Mollenhauer, "Traum-Edition", alto in f', baroque double hole, with maple ornaments, plum

The instrument with the model number: TE-4318-MOLL manufactured by Mollenhauer is a musical tool that can create tireless fun while playing music.
This is due to the clever marriage of the above-average model design in symbiosis with the expressive possibilities of the plum wood (Prunus) material used.

The material used for this instrument is characterised by its special sound characteristics. The characteristics can be roughly summarised as follows, although it is in the nature of things that sounds can only ever be inadequately described in words. This is why the typical sound of recorders is perceived and described slightly differently by each person: Prunus, plum, damson: overtone-rich, slightly nasal sound. Goes very well with singing voices.

The scale

The geometry of the inner bore of the instrument is cylindroconical and very wide. This type of bore gives the model its typical sound.
In principle, instruments with a wider bore sound warmer, fuller, more fundamental and therefore more suitable for ensembles than recorders with a narrower scale.

Which musical styles can the instrument be used for

Plum wood (Prunus) is predestined for recorders that are used in ensembles, in choral playing and as solo instruments.

Who is this instrument aimed at?

It follows from this that instruments made from plum wood (Prunus) are particularly suitable for ambitious amateurs and advanced players. Another generally applicable basic rule is that a more sophisticated instrument naturally makes music-making more enriching than a supposedly cheap one.

The windway of the recorder

The windway is the area in the headjoint of the recorder in which the musician's blowing air is moulded into a sheet of air. This air blade is the defining element of the instrument's sound. In interaction with the labium, this air blade creates the vibration that generates the flute sound. The shape of the windway is therefore extraordinarily relevant for the musical formability of the recorder's achievable sounds.

The windway of the TE-4318-MOLL model from Mollenhauer is constructed as follows: Curved, cylindrical.
Conical windways accelerate the breathing air more than cylindrically shaped ones.
Windways are complex in their geometric shape and many parameters interact.

Fingering

The Mollenhauer TE-4318-MOLL instrument is made in the following fingering: Baroque double hole.

Construction of the body

The structural design of a recorder in terms of its multiple parts has a fundamental influence on the way in which it is easy to handle in terms of ease of assembly on the one hand and compact transport on the other.
A point that becomes particularly important when larger instruments or several instruments have to be taken along.
Just ask veteran ensemble leaders.

Packaging and accessories

The instrument is supplied as standard with a bag and the following accessories: Wool wiper, cork grease, care instructions, fingering chart

Hygiene tips

If the recorder is played by several people, we recommend that you sterilise the blowing area at regular intervals to prevent the transmission of diseases. Flautisept has proven to be a reliable aid for this. You can find Flautisept in our collection. It works with the following surfaces:

1. Linseed oil surfaces
2. Spirit-stained surfaces
3. Untreated wooden surfaces
4. Waxed surfaces
5. Glazed surfaces
6. RESONA
7. ABS plastics
8. Lacquered surfaces

However, before using the product, test it on an inconspicuous area to ensure that it does not cause any adverse changes to your recorder.

Optional information on keys

It is not always possible to place the tone holes in places in the instrument body that are easy to reach with the fingers. For acoustic reasons, some tone holes on bass recorders in particular are not ergonomically accessible. On such instruments, keys are fitted by the instrument maker to make playing much easier or even possible in the first place.
The TE-4318-MOLL instrument has the following keys: . This means that it can also be played with above-average ease by players with smaller hands.

Advice on finding a new instrument

How to find your future instrument easily
Seek expert advice!
Under no circumstances should you be put off trying out a recorder for yourself by "generalised" rules. Your musical sensitivity is as unique as you are. Therefore, only you can decide for yourself which recorder tempts you to "make music endlessly".
Our recommendation is therefore: play different materials that you have not yet tried out. You can only win.