Bassoon

The beginning of the bassoon is similar to the oboe. The bassoon itself first appeared about 1650, and by the end of the 1700’s, it had from 4 to 8 keys. During the 1800’s, many people experimented with improving the fingering of the bassoon. Most of the changes helped the fingering, but made the tone of the instrument suffer. The Heckel family of Germany managed to improve the fingering of the bassoon without damaging its tone. Many professionals today play bassoons made by the Heckel Company.

The bassoon is the lowest and largest of the woodwinds. Its sound has a lot of variety, depending on if low, medium or high notes are used. In the very highest range, the bassoon can sound throaty and not of this world. In its mid-range, the bassoon has a large, full, mellow noise. In the lowest range, it can be extremely powerful and heavy. Similar to its cousin, the oboe, it has a double reed, though its reed is larger and the cane must be bound together with wire and heavy thread. The reed fits onto the metal crook, or bocal, which is a curved metal tube about 13-1/2 inches long that fits into the bassoon. If you strapped it to a vice and stretched it out, it would be approximately nine feet long. If it was to be compared with the strings, the bassoon would be equal to a cello. Once upon a time someone said it sounded like a baritone singer with a bad cold.

In order to play a bassoon, most players must have rather large hands, so most begin on another instrument and learn bassoon secondly. Bassoons are usually made of maple wood, although some models are now made of ebonite (hard, black rubber).

The double bassoon, or contrabassoon, sounds lower and is about two times longer (if stretched out). Perhaps the idea even came from a serpent (being all wound up, that is). Because of its unusual appearance, it’s sometimes called the "clown of the orchestra" (it would look even stranger if it was NOT folded up!). If you think that this instrument is heavy, you’re right. Players must support it with a sling. If instruments were people, the double bassoon would be a bass voice.

Music for the Bassoon