Mollenhauer TE-4428 Dream Edition Tenor

I was recently able to purchase the Mollenhauer Dream Tenor in plum wood, after a year or so of having it on my wish list, and reading endless articles on the qualities of different style recorders and woods. So here are my thoughts, half way in to the period of 'playing it in':-

Thomann's service, price, speed of delivery (5 days Germany to UK) and customer contact along every stage of the purchase was second to none - thank you so much!

It is beautiful - fabulous quality, fells great in the hands, lovely solid, secure feeling key mechanism, lovely case to keep it safe.

Not too heavy, larger finger holes make it feel very secure, no need to think about thumb rests. No excessive stretch required with the right hand.

Terrific 'round, open pipe' sound, not hard and reedy. Secure tone over all notes with varying dynamics - it doesn't feel that you could overblow it and lose the note. Good projection, doesn't require excessive breath to maintain the notes. Easy to play the full range.

It is exactly what I had hoped it would be - I love the renaissance sounding instruments, but wanted to be able to play the full range of notes usually associated with the baroque style instruments. Not everyone may share my love of the more open sound, and find it less than 'authentic' when playing baroque or more modern music, but personally, I want to play an instrument that I love the sound of, whatever period music I am playing. I am not staging a re-enactment of historical accuracy, I am playing beautiful music for the sheer pleasure of it, and I know that I will play this recorder for the rest of my / it's life.

Point of fact - I was playing this morning, then went out in the garden; my neighbour's window cleaner asked what instrument was I playing as it had sounded gorgeous.

The recorder has a beautiful tone, though it is very difficult to get the lowest notes - perhaps this will improve in time. The recorder was sent to me with a very tight joint between the head joint and the main body, and although I used grease I am now completely unable to separate them, this is after just one brief play, the first. I am waiting to hear what I can do about this, so far I have not received a response.