Dr Jinny Jeffery

Jinny spent an inordinate amount of time (about 7 years) studying Chemistry at York University where she also developed an interest in Early Music supported by the regional branch of the Society of Recorder Players under the direction of David Grosvenor. Currently employed as a Chemical Scientist in Plymouth with a special responsibility for stress hormones. Jinny learnt the recorder by a process of osmosis with technical support from Judith Silver and Marion Scott, amongst others, and picked up the Cornamuse (after putting it down again shortly afterwards) in order to experiment with a different sort of sound without having to learn a new lot of fingerings. The tenor shawm is providing room for much louder experiments of sound.

 

Recorders

A whistle made from sheep bone in an Iron Age fort provides evidence that this type of instrument has been used for thousands of years.
Instruments similar to recorders can be seen in medieval paintings and probably have existed for over 600 years, although there are no existing examples.

Medieval recorders are assumed to be simple instruments with a limited range. Renaissance recorders have a range of one and a half octaves, creating a robust and woody sound.

A catalogue of instruments can be found on John Hanchet's website.
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