This article was first published in "Windkanal - Das Forum für die Blockflöte", vol. 2024-2, p. 7.
[translation below]
Translation:
In the ESC final, multi-instrumentalist Louis Thomas appears in the Armenian-French band Ladaniva in an action-packed, solistic performance. However, something is a bit confusing, because he plays his recorder with his hands reversed, i.e. left-handed. This provides a current impetus to make left-handed playing on the recorder a topic of discussion and to finally acknowledge it as an equally valid way of playing.
Professional left-handed players are still met with incomprehension or even rejection because. However, there are various reasons for choosing to play on this side. Most of these are physical reasons, the most common of which is left-handedness. In the 16th century, Sebastian Virdung described both playing styles as equally valid. In the course of the 19th and 20th centuries, however, left-handed playing almost completely disappeared. Since left-handers are no longer retrained at school, more people are rediscovering the left-handed technique when making music.
The hands have different tasks on the recorder too. The dominant hand plays in the lower position. This means that the instrument is held and balanced by the more dexterous thumb and the stronger arm. The dominant hand also completes the sequence of movements down to the root note. Consequently, a left-handed player would hold the recorder with their left hand at the bottom.
In its next issue, the magazine "Windkanal" will address this topic in detail. The hand functions and posture will be described in detail. Reports on experiences and historical musical developments will also be presented. Finally, the situation of left-handed instruments and their use in lessons will be discussed.
The website of the Linksgespielt association is recommended to anyone interested. Here you will find a large collection of portraits and reports on the experiences of left-handed musicians of all instrumental genres. There is also a lot of relevant and up-to-date information on all aspects of this subject.
Photo credits (recorder players): Alexander Englert
Playing the recorder left-handed - Learn more on this subject by watching Ulrike Scheuchl's workshop at the "Body, Mind & Music" symposium of the Austrian Society for Music and Medicine (external link to YouTube)
