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DIY sewing project

Since I was reorganizing my music room, I wanted to figure out how to get the most out of my shelves and also keep everything looking neat. Storage bins for cubby-type shelves are pretty common, but they only come in the sizes and patterns that they come in. If you make your own, you can make them however you want! 
Plastic yard signs are an ideal material for providing the internal structure for these, and election season is a great time to collect signs that people are done with. So for this year’s Pickle Project, I’ve made a video showing you how to make these. You can make them in whatever size you need, as long as you can measure and cut rectangles. 

This project is going up a few days before Election Day 2022 – don’t forget to vote! 

I’ve posted this and various other free patterns, projects, and sewing tutorials on my other website at www.dillpicklegear.com/projects. If you enjoy this or any of the others, please consider making a small donation to Days for Girls or to the bicycling advocacy organization of your choice. Enjoy!

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Virtual Concert from my living room to yours, for the SoHIP summer concert series

This spring I was all set to perform a solo program for the SoHIP summer concert series. But then the COVID hit the fan, just as they were getting ready to announce their season. Needless to say, the in-person series was canceled and replaced with a virtual, video version.

So Jake helped me set up in the living room, and I recorded a video version. Doing this is a different kind of experience from a live concert, or from recording a CD; pieces are performed as single, very long takes. This makes for an organic, honest performance – not as polished as a studio recording. It also presents many challenges, from neighborhood noise to summer heat. In the end, it’s a fantastic learning experience and I’m thrilled to still be able to share music with others even if we can’t be together in person.

The full program with notes can be found here as a PDF, or at the bottom of this post.

The video premieres on YouTube in the evening of July 29th, but of course it will still be up after that if you miss the premier!

Connecting the Centuries with the Solo Recorder
A Video Presentation for
the Society for Historically Informed Performance
www.sohipboston.org
Emily O’Brien, Recorder

Ciaccona
from Violin Partita no. 2 BWV 1004
J.S. Bach (1685-1750)
arr. Emily O’Brien

Ricercata quarta
from Ricercate, passaggi,et cadentie
Giovanni Bassano (1561-1617)

Coasting on Daydreams (2015)
Michael O’Brien (b.1954)

Troisiéme Suite op. 35
Prélude
Courante
Rondeau
Autre
Sarabande
Gavotte
Joseph Bodin de Boismortier(1689-1755)


Divertimento for solo flute
Introduction and fughetta
Variations on a Ground
Gavotte and Musette
Finale alla Gigue
William Alwyn (1905-1985)

Comagain
After “Come again, sweet love doth now
invite” by John Dowland
Jacob van Eyck (1590-1657)


Notes:
We typically think of the Renaissance and Baroque as the core of the recorder literature. But much of our favorite solo repertoire from those eras is actually borrowed from other instruments – flute most frequently, but also violin or cornetto or other instruments. Today, the recorder continues to change and develop in new directions; in some cases almost without our realizing it. For example, many of the most common so-called “Baroque” models of lower recorders are really nothing like any actual 18th century instrument, and the ensemble contexts in which we use them are not much like any 18th century ensemble – even when we’re playing arrangements of 18th century music and expect to hear stylistically appropriate musical choices.
But we also have more soloistic modern recorders, which are suited to performing a wider variety of borrowed literature, including later flute pieces which often have a range well outside that of a Baroque recorder. Of course Bach’s unaccompanied works are prime theft targets for every instrument; there is one partita for solo flute that recorder players typically claim as our own. But these pieces are so rich that no one can stop at just one. The wonderful Chaconne from Bach’s 2nd violin partita has been transcribed many times for many instruments. I present here my own transcription for the Mollenhauer Helder harmonic tenor, which has a range that encompasses essentially all of the original range of the piece and requires minimal octave transpositions. Of course, as a non-polyphonic melody instrument, there are many choices to be made about how to handle the chords that a violin is capable of. There are many interpretations and many ways to treat these questions; I have done my best to balance the harmonic and rhythmic context and conventions for how the piece is typically performed against what I feel works well for the instrument.
The Bassano ricercars are another example of pieces that recorder players typically claim as our own that may be at least a little bit borrowed. The book claims to be suitable for all treble instruments; the pieces do work well for the recorder, and the practice material in the book is excellent. But Bassano was a cornettist, and that instrument is most likely what he really had in mind as wrote. While the book also contains ornamented versions of madrigals, the ricercars are purely abstract fantasies in themselves, without the strictures of a pre-existing melody or discrete movements in specific dance rhythms.
And likewise, “Coasting on Daydreams” is also an abstract instrumental fantasy. It was composed for me by my father, specifically for the Helder tenor, for my album “Fantasies for the Modern Recorder”. Although it’s the newest piece on the program, the piece it most resembles in form is the oldest. And it’s the only piece performed on the specific instrument for which it was written.
The op. 35 suites of Boismortier were really written for flute, but today are performed at least as often by recorder players. Unusually, the music specifies that they may be performed either with or without the basso continuo part. They’re lovely either way. The structure of this suite as a more abstract prelude is a nice preface to the Alwyn Divertimento. It was written for flute as well, but circa 1940 and for a very different type of flute. However, despite being written in a clearly 20th century style, it also includes many neo-Baroque elements that recorder players find familiar. Its fugue and its chaconne are clear references to Bach’s violin works, and even specify the kinds of voice-switching and arpeggiated chords that wind players employ when transcribing Bach’s violin and cello works. It is, of course, technically demanding; but also very rewarding of the effort.
Lastly, van Eyck’s Comagain is a bit of a recorder player’s comfort food. Van Eyck’s Der Fluyten Lust-hof is the largest single collection of solo music that’s originally for recorder. This selection is a set of variations on John Dowland’s madrigal; the text of the first verse is as follows:

