Vol.22 • No. 2 - idrs.org · of the 16th Century;” Peter Schickele (New York), Gilles...

Vol.22 • No. 2

INTERNATIONAL

DOUBLE REEDSOCIETY

VOLUME 22 • NO. 2The IDRS Journal Issue, 1999

THE DOUBLE REED

ISSN 0741-7659

Ronald Klimko and Daniel Stolper, Editors

© International Double Reed Society

Idaho Falls, Idaho, U.S.A. – 1998

Designed and Printed by

Falls Printing Company

Idaho Falls, Idaho

U.S.A.

2

Table ofContents

On the Cover:“Band at a Funeral

Procession” (1752) by P.Van Cuyck, Jr.

Message from the President . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3Marc Fink

28th Annual IDRS Conference, Madison, Wisconsin, August 10-14, 1999 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4IDRS Membership Application . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 829th IDRS Conference . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9IDRS Tour to South America . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10Bassoon Makers of the Vogtland: Adler, Hüller, Mönnig . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Janet D. LeinAn Analysis of Britten’s Six Metamorphoses after Ovid . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

Stephen HiramotoAn Evening with Leon Goossens . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

Tom LambertThe History of the Lawrence J. Intravaia IDRS Archives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

Stephanie CaulderArthur Grossman: An Interview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31

Terry B. EwellAn Interview with Maestro Sidney Gallesi . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

Paolo PollastriThe Traditions of the Chirimia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39

Nancy ClauterConfessions of a Contra-Loving Composer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47

Roger SorenObituary: Melissa Haynes Belton . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50The American Oboe School: Its History and Hallmarks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51

Lana C. NealKeyboard Technology in the Double Reed Studio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57

Terry B. EwellThe Missing Haydn Bassoon Concerto . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62

Klaus GillessenThe Solo Oboe d’Amore Concerti of J.S. Bach and G.P. Telemann . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63

Mark BiggamThe Aulos: Symbol of Musico-Medicinal Magic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67

Linda ArditoOboe Recording Reviews . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73

Jeanne BelfyObituary: Jennifer Louise Martz . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76The Bassoon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77

August MesnardA Bassoon Lite, Please - Bassoonarella . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79A Bassoon Lite, Please - The Big Bopper . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80

Alan GoodmanIDRS OnLine / IDRS WWW . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82New Bassoon Music, 1999 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83

Ronald KlimkoMorceaux de Concours - Rediscovering the Treasures of the Paris Conservatoire . . . . . . . . . . . 89

Frances JonesBassoonists’ News of Interest . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93

Ronald KlimkoIDRS Honorary Members . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98Ask The Doctor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99

William J. Dawson, M.D.How To Make a Double Reed Website . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101

Susan G. GlennCustomizing a Single Barrel Bassoon Profiler . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109

Mark D. AveryWriter Guidelines for The Double Reed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112The Saga of William Waterhouse’s Heckel #7466: The Follow Up . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113

Ronald Klimko, Kim Laskowski, Hugo KugiyaBassoon Quartets by Two Renowned American Composers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115

William DavisStolen Oboes and Bassoons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 116Report of the Executive Secretary/Treasurer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 118

Norma R. HooksLost Sheep . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119Contributing Members . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 121IDRS Advertising Rates . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 124The Use of the IDRS Trade Marks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125Advertiser’s Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 126

THE DOUBLE REED - JOURNAL ISSUE 3

Message from the President

Marc FinkMadison, Wisconsin

he last issue of The Double Reed appearedshortly after the death of former IDRSpresident Sol Schoenbach. Sol’s illustriouscareer as principal bassoonist of the

Philadelphia Orchestra, inspiring bassoon teacherat the Curtis Institute, director of the SettlementSchool, and devoted advocate for IDRS has left anindelible legacy to our Society. Sol’s great sense ofhumor, his dedication to his profession and hisstudents, and his love of his art was obvious to allthose fortunate to have met him, heard himperform, or studied with him. In appreciation ofSol’s contributions to IDRS, we are planning atribute in his honor at the Madison conferencenext month.

In the years since the founding of IDRS, theannual conferences have evolved intocomplex/large-scale undertakings involving majorplanning, resources, and organization. At thisyear’s conference, for example, more than onehundred separate events will be presented withina five-day span. Lecture/presentations includetopics ranging from reedmaking to medical advicefor double reed players, from the history of theearly bassoon to composers discussing theirnewest concertos for double reeds, from the worldof the shawms to the mechanics of opening adouble reed web page. The geographical diversityof presenters is quite impressive, includingperformers from Argentina, Australia, Austria,Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, England, France,Germany, Iceland, Italy, Japan, Mexico, theNetherlands, Russia, Sweden, and United States, allsharing their artistry with appreciative conferenceaudiences. The vast repertoire ranges from earlymusic performed on period instruments to newcompositions from all over the world, works whichcontinue to enrich our collective solo, chambermusic, and concerto repertoires. Conferencescurrently attract fifty to sixty exhibitors displayingthe latest instrument designs, double reed musicin print, reedmaking supplies and equipment, andother businesses related to the world of doublereeds. The smorgasbord of programs iscomplemented by the vast array of productsoffered by the exhibitors, a true feast for thedouble reed enthusiast.

According to our constitution, the purpose ofIDRS is “to give double reed musicians, and allthose interested in the problems peculiar toperformers, teachers, students, and manufacturersof double reed instruments, a means and bodythrough which communication can be fostered ona world-wide basis.” Certainly this mission isbeing realized at these conferences, each oneunique yet consistent with the purpose of theSociety. Beyond the concerts, presentations, andexhibits, however, an intangible but vitallyimportant aspect of IDRS takes place. Conferencesprovide the opportunities to meet others withsimilar interests, share in the camaraderie, chatover a meal or before a concert, and even performtogether in the traditional massed double reedensemble. There is really nothing that cancompare with the IDRS conference experience, andif you have never attended one, you owe it toyourself to go and enjoy.

IDRS is indebted to the twenty-eight conferencehosts who have contributed to this rich traditionsince 1972. We have been extremely fortunateover the years to consistently have dedicatedindividuals within the Society volunteer to hostthese successful conferences.

And now it’s time for me to put aside the“president’s pen” and pick up the “host’s hat” aswe continue our preparations for IDRS’99 Madison.For conference details including registration,program, housing, and travel see our announce-ment in this issue or visit our website(www.wisc.edu/music/idrs) for the completeconference schedule. I look forward to seeingmany of you in Madison.

With best wishes,Marc Fink

T

INTERNATIONAL DOUBLE REED SOCIETY CONFERENCE4

IDRS ‘99IDRS ‘99IDRS ‘99

Madison, Wisconsin is proud to welcome IDRS to the university’s picturesque campus on the shores of LakeMendota. Celebrating its sesquicentennial in 1999, the University of Wisconsin–Madison provides a beautiful

setting for a wide range of scheduled conference activities.Madison is especially beautiful in the summertime. State Street, very close to conference activities, features many

ethnic restaurants, specialty shops, cafes, and pubs. The Memorial Union Terrace, offering a grand view of LakeMendota, is another great place to relax and unwind between conference activities. Special events offered in conjunctionwith the IDRS conference include two bus tours to Frank Lloyd Wright’s original architecture studio and workshop(Taliesin) in nearby Spring Green, and a traditional Wisconsin fish boil along the lake.

Marc Fink, Conference Host, School of Music, 455 North Park Street, Madison, Wisconsin, USA 53706–1483

conference phone: 608–263–1898, fax: 608–263–1880, email: [email protected]/music/idrs/

INTERNATIONALDOUBLE REED SOCIETY

28TH ANNUALCONFERENCE

M A D I S O NINTERNATIONAL

DOUBLE REED SOCIETY

28TH ANNUALCONFERENCE

August 10–14, 1999University of Wisconsin–Madison

Partial List of Artists/Presenters (subject to change)OBOE PERFORMANCES: Michel Benet and Fabrice Mélinon (France), Nicholas Daniel (Indiana University), John Dee (Florida), Marc Gordon (St. Louis

Symphony), Andrea Gullickson (University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh), Michael Henoch (Chicago Symphony), Marion Kuszyk (Los Angeles Philharmonic), BarbaraHerr-Orland (St. Louis Symphony), Mark Hill (University of Maryland), Gordon Hunt (England), Helen Jahren (Sweden), Richard Killmer and the EastmanOboes! (Eastman School of Music), Jacqueline Leclair (New York), François Leleux (France), Judith Lewis (Illinois), William McMullen (Nebraska), HowardNiblock (Lawrence University), Eric Ohlsson (Florida State University), Oscar Petty (New Jersey), Wayne Rapier (Boston Symphony-retired), Martin Schuring(Arizona State University), Carol Stephenson (National Symphony), Khaniafi Tchinakev (Russia), Jacques Tys (France), Kelly Vaneman (South Carolina), MartinWoltman (Milwaukee Symphony), Gillet Young Artist Competition Winner

BASSOON PERFORMANCES: Svetoslav Atanasov (Bulgaria), Michel Bettez (Canada), William Buchman (Chicago Symphony), Sarah Burnett (England), WilliamDavis (University of Georgia), David Debolt (Kent State University), Claudio de Freitas (Brazil), Lorelei Dowling (Australia), Willard Elliot (Texas ChristianUniversity), Terry Ewell (West Virginia University), Arthur Grossman (University of Washington), Yoshi Ishikawa (University of Colorado), Daniel Lipori(University of Minnesota-Duluth), Charles Lipp (Illinois), William Ludwig (Louisiana State University), Tim McGovern (University of Illinois), Andrea Merenzonwith Paquito D´ Rivera (Argentina), MaryBeth Minnes (Central Michigan University), Kenneth Moses (University of Wisconsin-Madison), Robert Mottl (St.Louis Symphony), Monte Perkins (Lawrence University), Karen Pierson (Houston Symphony), David Schreiner (Michigan), Keith Sweger (Ball StateUniversity), Masahito Tanaka (Japan), Robert Thompson (University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee), Stefano Vincentini (Italy), Arthur Weisberg (Florida), WilliamWinstead (Cincinnati Symphony)

CONTRABASSOON PERFORMANCES: Monica Fucci (Argentina) and Henry Skolnick (Florida), Susan Nigro (Chicago) and Burl Lane (Chicago Symphony)

OBOE/ENGLISH HORN MASTERCLASSES: Marc Gordon (St. Louis Symphony), Wayne Rapier (Boston Symphony-retired)

BASSOON MASTERCLASSES: John Miller (Minnesota Orchestra), William Winstead (Cincinnati Symphony)

EARLY MUSIC PERFORMANCES: Geoffrey Burgess (Cornell University), Baroque/Classical oboe; Marc Vallon (France), Baroque bassoon; Texas Baroque ReedEnsemble: Richard Meek, Baroque bassoon; Ian Davidson, Baroque oboe, David Ross, chalumeau

JAZZ PERFORMANCES/MASTERCLASS: Paul McCandless (California), oboe; Paul Hanson (California), bassoon; Michael Rabinowitz (New Jersey), bassoon

ENSEMBLES: Buenos Aires International Festival Ensemble (Argentina), Arbitrio (Butler University), Eolos Woodwind Quintet (Mexico), The Essex Winds(Canada), Fargo-Moorhead Symphony Wind Quintet (Concordia College), The Icelandic Trio (Iceland), Ithaca Wind Quinet (New York), Nova Trio (Texas),South Minneapolis Bassoon Quartet, Terra Nova Trio (Brigham Young University), US Air Force Band of Mid-America Chamber Winds (Illinois), Wind from thePlains Reed Trio (Los Angeles, Houston, Kansas City), Wizards! (Iowa)

LECTURES/PRESENTATIONS: James Brody (University of Colorado), “Body Use Issues for Double Reed Players: Practical Solutions to Physical Problems;” GeoffreyBurgess (Cornell University), “A Grandfather to Us All: Gustave Vogt;” Dr. William J. Dawson (Illinois) and Dr. Ronald Solbrig (Idaho), “Problems of PhysicalOveruse as Experienced with Double Reed Musicians;” Michael Dicker (Illinois State University), “Bassoon Reedmaking: Design and Technique;” Susan Glenn(Georgia), “How to Make a Double Reed Web Site;” Alan Goodman, “Bassoon Lite;” Walter Hermann Sallager (Austria), “Early Days of the Bassoon at the Startof the 16th Century;” Peter Schickele (New York), Gilles Silvestrini (France), and Arthur Weisberg (Florida), “Meet the Composer;” Daryl Caswell, “PracticalReed Knife Mechanics;” Roger Widder (Arkansas), “Folk Shawms-Oboes of the World”


INTERNATIONAL DOUBLE REED SOCIETY

August 10–15, 1999 Conference Participant

Name (Last/First) __________________________________________________________________

Street Address _____________________________________________________________________

City__________________________________________ State/Province _____________________

Postal/Zipcode ____________________________________ Country________________________

Telephone __________________ Fax _________________ email _________________________

Housing accommodations are air conditioned and include all bed linens, pillows, blankets and towels. Rooms are cleaned and towels exchanged, daily.

If you need parking, you must apply for a campus parking permit (see conference registration form)

Reservations for On-Campus Housing and Food Service (check appropriate boxes)

□ Meal Package ONLY (includes four lunches, three dinners and fish boil) @ $90.00______

□ Fish Boil, ONLY (Saturday, August 14) @ $25.00______

□ Housing and Food Service, double occupancy, per person (includes fivenights lodging, five breakfasts, four lunches, three dinners and fish boil) @ $230.00______

Roommate Request ________________________________________________________________Please check with named person BEFORE sending reservation. If you do not select a roommate, one will be assigned to you by the University.

□ Housing and Food Service, single occupancy (includes five nightslodging, five breakfasts, four lunches, three dinners and fish boil) @ $300.00______

□ Guest-Lodging ONLY (five nights) @ $180.00______

TOTAL DUE AT CHECK IN $______

Please complete and send by July 1, 1999 to: Summer Conference Services, University Housing, 625 Babcock Drive, Madison, WI 53706–1213 USA

Telephone: 608–262–5576, Fax: 608–262–4082

Individual confirmation of reservation will be made by July 15, 1999.

UNIVERSITY HOUSING AND MEAL PLAN FOR IDRS’99Be sure to mention that you are attending the IDRS Conference to obtain special

conference rates. Please note that anyone who is not staying in the residence halls butwould like to reserve the meal package or the fish boil only should complete this form and

return to address below.

INTERNATIONAL DOUBLE REED SOCIETY CONFERENCE6

TRAVEL AND HOUSING

Discounted Air ServiceIDRS has arranged for special discounted airfare to IDRS’99Madison through Burkhalter Travel in Madison, WI. Pleasecall Janet Brenner or Pat Williams at 800/556–9286 ext. 251 or250; or 608/833–6968 ext. 251 or 250; or FAX 608–833–8527.Hours are Monday–Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. CST.Identify yourself as an IDRS’99 Madison attendee. We havenegotiated with several airlines to offer discounted airfares toMadison and Chicago, IL.* Discounts up to 10% off the lowestapplicable fare will apply for reservations and ticketing morethan 60 days prior to travel, and a 5% discount will apply forreservations and ticketing within 60 days of travel. Thediscounts are valid from any city in the U.S. and Canada withair service from the participating carriers. Burkhalter Travelguarantees the lowest applicable fare on any carrier at the timeof reservation and ticketing if the discount carriers are notavailable or not preferred.*Bus shuttles also connect us to airports in Chicago (150 miles) andMilwaukee (90 miles).

HousingA variety of housing options are available including nearbyresidence halls with meal plan. We strongly encourage you tomake your lodging reservations right away! Madison hasseveral other large events taking place at the same time as theIDRS ’99 Conference. Therefore very few rooms will beavailable after the cut-off date of July 1, 1999.

Also, please note that some rates are for 1998 and aresubject to change in 1999. If you need assistance findingother lodging options, please contact CALS OutreachServices (608) 263–1672.

Full Service Hotels

Inn on the ParkPhone: (608) 257–8811Rate: $84(s)/$94(d)Suites with 2 queen beds are$139. Within 7 blocks of theconference site on the Capitolsquare, restaurant. Parking.

Crown Plaza MadisonPhone: (608) 244–2703Fax: (608) 244–7829$99.00 s/d

Holiday Inn Madison EastPhone: (608) 244–2481Fax: (608) 244–0383$99.00 s/d

Sheraton Hotel706 John Nolen Dr., Madison, WI 53713Phone: (608) 251–2300Fax: (608) 251–1189$94.00 s/d

Howard Johnson Plaza Hotel:(608) 251–5511 Full.

Madison Inn: (608) 257–4391Full.Campus Lodging:

University Housing(residence halls with meal plan)See housing form on previous page.Two blocks from conferencesite. Campus parking permitrequired.

Friedrick Center(guest rooms)1998 Rate: $52(s)/$62(d)Phone: (608) 231–1341Eight blocks from conference site;lakefront location and continentalbreakfast. Parking.

Lowell Center(guest rooms)Phone: (608) 256–2621 Full.

Performance VenuesExcept for the Monona Terrace special performance, allperformances and presentations will take place on thecampus of the University of Wisconsin–Madison in theconcert halls of the School of Music, including historicMusic Hall. The final Saturday evening concert will be inthe Wisconsin Memorial Union Theater in collaborationwith the Madison Symphony Orchestra. Exhibits will behoused in the Lakefront Cafeteria of the MemorialUnion, a short 2-block walk from the School of Music.

Excursions and Special EventsIDRS’99 is planning two half-day bus tours to FrankLloyd Wright’s original architecture studio and workshop(Taliesin) in nearby Spring Green. The Friday eveningconcert will take place in the recently completed MononaTerrace Convention Center, designed by Frank LloydWright. IDRS’99 conferees will enjoy a Wisconsintradition: a mouth-watering fish boil on the lakeshore ofthe campus (Saturday). There will be a reception followingthe opening evening concert (Tuesday), sponsored in partby the exhibitors.

Special Invitation to Pre-College Students Experience your first IDRS conference at a very specialrate of $25.00 for two days or $60.00 for the entireconference! You must include with your registration aletter from your school music teacher.

Visit our Web Site —www.wisc.edu/music/idrs•Travel and housing information•Latest international roster of performersand presenters

•Information about Madison and vicinity•Conference Schedule

REGISTRATION FEES

Prior to 7/1 After 7/1

IDRS members $160 $175

IDRS student members $ 85 $100

Members’ family $ 50 $ 60

Non-members $225 $250

Student non-members $120 $135

Non-members’ family $ 75 $ 85

Pre-college students $ 60 $ 70

Pre-college students (2 days) $ 25 $ 25

Daily Pass $ 50 $ 50


1999 IDRS CONFERENCE REGISTRATION

Name _________________________________________________________________________

Please state your name as you would like it to appear on your conference badge.

Mailing Address _________________________________________ ZIP _________________

City _________________________ State/Province _______________ Country ____________

Telephone (daytime) _________________________ (evening) __________________________

FAX ________________________ Email ___________________________________________

Check all that apply:

❏ IDRS Member ❏ Student School _______________________________________

❏ Professional Affiliation ______________________________________________________

❏ Primary Instrument __________________________________________________________

Please check days attending:

❏ Tuesday ❏ Wednesday ❏ Thursday❏ Friday ❏ Saturday

AfterJuly 1

IDRS Member _______ x $175IDRS Student Member _______ x $100Member’s Family _______ x $ 60IDRS Non-Member _______ x $250Student Non-Member _______ x $135Non-Member’s Family _______ x $ 85Daily Pass _______ x $ 50JHS and HS Students _______ x $ 70JHS/HS Student (2 days) _______ x $ 25Tour of Taliesin _______ x $ 15Conference T-shirt _______ x $ 15TOTAL __________________________

PAYMENT INFORMATION

Make checks payable to: University of Wisconsin-Madison

Credit Card Payments Please charge to the following account:

❏ Mastercard ❏ Visa Exp. date _____________________

Credit Card Number ___________________________________

Name on Credit Card __________________________________

Signature ____________________________________________

Mail to: IDRS Conference Registration, University of Wisconsin, 620 Babcock Drive, Madison, WI 53706 USA

TravelFor discounted air travel, call Janet or Pat at Burkhalter Travelat (800) 556-9286 (extension 251 or 250) or fax at (608) 833-8527; Mon-day through Friday, 8:30 am – 5:30 pmCST. Janet or Pat can also help withlodging arrangements.

Parking❏ Yes, send me information on campus parking and a permit application for the conference ($5 a day). Parking is not included inresidence hall fee.

HousingYou are responsible for your ownlodging arrangements. We stronglyencourage you to make your reserva-tions right away! Madison has severallarge events taking place concurrentlywith IDRS so very few rooms will beavailable after the July 1, 1999 cut-off date. If youplan to stay in the campus residencehalls, you must complete the housingform on previous page and mail it tothe Campus Housing Office.

Cancellation PolicyIf you cancel your registration beforeJuly 1, 1999, you will re-ceive a fullrefund. After July 1, a $15cancellation fee will be charged.

IDRS MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION8

Please TYPE or PRINT

Name(Last) (First)

Address:(Students should use home address to assure receipt of publication)

(City) (State/Province) (Postal Code)

(Country) Phone (Area) (Number) Business Phone

Fax Number E-Mail Address

Instrument(s):

Profession or affiliation: (orchestra, school, business)

International Double Reed Society Membership Application

For the calendar year of January 1 - December 31 of

❒ New ❒ Renewal

ANNUAL DUES CONTRIBUTING MEMBERS$40.00 .............................. Regular Member $ 60.00.................... Sustaining Member

$30.00 .............................. Student Member $125.00........................... Donor Member

$40.00...................... Institutional Subscriber $250.00 & Up.................... Patron Member(For first class postage, add $25.00)

Methods of Payment ❒ Check, bank draft, or money order enclosed

❒ Charge to Visa/Mastercard account below

Make payment payable to the IDRS in US$ free of charges to the payee. All checks should be drawn on a US bank in US dollars.

Mail application and payment to: Norma R. Hooks, Executive Secretary/TreasurerInternational Double Reed Society2423 Lawndale RoadFinksburg, MD 21048-1401 USAPhone (410) 871-0658 FAX (410) 871-0659E-Mail: [email protected]

Card Account Number Expiration Date

Print name as it appears on credit card

(Signature required for Credit Card payment only)

THE DOUBLE REED - THE JOURNAL ISSUE 9

29th IDRS CONFERENCE10-14 August, 2000 • BUENOS AIRES, ARGENTINA

A CONFERENCE YOU WILL NEVER FORGET!!!

AN EXPLOSION OF MUSIC, TANGO, AND COMRADESHIP!

IF IN TEN YEARS YOU HAVE FORGOTTEN ABOUT THIS CONFERENCE, YOU WILL GET YOUR MONEY BACK.

If you are coming from Europe or the USA , just take your flight, have a good dinner, sleep comfortably, and haveyour breakfast in Buenos Aires. The "Reina del Plata" will be waiting for you to share her many attractions and thewarmth of her people. Buenos Aires is a safe city where you will find the most intense night-life in all the Americas.

International hotels and restaurants will offer you a great variety of dishes at reasonable prices.Events will include concerts, lectures, masterclasses, and the International Gillet Competition.You will find everything you need; and, above all, that which you do not have at home: the fantasy and the

mystery of Tango, a passionate and vigorous feeling that will deeply move you.The Colon Theater, the most important Opera house of South America, where so many international stars have

shone, will dazzle you with its splendour.Great opening and tango party with famous ensembles and dancers. We promise: you will not leave the

conference without having danced tango.All the double reed industry will be at the conference exhibiting instruments, accessories, scores, records...The best international artists of the moment will perform universal and Latin American music.Tours to the South (sky season), Iguazu Falls, "Train to the clouds" (Salta), and much more...If you play oboe or bassoon, you can't miss it. If you don't, we invite you to an exciting music conference where

you will surely find something for you.If you have never been at an IDRS conference for fear of the language, do not miss this one: everything will be in

English, Spanish and Portuguese.

HOSTESS: Andrea MerenzonCO-HOST: Alberto MerenzonPh: 54-11-4961 5593Fax: 54-11-4961 8223Email: [email protected]Ûrdoba 2555 "5∫"Buenos Aires (1120) Argentina

Official Travel Agent of the Conference (flights, hotels, tours, etc..):Benjamin Fernandezph/fax: 54-11-4791 9417e-mail: [email protected]

Concert-halls:COLON THEATER(Cerrito 618) Golden HallCETC (experimental opera center)

SAN MARTIN THEATER(Corrientes Av. 1550) AB hall: exhibitsCasacuberta Hall

Partial List of artist/presenters (subject to change)

ORCHESTRAS∑ ORQUESTA SINF"NICA NACIONAL ARGENTINA∑ ORQUESTA FILARM"NICA DE BUENOS AIRES(Teatro ColÛn)

∑ CAMERATA BARILOCHE∑ ORQUESTA DE C¡MARA MAYO

BASSOONISTSYoshi Ishikawa (US-Japan)Arthur Grossman (US)George Sakakeeney (US)Burl Lane (US)Jesse Read (US)Milan Turkovic (Austria)James Jeter (US)Mashahito Tanaka (Japan)StÈphane Levesque ( Canada)Werner Schulze (Austria)Paolo Carlini ( Italy)John Miller (US)Robert Rônnes (Norway)Michel Bettez (Canada)Christopher Weait (US)Stefano Canutti (Italy)Aloysio Fagerlande (Brazil)Noel Devos ( Brazil)Benjamin Coelho ( Brazil)Afonso Venturieri ( Brazil-Switzerland)Silvia Coricelli ( Argentina-Spain)Mauricio Paez (Costa Rica)Sue Nigro (US)

Stefan Weidauer (DIDRS-Germany)Francisco Castillo (Costa Rica)Carlo Colombo (Italy)Jeffrey Lyman (US)Terry Ewell (US)Eduardo.Flores ( Brazil)Francisco Formiga ( Brazil)

OBOISTSAlbrecht Meyer (Germany)Jacques Tys ( France)Gonzalo Ruiz (Argentina)Jorge Postel (Chile)Brent Register (US)Omar Zoboli ( Switzerland)Francois Leleux (France)Antoine Lazennec (France)Washington Barela ( Brazil-Germany)Brenda Shuman (US)Gordon Hunt ( England)Laszlo Hadady ( Hungary -France)Alex Klein (Brazil-US)Elena Troncone ( Venezuela)

ENSEMBLESOcteto AcadÈmico de Caracas (Venezuela)Quinteto " La Sociedad de los 5 Vientos" (Argentina)

Quinteto Argos ( Argentina)Ensamble de Tango de ArgentinaAnnalisa Morton y Mike Curtis (US)Devienne Trio ( Richard Meek)USColon Opera Concierto (Argentina)Alejandro Aizemberg-Mimi Waisborg(Argentina)Trio Imsand -Vaus-Sanchez (Argentina)Ensamble Tacuara (Brazil)Bande de l'Asociation d'HautboistesFrancaise (France)Quinteto de la UNLP ( Argentina)Quinteto de Mar del Plata ( Argentina)Grupo Arcano (Andres Eloy-Venezuela)Cuarteto de fagotes de VenezuelaConjunto Carpe Diem (Venezuela)Carl Rath ( bassoon), Sally Faulconer(oboe), and Larry Hammett (guitar)University of Oklahoma Double ReedEnsemble (OUDRE), Oboe Ensemble, andthe SoonerBassooners. (US)Silvia Navarro y Mario Navarro (Uruguay)

IDRS TOUR TO SOUTH AMERICA

IDRS Tour toSouth America

July 30 - August 15, 2000

In conjunction with the IDRS-2000 conference in Buenos Aires,Argentina, a group tour is being planned. The proposed itinerary includesCaracas, Venezuela; Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; Montevideo, Uruguay; andwill conclude in Buenos Aires just before the opening of the conference.

Full details will be mailed to all IDRS members as soon as arrangementscan be completed, and the trip will be publicized in publications of IDRSand on IDRS-L and Doublereed-L.

Flight arrangements are by American Airlines, and the city of departure isMiami, Florida. The tour will utilize 5-star hotels in safe and convenientcentral locations. In each city, a tour of important historic and scenic siteswill be conducted by a local tour guide.

Take advantage of this opportunity to visit some of the most interesting,beautiful and exciting cities in the world in the company of congenialtravel companions who share your interests in music, the double reedinstruments, travel, and world cultures.

