# Bassoon



## Josef Haydn

I play Bassoon and I saw an Oboe and flute thread so I thought I'd introduce my beauty of an instrument


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## ikklebassoonist

They are a bit fab!!!
Whats you're favourite piece you're doing at the moment, as a soloist?
Any bassoonists reading this by the way, not just Josef Haydn!


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## Edward Elgar

Yes I must admit - the bassoon has its charms but the best woodwind instrument is definetly the oboe. It has a sweet timbre, wheras the bassoon is more like the timbre of a digeridoo!


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## Josef Haydn

I disagree, the basson can have a forboding timbre, a comic timbre, a jolly timbre but never a digeridoo! I hate you Edward Elgar!


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## Saturnus

IMO, is the bassoon the most exciting instrument for contemporary music (just check out Gubaidulina's duo and concerto). Beautiful old pieces exist (as Weber's concerto) but are very few.


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## Harmonie

I play bassoon! ^_^

I'm surprised to find a forum where a topic was created for it, that wasn't by me. XD


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## Lisztfreak

Bassoons are excellent! I have to say that after hearing Elgar's Romance for bassoon and orchestra and Saint-Saëns Bassoon Sonata. 

Have you seen the 'Midsomer Murders', the detective stories? The composer of the film music for these likes the bassoon very much, and uses it in an amazing way.


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## Josef Haydn

Thanx for that saturnas! i know my teacher has the music for saint saens sonata but the legar romance i was unaware of. at the moment i am playing the 2nd movement of mozarts concerto and its glorious. it truelyt makes the basson sound beautiful.


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## Josef Haydn

error thanx for that LIZST FREAK


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## jimji

Bassoon compared to didgeridoo? My brother hit the nail on the head when he said the Bassoon was a technologically advanced didge!
There is a huge disparity between Master players with well made instruments, and the tourist who picks up a cheap instrument while 'down under'. IMO a well played didge is one of the most elemental, moving and primeval sounds. Right up there with thunder and a roaring fire. I LOVE the Bassoon too.
I've been in Australia 25 years now and can only remember hearing one "Master" It was absolutely hypnotic. (he was playing in a shopping center!)

Jim


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## Handel

Edward Elgar said:


> Yes I must admit - the bassoon has its charms but the best woodwind instrument is definetly the oboe. It has a sweet timbre, wheras the bassoon is more like the timbre of a digeridoo!


Clarinet is the best. It is an upgrade of the oboe.

Concerning the bassoon, I mainly like it when used as a bass in woodwind work for example. (e.g. Reicha's wind quintets)


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## jimji

*best woodwind*

when you talk about "Woodwinds" and compare oboe, clarinet and bassoon ...
Cast your mind back - (to between 60 and 100,000 years ago) depending on which Scholars/Archeoligists you believe in ! ... There were people who made musical instruments out of wood. (hollowed out tree branches) The Didgeredoo. Now THAT is a real wood wind.
It's made out of wood and you have to use wind (breath) to play it. I'm not advocating that you seek out and listen to Didgeredoo music - because it's too obscure and you might come upon an inferior recording. (remember my previous post - I've been here in Oz 25 years and only heard one real "Master" - in a shopping center!)
Just to point out that the Didge would be the father/mother/forerunner of any and all "Woodwinds". If you're lucky you might find a good recording of this elemental musical instrument.

cheers from Oz,

jim


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## Harmonie

Handel said:


> Clarinet is the best. It is an upgrade of the oboe.
> 
> Concerning the bassoon, I mainly like it when used as a bass in woodwind work for example. (e.g. Reicha's wind quintets)


An upgrade?

You're joking right? The clarinet's a _downgrade_. XD I'm just kidding, but oboes, in my opinion sound a lot better then the clarinet.


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## zlya

When it comes to double reeds, I just can't get past Peter and the Wolf.