Come again, sweet love doth now invite
Thy graces that refrain to do me due delight
To see, to hear
To touch, to kiss
To die
With thee again
In sweetest sympathy

In these times when we are often unable to be together, I felt that the nostalgic character of the piece and the desire for human contact made it fitting.

The Instruments:
Helder Harmonic Tenor by Mollenhauer (Bach, O’Brien, Alwyn)
Ganassi alto in g at A=466 by Ralf Netsch (Bassano)
Scherer alto at A=392 by the Von Huene Workshop (Boismortier)
Praetorius consort tenor at A=440 by Francesco LiVirghi (van Eyck)
Emily O’Brien
www.emilysdomain.org

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Ecco l’aurora – Andrea Gabrieli

This is “Ecco l’aurora” by Andrea Gabrieli, from Il primo libro di madrigali a cinque voci, 1566.

I was introduced to this gorgeous madrigal by Eric Haas some years ago. In this video I’m playing a tenor in C, basset in G, and bass in C by Francesco LiVirghi; and a contrabass in F by Friedrich von Huene. I’m using the Canzonet bass recorder neck strap plus extension for the C bass and G basset, so that I can comfortably play them standing up.

The text:
Ecco l’aurora con l’aurata fronte
Ch’a passo a passo ci rimena il giorno
Ecco che sponta sopra l’orizonte
Col volto suo di bianca neve adorno
Ecco la notte ne l’adverso monte
che và fuggendo al suo antico soggiorno
Et io pur piang’al l’apparir de l’alba
C’homai d’intorno l’aere tutto in alba.

And Eric’s translation:
Behold Aurora with her golden face [as she] Moves step by step to return the day. See her peep above the horizon, With white snow adorned. See the Night from the mountain opposite That flees to its old haunt. Yet I despair at the approach of dawn, Though all around be is bright and fair.

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Plague Music

For many of us, a particularly heartbreaking aspect of the shutdown situation is that we can’t make music together, and we won’t be able to again for some time. By now you’ve probably seen a variety of multi-track video efforts, so I wanted to share a couple with you. First is my own version of Morley’s “Now is the Month of Maying”, which is technically seasonal although the persistently March-like weather just reinforces the feeling that today is really just March 276th or something.
(Although you can’t see that easily in the video, for the bass and great bass I’m using the bass extension straps available through this site).

And next up, is this incredible effort by my friend Sarah Cantor, who recruited recorder players from all over the world and put together this giant virtual flash mob. I didn’t think about it too hard when I sent her my videos, but watching the finished product is deeply touching.

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New SATB Gig Bag is now available!

After many many requests, I’ve introduced a backpack gig bag that holds recorders plus music and a stand and all the various accessories you need as you go about your musical travels. It’s a little like an SATB roll that folds in half instead of rolling up, which means it’s a comfortable shape to wear on your back and it can hold other cases or items in between the two halves. It also has exterior pockets in front and back.

I know recorder players and their instruments are all stuck at home right now, but someday we’ll be once again able to play together with friends and colleagues, give performances, attend concerts and workshops, and travel with instruments. When that happens, we’ll be ready to help you carry what you need to bring!

Hope you’re all staying sane and finding ways to make music in the meantime!