For further details, or to reqiest a

brochure and registration forms, contact

Burkhalter Travel

Madison, WI

tel: (800) 556-9286, ext. 270

fax: (608) 833-7538

10


Bassoon Makers of the Vogtland:Adler, Hüller, Mönnig

By Janet D. Lein, Central Michigan UniversityMt. Pleasant, Michigan

INTRODUCTION

The cluster of small towns and villages in theupper Vogtland, barely twenty-five by fifteen miles insize, in the German state of Saxony has been home tothe craft of musical instrument making since themiddle ages. The center of this activity was asettlement called Neukirchen, which received citystatus in 1360. Located at a trade crossroads, it wasoften called “Markt Neukirchen”; it received theofficial name Markneukirchen in 1858. In 1650 twelveProtestant, master violin makers from the nearbytown of Graslitz fled the recatholization of Bohemiaand settled in the towns of Markneukirchen,Schöneck and Klingenthal, only a few kilometersdistant from one another. In 1677 they founded theNeukirchen violin makers’ guild. The records of thisguild mention that a turner appeared in Mark-neukirchen in 1710, probably a whistle maker, thusthe area’s first woodwind instrument maker. Fluteproduction is documented in this area since 1750.Until the early 1800s the craftsmen typically workedindependently in their homes and, when they hadaccumulated enough instruments, sought outdealers in the towns and sold their unmarkedinstruments for very little profit. The dealers wouldalso sweep through the villages periodically, buyinginstruments for very little and then selling themunder their own names. Although bassoon making isrecorded in this area during the eighteenth century,the instruments were rarely stamped with the actualmakers’ names and there was little standardizationof design (number of keys, etc.)

The process for becoming an instrument makerhad been prescribed since the middle ages and wasregulated by the guilds. The young man usuallywould begin his apprenticeship between the ages offourteen and sixteen, and after three years oftraining, if he met the standards, he became ajourneyman. In Germany an apprenticeship is stillrequired for all trades and most managerial careers.Today the young apprentices are paid a moderatewage. In earlier centuries it was up to the family topay the master craftsman for taking on anapprentice. This may help explain why so manyfamilies stayed in the same trade generation aftergeneration; one’s own father didn’t have to be paidfor an apprenticeship.

After completing the apprenticeship it wascustomary for the young journeyman to further refinehis craft by traveling (usually walking) to well-known

sites or workshops and working with other masters.These traveling journeymen generally returned homeafter three to five years, bringing with them new skillsor new methods of production. The building of brassinstruments, for example, began in Markneukirchenin 1755 after an apprentice had been sent to Leipzigto learn that trade. These prescribed years of traveland learning became less common after the turn ofthe century and have now virtually disappeared.Young men who apprenticed in musical instrumentbuilding were also required to be able to play at least

BASSOON MAKERS OF THE VOGTLAND12

used was not the first one, it will be underlined thefirst time it appears and referred to exclusivelythereafter. Charts showing the lineage of thesecompanies are supplied for reference.

GEBRÜDER MÖNNIG before 1945Although there have been Mönnigs in the Vogtland

since 1633, the first family member to makewoodwind instruments was Johann Karl Friedrich

Seated left, Fritz Mönnig, his son Willy standingbehind him. Seated right Hans Mönnig, his son Albertstanding behind him. Each person is holding theinstrument that was his production specialty.

some of these instruments, another requirement thatno longer exists. After about ten years of experiencein his trade, the journeyman was eligible to beexamined for the title of master craftsman. The testwould be given and the title conferred by the guildappropriate for that trade. Only after earning thedesignation of master craftsman (Meister) was aninstrument maker allowed to train apprentices.

For centuries German bassoons have been knownaround the world for their quality. The founder ofthe best-known bassoon workshop, Johann AdamHeckel, was born in the Vogtland village of Adorf in1812, and after learning his craft with his uncletraveled to Mainz and collaborated with CarlAlmenräder and later produced what is now theGerman (or Heckel) system bassoon. He finallyestablished himself in Biebrich am Rhein, where thefamily business is still located today. Eventuallymost workshops concentrated on this type ofbassoon, including three families of woodwindinstrument makers that remained in the Vogtlandarea, Adler, Hüller and Mönnig. The history of thesecompanies is typical of other woodwind instrumentmaking families in that they tended to stay in thesame area and the same profession for generations.Little has been known, however, about whathappened to these companies between the years1945 – 1989, the era of the German DemocraticRepublic (GDR). Now, after forty-five very difficultyears, musical instrument production in general, andbassoon production in particular, in this area isexperiencing a rebirth. This is the history of thesethree companies. At the time these histories began,it was quite common for a German to have morethan two given names. If the given name actually


Mönnig (1789-1837); he was inducted into theNeukirchener Guild of Wind Instrument Makers in1815. His oldest son and two grandsons followed inthe family tradition of woodwind instrument makingas well. The oldest grandson, Wilhelm August Mönnig(1834-1894), had two sons who, after completing theirapprenticeships as instrument makers, moved toLeipzig and established the well-known firm of OttoMönnig and Moritz Max Mönnig. The youngergrandson, Heinrich Wilhelm Mönnig (1852-1934), isthe father of the generation best known to the worldof bassoon playing as the Moennig Brothers(Gebrüder Mönnig).

Their father, Heinrich Wilhelm Mönnig, apparentlylearned his craft in the workshop of his older brotheras their father died a few months after his birth. Hebecame a master craftsman in woodwind instrumentmaking in 1875. In 1896 he built a restaurant inMarkneukirchen and, in the cellar, a workshop forwoodwind instrument production. He and severalapprentices and journeymen produced instrumentsthere until 1909; two of his sons completed theirapprenticeships in his shop, Wilhelm Hans Mönnig(1878-1942) and Otto Fritz Mönnig (1881-1969).

In 1906 Hans and Fritz officially took over theirfather’s business, and in 1907 they built a largeresidence and workshop in the Wernitzgrüner street,where they are still located today. They registeredtheir company as Gebrüder Mönnig and, along withsix journeymen and two apprentices, beganproducing clarinets and flutes. The two brothers hadboth achieved master craftsmen status, and each hadtwo sons who would later join the firm. Even thoughthe factory had been built during a period of highinflation, they had good connections with the exportmarket for selling their instruments, so the effect onthem was less severe than on some other instrumentmakers. During WW I, however, things did come to a

standstill because both owners were called tomilitary service.

After the war the older sons of each owner enteredthe firm as an apprentice and in 1920 the youngersons as well. All four of the boys had begun musiclessons in school when they were ten years old,playing variously clarinet, flute, oboe and bassoonand later were members of the orchestra inMarkneukirchen. In 1920 the brothers constructed an

adjoining building with an even larger workshop; and,with the addition of another building in 1924, the sizeof the building that they still occupy today wasachieved.

In 1922 nineteen-year-old Horst (oldest son of Fritz)Mönnig went to the U.S. to find out what thecompetition was like and to better his English. He hadoriginally planned to stay only one year, but he likedit so well that he eventually settled in Los Angeles. Hemade flutes for various companies, including Bettonyand Haynes. Hans (oldest son of Hans) Mönnig follow-ed in 1923, making clarinets in Providence and Bos-ton before finally settling in Philadelphia, where he

Machine room at theMönnig factory inthe 30s.

Klaus, Friedrich and Wilhelm Mönnig, the current owners.


maintained his own workshop from 1931-1983. He(Hans Moennig) is considered one of the best wood-wind repair technicians of all time. The two youngersons of the Mönnig Brothers, Willy (son of Fritz) andAlbert (son of Hans) had begun apprenticeships inthe family firm in 1920. In 1925/26 they went to thefamous firm of Heckel in Biebrich 1925/26 to refinetheir craft. Shortly before they left for Biebrich, thebuilding of oboes had begun in the family firm. Whenthey returned to Markneukirchen, the building ofbassoons began.

By the end of the twenties the firm GebrüderMönnig was producing the complete range ofwoodwind instruments, including alto and bassclarinet, contrabassoon, oboe d’amore, Englishhorn, alto and bass flute; even saxophoneproduction had begun in 1927. At this point, the twobrothers and their sons each assumedresponsibility for the production of specificinstruments: Hans was responsible for flutes, Fritzfor clarinets, Albert for oboes and Willy forbassoons and saxophones.

Business contacts in the U.S. were responsible forthe increasing prosperity the firm enjoyed at thistime. The most important initial contact was abrother of Hans and Fritz, William, who hademigrated to the U.S. much earlier and had become awell-known violin maker in Philadelphia. In 1926 theywere visited by the Simsons of the Cleveland firm ofSimson and Fey. This company wanted to importtheir instruments. They were granted exclusive rightsto market instruments under the name “MoennigBros. Artist-Modell,” although Horst and Hans Mönnigstill had the special privilege of importing directlyfrom their fathers’ firm. They contracted yearly forlarge numbers of instruments, and these yearlycontracts were renewed through 1939. Even thoughSimson had died in 1935, two employees carried onand the company name was changed to Sherl andRoth. Heinrich Roth, who had been born inMarkneukirchen, continued renewing the yearlycontracts. Because of these large, on-going orders,the firm had to be expanded again and new tools hadto be built. Whereas about forty people had beenemployed in 1920, the end of the decade saw seventyemployees, including three in-house tool makers andanother twenty people doing hand assembly work intheir homes.

In the twenties and thirties, American players wereswitching from the Albert system to the Boehmsystem, so a special point was made in the adver-tising for the flutes and clarinets that these were“Boehm” system instruments. Responding torequests from American customers, the Mönnigs alsomade thousands of metal clarinets and, from 1932 on,metal oboes. The instruments were either stamped

“Gebrüder Mönnig Markneukirchen” or “MoennigBros Artist Instruments.”

In 1936 a representative of the Röhm & Haascompany in Darmstadt suggested they try makinginstruments from the new synthetic materialplexiglas. The Mönnig brothers wanted to be the firstto try this and made a piccolo and a flute. Then, inpreparation for the 1937 World’s Fair in Paris, theyalso made an oboe, a complete set of clarinets and abassoon. All of these instruments were awarded a“grand prix.” Other manufacturers quickly followed intheir footsteps, including the Gustav Mollenhauercompany in Kassel. These instruments couldwithstand a temperature of ±70° C. They weredestined to be used in the military bands in Africa,and their manufacture ended during the early waryears. These plexiglas instruments are probably theforerunners of the plastic instruments made in theU.S. (There is a set on loan from the Mönnig familydisplayed in the musical instrument museum inMarkneukirchen.)

The beginning of the second world war meant thatthey had fewer employees and obtaining materialswas more difficult, so production was cut back. FritzMönnig kept the production going with olderemployees that had not been called to militaryservice. His brother Hans died in 1942 and thus thenext generation, Albert and Willy, became partners inthe company. Albert Mönnig was killed in action in1942, so the firm was left in the hands of one of theoriginal Mönnig brothers, Fritz, and his son Willy.

G.H. HÜLLER before 1945The founder of the Woodwind Instrument and

Saxophone Factory G.H. Hüller was the mastercraftsman Gottlob Hermann Hüller. He was born in1858 in Hermsgrün near Adorf and began hisapprenticeship at age fourteen. In 1876 he was invitedby Wilhelm Heckel to come to Biebrich and continuelearning in his workshop. During his years of travelinghe also studied in Mainz, Koblenz, Cologne,Karlsruhe, Strasbourg, Stuttgart and Munich. In 1878he decided to start his own workshop in the housewhere he was born. He purchased a lathe and toolsfrom his former teacher and began making flutes. Hecarried his flutes to Markneukirchen in search of abuyer, but was not successful. He walked to anothertown three hours away and was able to sell them, butafter a while the six hour round trip becameburdensome, so he tried again in Markneukirchenand this time was successful. He found a distributorwho bought his flutes at first two dozen at a time,then four dozen, and so on. In 1879 he was able to gethimself a better lathe and his nephew was workingwith him.

By 1881 he had purchased 2000 pounds of


grenadilla, as well as 3000 pounds of German silver,wire and tin. He was building flutes for Meisel inKlingenthal as well as for himself. He had onejourneyman and two apprentices working with himand needed to expand. So he bought a house, land andtwo cows from his brother in Schöneck and movedthere in 1882, where he remained. (The combinationhouse and factory still stands on the main street, butwas remodeled into a hotel in 1992.) Successful atselling flutes in Berlin and Hamburg, he traveled allover Germany in 1892, advertising and selling hisinstruments and developing important contacts.

In 1883 he became a citizen of Schöneck, earnedthe title of master craftsman and married Erika Todt.He was now working with two journeymen and twoapprentices. He also decided to warehouse suppliesand sell them to musical instrument makers,beginning with brass, German silver and grenadilla.He was able to purchase new equipment and beganmaking accessories for instruments and selling themas well. Between 1885 and 1900 the facilities wereexpanded several times and just as theywere about to install a steam generator tosupply power and light, the city decided tosupply electricity. The advent of electricalpower allowed them to add motors to thesaws and lathes. Eventually they did have tobuild their own facility for producing power,however, because the electricity from thecity was “too weak.”

In 1897 they had their first successfulexhibition at the Leipzig Fair where, decadeslater, they would later receive a gold medalfor bassoon making. They expanded in otherways as well. In 1912 they acquired the well-known woodwind instrument workshop ofH.T. Stümpel in Minden and in 1920 the firmof C. Kruspe in Erfurt. Max moved to Erfurtto manage this company, and in the fifties, itwas separated from the parent company andrun by Max and his son Kurt.

In 1908 the family suffered the loss of the oldestson, Adolf Walther, who had been their businessmanager. Another son, Hans Willy, was killed in thefirst world war, as were many of the employees. Afterthe war was over, the founder took his sons MaxAlbin, Paul Oskar, Ernst Kurt, Oswald Hermann andAlbert Wilhelm into the firm as partners; Kurt andHermann as business managers and Max, Oskar andWilhelm as instrument makers. They wereresponsible for final tuning of instruments, the designand construction of more modern keywork andbuilding specialized machinery for the productionprocess.

The company had been producing piccolos, flutes,clarinets, alto and bass clarinets, oboes, bassoons fordecades and they were sold in all parts of the world.In 1921 they began building saxophones, whichdeveloped into a very successful part of thecompany. They used the most modern machines andprocesses available at the time for the production ofsaxophones. Even the silver plating and nickel plating

G.H. Hüller surrounded by the five sons that worked in thefamily firm.


were done on the premises. 1924 saw furtherexpansion of the factory, necessitated by theirsuccess in saxophone production.

By 1928, the fiftieth anniversary year, G.H. Hüllerhad become one of the leading producers of musical

instruments. In that year alone,they produced 11,527instruments with 100employees, many of whom hadworked there for more thantwenty-five years. Seventypercent of the production wentoverseas. This was also theyear that Wilhelm’s sonGerhard was born; GerhardHüller would be the last familymember to direct thecompany. But the worldeconomic crisis affected thiscompany, too. There wereshortened workdays and lay-offs. Wages were paid

sometimes in Czechoslovakian crowns, but at leastthe factory didn’t have to close.

The founder, Gottlob Hermann Hüller, died in 1929and the sons carried on. In the thirties the range ofinstruments made was further expanded. They nowproduced recorders, piccolos, flutes, clarinets fromsoprano to contrabass, oboes, oboes d’amour,English horns, bassoons, contrabassoons, and thecomplete set of saxophones, from soprano to bass,all this with about ninety employees. The factory had

its own orchestra and saxophone octet. They weredeveloping important contacts with well-knownprofessional musicians, and at the World’s Fair inParis in 1937 the company received a gold medal anda certificate of honor.

WW II was the beginning of the end for thiscompany. The few employees that weren’tconscripted kept on making instruments and, towardthe end of the war, the company was required toswitch production over to armaments; they sent theremainder of their instruments to Switzerland forsafe-keeping. Where they ended up, nobody knows.

OSCAR ADLER & CO. before 1945The Adler family had been woodwind instrument

makers for many generations and their presence inMarkneukirchen began in 1876 when Johann GottlobAdler (1825-1900) built a house there. Even thoughthis was basically a farm, he built a large workshopright away, and by 1881 was producing woodwindinstruments, employing ten journeymen. His oldestson, Franz Oscar (1862-1922) is the most well knownto bassoonists. Both he and his brother RobertOswald (1865-1946) received their training in theirfather’s workshop and at the school for music andmusical instrument craftsmanship in Markneukir-chen. Still working in his father’s home, Oscarestablished his own company in 1885.

The younger brother, Oswald, is the one who tookover his father’s business, dealing in a variety ofinstruments, but producing only woodwinds. His sonJohannes Adler (1899-1963) started his own business

Gerhard Hüller, thelast director of thecompany, in 1986.

Hüller factory, one of the lathe rooms, before 1928.


in 1924. He became well-known through themanufacture and sale of recorders. This reputationlives on today in the company called Adler-Heinrich-Blockflötenbau GmbH. Today the grandson and great-grandson of Robert Oswald Adler are still workingtogether in the house built by Johann Gottlob Adlerin 1876, restoring and selling instruments.

In 1893 Oscar began construction of his ownfactory. In 1894 his advertising brochures stated thathis business had grown so much since it was foundedin 1885 that he needed these new premises toaccommodate his twenty or so employees. He evenemployed a professional clarinetist to voice and tunethe clarinets. At first his company was simply calledOscar Adler. In 1896 he expanded the building and atthe same time built in a 4 HP gasoline motor topower the various lathes and other machinery bymeans of long leather straps. By 1900 it wasalready considered the largest clarinet and flutefactory in Germany, and in 1901 the lastexpansion of the building took place and it lookedthen as it does today.

For some reason, double reed instruments hadbeen neglected both by players andmanufacturers toward the end of the 19thcentury. In the fiscal year 1901/1902, however, inaddition to several thousand clarinets, flutes andpiccolos, 21 bassoons, 1 contrabassoon, 54 oboesand 10 English horns were produced. The rubberliner for bassoons that had been introduced byHeckel in 1889 was also incorporated. Instruction

in oboe and bassoon was offered at the musicschool in 1909. Resumption of double reedinstrument production by Adler had played animportant role in ending this period of neglect.

An Adler bassoon was one of the two bassoonsplayed by the famous British bassoonist ArchieCamden. At the time he began playing in 1904,England had always been the province of playersusing the French bassoon. His first teacher,however, was from Vienna and had him purchasea Heckel bassoon. This instrument was lost in afire in 1921; and when Heckel couldn’t guaranteeto supply him with another instrument in lessthan three years, he turned to another Germanfirm also known to his teacher, Adler. Within twoweeks of contacting them, they sent him twoinstruments, and he chose the one he liked best.He made a few adjustments, tightened tinyscrews, etc., and “… when I finished working on itI realised that my Adler bassoon was a betterinstrument than my defunct Heckel.” Shortlybefore his ninetieth birthday, he closes hisautobiography by saying “… and when I laid itaway for the last time I felt an immense gratitudeto this companion which had served me so wellfor almost fifty years — my Adler bassoon.”

In 1901 Oscar Adler became the first Germanfactory to produce saxophones. By 1902 foursaxophone makers worked there, and by 1904they were making the entire series, including thesopranino. By now Adler had over 50 employees,


and this number remained constant until WW II.Adler exhibited at numerous national andinternational exhibitions and received thePrussian Royal Medal for commercialachievement. He was one of the leading figures inthe German society of musical instrumentproducers, trying at all time to uphold very highstandards of musical instrument manufacture,even to the point of taking to court those personshe considered to be making inferior products.

Noteworthy innovations attributed to the Adlerfactory include the use of gas and electric motorsto power saws, lathes, drill presses, millingmachines and so on. He introduced a real divisionof labor, assigning different types of tasks todifferent rooms or work areas. They had a roomfor woodworking, one for soldering, for tool-making, etc. Adler thus established a model thatwould later be followed by many other Vogtlandfirms. Woodwind instrument production wasnevertheless still a very special type ofmanufacturing, one which required muchhandwork, much more, for example, than the pro-duction of brass instruments. The industry wasthus able to have many elements of the handassembly process completed by workers in theirhomes.

Even with all this success, problems loomed.

The building of the factory and its subsequentexpansions had been financed by Oscar’s brother-in-law, Hermann Fürchtegott Jordan (1854-1908).Because of his financial involvement, he became apartner in 1896, and in 1900 the company namewas changed to German Woodwind InstrumentFactory Oscar Adler & Co. (Deutsche Holzblasin-strumentenfabrik Oscar Adler & Co.) At the sametime he arranged for his two sons to playimportant roles in the company. Thus HermannWilhelm Jordan (1878-1935) joined the firm as abusiness manager 1896 and Karl Friedrich Jordan(1883-1942) as an instrument maker in 1898.

With the company divided between twofamilies, one side with the money and the otherwith the know-how, conflict was probablyinevitable. When Hermann Fürchtegott Jordandied in 1908, a contract was drawn up to separatethe interests of the two families. In 1909 Jordan’ssons became the official owners and Oscar Adlerwas no longer associated with the company.Further, he had to agree not to establish anybusiness large enough to compete with them, andcould not use the name Oscar Adler. So Adleropened a small workshop where he continued tomake the octavins for which he had received thepatent in 1893. After he died in 1922, his sonOskar Gottlob Herrmann Adler carried on, but atthe end of the twenties moved to Thüringenwhere he sold and repaired instruments; he diedthere in 1976.

Up to 1928 several trademarks had been usedby the company. In the very early years, Adlerhad used his nickname “Caradel” with an eaglegrasping a clarinet as well as a a flying eagle withthe initials “O-A-&Co” in front of it. The ovalstamp “Adler & Co. Markneukirchen” wasn’t useduntil after WW I. In 1928 they adopted thetrademark “Sonora” as well. Wilhelm HermannJordan died in 1935, at which time his wifebecame a partner in the firm and in 1937 his son-in law, Gerhart Karl Friedrich Heberlein. He wasconsidered the person in charge from then on. In1939 the company was renamed GermanWoodwind and Saxophone Factory Oscar Adler &Co. (Deutsche Holzblasinstrumenten- undSaxophon-Fabrik Oscar Adler & Co.) They were,after all, the first German factory to makesaxophones. The last brother, Karl FriedrichJordan, died in 1942.

THE VOGTLAND IN THE YEARS BETWEEN 1945 AND 1989With the advent of socialism and a planned

economy it became very difficult to get thematerials necessary for production. Foreverything one needed, it was necessary to go to

Oscar Adler, founder and first owner of the Germanwoodwind instrument factory Oscar Adler & Co.


four or five offices just to get the appropriateapprovals. Valuable time and expertise wereexpended on this task alone. The state was alsoassuming an increasingly larger role in privatebusinesses. Sales of all musical instrumentsoutside of Germany were handled by thegovernment agency DEMUSA; thus all dealingsinvolving hard currency were in the hands of thegovernment.

In order to eliminate competition, companieswere ordered to stop production of someinstruments and concentrate on others. In 1972 itwas decreed that companies had to destroy thetooling and machinery that had been used tomake these now prohibited instruments.

• Hüller halted production of clarinets in 1967,oboe production ended in 1974 and saxophoneand flute production was stopped in 1975. Theywere only allowed to produce bassoons.Machinery and tools for the production of allother instruments had to be scrapped.

• Adler had to stop production of allinstruments other than oboes and bassoons by1975.

• At Mönnig, they were ordered to stopsaxophone production as of 1958 and clarinetproduction as of 1968. The Mönnigs werepermitted to make oboes, oboe d’amore, Englishhorn, bassoon, contrabassoon, piccolo, flute, altoflute and bass flute.

The government also found ways to becomepartners in the firms and the portions of thecompanies owned by private individuals weresystematically reduced. (Once the governmenthad acquired any portion of a company, its namebegan with the acronym VEB, which means“owned by the people.”)

• Hermann Hüller was taken to Buchenwaldand never returned. His share in the firm wastransferred to the government, which became anofficial partner in the firm.

• The government became a partner in OscarAdler & Co. in 1960, although the name wasn’tchanged to VEB Sonora until it was nationalized in1972.

• In 1970 the government became a partneralong with Willy and Klaus Mönnig, and GebrüderMönnig became a division of the VEB Brasswindand Signal Instruments (VEB Blechblas- undSignalinstrumente, Markneukirchen).

In 1972 all the companies were completelynationalized, and Hüller was called VEB-Woodwind Instruments Schöneck. Adler becameVEB-Sonora. Mönnig was still the VEB Brasswindand Signal Instruments Markneukirchen.

By 1974 Adler had become VEB B&S IV/1,

Mönnig became VEB B&S IV/2, and Hüller becameVEB B&S IV/3. (“IV” indicated woodwind and the“1”, “2” or “3” the individual factory.)

GEBRÜDER MÖNNIG BETWEEN 1945 AND 1989Willy had been an American prisoner of war,

and when he returned to Markneukirchen in 1947was anxious to take his examination for mastercraftsman and begin rebuilding the factory. In1947 there were only forty employees left; by 1964only thirty. The grandsons of the GebrüderMönnig (Albert and Willy’s sons) began theirapprenticeships. Klaus has been with the firmsince 1952, at which time Fritz asked Klaus to takeadditional oboe lessons from a professional; helater completed his master craftsman examinationin the field of oboe and assumed theresponsibility for oboe construction. Friedrichhas been with the company since 1955 and isresponsible for flutes; he reintroduced theproduction of wooden piccolos and refined theproduction of alto and bass flutes. Wilhelm joinedthe firm in 1971 after his apprenticeship as atoolmaker in Klingenthal. Since many of the olderemployees were gone, he was assisted by hisbrother Friedrich in manufacturing the tools theyneeded for production. Fritz Mönnig, Friedrichand Wilhelm’s father, suffered a stroke in 1962and died in 1967.

The Mönnigs soon resumed exhibiting theirinstruments at trade fairs. At one internationalcompetition in the Hague in 1951 they received aCertificate of Honor for woodwind instrumentproduction. In 1964 a Mönnig oboe won a goldmedal at the Leipzig Fair. The Frankfurt music fairwas growing in importance and companies fromall over the world exhibited there. Mönnig’sinstruments were exhibited there by ErichZimmermann of Stuttgart. At the same time theLeipzig Fair was losing in internationalimportance; the government was imposing allkinds of regulations that made it difficult to dobusiness; for example, exhibitors were forbiddento meet with customers from the West anywhereexcept at the exhibition halls; trade with the U.S.had virtually come to a standstill, although theycould still send instruments to Horst Mönnig inLos Angeles. Also Heinrich Roth visited theLeipzig Fair in the early fifties and found a way toget instruments to the U.S. by way of a friend inSwitzerland.

In 1965 the VEB Blechblas (the firm of whichMönnig was now a part) arranged an exhibitionfor woodwinds and brasswinds in Brussels andLuxembourg. In order to get approval to attendthis exhibition to sell his instruments, Willy


Mönnig had to appear in person at thegovernmental sales agency for musicalinstruments, DEMUSA, in Berlin. He was told to goget a visa from the consulate in West Berlin, buthe had to go there twice before it was granted,and these trips were made on foot. He received nofinancial help from DEMUSA, except 50 penniesfor the return trip from West to East Berlin. In hischronicle of the Mönnig firm, Willy Mönnig pointsout that the government had earned untoldthousands in hard currency from the sale of theirinstruments, but yet he was offered no financialassistance even though expected to attend theexhibition. Willy Mönnig points out that this wasjust one example of what conditions were likeduring the GDR period.

At the 1972 Leipzig Fair there were rumors thatall firms were to be nationalized. Shortlythereafter a commission appeared at WillyMönnig’s door with a contract for him to sign thatwould nationalize the company. He refused,asking for a week to think it over. Three dayslater, the uninvited visitors reappearedthreatening great difficulties if he didn’t sign.After sleepless nights, he finally signed. With thiscontract, the family no longer had any saywhatever in the running of the company, eventhough Willy Mönnig would be appointed the so-called “director.” In order to do what he could topreserve the good name of the company, heaccepted the post, but after two years, realizedthat it was hopeless. After 1975 he worked in theproduction area a few hours a day and left forgood in 1981.

The VEB Blechblas appointed a welder as thedirector of the company. He knew nothing aboutthe production of woodwind instruments, but didmake the rule that musicians and other privatepersons were no longer allowed in the factory.Between then and 1989 most of the instrumentsproduced went to socialist countries. In hischronicle of the company, Willy Mönnig recordsthat between 1925 and 1993 the companyproduced 15, 897 bassoons and 5,960 oboes.

G.H. HÜLLER BETWEEN 1945 AND 1989Those who had remained behind and those

who returned from the war began anew in 1945.Production went as well as possible under thecircumstances, but everyone was hungry. Sincethey were making instruments that would be usedas war reparations, they were allowed an extraration of food. It was the job of the apprentices tocarry the buckets and jugs every day to therestaurant where it was cooked and bring it backfor everyone.

The grandsons began their apprenticeships.One was Dieter, the son of Hermann Hüller, whomthe Russians had kept in Siberia for most of thewar. Another was Wilhelm Hüller’s son Gerhard;he completed his apprenticeship in clarinetmaking in 1948 and received his rating as a mastercraftsman in 1958. In 1963 he received a diplomafor his studies in wood technology from theengineering school in Dresden.

