Links to articles about of all symphony orchestra instruments are located here:. Bassoon- This is the lowest sounding instrument of the wood group. Its register includes bass, tenor and alto sounds. Like the oboe, it has a double cane that is worn over a curved metal tube. This makes the bassoon very different from the other instruments in the group.

Unlike the oboe (and the rest of the pieces of wood), its body is folded in half, as it were (otherwise it would be too long). For easy portability, the bassoon can be disassembled in parts.

Folded in such parts, it resembles a bundle of firewood, which is the reason for the name of the tool (translated as "bundle"). The bassoon is Italian and dates back to the 16th century. Its range is from B controctave to f second.

The material for the manufacture of this tool is maple wood. The bassoon timbre is most perfect in the lower register. At the top, it acquires a certain squeeze, nasal tone, which is also a distinctive timbre feature.

Generally speaking, the bassoon tone is very beautiful and easy to distinguish. In addition, it is very gentle, for this quality this instrument was initially called "dulcian" from the word dolce (gentle).

Usually the bassoon is used in brass and symphony orchestras, however, solo numbers are also played on it, and it is also used in ensembles.

The tool body has up to 30 holes. Only a small part of them are covered with fingers, mainly a valve system is used.

Like other wind instruments, the bassoon has undergone evolution in its development. Like most wind instruments, it flourished in the 19th century (the German company Haeckel).

Since the second half of this century, the bassoon has even been entrusted with solo episodes in orchestral parts, although initially this instrument simply duplicated the bass line in the orchestra.

In terms of playing technique, the bassoon is similar to the oboe, but breathing is consumed less economically, since there is a longer column of air. Jumps are easy, register changes are almost invisible, the staccato stroke is quite sharp.

In modern music for bassoon, it is possible to use intonations smaller than a semitone (a quarter and a third of a tone). Bassoon notes are usually written in bass and tenor clefs. The violin is also occasionally used.

Orchestras sometimes use contrabassoon- a variant of the instrument that sounds an octave lower.

To illustrate the sound of the bassoon with an orchestra, I want to offer you a performance by the laureate of an international competition Alexei Levin (class of Professor V.V. Budkevich): K.M. Weber - a fragment from the Concerto for bassoon and orchestraF- dur(State Academic Symphony Orchestra of the Republic of Belarus).

The section is very easy to use. In the proposed field, just enter the desired word, and we will give you a list of its meanings. I would like to note that our site provides data from various sources - encyclopedic, explanatory, word-formation dictionaries. Also here you can get acquainted with examples of the use of the word you entered.

Bassoon

bassoon in the crossword dictionary

bassoon

Explanatory Dictionary of the Living Great Russian Language, Dal Vladimir

bassoon

m. fr. wind musical instrument, consisting. made of double, reversible wooden tube with vents. Bassoon, bassoon, refers to it. Bassoon player, bassoon player, playing it;

bassoon, bassoon master.

Explanatory dictionary of the Russian language. D.N. Ushakov

bassoon

bassoon, m. (it. fagotto, lit. bunch) (music). A musical woodwind instrument of low register with a characteristic hoarse-nasal timbre, consisting of two parallel cylinders fastened to the shorter of which a metal tongue is attached. Play the bassoon. Suddenly, from behind the door in the hall, a long bassoon and flute resounded. Pushkin.

Explanatory dictionary of the Russian language. S.I.Ozhegov, N.Yu.Shvedova.

bassoon

A, m. Woodwind reed musical instrument of low timbre in the form of a long, slightly expanding pipe. Play the bassoon.

adj. bassoon, th, th.

New explanatory and derivational dictionary of the Russian language, T. F. Efremova.

bassoon

m. Wooden musical wind instrument of the tenor-bass range with a conical - slightly expanding - channel and a double reed.

Encyclopedic Dictionary, 1998

bassoon

FAGOT (Italian fagotto, lit. - knot, bunch) woodwind musical instrument (mostly orchestral). Arose in the 1st half. 16th century The bass variety is the contrabassoon.

