Recorder Consort Den Haag 2020, 21

The recorder students in the early music department of The Royal Conservatoire receive weekly consort lessons to learn repertoire and the specifics of recorder consort and ensemble playing. This year I decided to do the presentation in the form of a video recording of some varied compositions. Consort songs by John Dowland and Richard Nicholson, a Bach choral and a work called Balkanology. This piece was chosen by one of my Czech students and is composed for a recorder quartet by Czech composer Jan Rokyta (1969). Balkan music provides a lot of freedom to the performer. Rhythm is an important aspect and some rhythmic patterns are repeated through this piece giving it an almost ecstatic character. In the middle section, the soprano part gets freedom in improvisation, where only chord progression is given. Players are Regina Krchnakova, Laura Audonnet, Marguerite Maire and Dante Jongerius.