The first shipments of reparations went to theSoviet Union. That included piccolos, flutes,oboes, clarinets, bassoons and saxophones — allproduced by thirty-two employees. Later on a tripto the Soviet Union, Gerhard saw one of thesaxophones again in Kiev. The company band wasreorganized and, being one of the few in the area,was much in demand for all sorts of occasions,even playing for radio broadcasts. A goodrelationship developed between the company andprofessionals in the Gewandhaus orchestra inLeipzig. This led to further developments of thebassoon.

In 1947 Oskar and Wilhelm were forbidden bythe government to continue working in thecompany. Wilhelm Hüller was required to work asa street sweeper. His son, Gerhard, had to workwith the Soviet occupation troops. This order wasfinally rescinded because production hadvirtually come to a standstill. As a result of therequired nationalization of companies, the threeremaining Hüllers were forced to sell their sharesto the state. Wilhelm worked on an hourly basisas a tuner, and Kurt left entirely. In 1981 thefounder’s grandson, Gerhard Hüller, assumeddirection of the company. They now had sixteenemployees. In 1978, the company had asked tohave their 100th anniversary recognized, but thegovernment refused. In 1988 a small celebrationfor the 110th anniversary was permitted.

OSCAR ADLER & CO. BETWEEN 1945 AND 1989After 1945 the name “German Woodwind

Instrument Factory” was no longer appropriate,so the company name as of 1948 was just OscarAdler & Co. The last of the pre-war owners,Heberlein, left the company in 1952. Theyreceived a gold medal for bassoon making at theLeipzig Fair, and in 1986, the 10,000th bassoonwas produced.

1989 TO THE PRESENT

The unexpected happened. On November 9,1989 the wall came down and sixteen thousandpeople had the chance to begin living in freedom.Early in 1990 the VEB Brasswind and SignalInstrument Factory with its various divisions were


privatized into a limited liability company, theVogtland Musical Instrument Factories,Markneukirchen (GmbH). The former Mönnig,Hüller and Adler firms were of course part of thisconversion. There were many offers fromcompanies in the West to form joint ventures withvarious of the Vogtland firms. At a companymeeting, the former Hüller firm voted to stay withthe Vogtland Musical Instrument Factories. Theyfelt that since they only made bassoons, they hada better chance of survival within the largergroup. As he looks back on this now, GerhardHüller feels that it was the wrong decision.

Gerhard Hüller visited the Music Fair inFrankfurt for the first time in 1990 and wasastonished to see what had taken place in since1945 — things that the people in the GDR wereprevented from seeing, knowing or enjoying.There were signs that the walls around the GDRwere really breaking away; they were gettingorders from Japan, England, and so forth.Unfortunately he felt there were signs at the thetime that the woodwind division would beeliminated from the Vogtland Musical InstrumentFactories, and on March 25, 1991 he wassummoned to the office of the top administratorsand told that, with his permission of course, hewas being placed into early retirement. The restof the former Hüller employees remained until theend of the year and then were laid off, too. Heregrets that even though he worked in his

grandfather’s company for 45 years, he only knewit during the times of the Russian occupation andthen GDR socialism. He is sure it had been ahappier, better place before that.

The members of the companies formerly knownas Mönnig and Adler decided that rather thanremaining with the larger group, they wouldprefer to form a separate company and, eventhough direct competitors in the past, worktogether in the future. They founded theWoodwind Instrument Company Markneukirchen(Holzblasinstrumentenbau GmbH Markneu-kirchen) on November 1, 1990. The newMönnig/Adler firm once again asked GerhardHüller to join them, but he replied that at age 63 itwas too late to start over. For Mönnig/Adler, thenew start has been made. Some employees haveretired, others have gone to the West wherewages are higher, but in 1994 there were aboutsixty full-time employees. This newly formedcompany now, once again, produces a completerange of woodwind instruments. The grandsons ofthe founding Gebrüder Mönnig are not in the frontoffice: Klaus, Friedrich and Wilhelm Mönnig arecraftsmen and they want to do what they lovemost — make instruments. For the future, theyplan a new, expanded facility in theMarkneukirchen industrial part. By producinginstruments of good quality, they hope toovercome the current economic crisis.

The rebirth in this area comes from outsidefactors as well. Companies in many countries arelowering production costs by sending someportion of their production out of the country.

Adler’s German Woodwind Instrument factory afterall additions and expansions, 1901.


Many German companies are employing people incountries like the Czech Republic. In 1990 thewoodwind instrument maker W. Schreiber andSons in Nauheim, instead of going out of thecountry, purchased a building from the agencycharged with the privatization of the East Germanfirms in the village of Erlbach, a few kilometersfrom Markneukirchen. As part of the agreement,they had to guarantee employment to twelvepeople for two years. They did better than that,employing fifty people by 1998. In summer 1998they purchased land in Markneukirchen wherethey will be build a factory. The founder of thisfirm, Wenzel Schreiber, received his training as abassoon maker in the Bohemian town of Graslitz,only a few kilometers from Markneukirchen, buttoday in the Czech Republic. He fled after WW IIand established a factory in Nauheim (nearMainz). There is little room for expansion in thecrowded West; this will allow them to expand andat the same time take advantage of the availabilityof so many people trained in the craft of musicalinstrument making. Since the company’s roots arein this area, Wenzel Schreiber would no doubtapprove of this choice. The firm of G. Mollenhauerin Kassel is also employing some people in theVogtland for parts of the hand assembly process,such as setting keys on clarinets.

The Vogtland has much natural beauty; its hillsand valleys are essentially the foothills of the Erzmountains that run across the northwesternportion of the Czech Republic. Now there is newconstruction and restoration everywhere; it isreminiscent of (West) Germany in the earlysixties. Gerhard Hüller remarked sadly andsomewhat bitterly that things would have been alot different if they hadn’t been in the Soviet zoneof occupation. Maybe now, at long last, things aredifferent. ❖

About the Author …Janet Dickey Lein is an associate professor of

German at Central Michigan University. She haspublished in the areas of the cultural history ofGerman business and the methodology of secondlanguage teaching. Her husband is a musician andrestores bassoons.

Notes1 Will Jansen, The Bassoon (Buren, The Netherlands: FritsKnuf, 1978) 417.2 Hanna Jordan, Führer durch das Musikinstrumenten--Museum Markneukirchen (Markneukirchen, Germany:Druckerei Markneukirchen, 1992) 5.3 Jansen, 528.

4 Lyndesay G. Langwill, The Bassoon and Contrabassoon(London: Ernest Benn Ltd., 1965) 183-191.5 Jordan, 5.6 Walter Püchner, Personal Interview. 4 July 1997.7 Gunther Joppig, The Oboe and the Bassoon (Bern:Hallwag AG) 86.8 Unless otherwise noted, the information about theMönnig firm comes from personal interviews with Klaus,Wilhelm and Friedrich Mönnig on July 14, 1998, from anunpublished history of the firm written by their fatherWilly Mönnig in 1994, and from various catalogs of thefirm.9 Daniel Webster, “Farewell to the Master leaving hismusical Mecca,” The Double Reed 6.3 (Winter 1983) 8-11.10 Unless otherwise noted, the information about theHüller firm comes from a personal interview withGerhard Hüller on July 14, 1998, an unpublished historyof his grandfather’s company that he wrote after 1991and from various catalogs of the firm.11 G.H. Hüller, Festschrift zum 50 jähr, Jubiläum derFirma (Plauen, Saxony: Moritz Wieprecht GmgH, 1928) 6.12 Unless otherwise noted, the information about theAdler firm comes from an article by Enrico Weller in“Musikinstrumentenfabriken und-fabrikanten im OberenVogtland F. Oscar Adler.” Neikirnger Heimatbote, 5.1,1998, 23-30.13 Camden, Archie. Blow by blow - the memories of amusical rogue and vagabond (London: ThamesPublishing, 1982) 23.14 Camden, 90.15 Camden, 203.16 Will Mönnig, unpublished history of the firm.17 This agency is called the Treuhandanstalt.18 Don Dittmar, Director of Marketing and Sales for W.Schreiber and Sons. Personal Interview, 17 July 1998.19 Paul K. Lein and Janet D. Lein. “Whatever happened tothe Kohlerts?” The Double Reed, 13.1 (1990) 16.20 Gerhard Schaub, Personal Interview. 16 July 1998.

AcknowledgmentI gratefully acknowledge the assistance and

cooperation of Klaus, Wilhelm and Friedrich Mönnigfor taking time out of their busy schedules asinstrument makers to grant an interview, with specialthanks to Klaus Mönnig for gathering familydocuments pertaining to the history of the firm,including the Adler/Sonora connection. GerhardHüller, even though retired, was kind enough to beinterviewed and also supplied historical information,including a personal chronicle, for use in the article.Thanks also to Don Dittmar, Director of Sales andMarketing at W. Schreiber and Sons for taking time toshow me the woodwind factory and discuss theirplans for the future. I would also like to thank thecommittee for Faculty Research and CreativeEndeavors at Central Michigan University for fundingthe travel expenses within Germany.


An Analysis of Britten’s Six Metamorphoses after Ovid

By Stephen HiramotoDallas, Texas

ritten’s Six Metamorphoses after Ovid forOboe Solo depicts six episodes from Ovid’sMetamorphoses, a set of fifteen books ofpoetry with the single theme of

transformation. It is interesting to notethat not all of the episodes chosen byBritten represent a character in theprocess of outward transformation, asgenerally occurs, and this too isrepresented by the music. In thoseepisodes which depict a meta-morphosis, that process is repre-sented musically in a progressivemanner, beginning with a melodic ideathat is subject to development. This also reflectsthe text in a general manner. Most of themovements follow an ABA format in which themetamorphosis occurs in the B section. The firstpresentation of the A section can possibly beinterpreted as the depiction of the characterbefore metamorphosis, while the returning Areflects the changed character, usually withelements of both the A and the B sectionsincorporated. Within these general preceptsBritten uses a variety of techniques peculiar toeach of the Metamorphoses to bring about thetheme of transformation.

The first of Britten’s Metamor-phoses, “Pan” (with the descriptivesubtitle, “who played upon the reedpipe which was Syrinx, his beloved.”),is built on an ABA format in which themetamorphosis action is representedin the B section. It is necessary to havesome knowledge of the myth in orderto understand Britten’s possibleintention. Very briefly, the woodnymph Syrinx, being chased by Panand coming upon a river, prayed fortransformation. Pan, thinking that he had caughther finds himself holding instead a handful offreshly picked marsh reeds. Standing in his grief,the wind blowing across the reeds produced atone, and in her memory Pan fashioned a musicalinstrument from them. Taking into account thesubtitle provided by Britten, the piece depicts notthe transformation of Syrinx into Pan’s pipes, butrather the experience from Pan’s perspective.

The A section (Pan playing the pipes) consistsof the first five bars. Phrases are barred, but

unmeasured and to be played without measure.This section outlines the A-major scale and ischaracterized by a flowing, scalar line marked byfive fermatas. The fermatas do not break the

forward motion of the phrase, but each serves as amelodic silence which sets up the next phrase inbuilding the section as a whole.

The forward motion of each phrase to the nextis accomplished by the use of unstable scaledegrees on the third, fourth, and fifth fermatas.The section ends with a sense of uneasy reposedue to the unresolved (although filled in ) intervalof a major seventh before the beginning of the Bsection.

The B section introduces a new texture andmelodic content in juxtaposition with elements of

the A section suggesting the theme of trans-formation.

The above example includes the last measureof the A section and all of the B section. Therepeated A-sharp creates a tension which issprung through an ascending interval andresolved by descending scalar motion to A-natural.It is this return to A-natural which recalls thematerial of the A section. This idea of tension andrelease is developed to the extent that only risingintervals result without a sense of release to endthe B section with a sense of transition and

B

Example 1. Pan, measures 1-4.


AN ANALYSIS OF BRITTEN’S SIX METAMORPHOSES AFTER OVID24

uncertainty. The whole tone scale outlines by theascending intervals result without a sense ofrelease to end the B section with a sense oftransition and uncertainty. The whole tone scaleoutlined by the ascending intervals in m. 10 addsto the sense of instability.

The A section returns compressed and withvariation. The final phrase serves to tie the

disparate ideas of the piece together and provide asense of resolution.

This is seen in the connection of the ascendinginterval beginning on A-sharp with the descendingscale returning the A-natural. Also important is theheld high D which serves as the delayed resolutionof the C-sharp in m.5, and which spells the Lydianmode built on D.

“Niobe,” (with the subtitle,“who lamenting the death of herfourteen children, was turnedinto a mountain”) the thirdmovement of the piece, alsofollows an ABA format in whichthe B section implies themetamorphosis theme. Thewhole movement is based uponthe development of a singlemelodic idea presented in thefirst two measures. This melodicidea, given with the marking“piangendo,” which means“crying,” may be considered asNiobe’s lament. In the legend,her children are killed by the gods as punishmentfor some prideful boasting on her part. Thechildren are not killed simultaneously, but in

rather rapid succession. Britten’s music, in itsdevelopmental treatment of the lament, portraysthe progressive character of the story.

The A section consists of three phrases. Eachphrase consists of two parts: a repeated headstatement (given in the first measure) followed byan ascending interval resolved by descendingscalar motion.

The head statement is consonant,whereas the ascending intervals aredissonant due to the addition of noteswhich lie outside of the tonalityimplied by the head statement. Thispattern of tension and release givesthe piece its emotional impetus. In thethird phrase the pattern is turned

around so that descending scales lead toascending dissonances, ending the section of anunresolved note. The notes A, E and G whichappear very prominently in this section maysuggest the dominant of the Phrygian scale degree(or the Neapolitan scale degree) which mightfigure into the symbolism since Niobe is fromPhrygia.

The B section (mm. 10-20) develops further theideas of the A section. The first two phrases of theA section are repeated in diminution. The third

phrase of the B section combines therhythmic motive of the third phrase ofthe A section (triplets) with themelodic patterns of the first twophrases of the A section (ascendingthirds).

The B section divides itself intothree phrases of 2 + 2 + 7. The thirdphrase (mm. 14-20) itself divides intothree segments. The second segmentis a repetition of the first segment. Thedivision of the phrase at the thirdsegment is based on the need for the


Example 4. Niobe, measures 1-9.

Example 5. Niobe, measures 14-20.


D-flat to resolve to the C, and for the continuity ofthe ensuing rhythmic and melodic pattern. Thisthird phrase also mirrors the developmentalaction of the A section in that the ascending thirdsfollowed by the descending scales of the first twophrases are imitated by the first two segments (ofthe third phrase of the B section).

The return of the A section is marked by anexact return of the first two measures. The finalfour measures use only those pitches from thefirst measure, and are also marked “senzaexpress.,” reinforcing the idea of Niobe’stransformation into stone.

The fifth of the Metamorphoses, “Narcissus,”(with the subtitle, “who fell in love with his ownimage and became a flower.”) uses the ternaryform for its structure. In this legend, the youthNarcissus sees his reflection in a pool of water,and becomes so enamored with his own imagethat he is unable to leave the pool and dies there,at which time his body is transformed into aflower. The A section of this movement (mm. 1-9)presents a melody which represents Narcissusalone. The B section (mm. 10-23) develops theNarcissus melody through fragmentation andcounterpoint. Beginning in m.11 Britten gives theinstruction, “From this point the notes withupward stems represents the reflected image ofNarcissus, and those with downward stemsNarcissus himself.”

Example 6 is excerpted from the B section. Thenotes with the downward stems in m. 10-20 formthe entirety of the melody in mm. 1-7, after whichthe original is subject to diminution and somevariation. The musical reflection of Narcissus isaccomplished by the counterpoint which isformed by the inversion of the direction of theintervals of the fragments of the original melody.Beginning in m. 19 the counterpoint is no longerformed by inverting the direction of the intervals

of the original, but moves in the same direction asthe intervallic and rhythmic distance between thetwo lines decrease until they are indistinguishablefrom each other.

The return of the A section is marked by anornamented restatement of the first two measuresforming a one line counterpoint in which theupwardly-stemmed notes form an integral part ofthe one line.

The last movement “Arethusa,” (with thesubtitle, “who, flying from the love of Alpheus theriver god, was turned into a fountain.”) Alsofollows an ABA form. In this movement intervallicpatterns form the underlying structure whichserves to both contrast and unify the threesections. Also, implied harmonic progressions givethe piece a feeling of forward motion.

The intervallic pattern of the A section iscomposed of descending skips of thirds combinedwith ascending steps. This pattern turns itselfaround in the B section in which descending stepsare combined with ascending thirds. While thesepatterns generally hold true for each section, thereare exceptions. At the end of the A section thedescending scale foreshadows the motion of the Bsection. Likewise, the end of the B section recallsthe intervallic motion of the A section.

Harmonically, the first three phrases of the Asection move through a series of cadences, eachimplying the dominant of the ensuing phrase. Thefourth phrase employs melodic fragmentation,leading to compacted harmonic rhythm. The useof diminished chords creates a sense of harmonicuncertainty, setting up the return of the tonic (D-major).

Whereas the A section is firmly rooted in D, theB section is harmonically ambiguous, resulting in acharacter which is shrouded and uncertain. Themysterious character and the employment ofchains of trills may evoke the image of a fountain

with trickling streams ofwater.

The return of the Asection is marked by thesame rhythm of the firststatement, but with amixture of intervallicpatterns from both the Aand the B sections.

Harmonically, thesection begins in a-minorbut quickly moves to D-major with an endingthat parallels that of theoriginal statement.Curiously, Britten in-Example 6. Narcissus, measures 10-20.

AN ANALYSIS OF BRITTEN’S SIX METAMORPHOSES AFTER OVID26

cludes an alternative ending which would endthe movement before the B section.

The two movements not included in thisdiscussion, “Phaeton” and “Bacchus,” do not lendthemselves to the theme of metamorphosis, as isderived from the literature. Likewise, Britten doesnot indicate in his subtitles (or by his music) thatthese movements are to be considered as such.Phaeton does follow the familiar ABA form, butthe B section is simply a variation of the A sectionwhich does not develop the melodic ideas of theA section nor does the return of the A sectionincorporate elements of both the B and the Asection. Bacchus is the only movement whichdoes not follow the ABA form so closely. Its formis more characteristic of a rondo by the manner inwhich melodic material is presented. Here, as inPhaeton, the melodies do not interact as in theother movements, but are subject largely torepetition.

In considering the overall scheme of the work,the individual movements contrast in character,

tempo, and tone color and can be paired as slow-fast in pacing the performance of the work.Regarding the tone color, choosing of “keys” byBritten seems to reflect the varying tone qualitiesproduced by oboists over a variety of scales. Thisis particularly noticeable, for example, in Niobe,in which the D-flat tonality produces a dull tonecolor (relative to the outer scales) due to theinstrument’s acoustic properties. Finally, theanalysis does have its use in developing phrasingideas. This is demonstrated, for example, in the Bsection of Niobe, in which the third phraseappears as a run-on string of triplets. In thissituation the analysis provides one possiblesolution to this phrasing dilemma. ❖

Example 7. Arethusa, measures 42-50.

Example 8. Arethusa, measures 62-71.

© Copyright 1952 by Hawkes & Son (London) Ltd.Copyright Renewed.Musical examples reprinted by permission of Boosey & Hawkes, Inc.


An Evening with Leon Goossens

By Tom LambertWhimple, Exeter, Devon, UK

n the UK we have the benefit of a soundchannel devoted to arts and music, BBCRadio 3. In January, this year, there was alook back upon the recorded legacy of Leon

Goossens. Each morning, for a week, we wereable to hear, again, recordings he made from theearly 30’s until the end of his playing career. Theold memories came flooding back. In about 1952,at a tender age, I commenced battle with theoboe - the borrowed instrument being a hard-blowing, leaky example from Brahms’ era. Itskeys were awkwardly placed, few in number anddid not include the luxury of a second octavekey. At that time, few of us had television andmost were addicted to the radio and the old 78records. Record companies, then as now, hadfavorite artists, popular with the public, whothey would record, secure in the expectation ofselling many records. Goossens was the man!There were many live orchestral concerts on theradio, also, and Leon Goossens was a regularsoloist there too. To be fair we did hear others,such as Evelyn Rothwell (now known as LadyEvelyn Barbirolli), but Leon Goossens was heardfrequently enough for many people to be able torecognize him by that unique style and tonequality. So for the few, like me, who werestruggling to learn the oboe at that time, he wasour inspiration and with an almost God-likestatus.

By 1980, I was back playing regularly in thelocal amateur circuit, after a gap of some years,and also served on the committee of asuccessful local chamber orchestra. Imagine,then, my delight at our Musical Director’ssuggestion, that we engage Leon Goossens asour soloist in a concert in Exeter Cathedral inOctober 1980. The Vaughan Williams Concertowould be the main work, but Goossens alsooffered to play the Soliloquy for oboe and stringswhich Edward Elgar had written especially forhim and which was later orchestrated byGordon Jacob.

The night of the concert was very coldindeed - by our standards, that is. ExeterCathedral is incredibly beautiful and dates backto the 11th Century. Like most of our large oldchurches it is very difficult to hear adequately.Whilst the concert got under way withSchubert’s Overture in the Italian Style, our

soloist was hidden from view wrapped in a largeovercoat with scarf, with his oboe being warmedinside the layers of clothing. By then in his 80’s,Leon Goossens advised us with some regret anda little embarrassment, that he would have to sitto play. So a small platform was positioned withchair and a standard lamp behind. The VaughanWilliams went smoothly enough, as I recall, butthe highlight of the evening for me was theElgar. Goossens decided to tell the audience ofhow Elgar had come to write the piece - whichwas to have been a movement from a suite. Healso gave an account of his friendship withElgar, who was a very tall gentleman, and howLeon Goossens would teach Elgar to drive a car.The first lesson finished abruptly when Elgarfound he was unable to get his long legs beneaththe steering wheel and had jumped out of thecar, an open tourer with permanently lockeddoors, in fury. This was Edward Elgar’s lastdriving lesson. Leon Goossens did us the honorof listening to the remainder of the concert,which included some Delius, Butterworth and aSchubert Symphony. After the concert there wasa long queue of autograph seekers with each ofwhom Leon Goossens chatted briefly.

It was always our custom after concerts to goto our Chairman’s home for a party. Mr. and

I

Leon Goossens

AN EVENING WITH LEON GOOSSENS28

Mrs. Goossens came also and my wife and I wereable to spend an hour or so with them, listeningto his views and swapping stories. Several gemsremain in my memory such as tips on how to getthe best out of the Arrival of the Queen of Sheba(“A free lesson for you my boy”) or hisperception of the period instrument revival(“Not all they’re cracked up to be”). He had agenuine sympathy for we “youngsters” whoseinstruments were so heavy compared with his.On reeds, I recall the sadness in his voice as hetold us he had just six, all old friends. “I expectthey’ll see me out, don’t you?” I was able to tellhim about spending my conscription in a full-time army band and that, during this time, I hadreceived the benefit of lessons from HerbertSchmidt, a well respected player in Berlin.Schmidt had said to me “All you British are thesame. You play Boosey and Hawkes oboes andtell me that Leon Goossens is the best oboist inthe world.” Leon Goossens enjoyed this storywith much laughter. He and his wife werecharming and delightful company.

Looking back now, and what better time thannear the end of the century upon which he madesuch a great mark, I feel my life has beenenriched by Leon Goossens and I feel privilegedto have been with him for an evening. Listeningto some of his recordings, which in their daywere considered definitive, we have clearly

moved away from his style of playing. The1930’s Mozart Oboe Quartet, which gave suchdelight for years, now no longer sounds like theMozart to which we have grown accustomed.Hearing it recently, I was struck by the almostpercussive quality of Leon Goossens’ tonguing.Much great music has been composed with hisplaying in mind - such as Delius’s orchestralworks. And some of his playing in those piecesstill sounds superb, even if fashions in tonecolour have changed. But, he brought the oboeto ordinary people, extended the boundaries ofits repertoire, and like some of the otherinstrumental giants of his day, set the pace forthe next generation of players. ❖

About the Author …Tom Lambert lives near Exeter in Devon,

England and has been an oboe enthusiast all hislife. He has been able to devote more time toplaying upon retiring, early, from a career inbanking in 1989. In recent years he has beenteaching a small number of beginners. Tom hasbeen a member of the IDRS for many years andhas attended several annual conferences. He isalso a member of the British Double Reed Societyand has served for a term on its Committee. Henow enjoys a wide variety of playing from earlymusic through to large orchestral and pit orchestraengagements.


The History of the Lawrence J. IntravaiaInternational Double Reed Society Archives

By Stephanie CaulderGreensboro, North Carolina

eginning its twenty-seventh year, theLawrence J. Intravaia International DoubleReed Society Archives continues to be aninvaluable resource for the double reed

enthusiast. Lawrence J. Intravaia, a bassoonist,and former professor at Southern IllinoisUniversity at Carbondale, initially developed thenotion of a library for IDRS members. At the firstIDRS conference in Ann Arbor, Michigan in 1972,Intravaia presented his idea to members. Intravaiaenvisioned a “reference center for IDRS memberswhich would include: 1) a collection of music fordouble reed instruments, 2) a comprehensivebibliography of music for double reedinstruments.”1 Members were requested to sendinformation on items of interest on 3x5 indexcards during the first few years of the library’sexistence. Today, acquisitions are obtainedinternationally from diverse sources. In 1973,while Intravaia was losing his battle with cancer,the library’s holdings and administrative dutieswere transferred to Bruce Degen and the librarywas named in honor of Lawrence Intravaia.Degen, also a bassoonist, and professor atSimpson College, oversaw the collection ofnumerous scores, and resource material without abudget before the leadership once again changedhands in 1980. Dr. James C. Prodan, oboist, andcurrently the associate dean and director ofgraduate studies at the University of NorthCarolina at Greensboro, has held the position ofLibrarian for the IDRS since then. Under hissupervision, the IDRS Library began aninternational campaign for contributions frompublishers, which doubled the holdings in a fewyears. Some of the most notable donations havecome from Theodore Presser Company, McGinnis& Marx, Carl Fischer, Allans Music, C.F. Peters,Frederick Harris Music, Shawnee Press, A.B. CarlGerhmans, Kendor Music, Alphonse Leduc, FaberMusic, and Music Information Center of the CzechMusic Fund.

At present, the IDRS Archives include wellover a thousand scores, more than one hundredrecordings, and various resource materials suchas bibliographies, discographies, papers, andpublications relating to a myriad of interests.Although many of these scores have beendonated from IDRS members, most recently,publishing houses have been supplying

tremendous amounts of solo literature for oboeand bassoon, as well as chamber works for anassortment of instrumentation. The scorecollection does not include many standardworks for oboe, bassoon, or double reedensemble, but does possess hundreds oftwentieth-century, obscure works not oftenperformed. Early IDRS composition competi-tions have yielded numerous solo and ensembleworks, many with unusual combinations ofinstruments. Some of the works of note forlarger instrumentation are original manuscriptsof early military marches for winds on microfilmdonated by the British Museum, in addition toother works for band or orchestra. There arealso many arrangements for double reeds onanything from Bach to a 1970’s rock tune. TheArchives hold scores of all difficulty levels aswell as numerous etude and method books forpedagogical study. Many international resourcesto the IDRS Archives have donated severalimportant collections. In the Archives is aconglomeration of Czechoslovakian com-positions for double reeds, several volumes ofRussian music for bassoon supplied by ValeriPopov of the Tchaikovsky Conservatory ofMusic in Moscow, and over two hundred worksfrom the Norwegian Music Information Centre inOslo, Norway which resulted from Dr. BrentRegister’s dissertation research in 1988. TheArchives currently has eleven different editionsof the Mozart bassoon Concerto, includingseveral historical nineteenth century editionscontributed by Karl Öhlberger. Few works forEnglish horn, contrabassoon, or less commoninstruments exist in the Archives, but the IDRSdoes have bibliographies on these instruments.

The IDRS Archives also contain more thanone hundred recordings. Intravaia himselfbequeathed his personal collection of chambermusic tapes after his death and many other IDRSmembers have contributed personal recordingsas well. Most of the early recordings collectedwere reel to reel and had to be formatted tocassette tape that inevitably led to poor resultsin some cases. Perhaps some of the most usefulrecordings are performances at IDRSconferences, lectures by John Mack, Ray Still,and John deLancie at the Oboe Symposium in1974, and most recently the IDRS twenty-fifth

B

THE HISTORY OF THE LAWRENCE J. INTRAVAIA INTERNATIONAL DOUBLE REED SOCIETY ARCHIVES30

anniversary compact disc recording availablefor $10.00 through the Archives. Probably themost important donation to the recordingcollection donated in the spring of last year istapes of some of Marcel Tabuteau’s originallessons. While most of the recordings are oncassette tape, the compact disc collection isgrowing.