Bassoon

(Italian fagotto, literally √ knot, bunch), wind instrument. Has a tapered barrel in the form of armor. U (as if folded in half) with a socket, consisting of 4 parts. The sound is produced using a double cane that slides over an S-shaped metal tube that connects it to the barrel. There are 25√30 side holes in the barrel (5√6 are closed with fingers, the rest are closed with valves). Range √ B1 √ d2, sometimes f2. Created in the 20-30s. 16th century in Italy, in the middle of the 18th century. introduced to the symphony orchestra. Used in symphonic (2-3, sometimes 4 F.), brass bands, ensemble and as a solo instrument. It is notated mainly in bass and tenor clefs. Of the many varieties, only the contrabassoon is practically common. Lit .: Levin S., Fagot, M., 1963; his, Wind instruments in the history of musical culture, L., 1973; Freaks M., Instruments of a symphony orchestra, 3rd ed., M., 1972; Heckel W., Der Fagott, Lpz., 193

Wikipedia

Bassoon

Bassoon- reed woodwind musical instrument of bass, tenor and partly alto register. It looks like a bent long tube with a valve system and a double (like an oboe) cane, which is worn on a metal S-shaped tube that connects the cane to the main body of the instrument. It got its name due to the fact that when disassembled it resembles a bundle of firewood.

The bassoon was designed in the 16th century in Italy, it has been used in the orchestra from the end of the 17th - the beginning of the 18th century, and took a permanent place in it by the end of the 18th century. The bassoon timbre is very expressive and rich in overtones throughout the entire range. The most common are the lower and middle register of the instrument, the upper notes sound somewhat nasal and stifled. The bassoon is used in a symphony, less often in a brass band, as well as a solo and ensemble instrument.

Bassoon (disambiguation)

Bassoon:

• The bassoon is a wind musical instrument.
• The bassoon is a character in Mikhail Bulgakov's novel The Master and Margarita.
• "Fagot" - anti-tank missile system.
• "Fagot" is a brick factory in the Ukraine in the city of Krasny Luch.
• Alexander "Fagot" Alexandrov is a musician, at various times he was a member of the ensembles "Aquarium", "Sounds of Mu", "Three O" and others.
• Oleg "Fagot" Mykhailyuta is a musician, vocalist and sound producer of the Ukrainian group "Tank on Maidani Congo".

Bassoon (ATGM)

"Bassoon"(GRAU index - 9K111, according to the classification of the US Defense Ministry and NATO - AT-4 Spigot ,) - Soviet / Russian portable anti-tank missile system with semi-automatic command guidance by wire. Designed to engage visually observed stationary and moving targets at speeds up to 60 km / h at ranges up to 2 km, and with a 9M113 missile - up to 4 km.

Developed by KB Instrument-making (Tula) and TsNIITochMash. Introduced into service in 1970. The upgraded version is 9M111-2, the version of the missile with an increased flight range and increased armor penetration is 9M111M.

The complex includes:

• foldable portable launcher with control equipment and launch mechanism;
• rocket in a launch container 9M111 (or 9M113).

Examples of the use of the word bassoon in literature.

Bassoon sounds in an unusually high register, one might think that Bystrov is suffering, speaking of suffering, and he himself is just an instrument on which the wind of the revolution plays its melody.

Banners scattered, oboes, trumpets, timpani and bassoons they began to cry, and songs, without which the Russian couldn’t live for fun and sorrow, for celebration and death, were distributed to the shelves.

The clarinet is broken, the trumpet is dented, bassoon Like an old staff worn out, The seams on the drum burst, but the clarinetist is handsome as the devil, The flutist, like a young prince is graceful, and in eternal conspiracy with people - Nadezhda is a small orchestra under the direction of love.

Seva Gakkel sawed with a bow the Borya with a guitar lying on the floor, Bassoon he thrashed anyone with his bassoon, Dyusha spat a savory harcotin and, like a blind kitten, poked at the drum kit.

While those around the Chembukchi watched the bewildered doctor poke a bottle of ammonia into the poor entertainer's nose, checkered Bassoon he repulsed a new thing that caused indescribable delight in the theater, announcing: - Tapericha, citizens, we are opening a store!

A Bassoon, having dismissed the injured master of ceremonies, announced to the public as follows: - Taperich, when this annoying one was fused, let's open a ladies' store!

His one-movement composition for organ, 3 flutes, 3 bassoons and 3 trombones lasts.

While dining, working at a desk or playing on bassoon, the doctor always wore a pajama jacket - so he felt freer.

