Wenner Alto Recorder after Bressan in Grenadilla (a=415)

This handmade, baroque-pitched (a=415) alto recorder by German maker Martin Wenner is perfect for playing French Baroque music. Wenner's recorder is after an original by Pierre Jaillard Bressan (1663 –1731) in Frans Bruggen's collection. You can hear the original being played in several recordings by Bruggen!

Bressan moved from France to England in 1688 and established himself in London, where he mainly made recorders. His instruments tended to have thick ivory mounts which he added on to his recorders after applying the “golden ratio” to cut them. There are Bressan recorders in England, including a particularly well preserved one in the Bate Collection in Oxford.

The original Bressan recorders tend to be pitched around a=409. For convenience Wenner's produces this model at baroque pitch (a=415) and French Baroque pitch (a=392).

This recorder is made in grenadilla and has a full, strong, round tone. It comes with a handmade, soft case and Wenner's recorder oil.