Classical Music For Dummies, 3rd Edition
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Woodwind instruments in general are known for their versatility of sound in classical music; none is more versatile than the bassoon. This beautiful instrument is capable of sounding completely different in all its registers.

The bassoon. [Credit: <i>Source: Creative Commons</i>]
Credit: Source: Creative Commons
The bassoon.

In the highest register, the sound of the bassoon can be strained, throaty, even other-worldly. If you listen to the opening of Igor Stravinsky’s greatest masterpiece, The Rite of Spring (Track 09), you hear that unusual sound in all its glory.

In its mid-range, the bassoon has a luscious, full, mellow sound when played by a pro. And in its lowest range, the bassoon can be extremely powerful and heavy (the sound of the grandfather in Sergei Prokofiev’s famous children’s piece, Peter and the Wolf) or lugubrious (as in the passage for two bassoons at the bottom of their range in the last movement of Tchaikovsky’s Symphony no. 6 (Track 07).

Concertos for the bassoon are rare; Mozart’s Bassoon Concerto in B-flat major is one of the very nicest. While you’re at it, take a listen to this lovely bassoon piece: Georg Philipp Telemann’s Sonatas for bassoon and harpsichord in E minor, D major, and F minor.

Along with the orchestral appearances already listed, you’re sure to love these bassoon solos from orchestral literature:

  • Hector Berlioz: Symphonie fantastique (fourth movement)

  • Paul Dukas: The Sorcerers Apprentice

  • Rimsky-Korsakov: Scheherazade (second movement)

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About David Pogue David Pogue is a member of the International Brotherhood of Magicians and has performed magic at parties, special events, on TV, and even over the radio for 25 years. He created and taught the beginning magic programs at the New School for Social Research and the Learning Annex. He has been known to mesmerize audiences with his magic tricks while on tour promoting his many bestselling books, including Macs?? For Dummies??, 5th Edition, Opera For Dummies??, and Classical Music For Dummies??. Contributor Mark Levy, magic consultant, has levitated and read spectators' minds for nearly 30 years. His writings have appeared in some of magic's most revered literary sources, including Richard Kaufman's CardMagic, Apocalypse magazine, and Magic.

Scott Speck has conducted hundreds of ballet performances throughout the United States and Europe. He is Music Director of the Joffrey Ballet, Artistic Director of the Chicago Philharmonic Orchestra, and former Conductor of the San Francisco Ballet. Evelyn Cisneros danced for the San Francisco Ballet for 23 years and is the Artistic Director of the National Dance Institute of New Mexico in Albuquerque.

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