image:VariousRecorderFlutes.jpg The recorder is a woodwind musical instrument of the family known as fipple flutes or internal duct flutes — whistle-like instruments which include the tin whistle and ocarina. The recorder is end-blown and the mouth of the instrument is constricted by a wooden plug, known as a block or fipple. It is distinguished from other members of the family by having holes for seven fingers (the lower one or two often doubled to facilitate the production of semitones) and one for the thumb of the uppermost hand. The bore of the recorder is tapered slightly, being widest at the mouthpiece end of it (Baroque recorders) and narrowest at the top, flared almost like a trumpet at the bottom (Renaissance instruments).

The recorder was popular from medieval times but declined in the eighteenth century in favour of orchestral woodwind instruments, such as the flute, oboe, and clarinet. During its heyday, the recorder was traditionally associated with birds, shepherds, miraculous events, funerals, marriages and amorous scenes. Images of recorders can be found in literature and artwork associated with all these. Purcell, Bach, Telemann and Vivaldi used the recorder to suggest shepherds and birds, and the pattern continued into the 20th century.The Recorder Homepage, maintained by Nicholas S. Lander, includes a comprehensive survey of historical instruments

The recorder was revived in the twentieth century, partly in the pursuit of historically informed performance of early music, but also because of its suitability as a simple instrument for teaching music and its appeal to amateur players. Today, it is often thought of as a child's instrument, but there are many excellent virtuosic players who can demonstrate the instrument's full potential as a solo instrument. The sound of the recorder is remarkably clear and sweet, partly because of the lack of upper harmonics and predominance of odd harmonics in the sound.

The name of the instrument

The instrument has been known, in English, as a recorder, at least since the 14th century. Grove's Dictionary reports that the earliest use of the word 'recorder' was in the household of the Earl of Derby in 1388: fistula nomine Recordour The name originates from the use of the word record, one of whose meanings is "to practise a piece of music".

Up to the 18th century, the instrument was called lang: Flauto (flute) in Italian, the language used in writing music, whereas the instrument we today call the flute was called 'lang: Flauto traverso'. This has led to some pieces of music occasionally being mistakenly performed on transverse flute rather than on recorder.

Today, the recorder is known as lang: flauto dolce in Italian (sweet flute), with equivalents in other languages. In Spanish the name flauta is ambiguous, as it can mean both the flauta travesera, the flauta dulce (recorder) or other types.