RE: Recurve must have's for performance?
For quieting it down, find the suggested brace height range and twist the string up and down within this range to find the quietest spot. Then install a good set of string silencers. Mine are llama wool.
If your shafts are too stiff, you could be getting slap against the riser. Watch for wear on the outside of your shelf plate which can be indicative of too stiff shaft spine.
Also, shooting a heavier arrow will absorb more of the bows energy and quiet things down.