MOLLENHAUER KYNSEKER:

Renaissance-/Early Baroque Ensemble from Garklein to Great bass

Versatile instruments after Hieronymus F. Kynseker (Nuremberg, 1636–1686) based on the original instruments kept at the Germanic National Museum in Nuremberg. Our Kynseker ensemble instruments remain faithful to the most important characteristics of the originals: its outer form and its strong sound, so full of personality.

In the 16th century, the structure, repertoire, and performing practice of the recorder is better documented than in prior epochs. The recorder was one of the most important wind instruments of the Renaissance, and many instruments dating to the 16th century survive, including some matched consorts. This period also produced the first extant books describing the recorder, including the treatises of Virdung (1511), Agricola (1529), Ganassi (1535), Cardano (c1546), Jambe de Fer (1556), and Praetorius (1619). Nonetheless, understanding of the instrument and its practice in this period is still developing.

A superb consort instrument:

tuning and sound have been carefully matched. The fingerings are similar to those of the familiar Baroque fingering patterns.