The best way to learn any instrument is to have lessons from a good experienced teacher. Although happily the number of such teachers is constantly growing the recorder is still frequently taught by enthusiastic but inexperienced teachers and many players start by teaching themselves.This series of books sets out to help learners of all ages in all three situations. Experienced teachers who may choose to disregard much of the text as personal demonstration is always clearer than the written word will find exercises and fine tunes a-plenty to support their own mathod at each stage. The less experienced willbenefit from many valuable teaching hints culled fromlong experience and may rely on the books to lead to a sound playing technique and a mastery of simple notation.Those learning by themseves - and I started in this way - are urged to work carefully and systematically through the books taking plenty of time to assimilate each point before moving on. For them without the personal model provided by a live teacher it is vitally important to listen as often as possible to fine players in person or on record so that they have in their mind's ear a clear notion of the kind of sound they would like to produce.But however they start I can only wish that all who use these books will derive as much pleasure and musical satisfaction and gain as many lasting and valued friendships as I have through this most subtle delightful and sociable of instruments. (Brian Bonsor)“...this work is likely to become a standart work very quickly and is to be recommended to all schools where recorder studies are undertaken“ (Oliver James Contact Magazine)These two tutors with accompanying teacher's books are for newcomers to the instrument who are beginning on the treble and so assume no previous knowledge either of the instrument or of musical notation.

Aztec Dances was commissioned by Christopher Orton with the assistance of the BBC Performing Arts Fund. The first performance was given by Christopher Orton (recorder) and Magdalena Nasidlak (piano) at a concert in the Manchester Midday Concerts series at the Bridgewater Hall Manchester in March 2010.The version for flute and piano was premiered by Wissam Boustany (Flute) and Aleksander Szram (Piano) at St James?s Church Piccadilly on Thursday 19 May 2011.1. Ritual/Pastorale2. Fertility Dance3. Ghost Dance/Song4. Sacrificial Dance Composer's Note The idea for the genesis of this work and indeed its title and individual movements came after visiting an exhibition at the British Museum entitled Moctezuma Aztec Ruler. The exhibition traced the events following the election in 1502 of Moctezuma as Supreme Ruler of the Aztecs and the subsequent invasion of 1519 by a Spanish expedition led by Herm?n Cort?s an event that was to eventually lead to the demise of the Aztec civilisation.Part of the exhibition explored the role that music and dance played in Aztec life. The primitive recorder together with trumpets and drums were used as an important part of the formal ritual ceremonies (including rather gruesomely human sacrifice) that took place to appease the many Gods which the Aztecs worshipped as well as for other more informal occasions in their social and cultural life.I have tried to reflect some of these highly contrasting and dramatic ideas in this four movement work.????????Edward Gregson