Recorder31 Day 14 | Friday Fun!

In this week's Recorder31 Friday Fun, we have a close look at the Italian name for the recorder... or more specifically, the letters that make up the name! Read on for your chance to win a gift card for The Early Music Shop!

FLAUTO DOLCE

Flauto dolce (literally 'sweet flute' in Italian) is the historic Italian name for the recorder, named for its gentle singing tone.

How many words can you make from the letters in F-L-A-U-T-O-D-O-L-C-E?

You can play along for fun, or if you like, you can send us your list of words – the entrant with the most words (in the English language) will receive a £20 GBP gift card for The Early Music Shop!

Send your list to recorder31@earlymusicshop.com before 21 August 2026 to be in with a chance of winning the gift card – which will be redeemable either online or in-store!

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Last Week's Answers

How many of the recorder-related words did you find in our wordsearch in last week's Friday Fun? Find the solutions below...

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REMINDER! Our Entry-Level Recorders promotion continues all weekend at The Early Music Shop, both online and in-store. Explore our curated selection of high-quality, accessible instruments designed specifically for beginners and developing players by clicking here or on the image above. Special prices only until Sunday 16 August 23:59PT!

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In today's Sound Of Recorder Music section we have the innovative Ecodear Alto from Yamaha.

Made using Plant-based Ecodear resin (a composite derived from sugarcane), this alto offers a fascinating bridge between plastic convenience and wooden acoustics. The plant-based material is slightly denser than standard ABS plastic, which gives the YRA-402B a surprisingly warm, centered tone that leans noticeably closer to a natural wooden recorder. Listen to how smooth the low register sounds—there's a round, woody resonance to the bottom notes, while the arched windway keeps the upper register focused, sweet, and easy to control.