He drank a sip of the liquor - prevention against colds, - put on a pajama jacket and, taking bassoon, performed the best pieces from his repertoire for Dona Flor.

Thereafter, Walsingham's scout Henry Bassoon managed to enter the service in the staff of the French embassy and, in addition, bribe Shere-la - the ambassador's trusted secretary.

The hairdresser Sørensen soon returned and brought with him a drum and cymbals, a flute and bassoon.

The first suite is more chamber, from wind instruments to strings only two oboes are added and bassoon.

fagotto, lit. "Knot, bundle, bundle", it. Fagott, fr. basson, eng. bassoon) - reed woodwind musical instrument of bass, tenor and partly alto register. It looks like a bent long tube with a system of valves and a double (like an oboe) cane, which is put on a metal tube ("es") in the shape of the letter S, which connects the cane to the main body of the instrument. It got its name due to the fact that when disassembled it resembles a bundle of firewood.

The bassoon was designed in the 16th century in Italy, it has been used in the orchestra from the end of the 17th to the beginning of the 18th century, and took a permanent place in it by the end of the 18th century. The bassoon timbre is very expressive and rich in overtones throughout the entire range. The most common are the lower and middle register of the instrument, the upper notes sound somewhat nasal and stifled. The bassoon is used in a symphony, less often in a brass band, as well as a solo and ensemble instrument.

The history of the emergence and development of the bassoon

The appearance of the bassoon dates back to the first half of the 16th century. His invention was attributed for many years to a canon from Ferrara named Afranio del Albonesi. In particular, such information is contained in the "ESBE". In the 20th century, however, it was established that Afranio's instrument was a kind of bagpipe with metal tongues and had nothing to do with the bassoon.

The immediate predecessor of the bassoon was an ancient wind instrument called the bombarda. In contrast, the bassoon was divided into several parts for ease of manufacture and portability. The change in design had a beneficial effect on the timbre of the instrument, which was reflected in its name - at first it was called "dulcian" (from Italian dolce - "gentle, sweet"). The name of the true inventor of the bassoon is still unknown.

At the initial stage, the bassoons had only 3 valves. In the 18th century, there were 5 valves, as well as octave valves, which significantly expanded the upper register.

At the beginning of the 19th century, the leading place in the music market was occupied by instruments of the French system, which had 11 valves. These models were designed by Jean-Nicole Savarri. Later, there were instruments designed by the French masters A. Buffet and F. Treber.

The bassoonist and bandmaster Karl Almenreder occupies a special place in the history of improving the instrument. In the city, together with Johann Adam Haeckel, he founded the production of woodwind instruments in Biebrich. In Almenreder he presented an improved 17-valve bassoon designed by him. This model was taken as a basis and perfected by Haeckel. French and then Austrian bassoons, produced in the middle of the 19th century by the firm "Ziegler and Son", could not withstand competition with Haeckel's instruments and were ousted in a number of countries.

The role of the bassoon in music

XVI ― XIX century

At the beginning of its existence, the bassoon performed the function of amplifying and duplicating bass voices. He began to play a more independent role at the beginning of the 17th century. Works for dulzian and one or two instruments appear, accompanied by basso continuo - sonatas by Biagio Marini, Dario Castello, Giovanni Batista Buonamente, Giovanni Batista Fontana and other authors. First composition for the soloist Dulcian - Fantasia from the collection Canzoni, fantasie et correnti Bartolomé de Selma y Salaverde, published in 1638 in Venice. The author entrusted the solo instrument with a rather complicated part for those times in the range extended down to B 1 (B flat counter octave). The Sonata by Philip Friedrich Boedecker (1651) also places high demands on the performer. In a monumental work Grunde-richtiger… Unterricht der musicalischen Kunst, oder Vierfaches musicalisches Kleblatt(1687) by Daniel Speer there are two sonatas for three dulcians. All of these pieces are designed for an instrument with two valves.

At the turn of the 17th - 18th centuries, a new, improved instrument, the bassoon, began to gain popularity. First of all, he became a member of the opera orchestra: in some of Reinhard Keizer's operas, up to five bassoons are used. Jean-Baptiste Lully interpreted the bassoon as a bass voice in a brass trio, where the upper voices were assigned to two oboes, and the trio itself was contrasted in timbre to the string group of the orchestra (for example, in the opera Psyche, 1678).

