Bassoons

The Bassoon provides the natural bass to the woodwind section.  Its tone ranges from sonorous in the lower register, progressing to rich and smooth and finally penetrating at the higher end, and its sound blends well with instruments such as the Cello and Horn.

The Bassoon has a double reed like an oboe and is decended from 15th century Curtals.  The Bassoon consists of two or, in the case of the Double Bassoon, three parallel Maplewood tubes, connected via a brass U-bend, giving the Bassoon a massive sounding length.

Effective use of the Bassoon is present in Bartok's Concerto forOrchestra and Bassoon Concertos by Mozart and Weber.

Approximate Range	3 octaves
Bassoon Length	279cm
Double Bassoon Length	559cm