Rafi recorders

 

Claude Rafi learned recorder and flute -making in the workshop of his father  Machaud (d. 1524) in Lyon.  The family workshop was active under Claude direction  from 1515 to 1553, the year of his death.

The brand

At the Philharmonic Academy of Bologna are preserved a basset recorder in F and a C  tenor at  the aproximate pitch of A = 490 Hz, both by “C.Rafi”.  In the same collection  are  nine recorders signed P. Grece , of whom we have no information, with characteristics identical to the two Rafi instruments. In Europe,  other recorders  under the name C. Rafi are preserved in Eisenach and Sigmaringen in Germany, and Bruges in Belgium.

[audio:Woodycock.mp3]

Woodycock – Les Witches- Claire Michon – Rafi tenor in C (440)

 

from left: basset in G, three C tenors, two altos in F, three altos in G, soprano in C

[audio:O che soave baccio.mp3]

Pederson – O che soave baccio – Les Witches – Claire Michon – Rafi tenor in D (466)

 

[In his “Epitome Musical des tons, sons et accorded” (Lyon 1556), Philibert Jamb  de Fer,dedicates six pages to the “fluette d’Alleman” (the transverse flute) and three pages to the “fluette a neuf trouz appellé par les italiens flauto” , where we find a complete  fingering schema.
The outer profile of the instruments represented in the treaty and the membership in the same city of Lyon, suggest to identify  that  the recorders described by J. de Fer were  built in the workshop of Claude Rafi.

The bass in C also covers a range of 2 octaves and a tone but with some differences in the fingering, shown in the table below.
Also surprising is the availability of alternative fingerings that allow greater ease in the execution of cadences and in adapting the intonation of some thirds.

Bass in C marked Grece – Chart Fingering

Our recorders inspired to this model can be made ​​in all sizes, from the soprano to the bass in C   at the pitch A= 523, 494, 466, 440 and, for some of these  also 415 Hz.

The latest creation in chronological order, which has completed the whole family of flutes based on the Rafi-Grece model, is the C bass flute that uses the original insufflation system with two small diameter ducts formed within the thickness of the walls and a lateral mouth which allows to transversely support the instrument. Also the basset flute in F was made with the same transversal insufflation system to make it much more manageable.

 

ch: Goldberg Variations – Aria da Capo | Seldom Sene – Rafi Tenor in C La=415Hz

In this wonderful piece Hester Groenleer is playing a Rafi tenor in 415 Hz. Very interesting to hear the tonal difference between a splendid baroque tenor by Von Huene and our renaissance tenor after Claud Rafi

dolciflauti