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Off-topic: Learn to Knit!

If you hang around at recorder workshops, you’ve no doubt seen the occasional participant or teacher knitting in the corner – maybe with a group of other knitters, maybe finishing up an item to donate to the auction. Personally I find knitting to be enjoyable and relaxing, and a satisfying way to fill time in between things, while waiting for things, on trains and planes and buses, etc.

So this year I decided to work on indoctrinating the next generation. My neice and nephew are getting to ages that I was when I started learning how to make stuff in various ways, so for their gifts I wanted to give them each a kit that included instructions plus yarn, knitting needles, and a small swatch already started that they could practice on. I was underwhelmed by the books I could find – nothing seemed appropriately geared toward getting a total beginner from zero to a satisfyingly finished project. So I wrote my own.Knitting for James and Ellen

And I’m also sharing the book with you!

Knitting for James and Ellen

The book contains simple, straightforward instructions with photos of every step, on how to knit and purl, how to cast on and bind off, and how to make a very easy hat and an even easier ear warmer. Photos show both English and Continental styles of knitting (the difference is which hand holds the working yarn). If you’ve never knitted before, this is a great place to start! If you have knitted before, but would like to teach a friend, it makes a great starter pack. Put together the yarn and needles mentioned in the book (Lion Brand Wool-Ease Thick and Quick, which is easy to find although obviously other extra bulky yarn can be substituted easily) and either print the book or include a link to the PDF, and you’ve got a learn-to-knit kit that you can customize for the recipient’s preferences.

This isn’t a comprehensive guide to every stitch under the sun, but there are lots of books and videos and websites that do that. It just gets you started and knitting something you can use right away.

Enjoy!

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Upcoming Recording Project: Songs from Home for Recorder and Guitar

UPDATE: CD’s are here! You can order a CD or a download right here on the Canzonet site!

I’ve made music with my family for as long as I can remember. But now for the first time, I’m collaborating with my dad, Michael O’Brien, on a recording project! We’re making an album of music we love for recorder and guitar, including Baroque pieces, traditional tunes, and new compositions. Please check out our Indiegogo campaign, and consider supporting us or pre-ordering your copy if you are so inclined!

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Introducing Canzonet!

Hello, everyone!
Longtime recorder players will be familiar with the ubiquitous black roll-up Cavallaro cases, which have been the standard for decades. They’ve been so well used and loved, and the basic concept so functional, that they’ve been nearly the only choice for much of that time.

Sadly, the company that has made them for many years has recently gone out of business. As a professional recorder player myself and former employee of the Von Huene Workshop, I’m introducing Canzonet cases to help step into that void.

I’ve made some minor changes to the basic design and materials. The biggest is that I never really liked the faux shearling lining that Cavallaro cases used for padding. It can leave fuzz behind, gets sticky when instruments have been excessively oiled, and can potentially snag on the pins and corners of historical styles of keywork. So instead I’m using a fine untreated natural cotton lining, with a thick quilt batting. This combination provides at least as much padding as the shearling did, but it’s cleaner and smoother. The untreated cotton is a lovely, soft, densely-woven fabric that won’t scratch instruments and has no bleaches or dyes.

For the exterior, I’m switching from the coated nylon to a sturdy but soft cotton canvas with a water repellent treatment. Having seen lots of instruments that got musty, moldy, and mildewy from being put away damp and then sealed into nylon cases, I think this fabric will provide a nice balance between protection from the elements and breathability.

That said, I do know that some players prioritize protection from the elements! I ride my bike most places I go and in all weather, so I understand the need for more impervious materials, too. So I will also offer options for materials that are more impervious to air and water alike.

I’m also using a different style of buckle that I think are quicker to use, and making some less obvious changes to the basic construction.

About me: I’m a professional recorder player, and I also run a business called Dill Pickle Gear making custom bicycle luggage. I’m a constant tinkerer, and I love coming up with new designs for bags and cases or thinking of ways to make existing ones better. In my musical life I’m also a huge proponent of new developments in recorder design, particularly the Mollenhauer Helder; and of the work of living composers writing for newer recorder models. So as I get this site up and running, I’ll be offering some of these new compositions for sale as downloads in order to make them as widely available as possible. This is not to say that I don’t love historical recorders and perform Renaissance and Baroque music too! I very much do, and that will never change. But I also don’t think that the development of our instrument and its repertoire needs to end at 1750, and want to do my part to help it continue.

So, welcome to Canzonet and please be in touch! I would love to hear your comments and feedback.

Emily O’Brien