What is "recorder"

Recorder \Re*cord"er\ (r?*k?rd"?r), n.

1. One who records; specifically, a person whose official duty it is to make a record of writings or transactions.

2. The title of the chief judical officer of some cities and boroughs; also, of the chief justice of an East Indian settlement. The Recorder of London is judge of the Lord Mayor's Court, and one of the commissioners of the Central Criminal Court.

3. (Mus.) A kind of wind instrument resembling the flageolet. [Obs.] ``Flutes and soft recorders.''
   --Milton.

"chief legal officer of a city," early 15c., from Anglo-French recordour (early 14c.), Old French recordeor "witness; storyteller; minstrel," from Medieval Latin recordator, from Latin recordari "remember" (see record (v.)).\n

\nMeaning "registering apparatus" is from 1873. The musical instrument is attested by this name from early 15c., from record (v.) in the obsolete sense of "practice a tune." Used by Shakespeare and Milton ("of flutes and soft recorders," "Paradise Lost"). The name, and the device, were rarely heard by mid-1800s, ousted by the flute, but enjoyed a revival after 1911 as an easy-to-play instrument for musical beginners.

Etymology 1 n. 1 An apparatus for recording; a device which records. 2 agent noun of record; one who records. 3 A judge in a municipal court. Etymology 2

n. (context musici English) A musical instrument of the woodwind family, fipple flute, a simple internal duct flute.

1. n. equipment for making records [syn: recording equipment, recording machine]

2. someone responsible for keeping records [syn: registrar, record-keeper]

3. a barrister or solicitor who serves as part-time judge in towns or boroughs

4. a woodwind with a vertical pipe and 8 finger holes and a whistle mouthpiece [syn: fipple flute, fipple pipe, vertical flute]

The recorder is a woodwind musical instrument in the group known as internal duct flutes—flutes with a whistle mouthpiece. It is distinguished from other duct flutes by having thumb-hole for the upper hand and seven finger-holes: three for the upper hand and four for the lower. It is the most prominent duct flute in the western classical tradition.

Recorders are made in different sizes with compasses corresponding to different vocal ranges. The sizes most commonly in use today are the soprano (lowest note C5), alto (lowest note F4), tenor (lowest note C4) and bass (lowest note F3). Recorders are traditionally constructed from wood and ivory, although the use of plastics is now common. Other characteristics of their construction, such as bore profile and fingering systems, have varied over time and between instruments.

The recorder is first documented in the Middle Ages, and continued to enjoy wide popularity in the renaissance and baroque periods, but was little used in the classical and romantic periods. It was revived in the 20th century as part of the historically informed performance movement, and became a popular amateur and educational instrument. Composers who have written for the recorder include Monteverdi, Lully, Purcell, Handel, Vivaldi, Telemann, J.S Bach, Paul Hindemith, Benjamin Britten, Leonard Bernstein, Luciano Berio, and Arvo Pärt. Today, there are many professional recorder players who demonstrate the instrument's full solo range and a large community of amateurs.

The sound of the recorder is often described as clear and sweet, and has historically been associated with birds and shepherds. It is notable for its quick response and its corresponding ability to produce a wide variety of articulations. This ability, coupled with its open finger holes, allow it to produce a wide variety of tone colors and special effects. Acoustically, its tone is relatively pure and odd harmonics predominate in its sound.

A Recorder is a judicial officer in England and Wales and some other common law jurisdictions.

Recorder may refer to:

A recorder ( mazkir) as mentioned in the Bible is the office first held by Jehoshaphat in the court of David ( 2 Samuel 8:16), also in the court of Solomon ( 1 Kings 4:3). The next recorder mentioned is Joah, in the reign of Hezekiah (2 Kings 18:18,37; Isaiah 36:3,22). In the reign of Josiah another of the name of Joah filled this office (2 Chronicles 34:8). The "recorder" was the chancellor or vizier of the kingdom. He brought all weighty matters under the notice of the king, "such as complaints, petitions, and wishes of subjects or foreigners. He also drew up papers for the king's guidance, and prepared drafts of the royal will for the scribes. All treaties came under his oversight; and he had the care of the national archives or records, to which, as royal historiographer, like the same state officer in Assyria and Egypt, he added the current annals of the kingdom."

One of the officers present during the Combatant Status Review Tribunals convened at the Guantanamo Bay detention camps, in Cuba, was known as the Recorder.

The structure of the Tribunals loosely resembled the Tribunals described in Army Regulation 190-8, with the key difference that AR-190-8 Tribunals used the definition of " combatant" consistent with that in the Geneva Conventions, while the a much broader definition of " enemy combatant" was used at Guantanamo.

As in the AR-190-8 Tribunals a panel of three officers were authorized to make a determination whether or not an individual had been properly classified as a combatant. An additional officer was charged with the responsibility of assembling the evidence the three officers would use in making their determination, and with the responsibility to present that information to the three officers. For the CSR Tribunals that officer was known as the "Recorder", and was always a military lawyer. The Recorders were Majors, Lieutenant Commanders, Lieutenant Colonels or Commanders. The Presidents of the CSR Tribunals were always Colonels or Captains.

CSR Tribunals added a fifth officer, the Personal Representative, whose responsibility was to meet with the captive, try to explain the CSR Tribunal process to them, learn their account of themselves, and present their account to the Tribunal if the captive chose not to attend, or proved unable to present their account themselves.

In the AR-190-8 Tribunal only the President was required to be a field grade officer. As they were conducted all the officers sitting on the CSR Tribunals were field grade officers.

The recorder is a woodwind musical instrument of the family which includes the tin whistle. The recorder is end-blown and the mouth of the instrument is constricted by a wooden plug, known as a block or fipple. It is distinguished from other members of the family by having holes for seven fingers (the lower one or two often doubled to facilitate the production of semitones) and one for the thumb of the uppermost hand. Recorders can be made out of wood, plastic or ivory.

The recorder was popular in medieval times through the baroque era, but declined in the 18th century in favour of orchestral woodwind instruments, such as the flute, oboe, and clarinet.

The recorder was revived in the 20th century, partly in the pursuit of historically informed performance of early music, but also because of its suitability as a simple instrument for teaching music. Today, it is sometimes thought of as a child's instrument, but there are many professional players who demonstrate the instrument's full solo range. See Recorder (musical instrument) for further information on advanced usage.