harmonies.
However, not all the pieces selected were meant for the recorder. Most notably, Pachelbel's Canon did not seem to translate well to the instrument. Even with all its versatility, no number of recorders could adequately muster up enough passion to do that classical standard justice.
In addition to more than a dozen classical music pieces played by the group, Swanson treated the audience to several solo performances on the guitar, along with a handful of tunes sung by Boeltz-Nagata in her bell-clear soprano voice.
Most noteworthy was An Erskay Love Lilt, arranged by Dr. Patrick McCrum, a local composer. "This is really the reason for this performance," said Warr when introducing the song.
The Scottish love song was perfect for the wind instruments, with a haunting, airy melody and bittersweet vocals that would have made anyone long for the Scottish highlands, even if they had never been there.
And yes, there was even a few bars of Mary Had a Little Lamb, played during the Pastiche Overture, but even that old chestnut was given new life, one that was a lot more playful and melodic than the one we butchered in school.
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