Greatbass and Subbass recorders

The recorder sizes are not limited to the standard SATB quartet in C,F,C,F, although this is the common quartet used today.
Recorders can be divided in mainly two classes: Renaissance recorders (wide-bore) which have a softer tone, no c#,d# (f#,g#) keys, their own fingering, and are often limited in range to 1.5 octaves, and Baroque recorders (and modern recorders) which usually allow to play over more than 2 octaves.
While in baroque time consort use is rare (strings replaced the recorder for consort music, the recorder became a solo or duet instrument, mainly for the alto in F), nowadays the SATB (CFCF) quartet has become popular and many arrangements and modern quartet literature are written for this combination of instruments.
For large recorders, one has to mention a third class, namely modern instruments that are different from renaissance and baroque recorders: The Paetzold square bass recorder which is available from bass (F) over2 greatbass (C) and subbass (F) to sub-subbass (C) and looks more like a wooden organ pipe than a recorder.
The historic quartet use in renaissance time was e.g. ATTB (GCCF) or transpositions like TBBGb (CFFBflat) or TBBGb (DGGC). Recorders were made in several pitches and sizes, form Garklein (C) and Sopranino (F) over SATB to Greatbass (Cr2 or Bflat) and Subbass (F). Even the Subbass can be played (large hands and fingers required) without helping keys, apart from the key with the fontanelle. As far as I know, a Subbass in E-flat or Sub-Subbass in C has not been built. Instead, one tried a Subbass `with extension' that allows to play E(?), D, C with help of additional keys that were played by the unused fingers (and toes?) One surviving copy is somewhere in an European museum (Amsterdam?), and there have some reconstructions been tried, but it seems that one better should use instead two instruments, a Subbass and a Sub-Subbass (in B-flat or C).
              

Renaissance recorders by Bergstrøm, Præstø 		Renaissance recorders have been built in eight sizes from Garklein to Subbass. Historic instruments are available from by various makers, e.g. Ture Bergstrøm, Adrian Brown, Marvin, and many others.
Late Renaissance recorders sometimes have both advantages or both disadvantages of Renaissance and Baroque instruments. Usually they have not yet 2 octaves range, no low f#/g# keys or double holes, on the other hand their tone is not as sweet and ensemble-blending as earlier Renaissance instruments. The bore can be rather wide or more cylindrical, the consort consists more of SATB in C,F,C,F alternating, as nowadays. As the focus of baroque recorder music will be the (virtuoso) alto (and/or soprano) solo or duet with or without Basso continuo, there was less need for new-designed tenor and bass instruments, and the further development seems to be continued only nowadays - after a long "sleep" of recorder consort music.
One very remarkable quartet has survived from that time between renaissance and baroque instruments. The picture shows a Greatbass (built by C. Mollenhauer, Fulda) after Hieronymus F. Kynseker. The Kynseker recorders are late renaissance recorders and are sometimes classified as early baroque. Originals (SATB) can be found in Nürnberg
One of the largest historic recorders in use seems to be the Renaissance recorder in B-flat (length 3 m) made by Adriana Breukink made for Paul Leenhouts, member of the Amsterdam Loeki Stardust Quartet.
See the page of H. Hartog





 		 One trial to play notes below the subbass was the subbass `with extension', a large instrument with additional keys; a second one for the small finger of the right (lower) hand (for E), and two keys for the thumb (for D and C). A four-keyed bass can be found at Bayerisches Nationalmuseum.
The picture shows a contrabass (2.50m or 2.62m?) about 1535 by Rauch von Schrattenbach, Hamburg which is in Antwerpen (after van der Meer).
There are very few modern copies of this construction.
Bibloteca Capitolare, Verona
Instrument: Double-bass recorder in C by Anonymous.
Details: 2.85 m in length. Ref. Hunt (1977: 31).
Vleeshuis Museum, Antwerp, Belgium
Instrument: Great Bass in C by Rauch von Schrattenbach, fl. 1535
Details: 2.62 m long. Photograph in Hunt (1977: pl. V). 		I cannot tell if these two recorders listed here are real contrabasses in C or if they are subbasses in F with extension
Baroque-reproductions and modern recorders are often available as Greatbass (C) or Subbass (F). Usually they are crook-blown (exception: from Kobliczek there is a new knick-greatbass) and have keys for most fingers. Some do not have extra keys for the lowest half tone notes. picture?




 
The Paetzold square bass recorder is a modern instrument with a range comparable to baroque recorders. These instruments are available in four sizes, bass (F), greatbass (C), subbass (F) and sub-subbass (C).
New: Dolmetsch announces a Greatbass (C), Contra-Bass (F), Sub-Contra-Bass (C) Contra-Sub-Contra-Bass (F) family in both 440 and 415 pitch.
The largest instrument may have a final length of 4m; surely not to be played at home...  		 Millenium Large Basses  
   

Other bass, greatbass and subbass recorder resources on the net

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