The IDRS Archives contain various types ofjournals and scholarly material. The Japanesedouble reed magazine, Pipers, and The DoubleReed News from the British Double Reed Societyare just to name a few that are received annuallyor quarterly. Many standard books and articleson reedmaking, woodwind periodicals,conference concert programs, and officialsociety paperwork are on file in the archives.Seemingly some of the most importantresources are the extensive bibliographies,dissertations, theses, and discographies onperformers and composers of double reedmusic. Extra copies of almost every publicationin IDRS history, including To The World’sBassoonists and To The World’s Oboists, areavailable for a minimal fee. To obtain informa-tion about prices and shipping costs, consultany recent Double Reed, IDRS Journal, or theIDRS website. Today, unlike ten years ago, notonly does the IDRS Archives have a bound, printedcatalogue, but also a website (www.idrs.com),which includes the catalogue as well as otherinteresting information on the society. Theprinted catalogue, containing all music andrecordings the Archives hold, as well as pricelistings for back journals, is $12.00 or free whenusing the IDRS website.

The Lawrence J. Intravaia Archives of theIDRS is unlike a traditional library. It functionsnot as a lending library, but to supplyinformation to IDRS members about thepublications and music in their area of interest.Resulting from this was the official name changefrom IDRS Library to the IDRS Archives in thespring of 1997. Unfortunately, since the societyis international, it is impossible for most toexplore the archives firsthand. Currentlegislation also prevents the IDRS fromdistributing copyrighted material withoutpermission. However, some composers and

publishers do wish to sell their music, and allare listed with a price in the catalogue and willsoon be on the website. The staff of the IDRSArchives also attempts to help members locatematerials that are not for purchase wheneverpossible. IDRS members are always welcome tomake any donation of double reed material forthe archives and the staff will respond to allinquiries or orders as quickly as possible. Whilemaintaining their hectic academic, admini-strative, and performing responsibilities, thestaff of the IDRS Archives is continuouslystriving to provide good service and an excellentresource for those who have helped support thearchives and the International Double ReedSociety.

Endnotes1 Lawrence Intravaia, “The Future of the IDRS

Library”, IDRS Journal vol. 1, no. 1, 1973.

About the Author …Stephanie Caulder is currently pursuing a

master’s degree in woodwind performance fromthe University of North Carolina at Greensborowhere she also graduated cum laude with aBachelor of Arts in Music in May of 1998. She hasbeen the principal oboist of the UNCG WindEnsemble and UNCG Symphony Orchestra andperforms frequently on clarinet as well. Ms.Caulder is an active performer throughout NorthCarolina and has performed with orchestras andvarious chamber ensembles throughout the state.Caulder has studied with James Prodan, AshleyBarret, Kelly Burke, Michael Burns, DeborahEgekvist, John Mack and Eric Ohlsson. She isthe associate director of the UNCG CommunityMusic School where she maintains a large privatestudio of oboe and clarinet students. Ms. Caulderis a member and assistant archivist of theInternational Double Reed Society, member of theCollegiate Music Educators National Conference,and the North Carolina Music EducatorsAssociation.


Arthur Grossman: An Interview

By Terry B. EwellMorgantown, West Virginia

rthur Grossman was born in New YorkCity. He began his professional career atthe age of thirteen, when he joined theOklahoma City Symphony Orchestra, with

which he performed for four years. After a furtherseason with the San Antonio Symphony, heentered the Curtis Insitute of Music where hestudied with Sol Schoenbach and took chambermusic classes with Marcel Tabuteau. Upongraduation he joined the Seventh Army SymphonyOrchestra which was stationed in Europe and withwhich he performed for three years, during whichtime the Seventh Army Wind Quintet, now the SoniVentorum Wind Quintet, was formed. After twoseasons when he served as principal bassoon withthe Indianapolis Symphony and one with theCincinnati Symphony, Soni Ventorum was askedby Pablo Casals to form the wind faculty of thenewly created Conservatory of Music of PuertoRico. Seven years and several recordings later SoniVentorum moved to Seattle to join the faculty ofthe School of Music of the University ofWashington. Grossman has toured worldwide withSoni Ventorum and as a soloist, and has mademore than thirty recordings. He has also served asprincipal bassoon in the Israel Philharmonic. InJanuary 1988 he became Associate Dean for Arts ofthe College of Arts and Sciences at the Universityof Washington, a position in which he served forten years. He has continued to perform and recordboth as a soloist and with Soni Ventorum. Thefollowing interview with Arthur Grossman wasgiven on 24 Oct. 1998.

Performers who influenced Arthur GrossmanTerry Ewell (T.E).: Which bassoonists influenc-

ed you most during your development as aperformer?

Arthur Grossman (A.G.).: Well, I think actuallythat’s a complicated question to answer. The firstone, of course, was my first bassoon teacher BettyJohnson. Her influence was in freedom ofexpression and a wonderful warm sound. The nextperson that influenced me was Sol Schoenbach,who had the most analytical approach to playingand music of anyone I’ve ever met. This approachhas always stayed with me. But one bassoonplayer who I’d only heard live one time had atremendous influence on me in terms of my

concept of sound. That bassoonist was ThomDeKlerk, the former first bassoonist of theConcertGebouw Orchestra. The ConcertGebouwplayed in Philadelphia when I was a student at theCurtis Institute of Music in 1954 or 1955. Iremember hearing his sound; it was a sound likenone other I had heard before. It was warm anddark, yet it had a glowing ring to it. It was justmagnificent! I think that changed my concept ofsound a lot. Those were the three bassoonists thatmost influenced me.

Someone else that influenced me was John deLancie. He played principal oboe in Philadelphiaafter Marcel Tabuteau retired and also taught atCurtis. I found his playing, the intensity of hissound, and the way he phrased from one note toanother really impacted my approach toperformance. He has probably influenced myplaying as much or more than any bassoonist.

Memorable Recordings and PerformancesT. E.: Which of your recordings do you think

best represents your finest performance?A.G.: Well, that’s a little hard to say. I hardly

listen to my recordings anymore. But I think thattwo stand out for different reasons for me. Onewas the recording of the Telemann sonatas that Idid with Sylvia Kind the Swiss harpsichordist(“The Virtuoso Bassoon,” University of Wash-ington Press, Ravenna Recordings, RAVE-761;Library of Congress Catalog Card Number 76-750477; 1976). The other recording that I like a lotis the one I did with you and Bruce Grainger(“Bassooniana,” Musical Heritage Society, MHS4919A, 1984). It’s really terrific bassoon playing byyou and Bruce. It shows how wonderful two of mystudents really play, as well as showcases my ownplaying. I really like that record.

T. E.: That recording contained the JuliusWeissenborn Trios.

A.G.: Well, that was on one side. The otherside had the Eugène Bozza and Pierre Max Duboisduets as well as the trio by Robert Rönnes. I thinkyou played in the Dubois duet as well as in the trio.

T. E.: Yes, I did. It was a wonderful experience.Bruce Grainger performed in the Bozza duet withyou. What live performances do you consider yourmost memorable?

A.G.: Well, that’s an interesting question—I’vebeen thinking about that. I would say that among

A

ARTHUR GROSSMAN: AN INTERVIEW32

the most memorable there was a performance ofBeethoven Piano Quintet that I did at the MarlboroFestival with Peter Serkin (piano), Al Genovese(oboe), Harold Wright (clarinet), and MyronBloom (horn). This sticks out in my mind as beingparticularly memorable. I think that a performanceof the Mozart Concertante also sticks out. Theperformers were James Caldwell (oboe), WilliamMcColl (clarinet), Robert Bonnevie (horn), myself,the Casals Festival Orchestra, and AlexanderSchneider (conductor). A few years ago we did aperformance of the Schubert Octet out here atUniversity of Washington with the Ridge Quartet, agroup that unfortunately is no longer in existence.The performance was a really magical moment.Members of the Ridge Quartet were Krista BennionFeeney (violin), Robert Rinehart (violin), MariaLambros (viola), and Peter Wyrick (cello). Thewind performers included William McColl(clarinet) and David Kappy (horn).

As I started thinking about your question Irealized that the largest number of concerts thatI’ve played over the last 30 to 40 years are windquintet concerts, but none of those concertsfigured in the answer. I think that probably tellsyou how hard it is to play a wind quintet concertsince none of them stick out in my mind as beingone of the best concerts I’ve ever played in my life.It’s too difficult to play a wind quintet concert.

On National StylesT. E.: Do you think there is an American style of

bassoon playing?A.G.: Well, I certainly would have said yes to

that question 30 years ago. I think that today allmusic has become so internationalized that thereis a less of a national style on any instrument thanthere was 30 years ago. It used to be the case thatyou could turn on the radio and identify thecountry an orchestra was from and sometimesyou could identify the exact orchestra. I find thatextremely difficult today either because of wideavailability of recordings or the inter-nationalization of conductors. Conductors goaround and try to get the same soundeverywhere. I’m not sure how much it is theavailability of recordings and how much it istraveling conductors and musicians, but certainlythere is much less of a national school of playingtoday than there was 30 years ago.

T. E.: Do you think that’s a loss?A.G.: Yes and no. I think that it’s a loss in that

it was kind of nice to have really different styles.On the other hand I think that the technical levelof performance is much higher today than it wasthen. You just don’t hear flaws as much in playing

anywhere on any instrument as you did 30 or 40years ago.

In a way there’s a homogeneity that wasn’tthere before. The general standard is muchhigher, but it’s rarer to hear something reallyextraordinary. Maybe it sounded so extraordinarybefore to us because it was so far above theaverage. But you don’t often hear something thatis really extraordinary today. Yet almosteverything you hear is certainly competent. Ithink that’s a big difference.

Career Advice for the Young BassoonistT. E.: How do you think the young bassoon

performer should prepare for a career in today’sjob market?

A.G.: Well, to prepare for orchestra playing Ithink the first thing is working hard at perfectingwhat you do so that you get through the firstround of auditions. Today there are so manyplayers who can play everything absolutelyperfectly. I’m talking just about technical perfec-tion. Unless you do that you won’t get throughthe first round of auditions. At a later stage inthe audition emphasis may be made on someparticular flair, or style, or some particularquality of sound. But you won’t be heard in thatcontext unless you get past the first round. Sothe first thing you have to do if you want to bean orchestral player is work, work, work, forconsistency so that you can get through thatfirst round. And then one hopes that in a laterround, the second or third, depending on howfar they go, you can have a particular style andapproach to music that may be somewhatindividualistic and may appeal to the committeeand conductor.

As far as getting a university job, I think thattoday there are only two routes to getting auniversity job. One is to get a doctoral degreewhether it is a D. M. A. or Ph.D. and the other is tohave established a performing career either as aprincipal player in a major orchestra or or havinghad an international solo or chamber musiccareer so that you can be hired by a university inabsence of the doctoral degree.

T. E.: Do you think certain universities have apreference for one or the other?

A.G.: Well, I think that the larger university,the one with a more complete school of musicwould be more ready to hire someone who comesfrom a performing career without the doctoraldegree. A department that primarily is not asfocused on performance would be more reluctantto do this. Also I think that the biggest universitieswith the best reputations can afford to do some-


thing like that where a smaller university will nottake the risk. The smaller schools want to saytheir faculty all have doctoral degrees.

T. E.: Do you think some of that also has to dowith teaching duties at the schools? Smallerprograms cannot afford a full-time faculty memberonly teaching bassoon, for instance.

A.G.: Well, that’s probably a part of it. Theother part, however, is the bigger the reputationof the school, the more it can afford to take therisk of hiring someone without the doctoraldegree.

T. E.: Is chamber music performance a viableaspiration for a young bassoon performer nowa-days?

A.G.: Well, it’s a viable aspiration in that it’s awonderful way to spend your life. But I don’t knowanybody, ever, who’s been able to make living justperforming chamber music on wind instruments.On string instruments, of course, with the stringquartet or piano trio it is possible. However, evenmany string musicians are taking universityresidence as a base of operations. But I don’tknow of any wind player that has made a wholecareer out of playing chamber music. You’reeither in a quintet at a university, such asUniversity of Washington with the Soni Ventorum,or it’s a quintet like the Dorian Wind Quintet inNew York city where all of them are very activefree lance performers.

T. E.: Does that also extend to solo careers onwind instruments?

A.G.: Well, there a couple of people who make asolo career on wind instruments. There is no bass-oon player, however, that I know of that does it.

The Wolf Bassoon and ContrabassoonT. E.: I noticed that you’ve recently switched

to the Wolf bassoon. Perhaps you can talk a littlebit about what has caused you to make theswitch.

A.G.: I find the bassoon extremely easy to playon. Many things are just easier to play on Wolfbassoon, than they have been on the Heckel.Additionally it’s the only bassoon except forHeckel on which I’ve been able to get the kind ofsound I really want. There are other bassoonsthat play more easily than a Heckel, but I’ve neverbeen tempted to switch because I can’t get thekind of sound I like on them. On a Wolf I can getreally the kind of sound I want to and yet it’smuch easier to play.

T. E.: What do Wolf Bassoons cost at thispoint?

A.G.: Guntram Wolf makes many, manydifferent models, out of different woods and

finishes that range from a standard model to onewith a high E key. They start around $6,000 to themost expensive model which runs around$13,000. That’s including customs, shipping anddelivery here in America.

T. E.: I’m not familiar with Wolf. Does he live inGermany?

A.G.: Yes, he’s in a small town in Germanycalled Kronach. He also makes incredibly goodcontrabassoons; he’s completely redesignedthe instrument. For example, the metal tube onmost instruments into which you insert thebocal does not have an analogy on the bassoonwhere we put the bocal right into the wind jointon the bassoon. Wolf has replaced the metaltube on his contrabassoon with wood so thatthe only metal on the instrument is the bocalitself and the U-tube. Another major differenceis with the direction the pads open. If you’veever tried to record contrabassoon it’s verydifficult, especially in the low register. Somethe pads open up toward the audience andsome open toward the player. Wolf hasrealigned the pads so that all the pads open uptoward the audience. This creates an evenscale and makes the contrabassoon easier torecord. His contrabassoons are very, very fineinstruments.

Reed MakingT. E.: Do you have any reed making advice?A.G.: Make lots of them! One piece of advice I

would offer is try to reduce the number ofvariables. In other words, for a long period of timetry to use the same gouge, the same profile, andthe same shape, and learn to make a reed with it.If you are constantly change every parameter—the shape at the same time you’re changing theprofile at the same time you’re changing thegouge—it’s very difficult to determine whichchange is having what effect on the reed. Onlywhen you learn what a certain scrape does orresult of taking off cane in a certain area with thesame shape, profile, and gouge is it possible toachieve some kind of consistency.

Now that’s not to say that if you have aparticularly bad shape, for instance, that youshouldn’t change it. If your teacher suggests achange you should try it. However, I think theconstant changing of shapes, gouges, and profilesmake the variables so great that you just don’tknow what is causing the problem.

You will never get 100% consistency withreeds. The main problem is, of course, the cane. Ifthe cane were perfect we wouldn’t be talkingabout this issue. ❖

ARTHUR GROSSMAN: AN INTERVIEW34

Discography of Arthur Grossman

RECORDINGS AS SOLOISTQuartets for Bassoon and Strings by Danzi LyrichordArthur Grossman plays bassoon CoronetSix Sonatas by Galliard Musical Heritage Society (MHS)Fantasies of Selma y Salaverde MHSMusic for Bassoon and Strings MHSThe Virtuoso Bassoon RavennaBravura Bassoon PandoraArthur Grossman plays Solo Music Crystalfor Bassoon and ContrabassoonBassooniana MHSThe Art of the Bassoon MHSBassoon Esoterica MHS16 Valsas by Francisco Mignone MHS

RECORDINGS AS A MEMBER OF SONI VENTORUMMozart and Villa-Lobos LyrichordMusical Clock works of Haydn and Beethoven LyrichordQuintets of Reicha and Danzi LyrichordWorks of Goodman, Piston and Krenek LyrichordQuintets of Cambini University of Washington PressMusic of Villa Lobos MHSMusic of Villa Lobos and Poulenc MHSQuintets of Reicha MHSQuintets of Reicha II MHSQuintets of Mozart and Beethoven MHSfor Piano and WindsQuintets of Danzi MHSQuintets of Barber, Fine, Carter MHSand GoodmanQuintets of Nielsen and Francaix MHSQuintets of Hindemith, Ibert, MHSMilhaud, etc. (Digital) MHSTwelve Bagatelles by Mayr (Digital)Six Quartets of Rossini with Quintets of Danzi CrystalWinds from the Northwest Crystal(Flute and Bassoon)Chamber Music for Winds CrystalChamber Music for Voice and Winds CrystalFour American Works CrystalWorks by Roseman and Francaix (Digital) MHS

RECORDINGS AS AN ORCHESTRAL MUSICIANAs contrabassoon: Le Martyre de St. Sebastien, Debussy, Oklahoma CitySymphony Orchestra, Victor Alessandro, conductor.

As principal bassoon: Beethoven Triple Concerto, Serkin, Laredo, Parnas,Marlboro Festival Orchestra, Alexander Schneider, conductor.

As principal bassoon: Schubert Symphonies, Israel Philharmonic, ZubinMehta, conductor.

Smetana, Ma Vlast, Israel Philharmonic, Walter Weller, conductor.

Arthur Grossman

Soni Ventorum


An Interview with Maestro Sidney Gallesi

By Paolo PollastriStrada in Chianti, Italy

orn on September30, 1907 in Miran-ola, in the provinceof Modena, ninety-

one-year-old Maestro Sid-ney Gallesi really wantedto get to know the worldand in just a few years, hereached the top instru-mentally and didacticallywith music and the oboe.

Today he lives with hiswife, two daughters, andtwo grandchildren in a beautiful house surroundedby the greenery of the Tuscan countryside and,although he is now elderly, he still keeps in touchwith the world of music through his pupils (manyof whom hold primary positions in prestigiousItalian orchestras) and through young oboestudents.

It is a pleasure to go back over his career andhis life. Maestro Gallesi experienced all the socialand musical changes of this century. He livedthrough the two world wars, and saw the inventionof the phonograph, television, and radiobroadcasting. It is also an honor for me to be ableto interview him. Maestro Gallesi accompanied mefrom the age of 11 to 17, conveying all hisexperience and enthusiasm to me and he stillmanages to do this even today. I was his last pupiland received my diploma in 1977 from the BolognaConservatory when Maestro Gallesi, at the age ofseventy left the teaching profession. I now play 1stsolo oboe at the Santa Cecilia National Academy inRome, I play solo with the Solisti Veneti and have aconcert, teaching, and recording career.

Paolo Pollastri: First of all, I would like to ask:why “Sidney”? Why did your father give you thisname?

Maestro Gallesi: I was the fifth child, the long-awaited boy. My four older sisters, three of whomare still alive, are named Saffo, Tamar, Fatma, andIris. My father had a vivid imagination and wasfascinated by Sidney Sonnino’s politics so when Iwas born he decided to name me after him.

P: Why did you begin to study music, and theoboe?

G: As a child I was fascinated by the Mirandola’stown band, and I went to all concerts they gaveduring holidays and festivities. When an opera

company performed Giuseppe Verdi’s Aida, I wasspellbound by the oboe, by the beauty of thesound and the bravura of the maestro playing it.

The company’s impresario was staying at ourhouse in that period and I asked him if it would bepossible to meet the 1st oboe player. I was thusintroduced to Maestro Carlo Gelati who taught atthe Modena School of Music, where I went to study.At that time, travelling the 30 km betweenMirandola and Modena, took more than threehours! The little train stopped at every singlestation.

P: How many years did youstudy in Modena?

G: I stayed with Maestro Gelatifor five years, then I received a joboffer as 2nd oboist at the MunicipalTheatre of Bologna, where MaestroFuggi, a famous Bolognese mus-ician, who was unpredictable andrather eccentric, was playing the 1stoboe. Later, thanks to the latter, Iworked in Carpi and Ferrara, duringthe opera seasons.

P: At that time, what make ofinstrument did you use to play?

G: Perhaps it was an Orsi(Author’s note: a famous Milanesemaker of wind instruments, wheremost artisans were trained) … Idon’t quite remember. I doremember, however, that it couldonly play the low Bn .

P: What was on the studysyllabus at that time?

G: The same as today! (Author’snote: Maestro Gallesi perhaps doesnot remember that our studies,passed by Royal Decree in 1930,include methods by Italian oboistssuch as Scozzi, Prestini, Cassinelli, and Parma.Perhaps they had not even been published at thattime!)

P: How did you consider the reeds?G: I, too, had problems making them; I made a

lot of them and it is not like today where you canfind a cane already well gouged and shaped. At thattime you had to gouge them by hand, using agouge, scraper and sandpaper. What a lot of piecesof cane I broke! Then I had to shape them by hand,

BMaestro Gallesi

during the period at Rome.

Carlo Gelati

FrancoFerrara

PaulHindemith

AN INTERVIEW WITH MAESTRO SIDNEY GALLESI36

because there were no moulds. Most of the time Iasked the Maestro for a good reed, especially whenI had important pieces to play.

P: And what kind of cane could you find at thattime?

G: As far as the cane was concerned, anotheroboist from the Municipal Theatre of Bologna,Maestro Martino Lorè, went to cutthem on plantations in thehinterland of Pesaro and in theMarches region, but today thispractice no longer exists.

P: Going back to your artisticbeginnings, around the year 1927,what other experiences were thereafter Ferrara?

G: The orchestra conductor, avery famous person at that time,was very pleased with the “solos” Ihad played and invited me to play inGenoa, at the old Carlo FeliceTheatre, which only recently hasbeen rebuilt after the bombings.Later, again during opera seasons,there was the Teatro Greco inSiracusa. I began my first steady jobin 1932, thanks to Maestro Mulè, acomposer and director of the SantaCecilia Academy, who was re-sponsible for forming an orchestrafor the radio in Palermo (which atthat time was called EIAR). He askedme to join, by doing an examinationat the EIAR headoffice in Turin, inMaestro Rosa-Parodi’s presence.Unfortunately I did not have a conservatorydiploma, so I had to do another exam to acquire it! Iremained in Palermo until 1939 when the number ofRAI orchestras was reduced (Author’s note: Todayeven more so; now there is only one RAI NationalOrchestra based in Turin), and so I was transferredto Rome, where I remained for 15 more years.

P: So you experienced the war events of WorldWar II during your time spent in Rome.

G: I must admit that I was fortunate. The calls toarms arrived very late because I was still thoughtto be residing in Palermo, and at that time I wasplaying Beethoven’s symphonies with MaestroVictor De Sabata. It was the Maestro himself whohelped me, urging the Ministry to allow me toremain in Rome after a few weeks’ training in Sicily.

P: And when did you meet your wife, whom youlovingly call Mariuccia?

G: In 1946 in Rome, when I was about to leavefor America.

P: Tell us about your American experience.

G: At that time the salaries at RAI were reallylow, so many musicians sought work abroad. I hadthe opportunity to go to Santo Domingo, where Iearned triple the amount I earned in Italy. I alsoobtained citizenship there, which also gave me thepossibility to work in the United States. Thenostalgia for Italy, and for Mariuccia, with whom Ionly corresponded, was so strong that in 1949 Ireturned and got married, abandoning the idea ofreturning to the States.

P: What musical experiences do you rememberfrom that period?

G: We played a lot of music, and I also had theopportunity to play in Cuba and Venezuela withseveral chamber music groups.

P: And afterwards?G: Once I had returned to Italy, I was

immediately offered the chance to play 1st oboewith the Alessandro Scarlatti Orchestra of Naples,where I remained for another 7 years. When thisorchestra was transformed into the RAI Neapolitanregional orchestra, I could no longer remainbecause of my previous work with RAI orchestras,from which I had resigned. In 1956 I changed to theMunicipal Theatre of Florence, where I remaineduntil I turned 65, in 1972.

P: Did you do many tours with theseorchestras?

G: Yes, a great many. With the AlessandroScarlatti Orchestra, I was able toplay in many Italian premieres. Iremember with great emotion ofthe premiere of Jacques Ibert’sSinfonia Concertante for Oboe andStrings at the Augusteo in Rome.There were so many VIPs andRoman colleagues, including thefamous 1st oboist, Riccardo Scozzi,in the audience. As soon as I joinedthe Municipal Theatre of FlorenceOrchestra in 1956, we did a longtour in the United States. Werehearsed and performed on thedeck of the ship during the voyage.

P: What great composers didyou have the opportunity to meet?

G: As well as Jacques Ibertwhom I already mentioned, I playedwith Francis Poulenc, who playedthe piano, in a performance of hisTrio (oboe, bassoon and piano). Ialso met Igor Stravinskij, BenjaminBritten, whose Phantasy Quartet Op.2 I played in the Italian premiere.Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco, withwhom I corresponded and the

IgorStrawinsky

IldebrandoPizzetti

BernardinoMolinari

BeniaminoGigli

GinoMarinuzzi

JacquesIbert

Italians Ildebrando Pizzetti, Francesco Cilea,Umberto Giordano, Pietro Mascagni, and BrunoMaderna.

P: With what famous artists have you played?G: Well … in addition to Francis Poulenc,

Severino Gazzelloni - I played in a quintet with him,R. Meylan, a famous Swiss flutist and musicologist,and then … many others I can’t remember.

P: What is the musical event you rememberwith the greatest pleasure, over your long career?

G: I remember with great emotion a concertheld in 1940 in the Santa Maria degli Angeli Churchin Rome, conducted by Maestro Victor De Sabata.For the performance of Giuseppe Verdi’s Requiem,the Rome and Turin RAI Orchestras had beenjoined. There was the young Carlo Maria Giulini inthe viola section. How many people, how muchapplause, and what satisfaction to be the 1st oboist

in a 150-piece orchestra!P: When did your teaching

activity start?G: After I had been playing

in Naples, I began to teach atthe Conservatory in Pesaro,then I went on to Parma andlastly to the Bologna Conserva-tory.

P: Which of your pupilshave stood out the most?

G: During my period inPesaro, C. Roccoli (1st oboistin Palermo, now retired) and G.Giuliani (English horn with theBologna Municipal Theatre) got

their diplomas. In Parma I remember Brianti, ateacher at the conservatory there. In Bologna,there was F. Oriani (1st oboist in the OSER -Orchestra of Emilia Romagna), L. Vignali (1stoboist at the Teatro dell’Opera in Rome), A.Negroni (for a number of years 1st oboist at theTeatro alla Scala in Milan and now in the sameposition at the Florence Municipal Theatre), andyou Paolo, my last pupil. I think I can state that noteacher can boast as many successful pupils.

P: How much joy did teaching bring you?


G: A great dealof satisfaction inspite of the sac-rifices and the num-erous train journ-eys to reach theconservatories. Thesuccess of my pu-pils repays me fully.

P: It is difficult toeach?

G: Very difficult.Not only must youteach the tech-niques of an instru-ment for which itwould suffice tostudy from books but it is also necessary to dis-cover young players’ personalities and potential, sothat they can assert and express themselves in theirmusic. What’s more, you need to have enthusiasmand a thirst for knowledge, which is what justifies allthe sacrifices.

P: What do you think of the current crisis in theconservatories?

G: When I started teaching in Bologna in 1971, Iwas the only teacher with just one pupil (Author’snote: the author!), then the class gradually filled up,until it tripled in size.Job opportunities didnot growproportionally, in acountry where edu-cation has an exclus-ively vocational ori-entation; if we considerthe parallel crisis in theorchestras, it allbrought about an in-credible recession.

Unfortunately musi-cal education is not yetseen as an individual’scultural wealth, but only as a job. The crisis in theentertainment world therefore corresponds to a

crisis in the school.P: What can we tell young

people today who want toremain eternally young likeyou?

G: That’s a good question! Iwould advise them always toconsider music enthusia-stically, always to listen tomusic and have a thirst forculture.

(l-r) SidneyGallesi, —,Bruno Bartoletti(conductor),SeverinoGazzelloni(flutist), —, inPesaro, 1956.

Evelyn Rothwell and herhusband, Sir John

Barbirolli.

ArthurHonegger

Riccardo Muti,Florence, 1975

Heinz Holliger

AN INTERVIEW WITH MAESTRO SIDNEY GALLESI38

P: What do you think of contemporary music?G: I follow today’s music very little and

sincerely, I don’t like it much. Perhaps because ittakes time to assimilate these new languages andlearn the new techniques required by thecomposers correctly. It is also true that theperformers themselves do not study in such greatdepth as they do for the classical repertoire, and ingeneral contemporaries have never been goodjudges of composers. History shows us thatBeethoven’s, Stravinski’s, Rossini’s and Verdi’s firstperformances were fiascoes. So time is the truejudge. Among the various compositional currents, Iwas struck by the style of Gershwin, an intelligentblend of jazz melodies and classical music. I amconvinced that this would be a good route tofollow.

