I love many types of music. Classical music is one of my favorites. My two most favorite classical musical instruments to listen to are the French Horn and the piano. But another favorite sound of mine comes from the Bassoon, which it seems most people don’t know a lot about.
On the other hand, if you ask me what my MOST favorite instrument in the world is, it would be bagpipes playing music of Scotland. But … that’s a topic for a different blog post.
Here is a fun bassoon piece below. Lazara B. Santana has recorded herself playing both parts of a bassoon duet. She’s really good, and she’s pretty cute in her delivery. 🙂
For a little different take on the bassoon, there is lots of bassoon presence in Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue. Find a copy of Rhapsody in Blue on the internet and listen for woodwind notes that are just a touch lower than the opening clarinet notes.
So … what is a Bassoon? And what’s it like to play one? The video below is a very good introduction by a professional bassoonist (Amy Harmon) about what a bassoon is, how it’s played, what it’s like to play one, what bassoons are they made of (maple wood), etc.
Here’s a LINK to another explanation, but in this case it’s about the contrabassoon, the really deep lower sounding bass bassoon. Take a look at how long/tall the original contrabassoons were … holy smokes!
Of course, with all of these videos, it’s sure ok with me if you want to stop playback in the middle and move on. Enjoy as much of each one as you wish, and then move on. 🙂
I suspect most everyone knows what a French Horn is. The video below is one of my most favorite French Horn concertos, the Mozart horn concerto No. 4. It’s short. It’s snappy in tempo and feel. When I need a little pick-me-up, this always does the trick!
I love bassoon music and french horn music and piano music and cello music, and yet one of my most favoritest of favorites of pieces of music of all times highlights a bass clarinet. I think I may have included this piece in a blog post a few years ago, but I’m going to include it here again, just because I can. 🙂
The woman playing the bass clarinet is Hilary Coleman. The string instrument in this piece is a bouzouki played by Neil Davey. I could listen to this music practically all day long. Sadly, the group Dalla is no longer producing/recording music as a group, though the individual musicians are still playing professionally and are still friends.
What music do you listen to? What musical instruments do you play? I purchased a tenor recorder a few years ago, still haven’t taken lessons, although I’ve been learning fingering on my own with books. How about you folks? What music is in your life?
I am the least musical person, for sure. When it came time to learn the recorder I think my teacher handed me a tambourine instead, but alas, even rhythm is a challenge. I think I may have ADHD for music. But, I really enjoyed your post and admired their talents. Now…. I haven’t tried the bagpipes. Cover your ears Ann!
Ah, but Robin, you are an artist! Maybe not with music, but your quilts and other fabric art are stupendous. Ok, maybe you shouldn’t try the bagpipes … eek! 🙂
My college roommate was first bassoon in the orchestra. Once a year they would play a piece that highlighted bassoon. Wonderful rich sound, takes me back. 🙂
One of my college roommates played the French Horn … and another played the piano. I often listened to each of them practice, and loved every minute.
This was SO MUCH FUN!!! I am going to forward it to a highschool friend of mine who played bassoon in band. She says she hasn’t played in years, but I bet she’d get a kick out of watching the two bassoon pieces. I loved all of them! I play clarinet, sort of, these days, we haven’t met as a band since March of 2020. Two other clarinet players and I have gotten together 3 times in the past few months to do trios. Easy trios, but at least we’re playing right? We played once on the front lawn of our band director’s house. She’s a clarinet player too, and is very ill with multiple things. So we played for her and she sat on her porch and then we convinced her to play “It’s a Wonderful Life” with us and I just about lost it. But I didn’t want her to see me crying, so I sucked it up. That’s what music does, it brings you closer in times of stress. Like these days. Thanks for sharing.
I hope your high school friend enjoyed the videos, Dawn. Music is so wonderful, isn’t it? It can make us grin and laugh. It reaches in and wraps itself around our hearts, and then either takes us on a journey or comforts us right where we are. And it sure can bring tears. Having music in our lives is such a blessing.
My high school friend did, indeed, enjoy the videos, and your blog as well!
Super. 🙂
The french horns are usually so quiet, but when I hear them as a solo I love them. Same with bassoons. Thank you for waking me up to the fact that there are french horn and bassoon music pieces online that I can actually hear the instruments. I love them both. And I love the cello too. 🙂 But I really love classical guitar especially Spanish guitar and Mexican guitar.
Seems as though french horns and bassoons are used to create the undertones of musical pieces, the accompaniment so to speak, such that they aren’t often highlighted and, yes, are usually difficult for most of us to distinguish. Oh, classical Spanish and Mexican guitar music is beautiful! Thanks for that reminder … now I’m going in search of that music online. 🙂
One of our favorite artists on classic guitar is Ana Vidovic.
I looked online for classical Spanish guitar this evening and her videos were the first to appear. I was sitting here listening to her when your comment popped up, M&M. Thank you! Here’s a link to what I’ve been listening to …
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Just some piano lessons when I was a kid, but that was enough to install an appreciation of music even if I didn’t continue to play. But I knew nothing about bassoons! And not much about french horns. It’s really cool to learn this stuff. thanks Ann.
I took piano lessons as a kid too, Nevada, then one year of playing the glockenspiel in high school, then a few years of flute in high school and college. I don’t play hardly anything anymore but, like you, those years gave me an appreciation of music that I wouldn’t have had otherwise. You are welcome! 🙂
Oh my, I also found this video of classical guitar playing a traditional Vietnamese song. So much beautiful music in the world.
Thanks for sharing the music….the Rooz being my favorite.
🙂
Ann, as you know I could write pages in response to this post. I was going to ask you about the flute, but you answered that in a previous comment. You surprised me with your partiality for the bassoon. Both my oldest sister and my oldest daughter play(ed) the bassoon. Pat’s bassoon was custom built to fit her hands. She’s 76 and still playing. My 2nd daughter played the horn ( no surprise there!)
None of my kids still play😕.
Like you, I really like piano music, from Chopin to Scott Joplin. And M&M, I agree with you on the classical guitar. I really liked the Albeniz piece.
The Vietnamese piece was beautiful. I had never heard anything quite like it.
Lastly, Ann, the rooz music has such Celtic influence that it is easy to imagine it played on a pipe and with the lassies dancing.
The bass clarinet is just a bonus. With your Scot and Irish heritage you didn’t stand a chance.! 😄
Fritzi, I have no memory that your sister (and daughter) played bassoon, but maybe that info (especially about your sister) was rattling around in my head all these years. And, of course, your playing the horn back in our college days is probably the reason that I love that sound so much.
🙂 Yep, that Scot/Irish heritage just stays in the blood doesn’t it?
Music is so wonderful.