Hi all,

I'm returning to playing the recorder after some decades, and currently chasing down an Aulos tenor "Symphony" which I saw recommended on Team Recorder's youtube.

I've seen two different model numbers, and one or both of these might be the Symphony. One is the 511 B, and the other is 511 E. I've also googled but I still don't know what the B or E refer to. Does anyone know whether it's only the B that's the Symphony, or is it the E too?

Thank you,
Jo

Further to my post, I've since discovered via my partner that the Aulos 5__ range of recorders is called Symphony. I'm still wondering what the A, B and E refer to in the model names, but it's not important, I'm just curious.

Jo

The UK Amazon site had a comment that the E was an older discontinued model, replaced by the B. My guess is that the instrument is marked with the type fingering it follows. G would be Geman fingering. E would be English/ B would be Baroque, which are the same. English /Baroque fingering is to be preferred as German fingering is easier on one note but makes the instrument out of tune in the higher register.
The only Aulos I have is a sopranino. I got it about 15 years ago. It is marked E. The Aulos website now only shows B models.
FrankP

Are you aware of the (right hand) stretch needed for tenor recorders? Sarah Jeffery (Team Recorder) is a pro with big, well-trained hands, for her it's not a problem. For many other people - me included - it is. I personally prefer the Aulos 2__ (Robin) tenor, which is shorter overall, allowing the right-hand fingers to be closer together.

Of course, the advantage of the "long" recorders is that there's a fingering for high (3rd) c-sharp, on the short ones you need to close the bell hole...

For those who might be scared off by your (very accurate) warning about long stretches, don't worry, "comfort keys" can be added. They're usually added for the ring finger of the left hand and the first finger of the right hand.

I have two tenors, one Yamaha and the other an Aulos, that I had one key installed on for the first finger of my right hand. Works a treat, and wasn't at all expensive. Especially the one from the Kelisheck Workshop.

Piper Joe

I'm sort of looking for another tenor. I had an Aulos 211 but found the reach too much. I should have just stuck with it I suppose. The 511 has keys but I've discovered that keyed tenors are longer, so keys might not solve the reach problem.
Still easier than a low D whistle tho...

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Just to clarify, "keyed" tenors usually have keys for C/C# but I was referring to having keys added for the ring finger or the left hand and the first finger of the right hand. These solve the stretch problem, or at least should do so for most people.

I was able to have a key added to just the first finger RH hole. No issue with my left hand.

Piper Joe

If you add a key to an instrument that wasn't originally designed to have a key make sure you check the tuning of the instrument. There is a fingering technique called shading where you hold a finger in the air stream above a hole (about the distance of an open key) that slightly flattens the note (see "Recorder Technique" Rowland-Jones). I would think the recorder technician that adds the key would have to slightly enlarge the hole the key is added to. How that affects the overall tuning of the instrument is sort of problematic.
I've never had a key added to an instrument so I defer to those that have...is the recorder still in tune accross its range?
FrankP

Both of mine have survived the surgery with their intonation apparently undisturbed...

I get your point that adding keys could be a problem though. I don't know if the technicians, two different ones (Lazar's and Kelischek in my case), had modified the instrument(s) in any way or not.

Piper Joe