Innovations and Evolutions (BASSOON)

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     When we think of orchestral instruments, the Bassoon might not be the first one that comes to mind. However, this woodwind instrument has a rich history that spans centuries (mid-17th century as we know the instrument today) and has played an essential role in orchestras worldwide. 

                                                             Curtal (Renaissance) – Early Music Instrument Database

The Bassoon, like many other instruments, started off as a completely different instrument. This progenitor  instrument, The Dulcian is a long  wooded conical shape with two chambers inside of the instrument. There two chambers meet in the bottom where a hole was drilled which allowed it to produce a deep, bass sound. The Dulcian provided essential bass lines in early ensembles.

 

    The Bassoon replaced the Dulcian in the early half of the Baroque Period. The instrument was first developed and used in France. The design changed significantly from the original Dulcian. The Bassoon was four pieces instead of one singular piece of wood. The curve inside the Bassoon was also changed from a 90-degree angle to a more rounded turn, giving the instrument a better sound. 

                                 Facts About the Bassoon

    The instrument quickly became popular in Europe, giving rise to more decorative Bassons being made in what is today northern Germany. It would also be during this time that composers like Antonio Vivaldi and Johann Bach would write numerous works that featured the Bassoon prominently. Vivaldi, for instance, composed 39 bassoon concertos, showcasing the instrument's full range and abilities. Below is a video of Vivaldi's Concerto in E minor for Bassoon


    The Melody of the first movement is energetic. The Bassoon plays intricate, ascending and descending melodic lines (that I would imagine) require immense technical precision. The second movement Shifts to a slower melodic style, further showing the range of this interesting instrument. The Bassoon's timbre also plays a central role in this concerto. Vivaldi shows both the Bassoon's low earthy tones as well as its reedy high tones. I very much enjoyed this concerto, and it has been added to my study playlist. Following this video, I found another video that has the Bassoon playing by itself




    This video is of a musician playing Paganini Caprice No. 5. It Is awe-inspiring. This piece was initially developed for a solo violinist. Having a bassoon play is very impressive. Similar to the first movement of the Vivaldi example, the tempo of this piece is very fast. The timbre is also similar to the second movement of the Vivaldi, where the Bassoon pushes itself to the higher ends of its range, giving a nice, high-reedy tone. There is a reasonably apparent difference between the two of these pieces, and that is the harmonic texture. Paganini is focused solely on the Bassoon, with single melodic lines providing the texture, Where as Vivaldi is Primarily homophonic, with the Bassoon leading over a harmonic backdrop from the orchestra. Personally, I prefer the former of the two videos as I feel it sufficiently shows off the range and ability of what a Bassoon can do.  




The Bassoon is a very interesting and important instrument that is often disregarded. I hope this blog post was able to introduce and shed some light on this very interesting, beautiful instrument. 







-Jaxon Foster 











Citations: 


Jhodik. “Facts about the Bassoon.” Facts About the Bassoon, 8 Aug. 2022, getkidsintomusic.com/2022/05/23/facts-about-the-bassoon/

“History of the BASSOON and Modern Reproductions with GUEST KEITH COLLINS.” YouTube, YouTube, www.youtube.com/watch?v=I5TI2Dw9rtw&ab_channel=ErynOft Accessed 12 Oct. 2024

“College of Arts and Sciences.” Early Music Instrument Database, caslabs.case.edu/medren/renaissance-instruments/curtal-renaissance/ . Accessed 12 Oct. 2024. 

“Vivaldi – Concerto in E Minor for Bassoon, RV 484 | Klaudia Abramczuk – Bassoon.” YouTube, YouTube, www.youtube.com/watch?v=xidC7TZRxkA&ab_channel=AkademiaFilmuiTelewizji . Accessed 12 Oct. 2024. 

“Paganini Caprice No. 5 - Theo Plath, Bassoon.” YouTube, YouTube, www.youtube.com/watch?v=pX9A5bib1FQ&ab_channel=TheoPlath . Accessed 12 Oct. 2024. 

         “Bassoon.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, inc., www.britannica.com/art/bassoon . Accessed 12 Oct. 2024.

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