The Bassoon

         The bassoon is a woodwind instrument in the double reed family that usually plays in the bass and tenor registers, rarely higher. The bassoon is a non-transposing instrument known for its distinctive tone color, wide range, a variety of characters, and agility. Their sound is often referred to as dark, warm, reedy timbre to that of a male baritone voice. Someone who partakes in the playing of a bassoon is called a bassoonist.

         Music historians generally consider the dulcian to be the forerunner of the modern bassoon, as the two double reed instruments have a lot in common. The only real differences are the size of the instrument, and the mouthpiece. In both of these cases, the bassoon is larger. The history of the dulcian is very obscure, but it can be traced back to mid-16th century Europe. Later, the dulcian became known as the fagotto in Italy. The translation of fagotto meaning "bundle of sticks", which is misleading because it consisted of one long piece of wood. The bassoon was brought into existence in German, around the early 19th century. The inventor is unknown. Sense then it has flourished in the musical industry.

         The bassoon is most commonly used in orchestral, concert band, and chamber music. It is also strong in jazz, experimental, reed, and bluegrass. Famous bassoonist include: Franz Berwald, Pierre Boulez, Ellen Taaffe Zwilich, Kristian Oma Rønnes, and Patrick Nunn.

         Here is a quaint video:Preview not available, click to view full videoBOON THE BASSOON