Best Moeck 8321 Renaissance Alto Alternatives

Based on 4 reviews

Hands down... buy this recorder. It's absolutely amazing! Tone is clear, strong with a real appealing presence about it. With its really wide bore and large finger holes, you can play anywhere from ppp to fff without the slightest effort and no "chirping" when tonguing unless you want it. Highs are as clear as the lows and although the fingering chart stops at high G#/Ab, just cover the bell hole with the same fingering and bingo, you get the high A. I only just received it today and I haven't really had a change to take it even higher and won't until it is played in, but I just know it will likely go up to high C with very little effort and an exploration of potential fingerings. I'll be getting the Soprano version at the end of the year as well. Thanks to staff member...

Based on 2 reviews

This recorder has beautiful, strong tone. All notes respond easily with the normal exception of C#6 and D6. Once I learned the crisp but gentle articulation these tones require for initiation, I had no more difficulty. My only reservation is the design of the octave key. It may be my particular hand structure, but I had difficulty adjusting the key so it would not occasionally interfere with comfortable fingering of E5 and related notes. Would welcome any feedback from players with this or similar issues.

Based on 2 reviews

I am a serious recorder player and anyone who plays this instrument knows of the weakness in the lower notes. The 5920 is not cheap but as a player you learn to appreciate the craftmanship necessary for making top class instruments. I tried this recorder out in a large UK shop and was amazed at the volume at the bottom end. It is worth having. Of course they charge too much in the UK . The keywork is top class, equal to the keywork on my top class clarinets and Yanagisawa saxophones . I shall be using this on gigs very soon, not on every tune we play, but especially those with lots of bottom notes. I have an Aura Alto recorder in grenadila which is superb at the top end. Maybe the grenadila version of this recorder would be a worthwhile investment. I have a Mollenhauer comfort tenor which...

Based on 2 reviews

I chose this model because it was an affordable entry into wooden treble recorders, and the castello boxwood was a step up from the softer pearwood. I’m delighted by the brightness and projection of this recorder, and the smoothness in all registers is surprisingly good and very easy to attain. The quality of manufacture and finish is superb, and the wood used in my instrument has a flawless and even grain. Weighing just 200g, it’s easy to hold for long periods without fatigue, and yet the density of the wood is adequate to give a clear tone. All in all I’m very satisfied with the quality, sound and playability of this recorder. Mollenhauer supply a traditional soft padded carry bag which is quite attractive, however I would have preferred a zippered box like those...

Based on 2 reviews

I am a music student, focusing on performance at university. I have previously been playing on a pear wood recorder, however I much prefer the sound quality and sonority of sound on this recorder. I like this recorder, because the lower register sounds stronger and louder than other recorders I have played. It does feel heavier in the hands due to the type of wood, but I find that it is worth it for the clearer and more sprightly sound that this recorder produces. It has taken a while to break in the high notes, I find this particular recorder did not mix well with high Fs and F#s at first. This recorder does need to be broken in properly and carefully, so that it does not 'stuff up' as quickly.

Based on 2 reviews

It's a fabulous recorder, I treated myself to a soprano and an alto. The sound is wonderful and the recorders speak easily. They really are very well made. These recorders come in a sturdy case. The cases have very thick padding in the lid that covers the recorder, but no padding underneath the recorder, which I find a bit weird. But there's a much bigger problem. I think it's the glue that is used in the production of the cases that causes the stong chemical smell, and it is really awful. It even catches me in the back of my throat. I've stopped using the original cases. The one star is about the case, not the recorder itself.

Based on 1 reviews

This is not a standard recorder, several cm longer, hence the keys and wider, with a near cylindrical bore like a renaissance instrument. This is the Moeck take on the modern harmonic recorder, comparable with the Mollenhauer modern range. The boxwood version in light in the hand despite the high quality key work. The sound is more recorder-like than the flute like quality of some modern instruments, with really strong low notes and easy higher notes. It's taken a while to play in, partly due to the difference in breath pressures and different fingerings above g'''. The volume allows performance alongside modern instruments and the sound quality is intriguing. Am enjoying the new possibilities of the instrument in tackling transcriptions outside the normal repertoire.

Based on 7 reviews

I own two plastic alto recorders: the Yamaha YRA-302BIII and the Aulos 509B "Symphony". In this review, I will compare the two recorders: I wondered for some time which of the two I should buy and a direct comparison such as this would have been helpful to me at the time. In terms of build quality and finish, there is nothing to choose between the Yamaha and the Aulos. They are both extremely well-finished; the joints are tight; they both come in a decent protective case. They are both very attractive musical instruments. Both recorders are easy to play, in all registers. Reaching the highest notes is not a problem on either recorder. I have read adverse comments on the web about both of these recorders regarding their intonation. I would disregard these comments entirely. If...

Based on 6 reviews

This is my new favourite treble recorder. My old one is a Moeck Rottenburgh in palisander which although nicely shaped, smooth to the touch, beautifully patterned and easy to hold is really tricky to play the high notes. My new Mollenhauer on the other hand looks basic, but I like that; it looks renaissance. The high notes played easily from the first day and the sound is clear, round and loud. I'm expecting not to be drowned out by the louder instruments when I join a renaissance music group this summer (which I was last year on my Moeck). It's not a chore but a pleasure to play it in daily. In appearance, this recorder looks much better in real life than on the website picture; there is not the harsh contrast between the shades that the photo has, and the overall effect is gentle...

Based on 3 reviews

I bought this recorder as a second recorder when I went on a 2 day course as I did not want to play just one recorder continuously. It has a lovely tone and is nice to play. It has an even tone across the range. However I find it harder to play fast notes in the upper registers on this recorder compared to my other recorder. It was a relatively cheap recorder at 415hz. I am pleased with my purchase as it fulfilled my requirements but I do consider it a backup rather than main recorder to play. In future I shall probably use it to help to learn vocal music at 415hz.