P: What do you think, on the other hand, of thecrisis in our theatres and our orchestras?

G: I think that music, since it has to … it is notclear why … meet the demands of the market,bases everything on “events”, i.e. concerts whichmanage to attract huge audiences or cause peopleto talk about them.

The sense of popularization has been lost, somusic is a phenomenon for the élite, with ameaning which is too often mundane.

P: What role does television play?G: Unfortunately the program schedules have

worsened: very little classical music and inimpossible time slots. For someone like me whogoes out very little, how lovely it would be to beable to listen to music and theatre, rather than behammered by stupidity! It seems to me that musicis remembered only at Christmas and Easter, whena great bellyful is offered all at once, and theprograms are always poor-quality.

P: What relationships did you have with the

great Italian oboist Riccardo Scozzi or GiuseppePrestini?

G: Scozzi was the 1st oboist at the Augusteo,today’s Santa Cecilia Academy, and I tried tocontact him for lessons during my period in Rome.However he had already heard me play and saidthat he would not have known what to teach me …a beautiful compliment which, however, left mesomewhat disappointed!

I contacted Giuseppe Prestini to buy an oboewhich he made and tested. After the theft of aninstrument in Naples, I had turned to him for a newone. He gave me a very good instrument, but unfor-tunately it cracked. When he replaced the upperjoint, ensuring me that he had tested it himself, Iwas no longer able to play the octaves. In reality,our manners of playing were too different.

P: This very pleasant conversation could go onforever, since 91 years of life which have been livedso intensely through a century full of changes, trulycontain many episodes which would be worthwhileremembering.

Even going through the photographs, all bearingautographed dedications, is an experience whichlets us sense the atmosphere of different andfascinating periods of time.

We wish the Maestro many other birthdays likelast year’s, when a group of pupils I contactedplayed for him in a surprise concert, to allow himto continue to feel alive and enthusiastic throughhe music played today by his pupils. ❖

About the Author …Paolo Pollastri is first oboist in the Orchestra Accademia Nazionale di Santa

Cecilia in Rome. He received the diploma in advanced studies at the AccademiaChigiana in Siena, studying with Lothar Faber. He also received the premier prix inmodern and baroque oboe from the Royal Conservatory of Music in Brussels, wherehe studied with Paul Dombrecht. He has been soloist in thge baroque repertoire withChristopher Hogwood, Roger Norrington, Simon Preston, Joshua Rifkin, and FransBruggen. Since 1998 he has been director of an ancient music group within theAccademia di Santa Ceclilia.

(l-r) Paolo Pollastri, Fabrizio Oriani, Maestro Gallesi’s wife, Mariuccia, Sidney Gallesi, Guiliano Giuliani, Paolo Nardi.


The Traditions of the ChirimíaUncovering the past through re-creation

By Nancy ClauterLexington, Kentucky

Historical Background

hen one studies the musical instrumentsof the indigenous people in NorthAmerica, images of drums, flutes andvarious rattles are commonplace.

However, the predecessor of the oboe, the chirimíais not far away: simply look to the native cultures ofLatin America. The chirimía is a 15th centurySpanish shawm. Other Latin American names forthis instrument are cherimía1, gaita, dulzaina, orxirimía2. It is surmised that with the invasion of theConquistadors, the chirimía was brought to LatinAmerica, and it is still found today in manyindigenous cultures from Mexico to Colombia.3 Ithas a cylindrical wooden body and a double reed.At the bottom, it has a small, flared bell; at the top,a conical, removable, tin staple connects the reedonto a wooden pirouette. It is against this pirouettethat the musician presses the lips, so the reed canfreely vibrate in the oral cavity; thus the chirimía isa mouthed reed instrument. Other ancient doublereed instruments with similar characteristics arethe Chinese kuan, the Indochinese Cái ken môt, theEgyptian rheita, and the Indian kalama. 4

The chirimía is made of various hardwoods andcommonly has only six finger holes. It overblows atthe octave and has a limited scale: basically an11th, though incomplete.5 The timbre is raucousand unrefined. It serves as a declamatoryinstrument at festivals and religious celebrations.In its native country of Spain, however, the chirimíahad a more aesthetic role in religious activities. In1545, in the city of Jaén, the capitular acts recordshows that the chapelmaster Antonio de Vianaused multiple organs, brass and wind instruments,including chirimías, to accompany the choir(except during the penitential season). Though thisis typical of many Spanish churches, the number ofchirimías was so large at Jaén that they could notbe accommodated in the coro, so the chapter hadthe building-superintendent enlarge the loft so theinstrumentalists could be grouped together in thegallery above the choir. The canons thought thesechirimías would sound more brilliantly from thetribune above.6

Some of the earliest records of the chirimía inLatin America come from letters by the missionaryfathers from as far back as the 1500s. One example

is dated 1569 and was written by the missionaryFray Alonso de Peraleja while residing inGuadalajara:

We support in every religious house an Indian masterwhose duties consist in teaching reading, writing,arithmetic, and music. Music is taught all the boys whowish to learn it, and many have become skillful singersand players. Unfortunately, however, we can keep none ofthem because we have nothing to give or pay them. WereYour Majesty to order that these singers who composethe choirs of our churches and monasteries be paid, itwould be accounted a deed glorious in the sight of God,and would enhance our work with those who still remainheathen. A suggested stipend would be, let us say, tenpesos annually.

We are extremely careful to see that in our churchesand monasteries the Office of Our Lady is sung daily, andon saints’ days to see that polyphonic music is sung,accompanied by chirimías and flutes, for the Indiansknow how to sing in their own houses at night suitableChristian doctrine and hymns.

Instrumental restrictions for the Liturgy arecited in a letter dating from 1556, one year after theinitial Church council, and is written byArchbishop Alonso de Montúfar:

The great excess in our archdiocese of musicalinstruments, of chirimías, flutes, viols, trumpets, and thelarge number of Indians who spend their time in playingand singing obliges us to apply a remedy and to place alimit on all this superabundance. We therefore require andorder that from henceforth trumpets shall not be played inchurches during divine service, and require that no morebe bought; those that are already in possession of thechurches shall be used only in outdoor processions, andnot as accompaniment for the liturgy. As for the chirimíasand flutes, we require that they be stored in principaltowns and distributed for use in the villages only on festivaldays of their patron saints; and as for viols and otherinstruments, we request that these too be no longer used;we urge all the clergy to install organs everywhere so thatindecorous and improper instruments may be banishedfrom the Church. The organ is the correct instrument foruse in the Church, and we wish its use to become universalin Mexico.8

Reports of an over abundance of musiciansamong the Indian culture, whether actual fact ormerely perceived, resulted in the Mexican churchcouncils discouraging the growing numbers ofmusicians due to the lure of music as a means ofprestige, as well as the benefit of taxationexemption to which these musicians wereprivileged. A later report regarding the overabundance of Indian musicians was issued byPhilip II. In part, it reads:

Because of the cost of maintaining the present

W

THE TRADITIONS OF THE CHIRIMIA40

excessive number of instrumentalists who consume theirtime playing trumpets, clarions, chirimías, sackbuts,flutes, cornetts, dulzainas, fifes, viols, rebecs, and otherkinds of instruments, an inordinate variety of which arenow in use in the monasteries, . . . and because thenumber of musicians and singers is reported to beincreased constantly in both large and small towns, . . .and because very much of those reared simply to singand play on instruments soon become lazy scoundrelswhose morals are reported to be extremely bad, . . . andbecause in many places they do not pay tribute andresist lawful authority, we require a reduction in thenumber of Indians who shall be permitted to occupythemselves as musicians.9

A less alarming account, perhaps abridgedfrom the original Spanish, comes from theFranciscan Council of Indies inspector sent toMexico from Spain in 1568 named Lieciando Juande Ovando. Selected sections of his report entitled“Singers and Instrumentalists” read:

The Indian singers and instrumentalists who play inchurch gather together every day to rehearse theirsinging and playing, using our schools for a place topractice. We recommend the continuation of thiscustom: for one thing, because without daily practicethey do not progress in their singing, and for another,because they soon forget what they have learned alreadyif they stop practicing. They can hardly practiceelsewhere than our schools.

Polyphonic music is in vogue everywhere, andaccompaniment of flutes and chirimías is common. In anumber of places dolcians [dolzainas] and reeds [orlos]along with viols [vihuelas de arco] and other types ofinstruments are used. Organs are also found in a numberof places.

The Indians themselves play all these instruments,and their harmonious sounding together is truly awonderful allurement toward Christianity as far as thegenerality of the natives is concerned. The music is notnecessary. The adornment of the church itself and all thebeauty of the music lifts their spirits to God and centerstheir minds on spiritual things. They are naturallyinclined to be careless and forgetful unless they arereminded of the unseen by the seen and the unheard bythe heard. Because of their very tendency to forget andto neglect, their own governors during the times of theirinfidelity made a point of occupying them incessantly inthe building of huge and sumptuous temples, and also inthe adornment of them with numberless beautifulflowers, requiring them, moreover, to offer gifts of goldand silver, and to participate in endless sacrifices andceremonies, more severe and arduous than thoseimposed by the law of Moses.10

The use of the chirimía was not always sonegatively reported. In fact, in the Franciscanschool (the Colegio de San Andrés) at Quinto, thenorthernmost city in the Incan empire, the pupils(sons of chieftains) studied Francisco Guerrero’smotets and other European polyphony. The non-singers were instructed on shawm playing. “Suchhard use did the school chirimías (shawms)endure that already in 1581 when inventory wastaken they were set down as ‘old.’”11

Musical Function and Cultural VariationsVarious styles of Latin American chirimías have

been found by numerous collectors and housed inmuseums throughout the world, including somemislabeled by their collectors. Two specimensfrom the Hamburgishes Museum für Völkerkundeund Vorgeschichte were collected in Guatemala:one in Tontonicapan (in 1928), the other fromSanta Eulalie (in 1927). Both are the same size, buta description of them by the German musicologist,bassoonist Wilhelm Heinitz leads you to believeone is an alto chirimía. However, this is probablynot the case, as one is merely thicker, not longer.Both have six holes, with one of them having aseventh hole simply using a different arrangementof tuning or resonance holes. Another specimenfrom a Puerto Rican article is sited as an ‘especie declarinete’ which actually is a chirimía because of itsdouble reed. Still others are mislabeled in exhibitsin the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Crosby BrownCollection, and the Brussels ConservatoireMuseum.12

Regardless of cultural variations, the chirimíahas found its European-Indian historicalrelationship through records of Missionary lettersand reports. It would appear that it was used fromthe Michoacán area of Mexico to the Highlands ofPeru, where the Indians refer to it as a chirisuya13

(meaning “yours” instead of “mine” as in the wordchirimía. Perhaps this is a pun usage of the term.14).The word chirimía also refers to a banda or groupof instrumentalists in Colombia, particularly in thesouthwestern Department of Cauca and in the Vallede Pubenza region around Popayan. Here thename, which may refer to a flageolet, dates back tothe 14th-century Moors. Other related areas in theAndes where the chirimía are common are amongthe Guambianos of the Cordillera Central, the Paezof Tierradentro, and the Sibundoy of thePutumayo. The Papayan players are mestizos ordescendants of Indians who have come to live andwork in the city. The chirimía bands include reedflutes, ocarinas and various drums and percussioninstruments. They are heard only during theChristmas season, commencing on the night of theNovena, though sometimes they will also play withdancers or play traditional music for bambucos,pasillos, porros, guabinas and other dances.15 Theterm probably originated in Chocó which lies onthe northern Pacific coastal region. Many chirimíaensembles use the clarinet today as the melodyinstrument, while the accompanying instrumentsare mostly locally-made percussion.16

The Spanish chirimías from Santiago deComposetela and Salamanca use ten holes; Galiciauses them in ensemble music including prelude


music such as the alboraga (dawn song), dances,and processional marches. Latin American areaswhere the chirimía may be found are: the Azuayand Cañar Provinces of highland Ecuador, theQuecha play on long (70 cm), wooden chirimía.Many Central American countries including CostaRica, Nicaragua, and El Salvador use chirimías inensembles of up to eight for celebrations at largefiestas. In Honduras, they are played accompaniedby drums at the dances of the Moors and theChristians, called Moros y Cristianos17. Guatemala ishome to many reports of the chirimía. Otherlocation reports include Rabinal, Todos Santos(where a church official is the chirimía player),Tontonicapan, and other areas of the Mam Indians.18

The use of the chirimía for important politicalevents can also be traced back over 400 years. Inthe 16th century, Gonzalo Pizarro—half-brother ofthe conqueror, Francisco—hired a group ofinstrumentalists, six in all, to travel with himwherever he traveled. “When he entered Cuzco,Lima, or Quinto, they sounded a flourish of ‘drums,trumpets, and shawms’ to herald his approach.19

Even Pizarro’s conqueror in battle, Gasca—following the victory—entered Cuzco, “marching tothe sound of drums and fifes, many trumpets andshawms . . . after which he made a triumphal entryinto the cathedral, where the canticle Te DeumLaudamus was sung with great jubilance.” 20

In Mexico there are several reports of chirimíaand drum ensembles still being used today to playbullfighting fanfares, announce rehearsals for thetown’s musicians and dancers, and at religiousfiestas celebrating patron saints. At certainreligious celebrations the chirimía will be playedfrom a church tower, in alternation with drumpatterns played in the atrium below. Because of thechirimía’s similarity to the Egyptian rheita, themusic still contains elements of microtonalstructures. The tradition of making chirimía is indecline today, so existing instruments are beingreplaced by flutes or some kind of trumpet, thoughthe name of the substituting instrument mayremain chirimía.21 However in Jala, Oaxaca, Nayarit,and several areas of Michoacán, many indigenouscultures, including the Purepechan community,still perform music with chirimías and variousdrums for patron saint celebrations (includingcofradías), and local fiestas. The Purepecha Indiansof Michoacán use multiple chirimías to play inunison or in thirds, accompanied by drum.Commonly four types of music will be played: themodern corrido, a tune based on local bird calls; alocal adaptation of an old Indian tune; or a localadaptation of a more ancient, perhaps Galican,tune.22 Henrietta Yuchenco, who has produced a

recording of the Tarascan Indians of Mexico forAsch records, recalls a humorous story of herattempts to record some of the chirimía music:

“I returned from San Lorenzo just in time to hear a fewminutes of chirimía playing at the fiesta, and then invitedthe musicians to come to our hotel the next day for somerecording. In the morning I was awakened by the girl atthe desk. ‘Señora, a group of Indians were here a fewminutes ago looking for you. So many people werefollowing them! I think they became frightened and wentaway!’ Apparently they had come marching down thestreet, blaring forth on their chirimías, followed by a hugecrowd. The sight of the modern hotel was too much forthem and they fled! However, the story does not endthere. A few weeks later, two Indians walked all the way toUruapan from Cheranatzicurin. This time we recordedmany of their songs.”23

In the Zapotec Indian community in Teotitlán,Oaxaca, Laura Boulton has also recorded forFolkways an album of Indian music entitled “IndianMusic of Mexico.” The chirimía music is first citedplaying primarily at the preparation time forchurch feasts and all day long in the church yard.The other is at the time of fireworks as each handcarved figure of the fiesta which passes throughthe crowd then is lit on fire. A little bull, male andfemale giants, dancing dwarfs and finally a greatcastle, which ends the fiesta, are all ceremoniouslyignited to the glorious sounds of the wailingchirimía!24

Two photos of actual Indian chirimía playerscan be seen on the liner notes of the recording“Sones of Mexico”, a Folkways Record Album No.FW 6815. The other is from The New GroveDictionary of Musical Instruments article on the“Chirimía.”

Design DimensionsFor the purpose of comparison, three chirimías

were used for study in writing this paper: 1) thedimensions of one described in the McNett papercited from the Galpin Society Journal, 2) a chirimíafrom the personal collection of Dr. Richard Haefer,Professor at Arizona State University, and 3) achirimía constructed for myself, attempting torecreate and yet reconcile the above mentionedinstruments.

THE REED:The double reed at the top is reportedly made

of one of two substances: a palm leaf25 or the leaf ofa Bromeliad variety known as a tillandsia26. Thetillandsia plant grows in large colonies on the barkof trees and is therefore called an airplant becauseis does not grow in the soil. This plant can be foundin the more tropical areas of the world, fromFlorida to Argentina.27 Most are very small, thoughsome giants such as the tillandsia prodigosa cangrow up to ten feet tall. The plant flowers and


multiplies easily and is very sturdy. Greatspecimens of these plants can be found at theCorkscrew Conservancy (a Nature Conservancyland management project) outside of Naples,Florida.

The plant leaf is dried, smoked, and measures1/16 of an inch with uniform thickness. It must besoaked for a long time before playing on it becauseit becomes quite brittle.28 Unfortunately, at the timeof this paper, arundo donax cane has beensubstituted. It is a passable substitute, though it ismore sturdy than the tillandsia leaf, it appearsuntrue to the vibrating ease of the leaf reed butsimilar in the resulting sound.

The reed is wrapped with string on the top of atin staple which peers through a small woodenpirouette. The pirouette was often a cross sectionof a discarded spool.29 The staple is wrapped with awaxed string at the base to fit into the bore of thebody. I constructed the double reed for myprototype from contrabassoon cane. I sanded andscraped the cane to a uniform thickness measuring.80 on a micrometer. I used standard FF nylonthread coated in beeswax instead of string. Amandrel for the tin staple was speciallyconstructed by Thomas Greer so as to preventcollapse of the staple while the reed was beingwrapped.

THE SELECTION OF WOOD, AND THE DRILLINGPROCESS OF MY RE-CREATION:

Cocobola wood was chosen for my model. It hasa naturally waxy feel, tight grain, and is less proneto cracking, with lovely, dense patterns of dark andchocolate brown and an occasional streak of tanand orange. A large block of wood (4”x 4’ x 2”) waspurchased from an exotic hardwoods store inMesa, Arizona which frequently stocks woods fromCentral and South America. However, it should benoted that some woodworkers have describedcocobola as toxic, because of the vast amount ofheavy dust particles created when drilled.Prolonged breathing of this dust could behazardous to the lungs and should be avoided.Other suitable woods are: mahogany,30 grenadilla,Guatemalan rosewood, tropical walnut, ziricote,and tarara. The wood of Dr. Haefer’s Guatemalanmodel is not easily distinguishable, though it is lessdense and appears lighter than the othersmentioned above. Of course it can be assumed thatwhatever local hardwoods are available are thosethat would be used. The bore measuresapproximately 1/2 inch in diameter, and may bemade by either a drill, or by a burning and scrapingprocess. This latter process is less predictable andthe wood is subject to unwanted cracking during

boring.31 The following photographs show the twocraftsmen as they worked on recreating mychirimía. I am extremely grateful for their donatedtime, expertise, and machinery. George Wight, anamateur woodworker from Phoenix, turned thewood and drilled the inside bore. Thomas Greer, aFrench horn mouthpiece craftsman and owner ofMoosewood Hornists’ Requisites (also fromPhoenix), crafted the outside bore, finger holes,pirouette, and staple.

Though it has been difficult to determine astandard number of finger holes and pitchesavailable to the chirimía, six finger holes seems tobe quoted in most of the available research. Thethree holes on the bell seem to be resonance holes,though it is possible that some performers havedrilled more holes for additional pitches. One thingcan be determined, that the player may overblowcertain pitches at the octave,32 another similarity tothe modern oboe. The question of tuning is stillunresolved, but could be furrowed out with theproper reed material. Perhaps a trip to CentralAmerica with my prototype will someday bearranged. For now, the resulting “kazoo” qualitywill have to serve as a close imitation to the Indianexpertise.

In conclusion, it appears that the double reedconnection to the Americas is more evincible thanliterary tidbits offered in an encyclopedic articleabout European musical tradition. The Spaniards,for all their plundering, have left a treasure to usoboists, however rough and unrefined. Thechirimía is a present-day connection to the Spanishculture, and is a mixture of religion and culture.Though long since fallen from European favor, itspurpose is still very evident in the rituals of thepresent-day indigenous Latin American culture.Ironically, through the re-creation of my ownchirimía, I enjoyed the birth of a kind of living,musical fossil, and again found a new appreciationfor our modern, keyed oboe; though I still wishplants made better reeds! ❖

BibliographyGunther Joppig, The Oboe and Bassoon, translated by

Alfred Clayton (Portland Oregon: Amadeus Press, 1988)Charles McNett, “The Chirimia: A Latin American

Shawm”, Galpin Society Journal, XIII, 1960, 44.Lynn and Joel Rapp, Mother Earth’s Hassle-Free

Indoor Plant Book (Los Angeles: J.P. Tarcher, Inc., 1973)John M. Schechter, “Chirimía,” The New Grove

Dictionary of Musical Instruments, edited by StanleySadie (New York and London: MacMillan Publishers,1984)

Robert Stevenson, Music in the Aztec and IncaTerritory (Berkeley and Los Angeles: University ofCalifornia Press, 1968)


Robert Stevenson, Spanish Cathedral Music in theGolden Age (Berkeley, California: University of CaliforniaPress,1961)

Robert Stevenson, Spanish Music in the Age ofColumbus (The Hague: Martinus Nojhoff, 1960)

DiscographyLiner notes from the recording “Abajeños y sones de

la Fiesta Purepecha”, translated by Abe MorenoLaura Boulton liner notes, “Indian Music of Mexico,”

Folkways Records Album FW #8851 (New York: 1957)Liner notes for “Music of Colombia”, Folkways

Records Album FW #6804, (New York: 1961)Liner notes for “Sones of Mexico”, Folkways Records

Album FW #6815, (New York: 1956, 1961)Henrietta Yuchenco liner notes, “Music of the

Tarascan Indians of Mexico,” Asch Records Album (NewYork, 1970)

Endnotes1 John M. Schechter, “Chirimia,” The New Grove Dictionaryof Musical Instruments, edited by Stanley Sadie (New Yorkand London: MacMillan Publishers, 1984), 357.2 Robert Stevenson, Spanish Music in the Age of Columbus(The Hague: Martinus Nojhoff, 1960), 206.3 Charles McNett, “The Chirimia: A Latin AmericanShawm”, Galpin Society Journal, XIII, 1960, 44.4 Gunther Joppig, The Oboe and Bassoon, translated byAlfred Clayton (Portland Oregon: Amadeus Press, 1988),27-28.5 McNett, Galpin Society Journal, 47.6 Robert Stevenson, Spanish Cathedral Music in the GoldenAge (Berkeley, California: University of California Press,1961), 139.7 Robert Stevenson, Music in the Aztec and Inca Territory

(Berkeley and Los Angeles: University of California Press,1968), 162.8 Ibid., 167, 168.9 Ibid., 169.10 Ibid., 162, 163.11 Ibid., 278.12 Charles McNett, Galpin Society Journal, 44-45.13 Ibid., 47-48.14 Ibid., 50.15 Liner notes for “Music of Colombia”, Folkways RecordsAlbum FW #6804, (New York, 1961).16 John M. Schecter, “Chirimia,” The New Grove Dictionaryof Musical Instruments, 357.17 Ibid.18 Charles McNett, Galpin Society Journal, 47-48.19 Robert Stevenson, Music in the Aztec and Inca Territory,289.20 Ibid.21 Ibid.22 Charles McNett, Galpin Society Journal, 47.23 Henrietta Yuchenco liner notes, “Music of the TarascanIndians of Mexico,” Asch Records Album (New York, 1970).24 Laura Boulton liner notes, “Indian Music of Mexico,”Folkways Records Album FW #8851 (New York, 1957).25 Liner notes from the recording “Abajeños y sones de laFiesta Purepecha”, translated by Abe Moreno, 9.26 Charles McNett, Galpin Society Journal, 44.27 Lynn and Joel Rapp, Mother Earth’s Hassle-Free IndoorPlant Book (Los Angeles: J.P. Tarcher, Inc. 1973), 102.28 Charles McNett, Galpin Society Journal, 46.29 Ibid.30 Ibid.31 Ibid.32 Ibid.33 Charles McNett, Galpin Society Journal, 50.

The following diagrams illustrate the dimensions of the three chirimfas studied.

Ms. Clauter’s Re-Created Chirimía

TOTAL LENGTHwith staple: 16 3/8 inches


Chirimía studies in Charles McNett’s article33

Guatemala City, GuatemalaDr. Haefer’s Guatemalan Chirimía

TOTAL LENGTH with staple: 13 3/4 inches TOTAL LENGTH with staple: 15 3/4 inches


George Wight, woodworker, turning the wood and drilling the bore.

Thomas Greer, horn mouthpiece craftsman, finishing the outside bore and drilling the finger holes.


Addendum: Pitch Profiles and Fingerings of the Three Chirimías

Ms. Clauter’s chirimía overblown

Dr. Haefer’s chirimía overblown

123456

123450

123400

123000

120000

100000

000000

123456

123450

FINGERING NOTE: The numbers above represent the fingerholes (top to bottom) that covered; “0” means open.

Guatemalan chirimía studied in McNett’s article in the Galpin Society Journal(Fingerings were not cited in the article, though it can be reasonably assumed that the notes progress upward asthe fingers are removed from the holes.

About the Author …Ms. Clauter is assistant professor of oboe at the

University of Kentucky in Lexington. She iscompleting a DMA in Oboe Performance atArizona State University in Tempe, where shestudies with Martin Schuring. Formerly, she was afounding member and oboist of the QuintessenceChamber Ensemble, with whom she played for

fifteen years. She has also played with thePhoenix, Tucson, and Flagstaff Festival of the ArtsSymphony Orchestras, and has been an artist-in-residence at the Bay View Music Festival in BayView, Michigan. This article is excerpted from apaper written at Arizona State University for agraduate class taught by musicologist Dr. RichardHaefer.


Confessions of a Contra-loving ComposerAn Interview with Daniel Dorff

By Roger SorenLouisville, Kentucky

s the assistant principal and contrabassoonistof the Louisville Orchestra, my duties havealways been quite varied. Some weeks Iplay principal on an opera, another it’s

second bassoon on a Masterworks concert, and thenext week contra on a new music concert. With 18bassoon students (all of whom I make reeds for) and3 small children at home, I have more than enoughto keep me busy. I have always been serious aboutthe contrabassoon as an orchestral instrument, butnever considered trying to perform as a soloist onanything longer than 8 feet!

In 1994, I received a tape of Daniel Dorff’srecently premiered “Concerto for Contrabassoon”that changed my mind. Upon hearing the first notes,I knew this work was different. It was accessible andbeautiful, yet very exciting at the same time. Idefinitely wanted to perform this work. Surprisinglyenough, after a little schmoozing, I got the chance toperform it on 4 education concerts with theLouisville Orchestra. I recently had the privilege toperform it again, this time with the Haddonfield (NJ)Symphony under its Music Director, Daniel Hege(who is also Assistant Conductor of the BaltimoreSymphony).

In between these two performances, I gave theworld premiere of Dorff’s “In a Deep Funk” for solocontrabassoon at the 1997 IDRS convention inEvanston. Daniel Dorff now has written even morecontrabassoon music. Why is he so obsessed withwriting for this noble beast? I’m going to ask him.

RS: Since you’re not a bassoonist yourself, howdid you get started writing contrabassoon music?

DD: In June 1989, Norman Spielberg asked if I’dwrite a concerto for contrabassoon and strings forhim to premiere with the Concerto Soloists ofPhiladelphia. Norman had been playing Vivaldibassoon concerti with them every spring, and hefelt it would be refreshing to use his concerto slotdifferently. Norman chose me because he wanteda composer who’d show the lyrical expressive sideof the contra and who could write passageworksympathetic to the player while still being flashy.Since I’m a bass clarinetist, my ear, attitude, andfingering knowledge would be a head start.

My first reaction was to say no thanks! I’dalready composed enough music for oddcombinations, and I didn’t want to create anotherdead end. Fortunately, Norman pointed out thatevery professional orchestra has a solid contraplayer with no standard repertoire to play, and healso reminded me how alluring the contra solosare in Ravel’s Mother Goose and Concerto for theLeft Hand.

I realized this would be a fascinating projectand asked for a few instruments other than juststring orchestra for the accompaniment. I choseclarinet and horn because the high bright clarinetemphasizes the contra’s deepness while blendingin a colorful way, and the horn’s rich long notesmake the contra’s passagework seem even moresupple.

RS: How did you build the concerto, and wereyou concerned about balancing the contraagainst the orchestra?

DD: I was very concerned not to cover up thesoloist and spent a lot of effort working outtextures to ensure this. Many players have told methat’s one of the reasons the concerto is a success.

