by Ed Sueta, Jr.

“I should know this but what is the difference between Baroque and German recorder fingerings?”  I have heard that question many, many times over the years at conferences, workshops and on the phone. The difference between Baroque and German fingering seems to be one of those pieces of information that sometimes falls through the cracks- a piece of information that teachers sometimes think that everyone else knows. That being said, there are also many teachers who have strong opinions on which system should be used.  Let’s start with a little history.

 

A little bit of history

You can tell your students that the beautiful tone of the recorder dates back to the 1700s and has a rich history. The earliest recorders, referred to as duct flutes, date back to the Medieval Age and are found in almost all cultures around the world. The Baroque or English recorder, sometimes also called modern, dates back to the Baroque Era (1600-1750) and was commonly used by composers of the time including Bach.  The recorder was used as a melodic instrument and was often an integral part of the arrangements of the time.  The recorder of that time was usually made of wood and has not changed structurally a great deal although the invention of modern plastics has made it a lot more affordable.  With the invention of woodwind instruments such as the flute, the recorder fell out of favor and was used to a much lesser degree until the 1920s when recorder particularly in Britain and Germany once again became more popular. It is during the 20th century that the recorder became an educational instrument. Peter Harlan was a German designer who wanted to make the recorder easier to finger and easily accessible as a folk instrument.  In the 1920’s, he restructured the fingering holes to create a sequential scale.  We will explore a little bit more of this design below.

What is the difference?

The Baroque recorder has a smaller 4th hole and a larger 5th hole while the German recorder has a larger 4th hole and a smaller 5th hole.  That is the biggest structural difference although there are others.  You can look at the holes to tell the difference.  For identification purposes, recorders are also often marked with a B or G above the thumb hole.

The biggest difference caused by the different design is the F fingering. For the German F, the first finger of the right hand covers the fourth hole so that the first four holes are covered.  The F is fingered by just adding the first finger on the right hand to a G.  It is sequential and easier than the Baroque fingering.  The Baroque fingering is a harder to negotiate forked fingering.  If that’s as far as it went, you may ask why not go to the German fingering?  The answer is that the change in design causes the accidentals – sharps and flats – for the German to be more difficult to finger and also harder to play in tune.  Somewhat tricky fingering adjustments including half holes must be made in some instances to keep the instrument in tune for the accidentals.

My Dad wrote both a German and Baroque fingering recorder method, so he provided both options.  The first 20 pages of the books are identical. Since the F fingering is easier for the German, he introduces the F at that point in the book.  He waits until almost the end of the Baroque book to introduce the F because it is harder and a bit more challenging for young students to use the forked fingering.  He prepares them by laying foundation with other notes and leading up to the more difficult fingering.

Which fingering should I use?

The short answer is it is up to you.  The vast majority of teachers use the Baroque fingering although we find that the German fingering is used a little bit more often in the Midwest.  The answer may depend in part on your goal in teaching recorder.  The sequential fingering of the German recorder is more analogous to a band instrument.  If you are using recorder to play relatively simple songs solely in preparation for band, that may point you to German.  On the other hand, the accidentals are more complicated with the German so if you are going to play more advanced music, this may lead you toward the Baroque.  Also, the recorders such as the Tenor and Garklein have the same fingerings as the Baroque soprano recorder while new fingerings would have to be learned if the student learned on a German soprano.

You have to look at your teaching situation and personal preferences and make the call. I have encountered very strong opinions in some cases especially in favor of the Baroque based upon its tradition. Whatever you decide, the recorder is a tremendous music reading tool and provides an excellent opportunity for young students to start their musical journey.