The recorder is sometimes thought of as a children's instrument.
This is in large part due to the role it plays in the musical education of several countries beginning in the 20th century.

So then, what is a recorder?
The recorder is a family of woodwind instruments in the group known as duct flutes (also known as fipple flutes which I think sounds more fun).
Duct flutes can be found all over the world with the earliest examples dating as far back as the neolithic era.
Recorders are generally distinguished from other duct flutes by it's back thumb hole (use as an octaving vent) and it's seven holes in the front.

The earliest evidence we have of these come from around the midish-late medieval period in the form of surviving instruments as well as depictions in paintings.

During the renaissance the recorder was very popular, particularly in consorts where recorders of all shapes and sizes would all play together.

It was in the baroque period where the recorder more or less took on the form we are familiar with today.
With many of the big composers of the day writing concertos and other pieces for the instrument.

However by the time of the classical and romantic periods the recorder had fallen out of favour and while the craft of recorder making survived in many families it was seldom used in the "art music" of the time.
It wouldn't be until the start of the 20th century and a revival of interest in "early music" and instruments that the recorder would begin to see the success it had in previous days.

Today you can find recorders being played in everything from early music and folk to jazz and rock(not to mention some really weird contemporary stuff). Recorder makers have also begun to experiment with new forms of the instrument

An example of medieval dance music featuring the recorder
An example of a renaissance recorder consort
An example of one of Bach's sonatas for recorder and or flute

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