Concerto for Contrabassoon is in threemovements played without pause, and it basicallygoes from slow to moderate to fast and faster, likea Rossini overture. Movement I is just a shortprologue for the orchestra with a contrabassooncadenza in the middle (one way to avoid balanceproblems!); Movement II glides through a chain ofdances in 3; Movement III is also dance-based, butin 4, with a more evident jazz influence.

Being a clarinetist, I knew F Major was thebassoon’s most natural home key, so I put many

ARoger Soren (right) celebrates a performance of theDorff Concerto with the Haddonfield Symphony,along with composer Daniel Dorff (center) andMusic Director Daniel Hege.

[The following article was incorrectly printed in thelast Double Reed due to internet error. Thecorrected version is reprinted here. —Ed.

CONFESSIONS OF A CONTRA-LOVING COMPOSER48

themes and some flashy passagework in F, but theharmony moves out of strict keys and throughsharp keys, so there’s a lot to practice!

Norman Spielberg premiered the Concerto inNovember 1991; after the performance, SolSchoenbach warmly congratulated Norman forlaunching what he called the first piece that will liveon as standard repertory for contrabassoonists.

RS: Why are there two different pianoreductions for the Concerto?

DD: Many passages have thick and fast-movingjazz chords in divisi strings, and the color contrastof the woodwinds is important, so I found itdifficult to make an effective and playable pianoreduction. Susan Nigro began giving excitingperformances in piano reduction soon after I sentit to her, but I still felt something was missing fromthat piano version.

In 1995 I made a “quartet reduction” keepingthe clarinet and horn on their original parts, withthe piano playing a reduction of only the stringparts. This was much more full-voiced andplayable for the pianist, and it had thecontrapuntal interplay of chamber music. LoriTiberio premiered this quartet version at UNC-Charlotte in April 1996, and a few months later SueNigro performed it at IDRS-Tallahassee, with meplaying the clarinet part. This was scary since Ikept gleefully listening to Sue and the others whenI should have been counting rests!

RS: How did the Concerto lead to your nextcontra piece?

DD: The contrabassoon community has atightly-knit grapevine, and the internet has made iteven easier for contra players to shareinformation. This led to Mark Trinko hearing atape of the Concerto in 1995, which led him tocommission a contest piece for his InternationalContrabassoon Festival in Las Vegas. Mark wasflexible about what I could write, so this was agreat opportunity for something I’d been thinkingabout for awhile – a modern parallel to Bach’sCello Suites, using a low instrument to playmovements based on more recent dance rhythms.I’ve played Bach Suites on bass clarinet, so thefeeling was already familiar. The title In A DeepFunk popped up pretty early on.

RS: How should classically-trained musiciansapproach the rock-inspired style of In A DeepFunk?

DD: Movement I, “Hustle Misterioso” is based

on the Hustle dance rhythm. It helps to know thedisco song “The Hustle” to play this with the rightfeel and articulation. It needs the power andbounce of Latin dance music, rather thanBrahmsian legato! The melodic intervals of thismovement are a little reminiscent of the“Powerhouse” theme used in many old cartoons,and the movement is structured as a baroque two-

part form. After a two-bar intro framing the musicin Bb, the music moves chromatically from Bb to acadence in F to end the first structural “part.” Thesecond half moves from F, through chromaticinstability, back to rich low Bb’s at the end,allowing performers to milk their low notes.

Movement II, “Twist Variations,” is a twelve-bar-blues covering a lot of ground. The starting themeis a straightforward Twist. This opening should beperformed with a tempo and drive that you couldreally Twist to, (not slower!). From there, itfollows the 19th-century approach, using manyvariations to create a few major sections of a fewvariations each; there are a few consecutive loudones, gentle ones, chromatic ones, rhythmically-different ones, and so on. In live performance, it’sfine to add extra breathing room betweensections, and probably best to take these atsignificant changes between types of variationsrather than breaking up a pair of variations. It’salso fine to slow down a bit for the difficultvariations, as long as the Tempo Primo is anauthentic Twist.

The Las Vegas competition didn’t take placedue to small registration, but Mónica Fucci gavemaster classes in the Concerto and In A Deep Funk,and I was delighted to see a videotape of herleading a roomful of contra players sightreadingthe “Twist Variations” in unison!

Movement III, “Bear Hug,” is the kind of slowfeel that we all looked forward to at high schooldances. When you and I prepared this for yourpremiere at IDRS-Evanston, we jammed on SmokeyRobinson’s “Ooh Baby Baby” in the practice roomto set the right mood and tempo.

Movement IV, “Funk Scherzo” is the mostabstract piece of the set, being based on funkmotives rather than a rhythmic groove. OriginallyI thought this would be the 4th of 5 movements,but for such a difficult unaccompanied piece,enough is enough!

The outer sections of this movement should be

from In a Deep Funk, “Hustle Misterioso,” © 1997 by Theodore Presser Company, usedby permission.

from Concerto for Contrabassoon, Mvt. 3, © by MMB Music, Inc. Used by permission.


heavy, but the middle section is played on tiptoes.That section reminds me a little of the long basspizzicato section in Sibelius’ Symphony No. 2, butthe rest of this movement is somewhere betweenBartók and Led Zeppelin; and when you play it allon contra, it fits together like one world.

RS: This is the most difficult solo piece I’veperformed. Did you mean it to be sochallenging?

DD: I usually try to keep things playable andpractical, but In A Deep Funk calls for the agility ofa flute and control of slow notes in the highregister. At first it seemed like I had writtenbeyond the contra’s limits, but after you pulled itoff in front of many contrabassoonists in Evanston,it’s now getting performances on undergraduaterecitals. In late 1999, Jeremy Van Buskirk willpremiere a bass guitar transcription in Boston.

RS: How did The Tortoise and the Hare comeabout?

DD: In January 1995 the Minnesota Orchestra’sKinder Konzert program commissioned me to setany three Aesop fables for narrator with anydiverse mixture of 8 instruments. The searchpanel that selected me included educators andadministrators, plus Norbert Nielubowski, theMinnesota Orchestra’s contrabassoonist.

In choosing three fables from the hundredsattributed to Aesop, I knew “The Tortoise and theHare” had to be included since it’s very pictorial,familiar, and entertaining, and because the leadcharacters seemed very natural to caricature withmusical instruments.

My strategy for writing Three Fun Fables was topick two other stories to lead into “The Tortoiseand the Hare,” with one instrument associatedwith each lead character in each story. As in Peterand the Wolf, this helps tell the story musically andhelps educators prepare children for the concert.

The Tortoise is portrayed by contrabassoon,and the Hare is portrayed by a clarinet. The Hareplays fancy arpeggios, bouncing around in BbMajor throughout (making no progress andplaying ostentatiously in an easy key), and theTortoise has ripe long tones which do progressharmonically. It’s an easy and gratifying part thatgets a lot of smiles and laughter from the audience.Norbert got to play this 52 times on the Minnesotaseries during the 1996-97 season.

RS: What about the orchestra version?DD: There’s more use for music like this for full

orchestra than for octet, so I orchestrated TheTortoise and the Hare, still featuring contrabassoonand clarinet. This version was premiered by theHaddonfield Symphony in April 1998 with Olympictrack legend Carl Lewis as narrator, and I’m

fortunate that there are about 20 performancesscheduled in 1999, including the Baltimore,Detroit, and Indianapolis Symphonies.

Any contrabassoonists who want a warmsounding medium-size solo that doesn’t requirewoodshedding ought to suggest this piece to theirchildren’s-concert conductors!

In April 2000 Wolfgang Sawallisch and thePhiladelphia Orchestra will premiere theorchestration of the full Three Fun Fables.

RS: What led to your short pieces for bassoonquartet?

DD: In the early 1990’s I was the bass clarinetistin a mixed-clarinet quartet called Clarinessence.There’s not a whole lot of repertory for thiscombination, so I did some arranging andcomposing for us. Two short dances, Fast Walkand It Takes Four to Tango, migrated easily to SATBSaxophone Quartet, and the Tokyo-based HarmoSaxophone Quartet put them out on CD before Ieven heard a read-through of the sax versions.

Several contrabassoonists asked me totranscribe these quartets for 3 Bassoons andContrabassoon, and when Christopher Weaitoffered to give them a run of performances withhis Ohio State Bassoon Ensemble, that led tocreating the bassoon quartet versions.

RS: You also have a new duo for two contras,called Sonatina d’Amore.

DD: At IDRS ’97 in Evanston, The Two Contras(Susan Nigro and Burl Lane) gave a duo recitaland mentioned that Sue’s next Crystal CD will beduets with Burl. I never planned to specialize incomposing contra music, but I sat through the restof their concert anticipating (and hoping) that myrun of contrabassoon compositions wasn’t doneyet. By the time Sue asked me that afternoon towrite a new piece for the duo CD, I had alreadyplanned it out.

Many years earlier I had sketched a sonatinafor two recorders. It was a little too chromatic andtoo wide in range for useful recorder music, andI’d always planned to come back to re-use themain ideas wherever they belonged better.

Since the Concerto and In A Deep Funk arechallenging and for dedicated contra players tospend time learning, I wanted to write somethingmore approachable for more players; reworkingthe recorder duet sketches seemed the way to

from Sonatina d’Amore, Mvt. 2, © 1999 by Theodore Presser Company, used bypermission.

CONFESSIONS OF A CONTRA-LOVING COMPOSER50

have music that wasn’t drenched in 16th notes andthat had an innocent charm. Sue and Burlpremiered it on the Chicago Symphony’s 1998Radiothon, and the CD will be out in 1999.

RS: What about the meaning of this title?DD: I called it Sonatina d’Amore because: 1) It

reflects my love of the sonority of two cantabilecontrabassoons crooning together, 2) The manypassages in parallel thirds are reminiscent of vocallove duets, 3) the word “amore” evokes lowerinstruments, as in oboe d’amore, and 4) I wantedan Italian title to honor Sue’s Italian heritage.

RS: How can contrabassoonists find yourmusic?

DD: Concerto for Contrabassoon, The Tortoiseand the Hare (from Three Fun Fables), and FastWalk are available from MMB Music. In A DeepFunk, It Takes Four to Tango, and Sonatina d’Amoreare published by Theodore Presser Company. ❖

About the author …

Roger Soren has been a member of theLouisville Orchestra since 1989. He is instructor ofbassoon at Bellarmine College and IndianaUniversity Southeast. He has been a member of theIndianapolis and Jacksonville Symphonies andperformed with the Montreal Symphony as actingcontrabassoonist.

Daniel Dorff is composer-in-residence and bassclarinetist with the Haddonfield (NJ) Symphony, andDirector of Publications for Theodore PresserCompany.

Melissa Haynes Belton

(1980 - 1999)

Melissa was the daughter of Stephen and Wanda Belton. She was tragically killed in asingle-car traffic accident in Santa Barbara County on April 10, 1999. Missy, as herfriends called her, was born on July 30, 1980, in Sacramento. She is survived by herparents and two sisters, Sarah and Julie, of Sunnyvale and a brother, Conner, of CulverCity. She graduated from the King’s Academy in Sunnyvale and was in her first year atBiola University, La Mirada, California, majoring in oboe performance.

Missy had been a member of the California Youth Symphony and the South BayYouth Orchestra while in high school. She was also named to the All-State Honor Bandand the All-State Honor Orchestra and was a recipient of the John Philip Sousa Awardat The King’s Academy. She played oboe, English horn, and piano. She will be dearlymissed by her many friends. The IDRS joins the family and her friends in mourning herloss at such a tender age.


The American Oboe School: Its History and Hallmarks

By Lana C. NealAustin, Texas

he American oboe school refers to a distinctstyle of oboe playing that has developed inthis country. Although it has been heavilyinfluenced by various European styles of

playing, it is a unique school characterized mostimportantly by an emphasis on the production ofwhat can be best described as a rich, dark tone1 andon a management of phrasing that emphasizes thesmoothness and continuity of melodic lines. Thehistory of the American oboe school is a complicatedone involving the contributions of many individualplayers and teachers, the influences of orchestralconductors in this country, the histories of varioussymphony orchestras, and the influences of Europeanstyles of playing. Although it may seldom be termed a“school” as such, an American style that is unique isrecognized. The defining features of the Americanoboe school are examined in an exploration of thecommon elements of musical style and the reeds andinstruments employed. The American oboe schoolhas become an important influence not only in theorchestras of this country, but in the emergingsynthesis of styles of oboe playing around the worldin the last several decades.

There were a number of important oboistsresponsible for the appearance and continuity of theAmerican school. Until the period between the worldwars, most instrumentalists in the United States wereimported from Europe. Many prize winners from LeConservatoire National de Musique came to the UnitedStates early in the present century. These oboistsincluded Georges Longy, Clement Lenom, LouisSpeyer, and Paul de Vergie in Boston and MarcelDandois and Albert Andraud in Cincinnati. The threemost influential oboists from the Conservatoire,however, were Fernand Gillet, Alfred Barthel, andMarcel Tabuteau.2

After studying the oboe for eighteen months withhis famous uncle Georges Gillet, Fernand Gilletentered the Conservatoire, where he won first prize in1898. When he was eighteen years old, he becameprincipal oboist of the Lamoreux Orchestra. Thefollowing year, he became the first oboist of the Opéraorchestra, where he played for twenty-five years. In1925, he was invited by Serge Koussevitsky to playfirst oboe with the Boston Symphony Orchestra. Heremained principal oboist in Boston for twenty-oneyears. Fernand Gillet was known for his elegance inphrasing and his subtlety and control in toneproduction.3

Alfred Barthel won first prize at the Conservatoirein 1891. In 1903, he was invited by Theodore Thomasto play principal oboe with the Chicago Symphony.He played in Chicago for twenty-six years and had asignificant influence on oboe playing in the Midwest.4

Marcel TabuteauMarcel Tabuteau, principal oboist of the

Philadelphia Symphony Orchestra from 1915 until1954, was by far the most important oboist who cameto the United States from France. He was also astudent of Georges Gillet. He won first prize at theConservatoire in 1904 and arrived in this country earlyin 1905 to play English horn with the New YorkSymphony at the invitation of Walter Damrosch. Heplayed principal oboe in the Metropolitan OperaOrchestra under Arturo Toscanini from 1907 until1914. He then played one season with the Panama-Pacific Exposition. In 1915, he began playing principaloboe with the Philadelphia Orchestra, where heremained until 1954.5

Tabuteau is commonly considered the father of theAmerican school of oboe playing. He possessed amastery of his instrument, which strengthened hisinfluence on the playing of his peers and students.6 Hetaught many of the important players of the followinggeneration. Marcel Tabuteau, his students, and theirstudents are most commonly recognized as the artistsresponsible for the development and dissemination ofthe American oboe school.

Because Leopold Stokowski demanded rich tonecolors in the wind section in addition to demandingthat the players develop the ability to blend with oneanother, Tabuteau modified the oboe sound that hadbeen characteristic of the Conservatoire. Refinementswere made in the manufacture of Lorée oboes used byAmerican players. There were subtle changes made inthe bore of the instruments. In particular, modificationsin the bore of the top joint and the bell were made.More importantly, there were significant developmentsin reed-making. The traditional European scrape waslengthened, stressing the lower sounds in the oboetone more than they had been with the European reedstyle, which emphasized the higher portions of thetone. Changes in the gouge further stressed the lowerpartials. The results were a complete change in tonequality and the development of a distinct Americanreed style. The new reed style allowed for moreflexibility in dynamic range and tone color. Themodifications in the oboe themselves and in American

T

THE AMERICAN OBOE SCHOOL52

reed-making contributed to the creation of a distinctAmerican oboe tone.7

Marcel Tabuteau had a significant effect on theAmerican concept of and emphasis on phrasing inoboe playing. Tabuteau’s ideas about phrasing weresolidly rooted in the field of music theory. Heborrowed from music theory ideas about varyingdegrees of dissonance and consonance and of actionand repose. In his article “Toward a Concept ofTabuteau’s Phrasing,”8 Dominique-René de Lermadescribes Tabuteau’s concept of phrasing.

He believed that every melodic idea was made up ofunits of motion (the same was true of rhythm andharmony), and it was the obligation of the interpreter tosculpt the units so the listener would have an immediateawareness of the motion-response activity … Tabuteau’sidea of motion can best be described as a series ofarches which start with the intent of reaching towardrepose rather than backing away from it … Theperformer has several skills at his disposal to giveemphasis to the motion-response dicthotomy: dynamics,articulation, and tone color. Each of these could besubjected to disciplined practice so they might beemployed within the widest possible range of subtlegradation — from soft to loud, dark to light, etc.

American oboists, in general, emphasize that thewind should be intense and constant. Subtleties inphrasing are only possible when sufficient intensity ispresent. Consistency in support is held extremelyimportant in maintaining the integrity of melodic lines.

In teaching expression and style in oboe playing,Tabuteau used a number system involving a scalefrom 0 to 10. Higher numbers were equated withincreasing intensity and lower numbers withdecreasing intensity. This number system did notmeasure dynamic levels. It was in no way a measureof volume. Tabuteau also employed a concept of upand down inflections called “distribution.” The up anddown inflections may be likened to up bows and downbows in violin playing. In explaining this concept,Tabuteau says:

It is now time for me to clear up a most important point— distribution. So far, to help you understand this problem,I only gave you the key, “Up, down, up, down.” Now, to me,the real key is, “Inhale, exhale, inhale for up, exhale fordown.” Like music must inhale and exhale to be alive.9

Tabuteau used a combination of these twoconcepts — his number system and distribution — toteach a method of style and expression to hisstudents. His ideas are applied to an oboe solo fromPuccini’s Madame Butterfly as follows.10

Each note in this solo is given a distribution (eitheran up inflection or a down inflection) as well as a levelof intensity as follows:

Down 2, Down 1, Up 2, Down 3, Down 2, Up 3;Down 2, Down 2, Up 3, Up 3, Down 4, Down 3, Down 3,

Up 2; Down 3, Down 2, Up 3, Up 4, Down 5, Down 5,Down 4, Up 3; etc.

Concerning Tabuteau, Ray Still, in his 1987interview, remarks:

As recently as 15 years ago, I was the only oboist in amajor symphony — the major symphonies being Boston,New York, Philadelphia, Cleveland, and Chicago — whohad not studied directly with Tabuteau. Even today, theother first-chair oboists are all disciples of the Tabuteauschool. In fact, just before Tabuteau died, he is said tohave remarked. ‘The only one who didn’t study with mewas Still — but he did all right anyway.’11

This points to the extent of Marcel Tabuteau’sinfluence on oboe playing in this country. The extent ofTabuteau’s influence is further demonstrated by thefact that, at one time, as many as seventeen of hisstudents were playing principal oboe in orchestras inthe United States and Canada.12

Tabuteau’s influence on oboe playing in thiscountry can be attributed largely to his teaching atthe Curtis Institute of Music from its founding in 1924.Indeed, the impressive list of Tabuteau’s studentsincludes John de Lancie, Robert Bloom, HaroldGomberg, Ralph Gomberg, John Minsker, WilliamArrowsmith, Bert Gassman, Rhadames Angelucci,and Harry Schulman. These students studied withTabuteau, primarily at the Curtis Institute, prior to1945. Students who studied with Tabuteau after 1945include Laila Storch, Marc Lifschey, LaurenceThorstenberg, John Mack, Charles Morris, LouisRosenblatt, Alfred Genovese, Felix Kraus, RichardKanter, Wayne Rapier, and Joseph Robinson.Notable players who have studied with Tabuteau’sstudents include Ray Still, Robert Sprenkle, RichardKillmer, Richard Woodhams, James Caldwell, EricBarr, Daniel Stolper, Elaine Douvas, Marilyn Zupnik,and David Weber. In this list the extent of Tabuteau’sinfluence becomes apparent.

ConductorsIt has been suggested that the conductors of major

American orchestras were in part responsible for thedevelopment of an American style of oboe playing.Stokowski once said,

I give great attention to relative values, to balance.Sometimes, when I hear an orchestra, practically all one canhear is the brass instruments. They smother everythingelse. I feel that the strings, the whole string section and thewhole woodwind section are extremely important, and


equally important. That’s why I like to have the stringsforward on one side of the stage, and the woodwindsforward on the other side, and don’t put the woodwindsback where they are partially submerged. And I like to keepthe brasses relatively low so they don’t smother the stringsand the woodwinds, so there is balance.13

The Philadelphia Orchestra came to be praisedfor its rich, full string sound and the brilliance andsmoothness of the woodwind section.14 The stringsection of the orchestra became renowned for itsskillful use of vibrato and its resonant, deep sound,while the woodwind section was famed for the abilityof the players to blend their sounds with one anotheras well as the projection inherent in their solo playing.

Stokowski was sensitive to color, observing that“nearly all musicians feel that different kinds oftimbres suggest corresponding kinds of color, and thatdifferent degrees of pitch also give the sensation ofvarious colors.”15 He associated certain tonalities withspecific colors, and believed that music and paintingare closely related. Many of the musicians in thePhiladelphia Orchestra commented on Stokowski’sinterest in color and his association of visual colorwith tone color. He wanted to exploit fully the endlessvarieties and subtleties of tone color in the orchestra.In his conducting he would ask for tones of variouscolors; he would ask for instance for a red tone, awhite tone, or a blue tone.16 Philadelphia Orchestrabassoonist Sol Schoenbach said of Stokowski,

He was just a painter who decides he want to put alittle red here, a little blue there and he would do thingsright on the spot. He would have the bassoon play thisvery lugubrious introduction [at the beginning of BorisGodunov] and he would say, ‘Do you have another reed?’and I said, ‘Yes, I think so.’ ‘No, that’s not the color. Doyou have another reed?’ — and go on like that and I wouldend up with something that I didn’t even anticipate using.‘That’s the one.’ And by George, I tell you it really was adifferent color.17

In response to Stokowski’s sensitivities, Tabuteaudeveloped flexibility in embouchure formation and, asa result, in tone production. He taught that one’sembouchure should move away from the string on thereed in order to make the tone darker. In order toproduce a brighter tone, the oboist should move theembouchure toward the string. In other words, abrighter tone is produced when more cane vibratesfreely inside the mouth.18 Tabuteau also noted:

A fine oboist can produce as many as fifty differenttone colors on one note, just as a singer can vary thecolorings of the voice in an infinite number of ways.Therefore the oboist must think vocally.19

This points to the flexibility of the Americanembouchure as well as the mutability of the Americanoboe tone. Tabuteau also emphasized the importanceof the position of the hands, arms, and fingers in tone

production. He strove for lightness of finger techniqueand supreme economy of movement.20

Wayne Rapier, who played with the PhiladelphiaOrchestra under Stokowski, also testifies to theconductor’s keen sense of tone color. After onerehearsal, Stokowski remarked to Mr. Rapier that hewas aware of his playing on a new oboe andproceeded to list new colors that he heard with thenew instrument. Of course, Mr. Rapier had mentionednothing of his new oboe.21

Toscanini, too, was influential in defining oboeplaying in the United States. In a 1986 interview,22 RayStill, who became principal oboist of the ChicagoSymphony in 1954, comments that the principal oboistwas extremely important to Toscanini. Toscanini, likemost conductors, felt that the principal oboist wasresponsible for the tone of the woodwind section. Inaddition, he believed that the first oboist, along withthe principal double bass player, was responsible forthe remainder of the orchestra. He felt so strong thatthe oboist was a cornerstone of the orchestra becausethe first oboist is capable of determining the color andtexture of the entire ensemble.

Hallmarks of the American SchoolIn defining a “school” of players, David Ledet

writes in Oboe Reed Styles: Theory and Practice,Schools of playing are recognizable when players,

usually of a given time and/or place, demonstrate asimilarity of tone quality and style of playing that can berelated to guiding principles and methods that they(consciously or unconsciously) employ. That is, playerswho have similar aural conceptions, breathing methods,and embouchures, who use instruments with likecharacteristics, who play in much the same musicalsituation, and who therefore cut their reeds on the samegeneral pattern tend to fall into distinguishable groups. Asthese similar conceptions become more widely accepted,we may delineate, compare, and contrast various areas ofstylistic usage. Of course, there will be differences in thetechnical and tonal results of individual players, but theprinciples used will be basically the same.23

In keeping with this definition, the American oboeschool implies a distinctive set of characteristicsfound among oboists in the United States, a uniquebody of concepts and ideas held by American oboists.The American oboe school is commonly recognizedaround the world. Several features of the Americanstyle may be readily identified. There is a greatemphasis on the production of an aestheticallypleasing tone. This tone is characteristically “darker”than the tone preferred by oboists of other countries.There is a distinct concept of tone among oboists inthe United States. The American sound is typicallydescribed as full, dark, warm, and heavy. These wordsillustrate the American preoccupation with the lower


partials in the sound. It is also described as a flexiblesound. This means that there is dynamic flexibility aswell as flexibility in pitch in the American style. TheAmerican sound is described as a projecting or bigsound. These are references to the fact that Americanplaying is, in general, louder than the oboe playing inEuropean countries. The American sound has beencalled “centered” or “focused”. In addition, there isfrequent mention of the smoothness or fluidity of theAmerican sound. This refers to the sustained phrasingstyle emulated by American players as well as the“velvety” quality heard in the tones of many oboists.There is a uniformity of tone quality among pitches.The American ideal is to minimize any variations oftone color from note to note.

There is an emphasis on a manner of phrasingdeveloped and taught by Marcel Tabuteau and on theshaping of the melodic line with highly controlledbreath support. The “Tabuteau system” involvesconcentration on the inflection of notes and theintensity of the sound. Tabuteau’s students wererequired to develop the high level of control neededto vary intensity and inflection without disturbing thefluidity of melodic lines.

Related to the shaping of the melodic line, there isan emphasis on the exploitation of the full dynamicrange of the instrument. In a 1981 interview, JosephRobinson describes the changes in embouchure andbreath support that affect changes in dynamic range.To compensate for the pitch differences that occurwith changes in wind speed, changes in the size of thereed opening must be made. Therefore, pianissimopassages are supported largely by the embouchure,which closes the reed opening. Robinson explainsthat the jaw muscles are used to close the reed inaddition to the lips. In fortissimo passages, on theother hand, the sound is supported primarily by thewind. The teeth, in these passages, are pulled apart asmuch as possible. Robinson’s ideas concerningdynamic control were those advocated by Tabuteau.24

Most important to American oboists is the musicaluse of dynamics in shaping a melodic line. Dynamicnuances should always be considered within thecontext of the direction and phrasing of thecomposition.

In the American school, it is emphasized that thetongue should move independently of theembouchure and throat muscles.25 For the most part,the movement of the tongue in starting a note shouldbe entirely independent of any diaphragm movement.In contrast, Heinz Holliger, representative ofEuropean oboists, explains that he uses hisdiaphragm, as opposed to his tongue, in articulating.He explains, “The tongue just gets the reed going, butthe attack is mostly defined by the air column.”26 Thisstyle may exemplify European concepts of articula-

tion. However, it is opposed to several very importantAmerican ideas. First, it is agreed among mostAmerican oboists that diaphragm support should bemore or less constant in playing. It should not beinterrupted, as in Holliger’s playing, in order toarticulate. Second, such interruption of the windcolumn disrupts the continuity of the melodic line. ToAmerican oboists, this is a violation of somesignificance. Oboists in the United States articulatewith the tongue - not on the diaphragm. Inarticulating, American oboists typically imitate themovement of the tongue when pronouncing a soft ‘T’sound. Tabuteau himself has said, “Always attackstrictly on Taa and Tee - on a down inflection. No Faa,no Gaa, no Daa, no Kaa!”27

The source of vibrato varies among oboists, but it isgenerally agreed in the United States that theembouchure should not be employed. Abdominal anddiaphragm muscles, chest muscles, and throat musclesare typically engaged in the production of vibrato. InEuropean countries, however, lip vibrato is accepted.In the United States, most players use vibrato, and theproper use of vibrato is often a concentration in theiroboe studies.28 According to Robert Sprenkle,29 vibratois properly produced when it is conceived as part ofthe oboe tone. Pitch, rhythm, dynamics, and temposhould all be independent of the use of vibrato, and itsproduction should be independent of them. Vibratoshould originate as part of the fundamental tone qualityand is ideally produced by employing the diaphragm. Itshould be used to enhance both fast and slow notes.

