Staeps became interested in the recorder after a doctor suggested playing a 'soft wind instrument' for rehabilitation following a severe pleurisy that weakened his breathing.
Recording & Production
This album features the first complete recording of Hans Ulrich Staeps' published works for recorder and piano.
Instruments
The recording uses a variety of recorders, including a Monika Musch after Ganassi descant recorder and Moeck Rottenburgh models, as well as a Yamaha bass recorder.
Composer Biography
Hans Ulrich Staeps, the composer, developed a close relationship with the piano from the age of five, later referring to it as his 'second wife'.
Compositional Technique
Staeps' Fantasia con Echo creatively reinterprets a melody by Jacob van Eyck (1590-1657) through his own harmonizations, with this recording using a Renaissance recorder to enhance the 'alienation' effect.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Staeps believed music had a fundamental social function and aimed to provide a vital repertoire for teaching and playing, helping amateurs actively perceive melody and harmony.
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