Suzuki Recorder School (Alto Recorder) Recorder Part, Volume 2 (International): Recorder Book

This volume strikes the essential balance between technical progression and genuine musicality that makes Suzuki materials so effective. Students encounter real Baroque compositions by Handel, Bach, and Dieupart alongside folk melodies, building confidence that they are learning actual literature, not simplified exercises.

Opening this volume, a student encounters music that sounds immediately rewarding. The folk melodies are singable and emotionally accessible, while the Baroque movements offer the satisfaction of playing genuine chamber music from the 18th century. The progression feels natural; pieces build in rhythmic complexity and range without ever feeling disconnected from pure musicality.

This book serves alto recorder players working through Volume 2 of the Suzuki Recorder School, typically intermediate beginners gaining facility in the second register and refined articulation. It is designed for private students and small group settings where teachers implement the Suzuki philosophy of musical and technical growth through repertoire.

• Frame the Baroque pieces as windows into period style. Handel's three movements from different sonatas show how Baroque composers structured lyrical instrumental music; comparing their approaches helps students recognize compositional patterns.
• Use the harmony parts (Bourrée in F Major and Bourrée in D Minor) as ensemble pieces even in solo practice by having a teacher or accompanist play along. This introduces harmonic context and prepares students for group playing.
• Approach the folk songs with vocal phrasing. These melodies are inherently singable; encouraging a legato, song-like tone connects students to the emotional heart of the material rather than treating them as technical studies.
• Isolate the Presto from Sonata in G Minor IV for careful rhythmic preparation before tempo. Its quick divisions require clean articulation and finger security that develops best through deliberate practice.

Include selections from this volume in student recitals to showcase progression beyond Volume 1. The Handelian movements make excellent paired performances (two Bourrées, for instance), and the folk songs integrate beautifully into thematic concerts exploring folk melody across cultures or time periods.

• Extended range in the second register and secure articulation of upper notes
• Baroque interpretation: ornamentation, phrasing, and stylistic articulation in Handel and Bach
• Legato phrasing and breath management in longer melodic lines
• Reading and performing rhythmic figures including dotted patterns and sixteenth-note passages
• Harmonic awareness through harmonic parts and ensemble coordination
• Interpretation of folk melodies with appropriate musicality and expression