Trivia
Comments by conductors caused popularity to tumble?
Until the 19th century, the German-style bassoon and the French-style basson were equally popular as low-pitch woodwind instruments. The background to the decline in popularity of the basson seems to have been influential actions by orchestral conductors. First, in the 1930s, was the influence of Italian orchestral conductor Arturo Toscanini during his tenure as conductor of the NBC Symphony Orchestra. In America at that time the German-style instrument was most common, while in Europe the basson was dominant. Toscanini promoted the German style in Europe for its superiority, in terms of offering more accurate pitch during performances. Then, in 1969 when Herbert von Karajan became conductor of the Orchestre de Paris, he made comments to the musicians such as, "Are you still playing the basson?" When the bassoon is spoken of today it is the German-style instrument to which the term refers, but there are still many who love the basson, and it is still used in French-speaking world.
Musical Instrument Guide : Bassoon Contents
Structure
- What Kind of Musical Instrument is a Bassoon?
- A Long Tube that can be Separated
- The Bocal and its Various Functions
- Unique Features of the bassoon, and How to Play
- [Experiment1]Comparing the Sound of Tone Holes cut Obliquely and Perpendicular
- [Experiment2]Encasing the Bore in Various Materials
- Bonus Experiment
How to Play
How the Instrument is Made
Choosing an Instrument
Trivia
- An Instrument that is Sensitive to Humidity
- Sounds from water in the U-tube?
- There's a needle in the bocal?!
- Comments by conductors caused popularity to tumble?
- Bassoon classics - Chamber music works
- Bassoon classics - Concertos
- Is the "contra-fagotto" a contrabassoon?
- What is the best tool to file a reed?