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## Lisztfreak

Has anyone heard Julius Roentgen's Bassoon Sonata or Launy Valdemar Groendahl's Bassoon Concerto? Delightful works.


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## arpeggio

*New bassoonist/contrabassoonist*

New bassoonist/contrabassoonist joins forum. I actually can not play the damn thing, I just know how to put it together.


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## Lunasong

Q) How do you join a community orchestra as a bassoon player? 
A) Own a bassoon. 

You are off to a good start.


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## arpeggio

*How I learned to play the bassoon in one easy lesson.*



Lunasong said:


> Q) How do you join a community orchestra as a bassoon player?
> A) Own a bassoon.
> 
> You are off to a good start.


I am not joking about putting it together. I was a saxophone major in college. Because my degree was in education, I also developed a working knowledge on how to play all instruments. When I was in graduate school, I also played a little clarinet and bassoon on the side.

I enlisted in the US Army so I could guarantee that I would be a bandsman. I played the audition on saxophone. I passed and I was assigned to the 75th Army Band in Fort Belvoir. For the first few months, I played tenor sax in the band and the jazz ensemble. The band's bassoonist term of enlistment ended, he learned that I knew a little about playing the bassoon and he advised me that I should audition for bassoon slot because there were certain advantages to playing bassoon in the Army. Back in the late 60's bassoonist were rare in the Army. As a bassoonist I would probably serve my entire tour at Fort Belvoir. The chances of me being transfered to another band would be slim. For the audition, I put the instrument together, blurted our a C major scale and passed the audition.

Since I got our of Army in 1972, I have played no sax gigs, a few clarinet gigs but have always been in demand as a bassoonist in various community groups.

Back in 1985 I purchased a contrabassoon.


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## Lunasong




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## arpeggio

*Bassoon recording gift*

Last Christmas my wife got me a neat Christmas gift: A Harvest of 20th-Century Bassoon Music. LEONARD SHARROW & JOSEH POLISI, BASSOONS. See: http://www.crystalrecords.com/bassoon.html









I have been listening to the recording since then and I am listening to it as I am entering this. The styles range for conservative contemporary to avant-garde, the Matthew piece, _Sumer is Icumen in-Lhude_, is for bassoon and a pre-recorded tape prepared by the soloist.

The Welcher and Luke Concertos are great. The Welcher should be since he is a bassoonist.

Recommended to all burping bedposts.


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## Forte

The bassoon is a pretty nice instrument, and deserves more attention and great music written for it than it currently has.

Also, the contrabassoon doesn't have much to its name, although in my opinion it should have at least as much music written for it as the double bass...


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## mtmailey

What comes to me is the bassoon part for the sorcerer's apprentice by PAUL DUKAS.I like that part.
View attachment 21792


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## Redsilas

I picked up bassoon in 9th grade because I wasn't going anywhere playing the flute. My band director taught me how to assemble it, basic scales and put me in a practice room for three weeks for three weeks. Pretty soon I was thrown into the next highest band because they needed a bassoonist and was in WAY over my head. Convinced my parents to take private lessons the next year and I was the Symphonic Band, the high school Orchestra and the American Youth Symphonic Orchestra in NoVA. I was constantly being asked to substitute in the McLean Youth Orchestra too at one point. 

Even though I was obviously in over my head, I enjoyed it all and look back on the entire experience with fondness. Because bassoonists were such in need I was on some unofficial list and received phone calls to substitute in various NoVA and DC orchestras, pit orchestras for community musicals, to play in churches (mostly Mozart and Faure's Requiems), and to play for Christmas ensembles. 

I eventually took up a non-music job that traveled and my bassoon put up with a lot of abuse being toted around with me. Eventually a particular move did damage to the instrument I had since my Sophmore year of college and the cost to repair it was just not doable at that particular time. 

I did play the contrabassoon for about a year or two - I miss it.


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## sospiro

YouTube comments are often offensive but these are fun.