The embouchure employed by oboists in theUnited States is a unique one. The goal is forming theembouchure is to produce a round shape with thelips. This formation minimizes vertical pressure onthe reed and allows the reed to vibrate freely. TheAmerican embouchure style differs from that used byoboists in other countries. More vertical pressure, forinstance, is permitted in many European styles. Theembouchure style is an important consideration indefining American playing because it greatly affectsthe tone quality of American oboists. The darker tonepreferred by American players is largely achieved bythe round embouchure. Published in 1937, GilbertBoerema’s Oboe Method30 warns “not to use too muchbiting pressure.” The author explains that “pressurewill close the blades and stop the vibration.”31 In TheMusic Educator’s Basic Method for the Oboe,32

published in 1938, the student is advised to keep thetongue low in the mouth and insert approximately one-half of an inch of the reed into the mouth. It is statedthat the chin and lower lip should be kept down. Thistechnique serves to form a rounded embouchure.William D. Fitch’s The Study of the Oboe: A Method forthe Beginner with Previous Instrumental Experience33

likens the correct embouchure with the formation of


the lips when they are puckered in whistling. The lips,however, are held inside the mouth. In this position,the jaws are slightly parted, and the lips are rounded.Biting is again admonished against. It is advised thatapproximately one-fourth of an inch of the reed isallowed to vibrate freely inside the mouth. In hisEssentials of Oboe Playing,34 Robert M. Mayer pointsout that “the lips must be formed completely aroundthe reed with equal firmness. He advises using thesame lip muscles used when whistling or when sayingthe syllable “ooooo” but with the lips inverted. Hemakes an important point forgotten in the previousmethods: air pockets should never form in the cheekswhile playing. He strongly warns against biting downon the reed. A concept of looseness in forming a goodembouchure is further advocated by Goossens andRoxburgh in Oboe. Tensing of throat muscles,incorrect tongue position, and vertical pressurebetween the lips all strain the embouchure andshould be avoided. Relaxed throat muscles, a loweredtongue resting at the bottom of the player’s mouth,and a relaxed position at the base of the mouthpromote proper embouchure formation. Theembouchure should feel unstrained.35 Concerningembouchure formation, Tabuteau said in hisrecordings made in the 1960s, “I am in favor of amobile, flexible embouchure - which will give you thepossibility to scale tone color as on the violin!” Theflexibility of the embouchure and the ability toproduce varying tone colors have become hallmarksof the American style. Tabuteau also said, “Veryimportant - avoid the crocodile bite with an immobileembouchure.”36 The crocodile bite has becomeinfamous among American oboists and is strictlyavoided.

Joseph Robinson, principal oboist of the NewYork Philharmonic since 1978, advocates exhalationbefore playing.37 This idea typifies American oboists’thoughts concerning respiration. Robinson explainsthat oboists should perform with minimal physicaltension. In accordance with the theory, taking a largebreath adversely affects playing because it results inunnecessary tension as a large volume of air is held inthe lungs without means for escape. He advocates,instead, a more natural approach to oboe respiration.He describes Tabuteau’s ideas concerning efficientbreathing. Robinson recalls a recording in whichTabuteau says, “First, and most important for theattack, get rid of the air in your lungs. Say ‘ah-ah-ah-ah” and play with the pressure left at your commandagainst the resistance of the reed.”38 By this, Tabuteaumeant to rid students of their tendency to take in aninordinate amount of air before playing. Only as muchair as needed should be inhaled. For pianissimopassages, the breath taken should be equivalent toone that is taken in a relaxed condition. For fortissimo

passages a larger breath is used as a larger amount ofair is forced through the reed. Tabuteau also said:

Of all the wind instruments, the oboe is the only onewhich has practically no outlet for the wind through themouthpiece. Oboe players are always suffocating with thesurplus of air to say the least! To minimize this great handi-cap, we must master the technique to exhale through thenose while playing in order to be relatively at ease - tocontinue playing. The difficult part is not to break your line.39

ReedsThe American oboe reed is unique and most likely

evolved to meet the demands of the above goals andconcepts. Although the American reed originated withand evolved from the reeds of Marcel Tabuteau, theydiffer vastly from reeds made in the traditional Frenchstyle. The sound produced by the typical French reedis heard in the playing of Pierlot and Casier, while therecordings of John Mack and John de Lancie bestexemplify the characteristic sound produced with theAmerican reed.40 The American scrape is typicallymore resistant to vibration than the French scrapes. Ingeneral, American oboe reeds have a longer scrape.The back of the reed has been lengthened consid-erably. The lengthening of the scrape in Americanreeds has resulted in the characteristically dark, butfocused sound heard in the playing of American obo-ists. The lengthening of the back is also responsible forincreased flexibility in dynamic range and phrasingpossibilities. European oboists often accuse Americanoboists of spending too much time working on theirreeds. Indeed, the American scrape is more intricatethan those reed styles in common use in Europe. Incriticism of American oboists, Heinz Holliger has evensaid, “For the last fifty years they have just scrapedreeds.”41

Although a distinct American reed style can beidentified, there are significant variations among thereeds used by oboists in the United States. Theexistence of individual differences in reed stylesstems from the flexibility inherent in the Americanreed style. The lengthening of the scrape of the reed,in particular, makes possible slight variations in thescrape that results in rather obvious differences intone quality among individual players.

Contrasts in tone color to the extent evidenced in thesuperb recordings of John Mack (Cleveland Orchestra) orHarold Gomberg (New York Philharmonic) would bequite impossible with a reed of French design. Reeds ofthe Tabuteau school give substance to the sound qualityand offer at least a degree of resistance (qualities whichare not shared with all other schools of reedmaking).Without resistance it is not possible to produce theelemental sound being suggested here, much lessvarieties of that sonority.42

A distinctive American oboe school appeared in


the early twentieth century. However, there weremany oboists performing in the United States prior tothis time, and it may be argued that an Americanschool already existed in the latter part of thenineteenth century. That American school, however,was decidedly different from the modern Americanoboe school that emerged in the early part of thiscentury. The oboists of the earlier American schoolwere primarily European players who continued inthe styles of their own countries prior to thedevelopment of a new American style.

Toward an International StyleIt may be argued that there is currently a

synthesis of the various national styles of oboeplaying, creating a new international school. In thisnew style, the American school is very influential. TheInternational Double Reed Society has been largelyresponsible for this occurrence. Exposure to variousstyles of playing has been greatly increased as a resultof annual meetings of the IDRS and quarterlypublications of its journal. Exchange of ideasconcerning reed-making and performance hasincreased greatly among professional players. As aresult, the boundaries between the various nationalschools are becoming blurred. Of significance in thecurrent synthesis is the tendency for oboists inEurope to use a longer scrape in making their reeds.This is due to the influence of the American reed styleand tone quality. There is also a tendency amongoboists in several European countries to strive for aslightly darker sound and to lengthen their reeds inan attempt to accomplish this goal. The exchangesbetween American and European schools haveinfluenced playing in both Europe and the UnitedStates. In the near future, with more frequent andimmediate global communication, this trend mayculminate in a melding of styles, resulting in a trulyinternational style of oboe playing. ❖

About the Author …Lana C. Neal recently completed her Master of Music in

Musicology at the University of Texas at Austin. This articleis an adaptation of her Master’s report entitled TheAmerican Oboe School. She earned a Bachelor of Arts inMusic and Mathematics at Southwestern University (1992).Currently, the author teaches mathematics at the AustinCommunity College and freelances in the Austin area,performing frequently with the Austin Lyric Opera and otherensembles throughout central Texas.

1 These terms, which are commonly used in theperformance field, are somewhat vague and ambiguous.Although we assume we know what they mean or evoke,exact definition is difficult.

2 Donald L. Hefner, “The Tradition of the ParisConservatory School of Oboe Playing with Special Attention

to the Influence of Marcel Tabuteau,” Diss. CatholicUniversity of America 1984, 139.

3 Hefner, “The Tradition of the Paris Conservatory”: 139-40.

4 Hefner, “The Tradition of the Paris Conservatory”: 141.5 Hefner, “The Tradition of the Paris Conservatory”: 146.6 Peter Hedrick, “Some Reflections on American Oboe

Playing,” Woodwind World, 11, No. 5 (1972): 10.7 Hedrick, “Some Reflections”: 10.8 Dominique-René de Lerma, “Toward a Concept of

Tabuteau’s Phrasing,” The Instrumentalist, 28, No. 8 (1974):44.

9 Marcel Tabuteau, recorded 1965-1966, France, at therequest of Wayne Rapier.

10 Marcel Tabuteau, recorded 1965-1966, France. Thistune is the well-known Japanese folksong Sakura.

11 Gordon Gould, “Ray Still-Chicago Interview,” TheDouble Reed, 10, No. 1 (1987): 53.

12 James Felton, “A Great Artist’s Legacy is Often ThoseHe Has Taught,” The Double Reed, 2, No. 5 (1980): 31.

13 Oliver Daniel, Stokowski: A Counterpoint of View (NewYork: Dodd, Mead & Company, 1982), 294.

14 Daniel, Stokowski, 299.15 Daniel, Stokowski, 301.16 Daniel, Stokowski, 302.17 Daniel, Stokowski, 301-02.18 Daniel Stolper, “A Conversation with Joseph

Robinson,” The Double Reed, 4, No. 1 (1981): 21.19 Hefner, “The Tradition of the Paris Conservatory”: 158.20 Hefner, “The Tradition of the Paris Conservatory”: 166.21 Discussion with Wayne Rapier, 7 Sept. 1996.22 Gould, “Ray Still”: 56.23 David A. Ledet, Oboe Reed Styles: Theory and Practice

(Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1981), 167.24 Stolper, “A Conversation with Joseph Robinson”: 20-

21.25 Leon Goossens and Edwin Roxburgh, Oboe, Yehudi

Menuhin Music Guides (London: Macdonald and Jane’s1977), 76-77.

26 Frederic Palmer, “A Conversation with Heinz Holliger,”The Double Reed, No. 6, No. 1 (1983): 45.

27 Hefner, “The Tradition of the Paris Conservatory”: 168.28 Philip Bate, The Oboe: An Outline of its History,

Development and Construction, 3rd ed. (New York: W. W.Norton & Company, Inc., 1975), 182.

29 Robert Sprenkle, The Art of Oboe Playing (Evanston,Illinois: Summy-Birchard Company, 1961), 26.

30 Gilbert Boerema, Oboe Method, Book I (Chicago: M. M.Cole Publishing Co., 1937), 6.

31 Boerema, Oboe Method, 6.32 Milburn E. Carey, The Music Educator’s Basic Method

for the Oboe, (New York: Carl Fischer, Inc., 1938), 5.33 William D. Fitch, The Study of the Oboe: A Method for

the Beginner with Previous Instrumental Experience (AnnArbor, Michigan: George Wahr, Publisher and Bookseller,1943), 3-4.

34 Robert M. Mayer, Essentials of Oboe Playing (Wilmette,Illinois: R.M. Mayer, 1969), 11-12, 14-16.

35 Goossens and Roxburgh, Oboe, 55-56.36 Hefner, “The Tradition of the Paris Conservatory”: 169.37 Joseph Robinson, “Oboists, Exhale Before Playing,”

The Instrumentalist, 41, No. 10 (1987): 24-27.38 Robinson, “Oboists, Exhale”: 25.39 Hefner, “The Tradition of the Paris Conservatory”: 167.40 Richard Rath, “Oboe Reeds: Styles and Shapes,”

Woodwind, Brass, and Percussion, 23, No. 1 (1984): 12.41 Palmer, “A Conversation with Heinz Holliger”: 47.42 de Lerma, “Toward a Concept”: 44.


Keyboard Technology in the Double Reed Studio

By Terry B. EwellWest Virginia University

ecent advances in technology withelectronic or digital present today’s studioteachers with an opportunity forimproved teaching techniques. One might

assume that electronic keyboards haveapplications only to the piano studio, however,these instruments also promise benefits todouble reed teachers and their students as well.Below I recount some of the ways I haveemployed the Yamaha Clavinova in my bassoonstudio at West Virginia University. These teachingand practice methods can be easily adapted tooboe and other double reed instruments as well.1

At the end of the article I also give a fewsuggestions for teachers who wish to employthese teaching and practice methods, but do nothave access to an electronic keyboard.

Introduction to Reproducing KeyboardsNot all readers may be familiar with the variety

of technology available on today’s electronickeyboards. At the high end of the marketreproducing pianos such as Yamaha’s Disklavieror Baldwin’s ConcertMaster employ fiber-optictechnology to record which notes are played, howlong they are sustained, the speed at which keysare struck, and which pedals are depressed. Thisinformation is stored either in the temporarymemory of the instrument or on a 3.5” floppycomputer disk. When stored on the computer diskthe exact performance (with all its dynamics,rubato, etc.) can be played back on any similarinstrument at a later time. Many of thesereproducing pianos are grand pianos with theelectronic technology added. They play like agrand piano and reproduce recordedperformances as if played by a musician at thatmoment. The keys and pedals move when theperformance is reproduced; in many respects it isa 20th century version of the player piano.Towards the lower end of the market electronickeyboards such as the Yamaha Clavinova canrecord and reproduce notes played, dynamics, etc.but without the same acoustic reproduction of thefiber-optic instruments. The Yamaha Clavinovahas General Midi capabilities; that is, it canreproduce the electronically generated versions ofinstrumental sounds (harpsichord, organ, oboe,clarinet, violin, etc.) that are present on mostcomputer sound cards.

Droning Pitches as an Aid in Developing Better Intonation

In an earlier article in the Double Reed I notedthat playing passages of music over a droningpitch is a great aid to improving intonation.2 Whileelectronic tuners (such as a KORG) have theirplace, tuning to another pitch better simulatestrue performance conditions. Electronic tunersmake use of the eye not the ear for pitchadjustments. Students may become quite adept atvisual tuning yet all the while neglecting to tunewith their ears. Tuning to a droning pitch,however, helps student develop the aural skillsthey need to play in tune with other musicians.

The droning pitch is an excellent tool to use forimproved pitch in arpeggios and scales. Choose aninstrument from the General Midi selection on thekeyboard that is rich in overtones. I find that thepipe organ is perfect for a drone. Play the root ofthe arpeggio for the student in a low octavearound or below the bottom of the bass staff.While you are playing the drone students shouldtry to tune their arpeggio to the droning pitch (SeeFigure 1). Students will hear more “beats” whenthey are out of tune and less beats as they tunetheir notes. With repeated practice students willlearn where to place each note on their instru-ments. They will discover tendencies of each pitchon their instruments whether sharp or flat. Forscales, play the tonic or the note name of thescale. Students should pay careful attention totune unisons, octaves, thirds, fourths, and fifthsabove the drone. Figure 2 gives an example of theextended range of a scale I would haveintermediate students practice with the drone.

I have all my students practice scales andarpeggios as high and as low as they are able toperform. This increases their performance skills inthe most difficult registers of the instrument. Idon’t worry about ending with the tonic with thebeat, rather good intonation and fluency are thepurpose of the exercises. If this disturbs you,however, you can write out the exercises with“turnarounds” so they terminate on the beat. Forinstance, in Figure 3, I have rewritten the arpeggioin Figure 1 to end on the beat.

In addition to scales and arpeggios, studentsshould practice long tones, drives, and “pitchpinpointing” with the droning pitches. In twoearlier articles I discussed a method of practicing

R

KEYBOARD TECHNOLOGY IN THE DOUBLE REED STUDIO58

long tones and drives according to principles setforth by Marcel Tabuteau.3 I will not repeat thatmaterial here, but rather I direct the reader to thearticles contained in the endnotes. “Pitchtargeting” is an important skill that all performingmusicians utilize. By pitch targeting I don’t meanthe pitch adjustments that occur after the note hasbeen sounded, rather, I am using the term toindicate the accurate start of the pitch at themoment it sounds. The exercise might includepiano and staccato notes selected from a tonicarpeggio above the drone and played with ametronome (Figure 4). The purpose of the exerciseis to correctly place the start of each note abovethe drone in proper timing and pitch. Since doublereed performers struggle with low registerpianissimo articulation, the exercise may alsofocus on the low register (Figures 5 and 6). Youshould also practice articulation precision withvaried dynamics and note lengths (Figures 7 and8).

There are many creative ways you can employthe drones to practice better intonation. Figure 9contains a passage from the Weissenborn StudyNo.15 (numbered 10 in the Universal edition) ofthe 50 Advanced Studies. A drone on “A” workswell in the opening on the study. Then switch to adrone on “D” for the beginning of the Andante.Other drone pitches can be chosen throughout thestudy. Often it is easiest for the teacher to play thedrones on the keyboard instrument and changethem at the appropriate place. In many instancesyou can avoid switching drones too often bysetting the drone to the dominant scale degreeinstead of the tonic. For instance, the opening toWeber’s Andante and Hungarian Rondo forbassoon works well with a drone on “G.” The oboeand bassoon solos in the second movement ofTchaikovsky’s Fourth Symphony can be effectivelypracticed with a drone on “F” (Figure 10—oboesolo).

Drones, Scales, and Accompaniments on DiskNaturally students will more rapidly improve

their intonation if they repeatedly practice their pitchoutside the lesson. One of the great features of thereproducing keyboards is their ability to record midifiles on a computer disk. These midi files can besounded either from a Clavinova or similarinstrument or they can also play on an IBMcompatible computer equipped with a sound cardand speakers. I have recorded for my studentstwenty-four drones—one for each scale degree overtwo octaves—that last about 1 minute each. Overthese drones they can repeatedly practice theirarpeggios, scales, and selected passages of music.

The lowest pitched drones (Bb0-B1) are mostsuitable for working on low register bassoonintonation or intonation on the lower registers of thecontrabassoon. The higher pitched drones start onBb1 (low Bb on bassoon) and progress chromaticallyupward. These higher drones are effective for mostof the intonation work on the bassoon and will workbest for English horn and oboe as well. In addition tothe drones I have also recorded another 112 midifiles with scales and arpeggios at different tempos.All of my bassoon students at West VirginiaUniversity make use of the midi files weekly duringpractice sessions and in lessons. These files areavailable free of charge on the IDRS internet site foranyone who wishes to download them. Anintroductory page describing the content and namesof the midi files can be accessed atftp://www.idrs.org/idrs1/pub/mid/readme.html.The directories containing the midi files are atftp://www.idrs.org/idrs1/pub/midi/.

I require each student to bring computer disksto the lesson. On the computer disks I record thedrone pitches, the scale studies, and theaccompaniments to solo works they are currentlyworking on. At West Virginia University, and Isuspect other schools as well, students havelimited access to keyboard accompanists. Readyaccess to an accompanist is especially helpful foryoung students who have little ensemble orperformance experience and who are oftenunfamiliar with their repertoire. Although the“accompanist on a disk” is never a replacement fora live pianist, it does afford all students—especially the younger ones—the opportunity tolearn how their solo part fits in with theaccompaniment. Students can practice with thedisk accompanist as often as they would like,without additional accompanist fees with aClavinova or with their IBM compatible computer.Accompaniments to a few bassoon solo works areavailable on the IDRS internet site, which will playon both the IBM and Mac computer platforms. Inthe future we hope that IDRS members will postother midi accompaniments on the site for use byall double reed performers.

Intonation with the piano quite dramaticallydiffers from intonation with instruments that areable to adjust their pitch. Practicing with thedroning pitches afford students the opportunity topractice “pure” intervals, that is, adjusting eachnote to minimize “beats.” This type of pureintonation is needed for performances with windquintets, orchestras, etc. Practicing with pianoaccompaniment to scales, arpeggios, and soloworks acquaints the students with equaltemperament. On the whole performances with


keyboard instruments demand that the doublereed performer conform to the tempered scale.Students must effectively master both types oftuning—pure and equal temperament—if theywish to excel in performance.

A Few Practice Ideas for Those without a Reproducing Keyboard

There are many ways you can effectivelyemploy the ideas in this article even if you do nothave access to a Clavinova or similar keyboardinstrument. If you have access to an organ—especially one with foot pedals—you can make useof all of the drone exercises discussed. In fact youeven have an advantage here because you can“accompany” yourself by playing the drones withthe pedals and changing the drone pitcheswhenever you desire. A tape recorder with a goodspeaker system can also be used to reproducedrones, scales, arpeggios, and of courseaccompaniments. I suggest you purchase a taperecorder with a tape counter, however, tominimize frustrations with finding the drones or

scales on the tape. You may wish to write downthe counter number of each item on your tape foreasy access. Last of all, don’t forget that playingthe drones over a computer’s speakers is anexcellent way to practice. With multimediacomputers becoming common place, more andmore students and professional musicians will beable to make use of midi files for their practicesessions.

Today’s double reed teachers should seek tobring the most effective means of teaching andpracticing to their students. Improvements in thetechnology of reproducing keyboard instrumentsafford the studio teacher new ways to help theirstudents develop good intonation skills. Much asthe metronome provided a revolutionary way formusicians to practice their rhythmic and temposetting skills, the Clavinova and other digitalkeyboard instruments provide new avenues forstudents and professionals to practice their tuningskills. Though the craft of double reedperformance is centuries old, we can yet improveour performance skills with this new technology.

FIGURE 1. An Arpeggio Exercise over Drone.

FIGURE 2. A Scale Exercise over Drone.

FIGURE 3. An Arpeggio Exercise with Turnaround.

KEYBOARD TECHNOLOGY IN THE DOUBLE REED STUDIO60

FIGURE 4. Study with Pitch Targeting for Bassoon. FIGURE 6. Low Register Study for Oboe with Drone.

FIGURE 9. Weissenborn Study #15 for Bassoon with indication for Drone.

FIGURE 7. Varied Pitches for Bassoon with Drone.

FIGURE 8. Varied Pitches for Oboe with Drone.

FIGURE 5. Low Register Study for Bassoon with Drone.


End Notes

1 For a discussion of employing the reproducingkeyboard in the piano studio see laura Beuachampand Barbara Fast, “Teach and Practice on aReproducing Piano,” Piano & Keyboard 19(July/August 1998): 38-40.

2 “Bassoon Lessons with Arnold Schwarzenegger,or What I Did on My Summer Vacation,” TheJournal of the International Double Reed Society 26(1998): 99-104.

3 A Bassoonist’s Expansions upon MarcelTabuteau’s “Drive,” The Journal of the InternationalDouble Reed Society 20 (July 1992): 27-30. “Usingthe Bassoon Bocal as a Diagnostic and PedagogicalTool,” Journal of the National Association of CollegeWind and Percussion Instructors 60/3 (Spring 1992):4-7.

FIGURE 11. Varied Pitches for Oboe with Drone.

THE MISSING HAYDEN BASSOON CONCERTO62

The Missing Haydn Bassoon Concerto

By Klaus GillessenHeilbron, Germany

assoonists are grateful to Franz JosephHaydn for the many compositions inwhich he gave fine musical lines to aninstrument which had primarily been

confined to bass duties in the precedingcenturies. In his symphonic writing andchamber music for winds, Haydn showed a clearunderstanding of the instrument’s capabilities atthat time. And yet, unlike the more fortunatetrumpet, flute, and horn, the bassoon has nosolo concerto by Haydn. It seems, however, thatthis was not Haydn's fault.

Two catalogues of Haydn’s works makemention of a bassoon concerto. One of these, asmall manuscript catalogue made by JohannElssler, lists a concerto for bassoon along withthe flute concerto and a double horn concerto.1

A second catalogue in Haydn’s autograph,reprinted in facsimile in Volume I of Anthonyvan Hoboken’s Thematisch-bibliograhischesWerkverzeichnis, reveals “Fagott” at the bottomleft of his list of concertos.2 Haydn made thisshort list of works, according to H.D. RobbinsLandon,3 around 1803-1804, thus after hisjourneys to London in his old age. No mention ofthe work appears in the best-known Haydncatalogues, among them the Entwurf-Katalog,organized by Haydn in the 1760s and 1770s, theKatalog Kees, compiled around 1790-1792 byFranz Bernhard Ritter von Kees, or the mostreliable Haydn-Verzeichnis, completed by JohannElssler in 1805.4

Prior to his travels to London, Haydn hadenjoyed a long and productive employment withthe Esterhazy family, working as a composerfirst in Eisenstadt and then at the Esterhazyestate. During this time, it is well known that

Haydn had at his disposal a small, but good,orchestra. For several of his orchestralmusicians, among them Joseph Weigl, thecellist, Haydn wrote concertos. Perhaps it wasfor one of his bassoonists that this missingconcerto was composed. Fires at Eisenstadt andEsterhaza destroyed a number of Haydn’smanuscripts, and this may have been the fate ofthe bassoon concerto.

Misattributions and missing works in theHaydn oeuvre are commonplace. The OboeConcerto formerly attributed to Haydn is nowconsidered spurious, and we are missing severalother concertos which Haydn undoubtedlycomposed, such as the above-mentioned doublehorn concerto. Missing works have occasionallyreappeared, as was the case in one of the mostfamous musical finds of this century, with therediscovery of the Cello Concerto in C, whichwas located in 1961 in the National Museum inPrague. One can only hope that such a concertofor the bassoon will turn up in a collectionsomewhere, someday. ❖

Endnotes …1H.C. Robbins Landon, Haydn: Chronical andWorks (London: Thames and Hudson, 1976-1980), Vol. 4, p. 226.2Anthony van Hoboken, ed., Thematisch-bibliographisches Werkzerzeichnis (Mainz: B.Schott’s Sohne, 1957), vol. I, first facsimile page.3H.C. Robbins Landon, Haydn, vol. 5, p. 325.4See Three Haydn Catalogues, second facsimileedition, Jens Peter Larsen, ed. New York:Pendragon Press, 1979.

B


The Solo Oboe d’Amore Concerti of J.S. Bach and G.P. Telemann

By Mark BiggamCincinnati, Ohio

eneral Information

Music for oboe d’amore was mostabundant in the Baroque and Preclassical

periods, in solo, chamber, and especially vocalgenres. The appearance of this literature in theearly 1720s is exclusive to Germany, by composersJ.S. Bach, Graun, Graupner, Krebs, Lotti, andTelemann. There were no contributions from Italy,England (notably Händel), or France; even Lotti,who was born and died in Italy, probably wroteoboe d’amore works while he was in Dresden(though authorship is debatable).1

Oddly enough, these Germans called theinstrument by its French name, hautbois d’amour.Later, other derivations evolved until the termoboe d’amore was standardized in the decade ofthe 1740s.2 Conjectures of the term’s French originare discussed in William Jerryl Davis’sdissertation. “A Study of the Solo and ChamberLiterature for the Oboe d’Amore from 1720-c.1760.” He states that the instrument itself probablyevolved from the French hautbois, oboe de caccia,or musette, adding that these are onlyspeculations and there is no documentation tosupport the instrument’s true origin.3

Sources on the Baroque Oboe d’Amore ConcertoThe major output of oboe d’amore concerti can

be found in the works of J.G. Graun, ChristophGraupner, and G.F. Telemann. Evidence of theiroutput has been researched in fascinating detail inDavis’s dissertation and Cevedra Marc Blake’sthesis, “The Baroque Oboe d’Amore.” Bothauthors do a thorough job in researching, from thelimited resources available, an instrument whosepopularity rose and fell within a sixty-year period.

In this paper, I will examine the solo concertifor oboe d’amore by the composer whoepitomizes the Baroque style, J.S. Bach, and onewhose simpler Rococo style turns towards idealsof Classicism, G.F. Telemann.

Bach’s ConcertiMost of Bach’s concerti for instruments other

than keyboard ones are not original, in the sensethat the original manuscripts were lost and havebeen reconstructed from his survivingharpsichord concerti. There is documentation thathe did write these concerti for violin, oboe, etc., in

the early 1720s, and later reworked them intoharpsichord or other keyboard concerti. Modernperformers are indebted to the painstaking workof late nineteenth- and early-twentieth-centurymusicologists, who have asserted the authenticityof the concerti and preserved them in theiroriginal form in modern editions.

In the following sections I will examine Bach’s DMajor Concerto, BWV 1053, and A Major Concerto,BWV 1055.

Concerto in D Major, BWV 1053BWV 1053, reconstructed from an E Major

Organ Concerto, is derived from two of Bach’scantata movements. The fast movements areadaptations from the sinfonias of BWV 169 and 49;the slow movement originates from a countertenoraria in BWV 169. BWV 1053 is generally performedas an oboe concerto in F major; however, thereexists a modern edition in D major for oboed’amore. Some contend that BWV 1053 couldoriginally have been either an oboe d’amoreconcerto or an organ concerto.4 Neither Blake norDavis examine BWV 1053 in their research of oboed’amore literature.

The first movement is in a da capo aria form inwhich the orchestra states a complete exposition,which is repeated after the B section, the B sectionbeing solo section.5 Unlike the Oboe d’AmoreConcerto, BWV 1055, the solo oboe line iscontinuous, and rarely gives the player much-needed resting places. The solo line travelsthrough a variety of harmonic areas, and at timesuses sumptuous chromaticism as its vehicle. Therange is modest, and Bach’s writing is not asfanciful as it is in his violin concerti.

