Ganassi

Sylvestro Ganassi dal Fontego describes in his treatise 'Opera intitulata Fontegara' instruments that can achieve a scale of more than two octaves with the help of special fingerings.

Only a few of these recorders have survived until today and it is not clear to what extent they were used in renaissance times, nor whether they were used as solo instruments or in consorts.

Nowadays these Ganassi instruments are used not only for example for 'Ricercate, Passagi e Cadentie' (Giovanni Bassano) and for the pieces from the collection 'Il Dolcimelo' (Aurelio Virgiliano), but also for playing contemporary works.

These instruments have huge dynamic capabilities and a full, round and loud sound. They have a very wide bore which is almost cylindrical, and a flared bell.