Jack, I realise it's possible to "pull" individual notes like that - eg for a leading note - and it's not just understanding that but HEARING when it is required that is important; but would you be able to raise pitch consistently by increasing your blowing pressure for an entire set? I thought a recorder was basically designed to play at one pitch; which coiuld be lowered, like most wind instruments, by extending the top joint, but that this changes the relative positioning of the finger holes, so that (forgive my wrong terminology, but as you have observed I'm not a recorder player) the octave all holes open/all holes closed becomes less than an octave.
And let's not fall out this time.