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## Redsilas

I recall seeing the Mozart performed live in DC many years back. My bassoon teacher decided it was time for me to tackle it. The only issue I had with it, as it is 'the standard' piece, I found having to play the piece 'exactly right' and a particular way and interpretation didn't sit well with me. Looking back, I see the reason why, but was too young and naive to understand it. 

Which print edition/edited version do you prefer?


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## Chiroptera

Weber's Bassoon Concerto really exemplifies the best of the Bassoon. It is sweet sounding, but bold, and sweeping, but resonant. Only the bassoon can build such momentum with such a rich, velvety taste. 

It also beautiful as a symbiotic compliment to another instrument; I believe this is due to the rate of resonance frequency.


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## Bettina

Chiroptera said:


> Weber's Bassoon Concerto really exemplifies the best of the Bassoon. It is sweet sounding, but bold, and sweeping, but resonant. Only the bassoon can build such momentum with such a rich, velvety taste.
> 
> It also beautiful as a symbiotic compliment to another instrument; I believe this is due to the rate of resonance frequency.


Yes, the Weber concerto is wonderful--he really knew how to write for solo wind instruments! I also enjoy Hummel's Bassoon Concerto.


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## hpowders

Bettina said:


> Yes, the Weber concerto is wonderful--he really knew how to write for solo wind instruments! I also enjoy Hummel's Bassoon Concerto.


Weber also wrote a terrific "Hungarian Rondo for Bassoon". Absolutely irresistible!


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## Chiroptera

Bettina said:


> Yes, the Weber concerto is wonderful--he really knew how to write for solo wind instruments! I also enjoy Hummel's Bassoon Concerto.


Yes, I enjoy Hummel's Bassoon Concerto as well. I find it a good alternative to Mozart's.


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## Heck148

hpowders said:


> Weber also wrote a terrific "Hungarian Rondo for Bassoon". Absolutely irresistible!


I've performed both Weber bassoon works a number of times...lots of fun - these pieces are very "bassoon-y" - like the Vivaldi bassoon concerti, they lie well for the instrument, and show off its wide variety of tonal and expressive possibilities....


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## Pugg

Heck148 said:


> I've performed both Weber bassoon works a number of times...lots of fun - these pieces are very "bassoon-y" - like the Vivaldi bassoon concerti, they lie well for the instrument, and show off its wide variety of tonal and expressive possibilities....


Are you a professional if I may ask?


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## Heck148

Pugg said:


> Are you a professional if I may ask?


yes, mostly retired by now - have played professionally for 45+years, 40 as principal of one orchestra or another.


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## pcnog11

Bassoon is the balance of power in the woodwind section. Without it, the oboes, flutes and clarinets will have no weights at all. Good stuff!


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## hpowders

pcnog11 said:


> Bassoon is the balance of power in the woodwind section. Without it, the oboes, flutes and clarinets will have no weights at all. Good stuff!


I really like Shostakovich's symphonic bassoon writing. Makes me thirsty for some good Vodka.


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## Heck148

pcnog11 said:


> Bassoon is the balance of power in the woodwind section. Without it, the oboes, flutes and clarinets will have no weights at all. Good stuff!


right - the woodwind choir really needs the bass sonority, and rich overtones to fill out the sound...the best woodwind sections, IMO, those of Chicago, NYPO, Cleveland, have always had a rich presence of bassoons and clarinets. this gives a full organ-like sonority to the sound, even at pianissimo dynamic level. The high voices, flute, piccolo, oboe, first clarinet, Eb flat clarinet...sit right on top, and sound very full...


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## Heck148

hpowders said:


> I really like Shostakovich's symphonic bassoon writing. Makes me thirsty for some good Vodka.


Shostakovich wrote great bassoon parts - huge solos, excellent section soli...one of the best composers for bassoon...Syms 1,4,7,8,9,10, all have major bassoon solos/soli.
of course, the earlier work - the Big Ballets - Golden Age, Bolt, and the film music, also contain lots of very rich bassoon passages..same with violin concerti.


