ISBN 9781609745295.

Here's a book you'll be pulling off the shelf for many Christmases to come. A Celtic Recorder Christmas is a treasury of 24 Irish, Scottish, Welsh and English holiday carols suitable for both soprano and tenor instruments. Simple duets for two recorders, a round for three, and arrangements for solo recorder with guitar chords are all printed on a large, easy to read staff and lavishly adorned with Celtic calligraphy. From the hauntingly beautiful melodies of the Hebrides, to the ancient airs of Ireland, to the familiar Yuletide tunes of Wales, England and Scotland, these songs are sure to warm your heart and rouse the spirit of this giving season in a way no other music can.

The best way to learn any instrument is to have lessons from a good, experienced teacher. Although, happily, the number of such teachers is constantly growing, the recorder is still frequently taught by enthusiastic but inexperienced teachers and many players start by teaching themselves. This series of books sets out to help learners of all ages in all three situations. Experienced teachers, who may choose to disregard much of the text as personal demonstration is always clearer than the written word, will find exercises and fine tunes a-plenty to support their own method at each stage. The less experienced will benefit from many valuable teaching hints culled from long experience and may rely on the books to lead to a sound playing technique and a mastery of simple notation. Those learning by themselves - and I started in this way - are urged to work carefully and systematically through the books, taking plenty of time to assimilate each point before moving on. For them, without the personal model provided by a live teacher, it is vitally important to listen as often as possible to fine players, in person or on record, so that they have in their mind's ear a clear notion of the kind of sound they would like to produce. But however they start, I can only wish that all who use these books will derive as much pleasure and musical satisfaction and gain as many lasting and valued friendships as I have through this most subtle, delightful and sociable of instruments. (Brian Bonsor) "...this work is likely to become a standard work very quickly and is to be recommended to all schools where recorder studies are undertaken" (Oliver James, Contact Magazine) Descant Tutors provide a sound-playing technique, a mastery of simple notation and contain 570 tunes including concert pieces by Bonsor, carols, attractive rounds, and melodies by 'early music' composers. Clear line drawings greatly assist the pupil, making them especially suitable for self-instruction.