Information Sheet: The Bressan Recorders

Some of the finest recorders that have survived from the 17th and 18th centuries were made by Peter Bressan. The Grosvenor Museum is fortunate in possessing six recorders made by Bressan, four of which form a complete set.

These four (so called 'Chester') recorders are unique in that they form the only complete set of Bressan recorders to survive in this country. They are a treble in F, an Alto in D, a tenor in C, and a bass in F. It may seem strange that no descant recorder was included, but historically the treble was the one most favoured in the 16th and 17th centuries as a solo instrument. It appears from the composition of the 'Chester' set that this was still the case when these were made at the beginning of the 18th century. The present popularity of the descant recorders due to its being used as a teaching aid.

The other two recorders are a treble in F, and a treble in Eb. These are still contained in their original leather-bound case, with a space which would hold a tenor instrument, so it is reasonable to suppose that there was once a set of three. These two instruments are still tuned to the pitch used in the 18th century, which is slower than that used today.

All the recorders are made of wood, possibly fruit or sycamore, which has been stained black to contrast with ivory mounts and silver keys. The bass instrument still has its originally resonating foot. This is a hollow tube closed at one end, which fits into a hole at the lowest point of the foot. It seems not only to act as a support for the instrument, but to provide extra resonance at the lower notes. This feature is only found in recorders by Bressan.

To assist the player, the bass recorder has a further modification; instead of blowing directly through the mouthpiece, the performer blows into a length of metal tubing. This enters the top of the windway, the entry being covered by a hollow cap. Both the cap and the mouthpiece are modern replacements.

The tenor and bass recorders also have a silver key fitting over the lowest hole on each instrument, which is not easily reached by the little finger. It takes only a light touch on the key to cover the hole.

The set of four recorders by Bressan belonged to the Cholmondeley family and were found in an attic sometime before 1845, the year they were presented to the Chester Archaeological Society. The Society's collections later passed into the keeping of the Grosvenor Museum. In 1925, the other two recorders were given to the Museum, and in the case with them was the foot of the bass recorder, so it seems very likely that these too came originally from the Cholmondeley family.

It has always been said in the past that all the 'Chester' recorders seem to have been made for left-handed players, but it must be remembered that the standard method of playing with the left hand uppermost was only adopted quite recently. It was previously left to the player himself to decide the position of his hands.

Bressan marked his instruments, of which over thirty are known to be in existence, with his name, and above this the letter 'P' and 'I' joined by a broken circle, or horseshoe, and it is accepted that this means Peter, and perhaps John, joined with a decorative device. The 'Chester' recorders were almost certainly made in England, sometime before 1731, but their maker, Peter Bressan, was of French extraction, and was probably born between 1650 and 1655. He is mentioned in a catalogue of musical instruments by James Talbot, compiled in about 1690. The recorders Talbot used as examples were made by Bressan - which would indicate that he had a considerable reputation as a recorder-maker by this date. Sometime before 1712, he must have moved to England, for in this year Bressan appears in the records of the Parish of St Mary-le-Strand, and in 1716 the vestry minutes record 'that Mr Peter Bressoon be overseer for the year ensuing'. Between 1718-1724, Bressan was involved in a publishing venture, which does not seem to have been entirely successful. This may indicate either that his powers as an instrument maker were waning, or possibly that the recorder was no longer so popular, for by this time it was beginning to be superseded by the transverse flute. This instrument was more variable in tone, and more suitable for the newer music being composed at this time. The Rate Book for the parish for 1717 mentions Bressan as being 'poor'. The last mention of him is in 1731, so that we can presume that he died 1731/2, although his daughter continued to live in Duchy Lane in the same parish for some years afterwards.

References

• Sir J F Bridge, Mus.Doc.(Oxon) - The Chester "Recorders" Feb12, 1901 - Article extracted from the Journal of the Chester Archaeological & Historic Society.
• The New Grove Dictionary of Music & Musicians (2nd Ed.)
• E.Halfpenny 'The Bass Recorders of Bressan' (1955)