Thanks to all who have replied. I'm off home to make another attempt to get a sound out of it.

Apropos playing with other people: I've got a tentative date to play with one of my best and oldest friends here, whom I've known for nearly 20 years. She plays the piano and I'll play the recorder. She used to organize "house music evenings" where both of us played and accompanied others, but we have never played anything together, probably because of the combination of instruments (piano and guitar). She has three little girls and the oldest is learning the recorder. She thinks it would be good for her to hear someone play it well. (I'm not sure I quite fit that description yet, though.)