The recorder often inflicts squeaky torture on parents. Music teacher Valerie DePriest explains why it became a staple in music education.

Remember the recorder? It's that small plastic instrument — looks kind of like a flute or clarinet — that's often the first instrument children learn to play in school. Or, at least, they used ...

An alto recorder, a tenor recorder and a bass recorder.” (The recorder that kids play in school is actually the soprano version.) One major fan of the recorder in its Renaissance reign? Henry VIII.