Recorder31 — Day 14

When I was a young recorder player based in Suffolk, I had to make the journey to London to buy my very first wooden recorder from The Early Music Shop. I remember being blown away by the selection of instruments and the piles of recorder music and CDs as I walked into the shop for the first time. This was something I had never seen before, as up to that point the trusty Yamaha plastic recorders had been my beloved and trusted friends. You can imagine my excitement when I learnt that The Early Music Shop was moving to my home county Suffolk! I may be biased but I could not think of a better location to go and search for a new instrument. Surrounded by beautiful countryside, a concert hall, art galleries, quirky home stores and cafes, Snape Maltings is a great place for an inspirational day out. I decided it was time to go and take a look...

The Early Music Shop is located in the centre of Snape Maltings. As I walked into the shop, I was greeted with a warm welcome from the team: Alfie, General Manager; Phillip, Store Manager and Finn, the Recorder Specialist who can be found in the shop from time to time. I was able to browse, take a look at sheet music, a range of CDs and of course the wall-to-wall recorder cabinets. The shop stocks a wide range of instruments and accessories, from Mollenhauer, Moeck and Küng, to Takeyama and various other makers as well as previously-owned instruments. You can find instruments of all sizes, including tenors, the larger bass instruments, fourth & sixth flutes, voice flutes and more!

When choosing a recorder, you have to consider your price range, the type of wood you would like in terms of sound quality and then the make of recorder. It is an extremely personal choice, so an outing to somewhere such as The Early Music Shop could not be better to help you choose your next recorder, where the tranquil and quiet setting means you can take your time discovering what works best for you. The staff are incredibly friendly and ready to help you and answer any questions you may have.

After you have browsed The Early Music Shop, you can find the perfect spot to enjoy an afternoon tea with cake in the Riverview Cafe overlooking the vast countryside that surrounds Snape Maltings. An evening in this area would not be complete without a visit to nearby Aldeburgh for walk along the beach and fish and chips at what is (arguably!) one of the best fish and chip shops in Suffolk. Do not expect it to be fast however as people travel from far and wide queuing for as long as an hour to enjoy — the perfect amount of time to grab yourself a drink in the pub next door whilst you wait in line!

On Saturday 15th October, I am looking forward to returning. I will be back at Snape Maltings for The Early Music Shop Study Day, which will include a workshop, a masterclass and more. At the end of the day, I will be back in the shop to help you browse the range and choose a new recorder.

Look forward to seeing you there!

Francesca Clements

www.francescaclements.com