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## Beet131

The bassoon concertos of Vivaldi, J.C. Bach, Mozart and Weber are great fun to listen to. How has the bassoon become so neglected for the last two hundred years? It is such a great instrument!


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## arpeggio

^^^^^
There have been many great bassoon works composed in the 20th century.

Two of the finest are the Hindemith and Saint-Saens bassoon sonatas.

Gordon Jacob and Jean Françaix also composed some good bassoon concertos.


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## Joe B

arpeggio said:


> ^^^^^
> There have been many great bassoon works composed in the 20th century.
> 
> Two of the finest are the Hindemith and Saint-Saens bassoon sonatas.
> 
> Gordon Jacob and Jean Françaix also composed some good bassoon concertos.


And a good 21st century work composed for *The Bassoon Brothers* by Michael Daugherty is:


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## Ludwig Von Chumpsky

OMG thanks for posting that. I took up bassoon (played sax at the time) for about six months. Fell in love with it. IMHO it's to orchestral music what the tenor sax is to jazz...the ultimate instrument!


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## Crawford Glissadevil

I'm not as schooled in the vaults of classical knowledge as most of you. I enjoy the quirky colorful voice of a bassoon, especially employed the way Stravinsky and Prokofiev work bassoon into their ballets and orchestral works. I imagine Grandfather, I visulize animals frolicking in a bassoon voice.


Could you wonderful people recommend bassoon used in Symphonies and Orchestral Works in the way I described?


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## arpeggio

Try Respighi's _Brazilian Impressions_. In the second movement the bassoons are used to depict snakes.

Want a drunk Scotsman? Try the second movement of Arnolds _Scottish Dances_.

And for the contrabassoon there is the "Beauty and the Beast" movement from Ravel's _Mother Goose Suite_.


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## ymoy

Does anyone here play the bassoon? I am thinking of learning, but I note there are a few different 'models' i guess 'fingering methods'. Is there a popular model I could look out for (to hire / buy)?


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## Larkenfield

ymoy said:


> Does anyone here play the bassoon? I am thinking of learning, but I note there are a few different 'models' i guess 'fingering methods'. Is there a popular model I could look out for (to hire / buy)?


Yes, Heck148. Great bassoonist. He shows up periodically and might be available for questions. Tell him you like Arturo Toscanini and Fritz Reiner as an intro.


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## arpeggio

All modern bassoons, except the French, use the same fingering system developed by Heckle.

Bassoons unfortunantly are very expensive. The best bassoon is probably a Heckle and can cost up to $40,000.

The best economical bassoon I have ever played is a Schrieber. A student model can still run between $6000 and $7000. If you have a bassoonist who can check out the horn, you might be able to pick up a used one for $3000 to $4000. The following vendors sell reasonable second hand instruments:

Forrest Music: https://www.forrestsmusic.com/index.htm

Woodwind & Brasswind: https://www.wwbw.com/

They have a page for student models. It is under woodwinds, bassoons. The only student models out of the ones they offer I would consider are the Foxes. I have a backup Fox that I use that I picked up second hand for $3000. I use it for outdoor gigs.

Charles Double Reeds sell some excellent second hand horns. They are listed under "Instruments and Bocals" tab. They are still expensive: https://www.charlesmusic.com/index.html

Wichita Band Instruments: I have never purchased anything from them but I have friends who have and they swear by them: http://www.wichitaband.com/

Unless you really know what you are doing I would be weary of buying anything off of Ebay.

I should warn you. I have studied and played on all of the woodwind instruments and in my experience the bassoon is the most difficult. I think it is harder than the oboe. I also play the bass clarinet in a band and it is a breeze compared to the bassoon.


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## Heck148

great to see the bassoon generating so much interest!!


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## fluteman

Heck148 said:


> yes, mostly retired by now - have played professionally for 45+years, 40 as principal of one orchestra or another.