The bassoon was often used as one of the solo instruments in concert symphonies. The most famous of them belong to Haydn (for oboe, bassoon, violin and cello) and Mozart (for oboe, clarinet, bassoon and French horn). Several concertos have been written for two bassoons and orchestra.

Works for bassoon, starting from the second half of the 18th century, can be conditionally divided into two groups. The first of them - the compositions of the bassoonists themselves, such as F. Gebauer, K. Jacobi, K. Almenreder. Intended for their own performances, they were often written in the form of variations or fantasies on popular themes. The second - works by professional composers with the expectation of being performed by a specific musician. It includes concerts by K. Stamitz, Devienne, Krommer, Danzi, Reichi, Hummel, Callivoda, M. Haydn, Kozheluch, Berwald, etc. Karl Maria von Weber wrote Concerto F major in 1811, op. 75, for the Munich court bassoonist Brandt, in addition, he owns Andante and the Hungarian Rondo, originally intended for viola. More recently, the Concerto of Gioachino Rossini (1845) was discovered.

Much less often, the bassoon was used in chamber music. Only a few piano sonatas are known: Anton Liste, Johannes Amon, Antonin Reichi, Camille Saint-Saens, small pieces were written by Ludwig Spohr and Christian Rummel. French bassoonist Eugene Gencourt has replenished his repertoire with transcriptions of works written for other instruments.

The role of the bassoon in the 19th century orchestra is also rather modest. Berlioz reproached him for the lack of expression and power of sound, although he noted the special timbre of his upper register. Only in the second half of the century did composers begin assigning solo episodes to the bassoon, for example, Bizet in the opera Carmen, Tchaikovsky in the Fourth and Sixth Symphonies, etc.

XX-XXI century

Thanks to the improvement in the design of the bassoon and the technique of playing it, its repertoire has expanded significantly in the 20th century. Solo literature for bassoon was written by:

• Edward Elgar, Romance for bassoon and orchestra, Op. 62 (1909)
• Ermanno Wolf-Ferrari Suite Concertino F-Dur for Bassoon, String Orchestra and Two French Horns, Op. 16 (1932)
• Heitor Villa-Lobos, Dance of the Seven Notes for bassoon and string orchestra (1933)
• Victor Bruns 4 bassoon concertos: Op. 5 (1933), Op. 15 (1946), Op. 41 (1966) and Op. 83 (1986)
• Jean Francais Divertissement for bassoon and string orchestra (1942); Concerto for bassoon and 11 strings (1979); Concerto for flute, oboe, clarinet and bassoon and orchestra
• Eugene Bozza Concertino for bassoon and chamber orchestra, Op. 49 (1946)
• Gordon Jacob Concerto for bassoon, percussion and string orchestra (1947)
• Paul Hindemith Concerto for trumpet, bassoon and string orchestra (1949)
• Franco Donatoni Concerto for bassoon and orchestra (1952)
• André Jolivet Concerto for bassoon, harp, piano and string orchestra (1954)
• Stepan Schulek Concerto for bassoon and orchestra (1958)
• Henri Tomasi Concerto for bassoon and orchestra (1961)
• Bruno Bartolozzi Conzertazioni for bassoon, strings and percussion (1963)
• Henk Badings Concerto for bassoon, contrabassoon and brass band (1964)
• Lev Knipper Double concerto for trumpet, bassoon and orchestra (1968); Concert of bassoon and orchestra (1970)
• Sofya Gubaidulina Concerto for bassoon and low strings (1975)
• Nino Rota Concerto for bassoon (1974-77)
• Pierre Boulez "Dialogue of Two Shadows" transcription for bassoon and electronics (1985-1995)
• Luciano Berio Sequenza XII for bassoon solo (1995)
• John Williams "The Five Sacred Trees" concert for bassoon and orchestra (1995)
• Yuri Kaspara Concerto for bassoon and orchestra (1996)
• Moisey Weinberg Sonata for solo bassoon, Op. 133
• Edison Denisov 5 studies; Sonata for solo bassoon.
• Alan Howess
• Nikas Skalkottas
• Alexander Tansman Sonatina for bassoon and piano
• Frank Bedrosyan "Transmission" for bassoon and electronics (2002)
• Marjan Mozetić Concerto for bassoon, marimba and string orchestra (2003)
• Pierluigi Billone “Legno. Edre V. Metrio "for bassoon solo (2003); "Legno.Stele" for two bassoons and ensemble (2004)
• Kalevi Aho Concerto for bassoon and orchestra (2004)
• Wolfgang Rim "Psalmus" for bassoon and orchestra (2007)

The responsible orchestral parts were assigned to the bassoon by Maurice Ravel, Igor Stravinsky, Karl Orff, Sergei Prokofiev. There are extended solo parts in the Seventh, Eighth and Ninth Symphonies by Dmitry Shostakovich.

