The recorder as a serious concert instrument owes its present popularity to Frans Brüggen. He was the first modern instrumentalist to devote considerable energy and training to this cousin of the flute. Brüggen was actually awarded the first ever diploma for studying recorder at the Music Lyceum in Amsterdam.

He quickly established a concert and recording career working with harpsichordist and conductor Gustav Leonhardt and 'cellist Anner Bylsma. Early on he gave up the modern flute and has since played only on copies of 18th century flutes.

His championing of earlier repertoire and performing styles has put him in the forefront of the early music movement, more recently as a conductor with long associations with the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, The Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra and several smaller groups. He even 'fronted' a contemporary music ensemble for a time called 'Sourcream' and notably commissioned Luciano Berio to write a virtuoso work for recorder in 1966 (Gesti).

Brüggen has been a prolific recording artist and much of his work can be heard on Philips Classics discs.