When was the bassoon created

These instruments are usually referred to as the "basson," and are said to be of the "French-style," in contrast to the "German-style. The basonore, made in France in the first half of the 19th century made to a custom specification for use by military bands.

Musical Instrument Guide. The origins of the Bassoon The Birth of the Bassoon. Does the bassoon have musical ancestors? Do the names "bassoon" and "fagotto" originate in the French language? An ever-increasing number of keys A four-key bassoon. Choosing an Instrument What is a "Gentleman Type"? Your purchases also help protect forests, including trees traditionally used to make instruments.

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By continuing to use Reverb, you agree to these updates, and to our cookie policy. Learn More. Reverb Articles. The History and Evolution of the Bassoon The ancient history of the bassoon is fairly murky, but ancestors of the bassoon and its kid brother the oboe have been around since the middle ages.

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Although it was possible to play notes in the high register up to F5 on bassoons with five keys, it was not until the speaker keys were added that contemporary composers were persuaded to ask for notes above G4.

In about models with six keys and two additional speaker keys on the wing joint for A4 and C5 became standard. Compared to the other woodwind instruments, the number of significant changes made to bassoon construction in the course of the 18th century was small. Leading workshops in Paris, Vienna and Dresden made valuable contributions to solving the tuning problem by equipping their instruments with tuning slides on the wing joint or providing wings or bocals of various lengths.

Keys for B1 and C 2 were added. To increase the volume attempts were also made to widen the bell. The boot was given the short, U-shaped joint in place of the cork component.

In the bassoonist and instrument maker Carl Almenraeder from Mainz in Germany embarked on a project which was to last years and ultimately result in a technically complete, agile and responsive bassoon with a well-balanced overall sound.

Beside his own mechanical improvements Almenraeder also made use of the inventions of other instrument makers and adopted some of the suggestions of his friend Gottfried Weber, who had undertaken a thorough study of the acoustic properties of woodwind instruments.

He placed the tone holes from A2 downward nearer the bell and increased their diameter. He also replaced the resonator hole in the bell with an open key for B1. This instrument had a chromatic range from B1—Bb5, in other words, four octaves. Following his death his colleague Johann Adam Heckel — took over the management of the workshops they had started together in Today, following several further alterations, the German Almenraeder-Heckel bassoon has 25—27 keys.

It first gained popularity in the German-speaking world and became the international standard during the 20th century. In France, the Romance countries and parts of Canada, on the other hand, a French model with 22 keys is in use.

The basson has tubing which is longer and more narrowly conical; the tone holes are narrower. Unlike the German bassoon the French basson has a closed Bb1 key, the tone holes for B1, C 2 and D 2 are drilled in the front side and the tone hole for E2 on the boot has no key. It developed in the workshops of J. Bassoon sonata - 3rd mvt. Bassoon - History Shawms in the Renaissance period In the Middle Ages shawms — wind instruments played with either a single or a double reed — were common throughout Europe.