In chamber music, the bassoon plays an important role. The bassoon is used in chamber works by such composers as Camille Saint-Saens (Sonata for bassoon and piano), Francis Poulenc (Sonata for clarinet and bassoon), Alfred Schnittke (Hymn III, IV), Paul Hindemith (Sonata for bassoon and f -no), Heitor Villa-Lobos (Brazilian Bachians), Sophia Gubaidulina, Jean Francais, Igor Stravinsky (“The Story of a Soldier”), André Jolivet (“Christmas Pastoral” for flute, bassoon and harp), Yun Isan, Kalevi Aho and others ...

Bassoon structure

The bassoon is a long hollow-conical tube. For greater compactness, the air column inside the instrument is, as it were, doubled. The main material for making bassoon is maple wood.

The bassoon body consists of four parts: the lower knee (“boot” having a U-shape), the small knee (“wing”), the large knee and the bell. A thin long metal tube, bent in the shape of the letter S (hence its name - es), departs from the small knee, on which a cane is placed - the sound-generating element of the bassoon.

On the body of the instrument there are numerous holes (about 25―30), opening and closing of which the performer changes the pitch. Only 5-6 holes are finger operated; the rest are operated using a complex valve mechanism.

Bassoon playing technique

In general terms, the technique of playing the bassoon resembles that of the oboe, however, breathing on the bassoon is consumed faster due to its large size. The bassoon staccato is distinct and sharp. Jumps of an octave or more are good; the change of registers is almost imperceptible.

The bassoon technique is most characteristic of the alternation of melodic phrases of middle breathing with various shades of scale passages and arpeggios, mainly in a staccato presentation and with the use of various leaps.

Bassoon range - from B 1(B flat counter octave) to f²(F of the second octave), it is possible to extract higher sounds, however, they are not always stable in sound. The bassoon can be equipped with a bell that allows you to extract la counter octaves (this sound is used in some of Wagner's works). Notes are written in bass, tenor, and occasionally in a treble clef in accordance with the actual sound.

The newest playing techniques that have entered the performing practice of bassoonists in the 20th century are double and triple staccato, the performance of several sounds on the instrument simultaneously (multiphonics), quarter and tretone intonation, frullato, tremolo, glissando, circular breathing and others. These techniques are most in demand in the works of avant-garde composers, including for solo bassoon.

Varieties of bassoon

In modern orchestral practice, along with the bassoon itself, only one kind of contrabassoon has survived - an instrument with the same valve system as the bassoon, but sounding an octave below it.

At different times, there were also higher-sounding varieties of the bassoon. Michael Pretorius in one of the first major works on instrumentation in history Syntagma musicum(1611) mentions the high-order dulcian family in three varieties, designated as Diskantfagott, Altfagott and Fagott piccolo... They were in use until the end of the 17th century, but with the advent and spread of the modern bassoon, craftsmen continued to make instruments of high tunings, many of which have survived to this day. They were usually tuned to a fifth (less often a fourth or minor third) above the usual bassoon. In the English-language literature, such tools are known as tenoroon, and in French as basson quinte... There was also an even higher variety, which sounded an octave higher than the bassoon, called "bassoon" or "small bassoon". An early copy of such an instrument by J. H. Denner is kept in Boston.

The small bassoon was occasionally used in 18th century scores. At the beginning of the 19th century, in some opera houses in France, they replaced the English horn, and Eugene Jeancourt practiced solo performance on it. However, by the end of the 19th century, all tall varieties of bassoon were out of use.

