OMG -- you guys (and gals) are fabulous. You have great ensemble and, wonder of wonders, play in tune! Unholy rackett -- must be the best group name I've heard in years.
I have a Canadian recording in which the racket and dulcians (other name for curtals, apparently) figure here and there. Thank you for portraying and demonstrating them. Your videos lure me back for another taste at least twice a month.
Nicely done folks! My library has two bound collections of these suites. The first three selections came from Suites 1-3. The Second compilation that we have is for five parts. I can't find the last selection in your in either of the two. Where does it come from? Again, wonderful playing, the pitch is quite spectacular, thanks so much for the video? I plan to arrange these for my bassoon ensemble here, my students will love them!
Amazing ! Never heard of these instruments before ! Are they the ancestors of bassoon ? When did they appear ? And how is this rattling sound produced ?
The forerunner of the bassoon is officially the dulcian, but these are closely related. The rattling is caused by a double reed - like the bassoon - but the tube is doubled back on itself, therefore you can have a tenor curtal that sits on your knee. They appeared in the early renaissance 1400 - 1450. Very similar instruments are; Kortholt, Dulcian, Faggott and rankett (rackett)
Hi, thanks for your message and your interest! Good questions. Yes the curtals are ancestors of the bassoon but the racket is not. It is however a related instrument as part of the double reed family. We've just launched an official website for Unholy Rackett with some descriptions you might find enlightening. The rattling sound is produced by the Great bass Rackett played by Simon Rickard. Here is a link to our groups page unholyrackett.com/about/
Frank Marsden - The dulcian is really just another name for the curtal, not a different instrument. In England it was generally known as the curtal, but most early music performers today seem to prefer a variant of the German term (dulcian/dulzian) when referring to it, even in English. I suppose it is more appealing to be sweet (from latin: "dulcis") than curt (short)!
The only real rackett here is that you are trying to sell us on the idea that the great bass is a musical instrument. It is actually a novelty item; the successor to the whoopi-cushion.
Complete nonsense. Almost every instrument, regardless of family, will start to sound like your "fart tube" (with a few exceptions). Just because you don't like the timbre of an instrument doesn't make you the judge of wether it is a legitimate instrument or not.
