The Bassoon

I am sure that the majority of posters in "The Arts" don't focus on orchestral instruments, but why not? The bassoon is surely one of my own favourite instruments. There is a certain quality in its lower registers that reminds me of dark purple or magenta velvet. In the upper registers, it can become rather raspy and reedy, probably lending itself to the role as the grandfather in "Peter and the Wolf". When given a lower role, its deep, oily voice can be quite tragic. It is almost as if the lower registers of the bassoon renders a dying wolf, having been mortally wounded in a terrible contest between Alpha males. Giving the upper register a show, however, can make a rather comic effect manifest. However, the best part of the instrument, in my opinion, is the register between the low and high. There is something tearful and beautiful about the ways the bassoon can express itself around Middle C that moves me. Combining the instrument with an accompanying piano can often provoke the most cheerful, whimsical, jocular, and simply fun music. When I hear a bassoon and piano in a quick tempo, I almost always think of children playing on old statues near a museum or library, splashing in puddles from the recent rain. So much glory can be found in this almost silly and clumsy instrument, and tragedy lurks in the depths of its double reed.

Do any of you play the bassoon, or have stories about it? When did you first experience its sound? Any performances you would like to share?

Here is a small gallery of bassoon music! :

Franz Berwald (1796-1868), Swedish: About 1820
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SIrpM...eature=related - A fun little piece for concert rectials.

Camille Saint-Saëns (1835-1921), French: This is the last thing S-S composed, in 1921.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nin9kFXy3Oc - Movements/Parts I and II - A mix of styles!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xpgih...eature=related - Movements/Parts III and IV

Carl Maria von Weber (1786-1826), German: 1822
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-bqB6yt8-k8 - Movements I/II only, Part 1 - CONCERTO
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JYkHe...eature=related Movements I/II only, Part 2

Antonio Vivaldi is known to have written many concerti for bassoon and string orchestra. I'd post some, but there are dozens! Post your favourite bassoon videos too, if you can find them. Sadly, bassoon/piano music was rare in the 19th century, though there was an outpouring of it in the 20th. People are still writing bassoon sonatas into the 21st century, as well! There is a whole plethora of music for this instrument; isn't it all so beautiful?

We have a few in college, mostly for experimental sound art and sound effects for the film students. It requires quite a skilled hand to make anything more than a few fart noises...............but fart noises are pretty good too.

My musical tastes are extremely limited. That is, for once I can reply in brief ; I like J.S. Bach, and I like fife and drum marches.

Anyway, if I ever heard a bassoon ( though I'm sure I have ) I wasn't aware of it.

But it's my favorite instrument .

How ???

My best friend played the Bassoon. Apparently she was pretty good at it, she got into the college orchestra of a large college playing bassoon.
How come I never heard her ? Well, she lives in Louisiana, I live in Tennessee, ( check a map ) and I never met her in person.
She quit talking to me. That is actually the common , ever-repeating, story of my life ; people I profoundly love , people whose pictures will still be sitting on my desk 30 years from now, stop talking to me for reasons ---what reasons ? --- they never do explain. They just go away.
"Boo hoo" right ?

Anyway, that is why it is my favorite instrument. I couldn't vote in your poll. As you perhaps see, no answer particularly fit my case.

Oh, and thanks for the effort, but I very much doubt that I will liscen to any of it. I might start crying for 6 months strait.