A lot of recorders have been made of pear wood over the years. Why pear wood? What's so great about the material?

It's a close-grained hardwood available to europeans.

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And now there was no doubt that the trees were really moving - moving in and out through one another as if in a complicated country dance. ('And I suppose,' thought Lucy, 'when trees dance, it must be a very, very country dance indeed.')

C.S. Lewis

Nothing. Presumably used for availability and price, but it's basically a mass market, lower-end choice with pearwood and maple recorders typically impregnated with paraffin wax for preservation and stability where harder/denser woods don't require this and are normally oiled instead.

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And we in dreams behold the Hebrides.

Why I teach... and where
Master of nine?

Before the arrival of tropical hardwoods in Europe, fruitwood (usually pear) and boxwood were two of the densest close-grained woods available to Europeans. Thus, they were used to make recorders. Several hundred years later, the tradition continues, despite the availability of denser tropical hardwoods.

*And flutes, pipes, etc. At the time, there was no better wood available.

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And now there was no doubt that the trees were really moving - moving in and out through one another as if in a complicated country dance. ('And I suppose,' thought Lucy, 'when trees dance, it must be a very, very country dance indeed.')

C.S. Lewis

I would say availability. Especially as the flute/whistle is a folk instrument and in earlier times commoners would make use of the materials around them. And I dont think Pear was a particularly sacred tree (unlike Yew or Rowan)

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You don't stop playing when you get old, you get old when you stop playing!
My musical endeavours on my blog https://mymusictree.blogspot.co.uk/

Coincidence-
I'm having an all pear wood epinette des Vosges being made for me right now. I chose pear wood mostly because that's the wood of the antique original museum instrument that my epinette is based on. Also for pear wood sentimental reasons. Should be finished in a few weeks. The color of pear wood is delightful as well. Can't wait!

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Having FUN playin' my whistles!
http://pennywhistleclub.com/
...a new social network just for whistlers

I had to look up "epinette des Vosges". Never heard of one before.

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"Only connect!"

https://youtu.be/ezbWVysJAOY
https://tapm.bandcamp.com/

Me too, and I'm glad I took the time too. It looks fantastic!

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You don't stop playing when you get old, you get old when you stop playing!
My musical endeavours on my blog https://mymusictree.blogspot.co.uk/