In 1992, the bassoon master Guntram Wolff made the bassoon for the first time in many years for the British bassoonist Richard Moore, who commissioned the composer Victor Bruns to perform several works for him. Another area of ​​application of the small bassoon is learning to play: even Karl Almenreder advised to start learning from the age of ten on the small bassoon varieties, so that at an older age he could easily switch to a large instrument. Wolf also developed a tool counterfort with a wider scale and a larger reed, but with the same range as the contrabassoon, capable of producing louder sounds (hence the name).

Notable performers

• Sharrow, Leonard

Bibliography

• S. Levin Bassoon. - M .: Music, 1963.
• Lyndesay Graham Langwill. Bassoon and Contrabassoon. - L .: E. Benn, 1965.

Notes (edit)

Links

• // Encyclopedic Dictionary of Brockhaus and Efron: In 86 volumes (82 volumes and 4 additional). - SPb. , 1890-1907.

Symphony Orchestra Instruments
Main cast
Woodwind	Flute Oboe Clarinet Bassoon
Brass winds	French Horn Trumpet Trombone Tuba
Drums	Timpani Triangle Snare drum Cymbals Bass drum
Plucked strings	Harp
Bowed strings	Violin Viola Cello Double bass
Expanded composition
Woodwind	Piccolo flute Alto flute English horn Small clarinet Bass clarinet Contrabassoon Saxophone
Brass winds	Trumpet-piccolo Cornet Flugelhorn Euphonium
Drums	Tambourine Castanets There-there Bells Bells Xylophone Vibraphone Marimba Flexaton Clapperboard Ratchet Wooden box Temple block
Keyboards	Piano Organ Harpsichord Celesta

Copper Keyboards Details

Categories:

• Musical instruments alphabetically
• Woodwind musical instruments
• Bass musical instruments
• Aerophones
• Bassoon

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Synonyms:

See what "Bassoon" is in other dictionaries:

Hrypun, stranglehold, bassoon. The history of the class dialects of the Russian language is almost completely unexplored. For illustration, you can indicate the use of words and expressions of class dialects or common words, but with slang meanings, in the language ... ... History of words

On the other hand, in the same Tchaikovsky, the bassoon, along with the entire woodwind group, serves as the embodiment of pastoral serene paintings. And, lo and behold, the bassoon timbre is transformed. The secret of this reincarnation lies in the overtone richness inherent in the very nature of the instrument.

Perhaps the distant great-grandmother of the bassoon timbre was the bagpipe, but it has a completely different structure. The name of the closest ancestor of the modern bassoon - "dulcian" - is translated from Italian as "gentle, pleasant". Thus, we again see that Prokofiev's Grandfather (a bassoon piece from Petit and the Wolf) could not appear in the music of the past. Pieces were written for the baroque bassoon, as graceful as for other instruments. Antonio Vivaldi created 39 bassoon concertos, in many ways anticipating the further path along which the bassoon was perfected. It is not difficult to buy sheet music today. Including for such an instrument as the bassoon - the price will be much lower than in the 18th century, when lovers of this woodwind instrument from the aristocracy ordered music to the great classics - and to this day one of the most popular works of world literature is Mozart's B-flat concerto. commissioned by Baron Durnitz. Some fans of the bassoon wrote compositions for it themselves, for example, in the 19th century, Baron Nikolaus von Kruft, an employee of the Austrian Secret Court and State Chancellery, immortalized his name in music.

Despite the fact that earlier there were several varieties of bassoon - alto bassoon, piccolo bassoon, bassoon, or small bassoon - today in orchestral practice only the bassoon itself, as well as the contrabassoon, are used.

Today there are enough manufacturers of wooden tools. German bassoons, as well as instruments (and not only bassoon), which Yamaha offers to buy, have proven themselves well. Made of long aging maple, thin-walled instruments (maple is the best tree from which the bassoon is made), the price of which corresponds to the quality, have various modifications that meet the assigned musical tasks. All of these instruments have flexible mechanics to meet the demands of today's musicians.

ital. fagotto, lit. - knot, ligament; German Fagott, French. basson, eng. bassoon

