Instruments of the Modern Symphony Orchestra/BASSOON

by Arthur Edward Johnstone

BASSOON

Auguste Mesnard
N.Y. Philharmonic Orchestra

The bassoon is the natural bass of the oboe family, it is a double-reed instrument of conical bore with a tube about nine feet long, doubled upon itself for convenience of handling. It has an extreme compass of three and a half octaves, of which, however, the four, of, five highest notes are seldom used.

The tones of the lowest octave are full and rich and of ample power to form a foundation for the entire wood-wind section. The medium register is not especially resonant but is characterized by an agreeable dryness which is absolutely unique. Possessing neither the incisive bite of the oboe nor the liquid beauty of the clarinet, and with limited capability for swelling and diminishing the tone, the bassoon rivals the flute itself in the rendition of staccato passages. Thus employed, its dry croaking tones are irresistibly comic and are of great service to the composer in depicting the humorous or the grotesque. When used in combination with clarinets or horns, the bassoon is extremely valuable for supplying a harmonic middle to the orchestral mass. The high notes from E flat up to B flat are of singularly appealing beauty and have been called "vox humana tones."

The bassoon is a non-transposing instrument. The bass, tenor, and treble clefs are used in its notation. Symphony orchestras usually require three players, the third of whom is also provided with a contra-bassoon to be used when required by the score.

The range of the bassoon is:

AUGUSTE MESNARD
N. Y PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA