Four women. Decades of experience. And a mission to take their expertise in the language of music to their community. The result? Music that touches the heart and soul as talented musicians bring to life something that can only be described as an art – playing the recorder.
History of the Recorder
Known for its haunting melody and lilting rhythm, the centuries old recorder hails from the days of Bach, Handel and Telemann. The first recorders were designed in the Middle Ages, simple and wooden. During the Renaissance, the recorder was designed to fit perfectly into an ensemble, the instruments ranging from a few inches long to about six feet. The recorders were predominantly made of wood, although occasionally ivory was used.
As musical standards and styles flowed out of the Renaissance into the 16th and 17th centuries, this musical instrument was adapted for shifting tastes. During the appearance of opera and the Baroque period, the recorder was tweaked or even revamped to become closer to what most people think of today.
However, during the mid-18th century, as larger ensembles became increasingly popular, the recorder floated into a hazy area of disuse as the flute took prevalence. The recorder became largely dormant until the early 20th century, when the ancient instrument underwent a dramatic revival. Today, the most commonly used recorders are found in alto, soprano, tenor and bass.
Resurrecting Recorders
The recorder has not lost its charm over the centuries, and a group of four feisty women have taken this instrument and set the tune of their lives to it. The Dogwood Recorder Ensemble is a group of four musicians from varied backgrounds, melding their experience into bringing life to a beloved instrument.
Mary Rhoades, Susan Lavin, Betsy Davies Kibler, and Susan Sanders make up the quartet. Two based in Salem and two from the New River Valley, the musicians collectively draw from childhood experience to present a visceral experience to their audience. All four of the women started young, with backgrounds in an impressive variety of instruments including piano, bassoon, clarinet, guitar and others.
Mary Rhoades began her musical journey at 10 with piano, learning to play the bassoon in high school. And while we all have our own habits to take a breather from studying, Rhoades found her happy place in music. “I learned to play recorder in graduate school so I could join a group who played as a break from studying,” she says.
In 1965, when Rhoades arrived in Blacksburg, a recorder group already regularly met, and since then, at least for Rhoades, the rest is history. The group – then and now – pours into their community, playing for local museums and assisted living homes. And what better way to unite a community than over that of a universal language?
Previous New Jersey resident Susan Lavin may be the newest member of the group. She is by no means a rookie, having taught herself to play the recorder, flute, guitar, piccolo oboe and harp. She’s been a professional musician and singer for most of her life, now playing with the ensemble. For a fun gig, she occasionally assists her Santa husband as Mrs. Claus during the holidays.
Betsy Davies Kibler’s interest was sparked by an old soprano recorder in a drawer of her Philly home, and she’s been hooked ever since. While attending Goshen College, Kibler played in a group known as the “Collegium.” She has experience in five different recorders: Soprano, Sopranino, Alto, Tenor and Bass. As to her life outside of music? “I love medicine and nursing with a passion,” she relates.
NRV resident Susan Sanders received a recorder for Christmas in high school – one she requested, in fact. “I don’t remember what spurred my interest at the time; possibly it grew from the folk revival movement of the 1960s and 70s.” Attending the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Lavin joined an ensemble with the School of Music. She now works at Virginia Tech in the School of Performing Arts as the marketing and publicity manager.
The ensemble covers a wide variety of music – Baroque and Renaissance, Irish, Scottish, Welsh, folk and hymns. “We play in churches, nursing homes, garden shows, wherever we find a gig,” Kibler declares.
Want to Play a Recorder?
For beginners, the players recommend starting with the soprano recorder. Its holes are close together for smaller hands, and it usually carries the melody. “Many beginner method books introduce playing with a soprano recorder,” Sanders says.
Another option is the alto recorder. “If you hope to play with an ensemble some day, a group will likely not need another soprano player,” Rhoades explains.
When asked for tips for musicians new to the recorder, these players offer valuable insight. “Yamaha offers inexpensive plastic recorders that have good intonation, and in some cases, may be better instruments than some cheap wooden counterparts,” Sanders shares.
The ladies also recommend looking into the American Recorder Society. With chapters across North America, you likely won’t have to look far to find fellow enthusiasts. So do your research, play around with what you love, and who knows? Maybe you, too, like the four recorder players of the Dogwood Recorder Ensemble, will be forever hooked.
Text by Caitlyn Koser
Caitlyn Koser is a Christiansburg homeschool student, freelance writer and frequent contributor to New River Valley Magazine.
Editor note: At an innkeeping trade show decades ago, I met David Young and purchased several of his CDs for background music in Clay Corner Inn (now Blacksburg Bed & Breakfast). He is an award-winning artist, author and musician most well-known for playing two Renaissance recorders in harmony. His music is revered for its soothing sounds and healing properties. www.davidyoungmusic.com
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