Wind reed musical instrument. Appeared in the 20-30s. 16th century as a result of the reconstruction of an old bombard (pommer). Consists of a barrel, a bell and an esa. The trunk is in the form of an armor. the letter U (as if folded in half) and has 3 elbows: a bass trumpet, a "boot" (has 2 channels; it contains a reverse flow of the F. tube) and an outbuilding (wing). Thanks to the change in design, the strength and coarseness of sound characteristic of the Pommer and other predecessors of F. disappeared, which was reflected in the name. instrument (in the 16th century - dolchian, dulcian - dolcian, dulcian; from Italian dolce - gentle, sweet). F. is made of maple (in the past it was made of beech, boxwood, sycamore, or palm tree), now it is sometimes made of plastic. The sound is produced using a double reed cane worn on the ES. The channel (more than 2.5 m long) has a gently conical shape; drilling expanding to the socket. Sound holes (25-30) b. hours are covered with valves, only 5-6 of them are open, closed with fingers. Has specials. valves to help relieve breathlessness. Almost everywhere (except for French orchestras) are used F. with a valve mechanism of it. systems. Such a F. was created in 1834 by him. master I. A. Heckel and bassoonist K. Almenreder (firm "Heckel", founded in 1831, still exists). F. their designs - with 24 valves and 5 open holes. F. is made in S., in scores it is written in valid. sounding, range - B1 (sometimes A1, eg in "The Ring of the Nibelung" by R. Wagner) - e2 (g 2). At present. F. timbre is juicy and full in the lower (B1 - G) and less dense in the middle (G - g) registers; high register (g - c2) has a melodiousness. The originality of the timbre in the high register gives the sound a special expressiveness, it approaches the plaintive intonations of the human voice (for example, in the ballet "The Rite of Spring" by Stravinsky); the highest register (c2 - e2) is compressed and very tense. Technical and arts. F.'s possibilities are great and varied - from virtuoso staccato and legate passages, various leaps to gentle cantilena. F. is used mainly in symphony. orchestra (it became a constant participant since the end of the 17th century; in the modern symphony orchestra two or three, rarely four F.; sometimes the 4th F. changes during the performance to the contrabassoon), is often used in chamber, spirit. and estr. orchestras, as well as in ensembles and solos (concerts for F. and orchestra were written by A. Vivaldi, J.K.Bach, W.A.Mozart, K.M. Weber, I. Power, as well as L.K. Knipper, B.V.Saveliev and others). F.'s part is notated in bass, tenor, treble clef (rarely) and (as an exception) in alto (in the opera "The Pskovite Woman" by Rimsky-Korsakov).

In Russia F. is known from the end. 17 - early. 18th century F. was widely used as a solo instrument in Russian. classic music, ex. MI Glinka ("Ruslan and Lyudmila", Spanish. Overture for orchestra "Aragonese Jota"), N. A. Rimsky-Korsakov (operas "Sadko", "The Legend of the Invisible City of Kitezh and the Maiden Fevronia", etc.) ...

Of the many. varieties of F., which appeared in the 16th and 19th centuries, were widespread in various forms. types of small F., including fagottino (Italian fagottino), sounding an octave higher than F., tenor F. in G (less often in F; range G - f1), used by Ch. arr. for learning to play on F., and rus. F. (range G (F, E) - g1), similar to the serpent (differing in a metallic, pot-shaped mouthpiece), used in the military. orchestras. In Russia, such F. existed under the name. infantry and dragoon basses, produced in 1744-59 at the factory of E. T. Metsneninov, were made from boxwood (master Ya. I. Rogov). In modern practice preserved contrabassoon, to-ry included in their scores W. A. ​​Mozart (orchestral piece "Masonic funeral music" and serenades for orchestra), J. Haydn (oratorios "The Creation of the World" and "The Seasons"), L. Beethoven (opera "Fidelio", 5th and 9th symphonies, "Solemn Mass", etc.), in the 20th century. - K. Debussy, P. Duke, M. Ravel. The F. family also includes the rarely used subcontrabassoon (invented in 1872 by the master V.F. Cherven), which sounds an octave lower than the contrabassoon.

Literature: Chulaki M., Instruments of a symphony orchestra, L., 1950, p. 115-20, 1972; Rogal-Levitsky D., Bassoon, in his book: Contemporary Orchestra, vol. 1, M., 1953, p. 426-66; Levin S., Fagot, M., 1963; his, Wind instruments in the history of musical culture, L., 1973; Neklyudov Yu., On the constructive improvements of the bassoon, in the book: Methods of teaching to play the wind instruments. Essays, no. 2, M., 1966, p. 232-45.

A. A. Rosenberg