Congratulations on achieving, or mostly achieving, retirement. My cousin's son is at the other end, as a young freelance professional bassoonist living in Europe. Any advice?


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## Heck148

ymoy said:


> Does anyone here play the bassoon? I am thinking of learning, but I note there are a few different 'models' i guess 'fingering methods'. Is there a popular model I could look out for (to hire / buy)?


the German [Heckel] system is by far the most popular, and it is virtually certain that any bassoon you find in the US will be a German system...The French [Buffet] system is the other "model" - has fallen out of use to a large degree....different instrument, different fingerings, different sound....see if you can latch onto a used Fox student model....good instruments....reeds are a major issue - but you can probably find a commercial reed maker that provides quality reeds....


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## Heck148

fluteman said:


> Congratulations on achieving, or mostly achieving, retirement. My cousin's son is at the other end, as a young freelance professional bassoonist living in Europe. Any advice?


Good luck to him!! take every gig.....allow yourself to be heard, even if the pay is not so great, and the conductor is a jerk. There will be musicians in these orchestras that contract, or know contractors, and your name will get passed around as somebody who is competent, dependable and takes care of business.....whatever the gig - practice, prepare your part, and cooperate fully with the principal and the section. if the principal player is totally lame, can't blow his/her nose - doesn't matter, support your principal,play your part, be a positive, supportive section member. 
practice diligently and intelligently, be ready to take any gig on a moment's notice....you never know....

For my own recent activities - played an all-Mozart concert with a small chamber orchestra/choral group - great music - Mozart: Requiem, Coronation Mass, and Symphony #39 [hadn't played it in years, since just post-student days]...what a blast - #39 has a great bassoon part - felt great to really nail it every time!! :clap::clap::cheers:


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## fluteman

Heck148 said:


> Good luck to him!! take every gig.....allow yourself to be heard, even if the pay is not so great, and the conductor is a jerk. There will be musicians in these orchestras that contract, or know contractors, and your name will get passed around as somebody who is competent, dependable and takes care of business.....whatever the gig - practice, prepare your part, and cooperate fully with the principal and the section. if the principal player is totally lame, can't blow his/her nose - doesn't matter, support your principal,play your part, be a positive, supportive section member.
> practice diligently and intelligently, be ready to take any gig on a moment's notice....you never know....
> 
> For my own recent activities - played an all-Mozart concert with a small chamber orchestra/choral group - great music - Mozart: Requiem, Coronation Mass, and Symphony #39 [hadn't played it in years, since just post-student days]...what a blast - #39 has a great bassoon part - felt great to really nail it every time!! :clap::clap::cheers:


Thank you, I passed your post along in its entirety.


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## PsychoBunny

Ein heldenfaggot!


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## arpeggio

*Selling Contra*

I am having to sell my contra. I am seventy-two with a disability. The contra is a big heavy instrument and I am having problems with the logistics. I can still play it but getting it to and from rehearsals and concerts is a problem. I have found a good home for her. A young player that I have loaned the horn to on several occasions. She calls my bassoon "Sacha". I have had the instrument for over thirty years and I have had a lot of fun playing it. Time to move on


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## Harmonie

arpeggio said:


> I am having to sell my contra. I am seventy-two with a disability. The contra is a big heavy instrument and I am having problems with the logistics. I can still play it but getting it to and from rehearsals and concerts is a problem. I have found a good home for her. A young player that I have loaned the horn to on several occasions. She calls my bassoon "Sacha". I have had the instrument for over thirty years and I have had a lot of fun playing it. Time to move on


I'm so sorry to hear about that. =( Hopefully the young player is a good home!

I remember not having so much fun lugging around the contrabassoon when I played for a semester in my early mid-20s. It was a larger (apparently older style?) contra that I played on, and I had to lug it up and down stairs to rehearsals/performances. I honestly can't even imagine what it has been like for you. I hope you still get to play the regular bassoon.


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