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New Zealand Listener, Volume 31, Issue 801, 26 November 1954, Page 5

Sir.-The article on music making in Wainui-o-Mata makes interesting and pleasant reading, and Gordon Anderson is to be congratulated for his fine work. I have long felt that too much time, money and patience are wasted trying to make pianists out of unwilling children, when they would _ prabably learn far more music willingly on some wind or string instrument, especially if there were ample opportunities for group playing. Mr, Anderson’s pupils are very fortunate in this respect. I fear, though, that O.J.’s rather disparaging remarks about recorders may mislead some of your readers. He underestimates their possibilities and I wonder if he has ever heard them well played by adult or school groups. These are the cheapest and easiest to learn of the serious instruments, and are very suitable for school music. Admittedly their rather gentle tone would be lost in a large orchestral group, but on their own, or in duets, trios, quartets or larger groups with or without strings, with which they blend well, they can produce really beautiful music. I have heard groups of primary school children using different combinations of descant, treble and tenor recorders playing good music in three parts very competently after two terms’ instruction. A similar standard of playing could not be reached in that time on any other instruments. Recorder playing can form a good basis for learning other wind instruments, but they should not be regarded merely as a stepping-stone to greater musical achievements. I stress that they are important musical instruments with an extensive literature of good music available for them.

WIND PLAYER

(Christchurch),