The second movement is like the secondmovement of BWV 1055 in its use of ritornello.Both concerti use ostinatos in the accompaniment;in the case of BWV 1053, the siciliano rhythm isprevalent. A ritornello from the derivative aria(BWV 169) was left out in the surviving harpsi-chord version of the concerto; this section wasreplaced in the reconstruction.6

The third movement is in a bright 3/8, and theform is in the same da capo format thatcharacterizes the first movement (marked by anadagio cadential point in mm. 258-59). Similarly,the movement is colored by highly chromaticepisodes and extensive ritornelli.

G

THE SOLO OBOE D’AMORE CONCERTI OF J.S. BACH AND G.P. TELEMANN64

To the delight of oboe d’amore playersworldwide, Donald Tovey had proclaimed that theHarpsichord Concerto in A, BWV 1055, was originallyconceived as an oboe d’amore concerto by Bach.Many of the lost original concerti were composedduring Bach’s tenure at Cöthen in the early 1720s,which coincides with the appearance of the oboed’amore in northern Germany. Authentic music forthat instrument was already being composed inother genres by Bach and other composers. Withregard to Tovey’s contention, Cevedra Blake statesin his thesis that “[Tovey] based his decision on 1)the simple melody, 2) the tonal range, and 3)Bach’s practice of transposing his own works forcembalo. The violin was ruled out as a soloinstrument as the tonal range would have beenextremely limited … it is not at all idiomatic, sincefor example, no usage of the customary openstrings would appear. The oboe d’amore fits therange of the composition.”7

The first movement’s opening note in the soloinstrument is an A below middle C, the lowest noteof the Baroque oboe d’amore, and the part neverstrays below that note in the entire concerto. If thelowest note had been G, a stronger argumentcould be made in defense of the violin as theoriginally intended instrument. In the furtherdiscussion of range, the highest note in the entireconcerto is d2 on the oboe d’amore. That is usuallyas high as Bach ever writes for any member of theoboe family. The solo lines of the first movementare relatively short, similar in length to the soloepisodes of an Albinoni oboe concerto.

A two-measure ostinato begins the secondmovement in the orchestra and permeates themovement. Though the orchestral parts aresimple, the solo line is elaborate and in a cantilenastyle.8

The third movement, Allegro ma non tanto, isin a lively 3/8, like the last movement of BWV 1053.Similarly, there are extensive ritornelli and soloepisodes (ten and nine, respectively). Scalar lines,light ornamentation, and some trills decorate thesolo line.

Telemann’s ConcertiIn contrast to the sometimes dubious output of

Bach’s oboe d’amore concerti. Telemann’smanuscripts have survived, and in greaternumber. Telemann’s life span was greater thanBach’s, but his compositional output was evengreater; as stated by Davis, “This astonishinglyprolific composer [wrote] between three and fourthousand works … more works than those ofBach, Handel, and Vivaldi combined.”9 Because ofthis fecundity, it is certainly likely that there would

be comparatively more concerti. The otherimportant fact is that these works are indeedoriginal, and no speculation about authenticity isrequired in examining them. Many of Telemann’sworks are written for interchangeable trebleinstruments; however, there is only one instancein his ten concerti involving the oboe d’amore inwhich an alternative instrument is suggested. Hisknack for idiomatic writing for the oboe holdsequally true for the oboe d’amore: “WhileTelemann is often justly accused of writing somemundane music, he did have a sense for thecharacteristic qualities of the oboe d’amore thatmakes these works stand out from many of hisother compositions.”10

The concerti most noted by researchers andrecording artists alike are the Concerto in G Major,the Concerto in A Major, and the Concerto in DMajor (for flute or oboe d’amore). The first two aremore similar to each other than the latter one,though they all share a tonality in a major key andthe element of grace and simplicity.

Concerto in G MajorThis concerto is in four movements, Soave,

Allegro, Adagio, and Vivace, and it has beendescribed as “one large Pastoral.”11 The oboed’amore is not used as a virtuoso instrument inopposition to the strings in a blatant ritornelloform, as in Bach’s concerti. Instead, its lineengages in interplay with the orchestra, in thesame fashion as in a Mozartian concerto. Thetexture of the accompaniment is neverthelessalways clear and homophonic. The openingmovement’s tempo marking, Soave, can welldescribe the mood of the majority of the concerto,“a homage to all that is rustic and rural and to thegrandeur of nature.”12

The pastoral quality of the first movement canbe seen not only through its leisurely tempo butalso in its meter of 6/8. The opening exposition ofthe strings last only ten measures, and then theoboe d’amore comes in with the same melody.The melody, a graceful scale passage rising to afalling fifth and a rising sixth, is akin to an idyllictune one would associate with the English horn:

The second theme is a bit more capricious,with more ornamentation, but not convoluted orinvolved.

The second movement is joyous and sprightly,in the same type of mood as “Spring” fromVivaldi’s Four Seasons. The interplay between


soloists and orchestra is achieved throughrhythm, mostly regular in the oboe d’amore partand syncopated in the strings. Moving sixteenth-note passages for the soloist are kept simple, andthe ranges reasonable.

As with most slow movements in Baroqueconcerti, the third movement is unadorned, withthe accompaniment in a regular pulsed pattern.This allows the soloist to ornament if desired. TheSikorski piano reduction offers an ornamentedversion in addition to the original.13

The last movement is the most virtuosic for thesoloist and the most interesting rhythmically. Thesweeping downward scales sound somewhatvirtuosic, but this is a configuration not tootechnically problematic for the oboe d’amore:

The 12/8 meter changes to 4/4 in the solopart while the orchestra remains in 12/8, whichprovides a march-like contrasting theme.However, a rustic flavor in this section ispreserved by the “horn call” fifths in the oboed’amore and violins.

Concerto in A MajorThe A Major Concerto is similar to the G

Major in the number of movements, which are inthe same sequence of slow, fast, slow, fast. Thethird movements in both concerti are in acontrasting minor key. The A Major Concerto ismore of a prototype of a Telemann concerto,with less of a pastoral flavor.

The first movement is a siciliano. It is refined,without a somewhat capricious contrastingtheme like the one in the G Major Concerto. It isintimate, and more characteristic of a slowerdance movement of a suite.

Brisk rhythmic drive flavors the secondmovement. It is a virtuoso showpiece by thestandards of Telemann (but certainly not asornate as a Bach violin concerto). In thisconcerto, the solo line carries a syncopatedenergy while the orchestra stands firm inrhythmic regularity. Dialogue between oboed’amore and orchestra is exchanged much inthe manner of the G Major Concerto’s secondmovement.

Telemann makes a wise decision by choosingthe parallel minor for the third movement. Its keyis A minor, which makes C minor the key of thed’amore part. C minor is a choice key for oboemusic in the Baroque, ranging from the Vivaldi Cminor Oboe Sonata to the strikingly sorrowful

Seufzer, Tränen, Kummer, not from Bach’s Cantatano. 21. The reason is that the color notes of Eband Ab on Baroque as well as moderninstruments (both oboe and oboe d’amore) areextremely potent and provide wonderfullyexpressive qualities. There are only opening andclosing orchestral tutti sections: the solo oboed’amore plays throughout the entire movement.

The fourth movement, the only one of thisconcerto that contains no tempo marking, isreminiscent of the pastoral quality of theConcerto in G. There is no orchestral intro-duction, and the oboe d’amore begins themovement with a melody that displays a mixtureof duple and triple rhythms:14

Like Bach’s Concerto, BWV 1053, the structure isin a da capo aria form.

Concerto in D MajorThe major differences between this concerto

and the ones discussed previously are the numberof movements (three) and the instrumentation.Telemann designates either oboe d’amore or flutein the score: “A pendant to this is to be foundamong Telemann’s chamber music — the Quartet inD minor from the “Tafelmusik” — in which therecorder part can also be played on the bassoon. Inboth cases, the alternative instrument is differentfrom the original both as far as tone colour andrange are concerned.”15 The Leuckart editionprovides scores for both instruments, and theportions of tutti passages are written out in the solopart (ordinarily, the tutti melody lines are usuallynot written out in the solo parts; the addition ofthese sections into a performance are generally leftup to the soloist’s discretion). In these tuttisections, the flute part is predominantly an octaveabove the strings, whereas the oboe d’amore partremains in unison. At times, solo episodesthemselves are written 8va in the flute part.

I contend that this concerto is the weakestwork of the three mentioned so far, lacking thecharacteristics of the pastoral tone and theinteresting rhythmic usage of the G Major and AMajor Concerti. Furthermore, the Leuckart editionof this concerto is poorly edited, with haphazardentries of tutti-section material in the solo part(s)as well as misprints in both the piano reductionand solo part(s).

Concerto in E MinorThis concerto is the only one of those for solo

THE SOLO OBOE D’AMORE CONCERTI OF J.S. BACH AND G.P. TELEMANN66

oboe d’amore by Telemann that is in a minor key.Like the A Major Concerto’s third movement, thetransposing key of the oboe d’amore (G minor)adds a haunting color with notes like Eb and Bb.

I found no modern recordings or scores for thiswork, but Davis and Blake both make mention of itin their documents. Apparently, the work is inthree movements, in the style of Vivaldi, “with itsstrong driving minor theme leading to elaboratesixteenth note passage-work in the solo voice[…]”16 Blake makes mention of interesting rolereversals, where the solo line becomesaccompanimental while the violins carry themelody. The concerto also exhibits the beautifulcolor of the oboe d’amore’s low register, andVivaldian ritornelli in the third movement.17

ConclusionOboe d’amore players, unfortunately, are

deprived not only of concerti, but of any literatureby prominent Baroque wind composers Handeland Vivaldi. Fortunately, the works of J.S. Bach andTelemann are substantial enough to fill that gap.Their music encompasses a sizable spectrum oftechnical and aesthetic facets, from the extremelyricism of Bach’s A Major Concerto, a secondmovement, to the vivacious episodes inTelemann’s E Minor Concerto.

The heyday of concerti written for solo oboed’amore was over two hundred fifty years ago, andthen its music soon disappeared into virtualobscurity. This phase seems to have occurred dueto the novelty of the newly invented instrument.Oboe d’amore players hope that is not the case. Itis hoped that a revival of solo music for oboed’amore, like the resurgence of British music in theearly twentieth century, will further enhance itsmeager repertoire. ❖

BibliographyBach, Johann Sebastian. Concerto in A Major. Kassel:

Bärenreiter Verlag, 1988._______. Concerto in D Major for Oboe d’Amore, Strings

and Basso-continuo. Adliswil: Edition Kunzelman, 1983.Blake, Cevedra Marc, “The Baroque Oboe d’Amore,”

Ph.D. thesis, University of California, 1981.

Davis, William Jerryl. “A Study of the Solo and ChamberLiterature for the Oboe d’Amore from 1720-c. 1760.”D.M.A. dissertation, Eastman School of Music of theUniversity of Rochester, 1977.

Lehrer, Charles-David. “The Concertos of JohannSebastian Bach Currently in the Repertory of the 20th-Century Oboe Soloist.” International Double ReedSociety Journal, no. 20 (1992): 3-26.

Telemann, G. Ph. Concerto for Oboe d’Amore and StringOrchestra in D Major. Adliswil: Edition Kunzelman. 1968.

______. Concerto D-dur Munich: Leipzig: F.E.C. Leuckart,1967.

______. Konzert G-dur. Hamburg: Sikorski, 1962.

Footnotes1William Jerryl Davis, “A Study of the Solo and

Chamber Literature for the Oboe d’Amore from 1720-c.1760” (D.M.A. dissertation, Eastman School of Music ofthe University of Rochester, 1977), 126-28.

2Ibid., 141.3Ibid., 5.4Charles-David Lehrer, “The Concertos of Johann

Sebastian Bach Currently in the Repertory of the 20th-Century Oboe Soloist,” IDRS Journal, no. 20 (1992): 7.

5Ibid.6Ibid.7Cevedra Marc Blake, “The Baroque Oboe d’Amore”

(Ph.D. thesis, University of California, 1981). 89.8Lehrer, 8.9Davis, 91.10Blake, 52.11Karl Grebe, preface to Georg Philipp Telemann.

Konzert G-dur(Hamburg: Sikorski, 1962).12Ibid.13Ibid, 13-15.14Blake, 57.15Ibid.16Ibid, 53.17Ibid., 53-54.


The Aulos: Symbol of Musico-Medicinal Magic

By Linda Ardito, Dowling CollegeHicksville, New York

rom earliest times, music, most always inconjunction with words (sung or spoken)and/or dance, often merged with the“practice of medicine.” Moreover, both

music and medicine were inextricably bound up inpsychagogic religious rites until the ethical andscientific standards of Hippocratic influence in theclassic period. The old was not forgotten, however,as is evident by the preservation and furthercontribution of countless instances of musico-medicinal magic in Greek theogony, mythology,literature, art, and history through the ages. Ourparticular focus will be upon such instances asthey relate to symbolic dimensions of the mostimportant musical wind instrument of ancientGreece: the aulos.

To provide a basis for comparison and forpurposes of a more informed inquiry, we shouldfirst consider the primary and largest ancientGreek stringed instrument of the lyre group: thekithara. According to fable, the kithara wasinvented by Apollo. Pindar, in his fifth Pythian ode,sings of Apollo who

… bestows remedies for grievous illnessesupon men and women … [and] has provided thekithara and confers the Muse on whomever hepleases.1

Played by the more professional musician, thekithara was believed highly suitable for serving the“enlightened” aims of the cult of Apollo. The singleor double reed aulos,2 however, was characteristicof the Dionysian cult and accompanied dance,poetry, song, and drama in rituals of praise forDionysos, god of wine, fertility, and mysticism. Inthis context, the medicinal vine and its fruitexemplifies the commingling of music andmedicine. But it was commonly believed that,counter to the “Apollonian” strains that radiatedfrom the Kithara, the aulos, with its characteristicshrill and powerful sound, could draw its listenerinto the dark depths of the Dionysian realm wherethe elemental, random, and impulsive all mingle.

We are familiar with Apollo as the chief god ofdivination, music, and medicine in the GreekPantheon. All three of his realms were interrelatedin Pre-Hippocratic times, in part since medicinewas largely prognostic or prophylactic. The latterpractice was three-fold: apotropaic (to avertdisease), hilastic (to abort disease), or cathartic (topurge disease).3 Myths that characterize Apollo in

this typical “Apollonian” capacity are, of course,well-known. And the “Dionysian” side of Apollo’snature was not infrequently emphasized in theancient literature; we are indeed reminded of hisdual nature by his popular attributes, the bow andthe lyre. The “Apollonian” side of Dionysos,however, has been given less attention in recenttimes. Yes, his two-fold nature appears readily inancient Greek writings and drama. In Euripides’Bacchae, for example, Dionysos, while planning thehorrific demise of Pentheus, refers to himself as the“… son of Zeus, consummate god, most terrible,and yet most gentle, to mankind.”4

As part of our inquiry, this latter “Appollonian,”dimension of Dionysos, particularly as it relates tothe domains of music and medicine, will beexplored. In so doing, it is hoped that some lightwill be shed upon these lesser-known facets of hisarchetypal imagery and that a deeper under-standing of the symbolism of the aulos will emerge.As we proceed, there is a basic premise whichmust be understood: Dionysos not only symbolizesthe polar opposite side of Apollo’s more popularnature, he also shares the same side where, in asense, he is Apollo. From this perspective we entera more esoteric dimension of Greek thought whichpertains to the divine power of transformationresponsible for the reconciliation of pairs ofopposites which, in the end, is the story ofharmony.

Let us begin with a passsage by Philostratus theElder:

They all run together toward the singing, theylisten, and they become a wall. At one point thewall is finished, at another it is rising, at stillanother the foundation is just laid.5

Philostratus is referring to the process by whichstones are adjoining to form the walls surroundingThebes. Inspiring his commentary, is a supposedpictorial representation of the myth of Amphionwhose performance upon the “clever device of thelyre”6 caused stones to fall into place of their ownaccord. This corresponds to the popularly-heldbelief among the Greeks that properly executedstring music expressed certain cosmic and divinetruths of an “Apollonian” nature. Of course, allforms of music were thought to be driven by divineforces. But wind music was typically associatedwith the Dionysian realm of the chaotic and theirrational.

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THE AULOS: SYMBOL OF MUSICO-MEDICINAL MAGIC68

Other ancient cultures not directly associatedwith Dionysos also exploited this more popularperception regarding wind music. The account inthe Old Testament (Joshua 6:12-20) of the blaring“trumpets” that brought down the walls of Jerichois particularly striking in this regard. Consideredalongside each other, these distinct accounts —the construction of the walls of Thebes and thedestruction of the walls of Jericho — underscore afamiliar ancient perception that music of stringsand of winds are expressions of what we might callthe “Apollonian” and the “Dionysian,” respectively.Let us begin with the former account in whichstring music and song caused the Theban walls tobe built. Consider, first, that we experience a senseof unfolding time as we listen to a musicalperformance and that the whole of a work cannotbe truly perceived, nor can it be fully appreciated,until its completion. Bearing this in mind,metaphorically, the gradually forming walls ofThebes are a materialized expression of theunfolding, intangible, and “harmonious” musicalstructure responsible for their existence. Indeed,Philostratus tells us that the stones of these wallsare “eager in rivalry, and happy, devoted slaves ofmusic.”

In his treatise De institutione musica, Boethiusreminds us of the ancient Greek belief that humansare also a manifestation of the generative andtransformative power of music:

… when we hear what is properly andharmoniously united in sound in conjunction withthat which is harmoniously coupled and joinedtogether within us and are attracted to it, then werecognize that we ourselves are put together in itslikeness. For likeness attracts, whereas unlikenessdisgusts and repels.8

It would have been understood in Philostratus’day that Amphion’s music was based upon aparticular musical mode, known as a harmonia. In aliteral sense, harmonia means “fitting together.”Metaphorically speaking, the process of the“literal” fitting together of the stones correspondsto the musical process that unfolded a particularharmonia. Indeed, Philostratus is quite clear inconveying a sense of process, noting three stages ofconstruction: completed, ongoing, and early,whereby the foundation “is just laid.” Moreover,Philostratus tells us that “the wall has seven gates,as the strings of the lyre are seven”9 This clearlyemphasizes their analogous Apollonian origins inthat the number seven symbolized order andcorresponded to the arrangement of the sevenplanets of the Apollonian cosmos.10 Indeed, inspeaking about the addition of a seventh string tothe lyre Boethius says:

… a seventh string was added by Terpander ofLesbia, obviously in likeness to the sevenplanets.11

In the dual realms of the physical and thespiritual, Philostratus provides us with yet twomore analogous expressions of order. The sevengates provide entry into Thebes, the chief ancientpolis of Boeotia, with its citizens (politai) and itscivic laws (politeia). The seven strings of the lyreprovide entry into a more abstract dimension oforder related to the heavenly cosmos as expressedin Apollo’s music. Aesthetically speaking, we maythus imagine that both structures, the real and theabstract, were considered parallel expressions oforder and balance.

In the account of Jericho’s siege,12 on the otherhand, the piercing and powerful sound of ram’shorns (also referred to as trumpets), accompaniedby shouts and violence, destroyed the walls of thecity, enabling its subsequent devastation. We mightcall such passions “Dionysian” in nature. In termsof music, the ruined walls in the biblical accountprovide an opposite metaphor to that of theTheban walls under construction. This latter, oncecompleted, formed a protective barrier againstinvaders. In metaphorical terms, this ancient poliswould thus be considered “healthy,” to put it interms of bodily system. The destruction ofJericho’s walls, however, symbolize thevulnerability of organized and healthy structures to“disease” and annihilation as brought about bywhat we may call “discordant” musical elementstypically associated with Dionysos.

To better understand the ancient Greekperspective of the medical aspect of music, let usconsider their notion of discord. Discord was, infact, commonly equated with disease. The Strangerin Plato’s Sophist, for example, says to Theaetetus,“Perhaps you have never reflected that disease anddiscord are the same.”13 He then defines discord as“… a dissolution of kindred elements, originating insome disagreement.”14

Discordant as well as harmonious forces werebelieved to influence human health. Dionysos isidentified with the former in the Bacchae, wherePentheus says to Cadmus:

Take your hands off me! Go worship yourBacchus, but do not wipe your madness off on me… As for the rest of you, go and scour the city forthat effeminate stranger, the man who infects ourwomen with the strange disease and pollutes ourbeds.15

The Phrygian harmonia or musical mode,typically identified with Dionysos, was commonlyassociated with discord.16 Boethius in his treatiseDe institutione musica, asks:


Who does not know that Pythagoras, byperforming a spondee, restored a drunkadolescent of Taormina incited by the sound ofthe Phrygian mode to a calmer and morecomposed state?17

Let us now investigate the “lighter” side ofDionysos, particularly as he was identified withApollo and with the concept of order. First, wemust briefly revisit Apollonian Thebes. In theBacchae, Pentheus, disguised in Maenad clothesand now under the spell of Dionysos, sees twocities of Thebes, each one with seven gates. Thismetaphor places Dionysos alongside Apollo. Also,recall that in the Amphion myth, music plays adirect and primary role in relation to theconstruction of the Theban walls. This tale waswell-known in its day and we may thus infer that inPentheus’ vision, it is now Dionysian music that isresponsible for the construction of the walls to thisparallel city of Thebes. Such music would thushave been regarded as comparable to that ofApollo’s divinely inspired and orderly music,particularly given that the number of gates remainsat seven. In terms of music, therefore, theDionysian stands alongside the Apollonian,signifying the equally important “other” side of theharmonic whole, in much the same way as Platospoke of music and gymnastics:

… [these] are two parts which I would saysome god gave to mankind … for the service ofthe high-spirited principle and the love ofknowledge in them—not for the soul and the bodyexcept incidentally, but for the harmoniousadjustment of these two principles by the properdegree of tension and relaxation of each.18

Music of the aulos was thought to provide anecessary medicine for “harmonious adjustment”in certain instances. Boethius, in referring to anancient tradition, asks:

Why is it that mourners, even though in tears,turn their very lamentations into music? This ismost characteristic of women, as though thecause for weeping might be made sweeterthrough song. Among the ancients it was even thecustom that music of the aulos led the processionof mourners…19

The aulos is pointedly juxtaposed with thekithara in the popular tale of Apollo and Marsyas, adetailed recounting of which is given by DiodorusSiculus. Marsyas had become so proud of hismastery upon the newly-found magical aulosinvented by Athena that he entered a musicalcontest against Apollo, master of the lyre. Duringthe duel, Apollo declared that either he andMarsyas be independently required to combinetheir voices with their technique upon their

instruments or that neither should use his mouthbut only his hands. Marsyas was, of course,defeated. And the bad news did not end there forMarsyas. Apollo, though he had won the contest,had become — as Diodorus put it ” “somewhatembittered” by their earlier quarrel. So Apollo, thegod of light and reason, flayed Marsyas alive.20

From this we learn of the generally-held beliefamong the ancients in the virtures of string musicover that of winds. One need only refer to thepassage from Plato’s Republic where Adimantussays to Glaucon:

We are not innovating, my friend, in preferringApollo and the instruments of Apollo to Marsyasand his instruments.21

And when speaking about instrumental andvocal music, Aristotle in his Politics recallsMusaeus’ declaration that “song is man’s sweetestjoy.”22 But there is more to Diodorus’ recounting ofthe myth of Apollo and Marsyas which continuesto be largely ignored. Apollo is said to have beenimmediately remorseful at having killed Marsyasand proceeds to break the strings of his lyre.23

Indeed, we are told that Apollo “laid away both thelyre and the pipes as a votive offering in the cave ofDionysos.24 Though instances that would havecalled for both lyres and auloi to sound at the sametime in a musical performance is believed to havebeen “exceptional,”25 this symbolic act ac-knowledges the proper place of the Dionysianalongside the Apollonian as its inherentcounterpart in the divine and primeval duality ofmusic. Moreover, Apollo and Dionysos are pairedicons symbolizing the fundamental unityunderlying all music.

To better understand dimensions of Dionysos’“Apollonian” side with respect to healing andmusic, we will now consider the aulos in relation totwo of his popular symbols: the thyrsos andhorned animals, most noteably the bull. Thethyrsos of Dionysos is analogous to Apollo’sshepherd’s staff. It symbolized restoration from illsand, by its phallic association, signified the life-force. A reference to the magico-medicinal aspectof the thyrsos is found in the Bacchae where theMessenger, attempting to explain what he haswitnessed, says to Pentheus:

One woman struck her thyrsos against a rockand a fountain of cool water came bubbling up.Another drove her fennel in the ground, andwhere it struck the earth, at the touch of god, aspring of wine poured out … Pure honey spurted,streaming, from their wands. If you had beenthere and seen these wonders for yourself, youwould have … prayed to the god you now deny.26

Characteristically surmounted by a pine cone,


the thrysos was a popular symbol of vitality,fertility, healing, and renewal. The last of theseaspects is analogous to the symbolic resurrectionof Dionysos after he was brutally torn to pieces bythe Titans. And the twice-born Dionysos is asymbol of immortaility as is the cone from theevergreen pine which was sought after for itssupposed apotropaic qualities.27

Medicine and music indeed commingle in thesymbolism of the thyrsos. In the following passageby Plutarch, musical winds and the thyrsos areinterrelated and parallel symbols of power andtransformation:

… the epithet applied to Dionysos among theArgives is “Son of the Bull.” They call him out ofthe water by the sound of trumpets, at the sametime casting into the depths a lamb as an offeringto the Keeper of the Gate. The trumpets theyconceal in Bacchic wands, as Socrates has statedin his treatise on The Holy Ones.28

The term “trumpet” was often used to indicateany blown pipe. In Plutarch’s passage, Dionysos iscalled out of the water by the sound of trumpetsthat are said to be hidden in the thyrsoi of thedionysian worshipers. This may be a metaphor forthe relatedness of the aulos and the thyrsos interms of their material make-up in that both wereoften made of reed.29 In fact, the most rudimentarywind instrument was the reedpipe, undoubtedlyinspired by the sound of wind blowing through thereeds. One scholar suggests that the popularity ofthe aulos in Boeotia over other parts of Greece maybe due to “the particularly fine reeds growing in themarshy plains of Orchomenos.”30 In fact, in Pindar’sPythian ode which praises Midas of Akragas aswinner of the aulos competition, Orchomenos isalluded to as the region where the reeds of theauloi grow:

The goddess invented it, but invented it formortals to have, and she called it the tune of manyheads, famous reminder of contest where peopleflock, the tune that often passes through the thinbronze and the reeds which grow by the Graces’city31 of beautiful dancing places in the precinct ofKephisos’ daughter,32 faithful witnesses ofdancers.33

Though reeds can be regarded as fragile, theirflexibility symbolizes strength and endurance aswell. Babrius’ fable, The Oak and the Reeds, is anexample of the latter; though the wind uproots agreat oak tree, sending it down the river, the reed,by its flexibility and yielding remains undisturbed.

By blowing into the opening of a broken reed,the sound of the simple reedpipe is produced. Theaulos and the thyrsos, both often made from theonce-living reed, are again reminders of the

resurrection of Dionysos. New life is breathed intothe dead reeds as they become the aulos and thethyrsos. And with respect to the aulos, the aspectof breath is quite literal.

The most basic and oldest form of the aulosproper14 resembled a shepherd’s pipe. In thisconnection, the aulos is a symbol of protection.Protection is apotropaic and both aulos andthyrsos are symbols of this. Indeed, the thyrsos,like Apollo’s shepherd’s staff, was at once aninstrument of protection and a weapon against wildbeasts. The messenger, recounting for Pentheusthe miracle workings of the Maenad women quotesone of them as having cried out:

Hounds who run with me, men are hunting usdown! Follow, follow me! Use your wands forweapons.35

In addition to the already cited passage byPlutarch, yet another musical and medicinaldimension of the thyrsos is alluded to in theBacchae where Cadmus declares to Eeiresias:

I could dance night and day, untiringly beatingthe earth with my thyrsos! And how sweet it is toforget my old age.36

Indeed, parallel to the symbolism of the aulos isthe musico-medicinal thyrsos. Its pounding rhythmas it beats the earth is a metaphor for thegenerative forces of the life pulse that enable thewhirling dance of life itself—in this, there is no oldage.

Let us now briefly consider symbolicdimensions of the bull and other horned animals inrelation to the aulos. Joseph Campbell, in The Herowith a Thousand Faces, says that tragic katharsis,whereby the emotions of the spectator of tragedyare purged or purified by his/her experience of pityand terror, corresponds to an earlier ritualkatharsis which he describes as

… a purification of the community from taintsand poisons of the past year, the old contagion ofsin and death.37

Alongside apotropaic medicine, was thecathartic or purgative. Indeed, impurity, on anyconceivable level, was a serious evil that requiredpurgative treatment. As Aristotle tells us, musiccould serve purgation.38 In earlier times, suchhealing was bound up in ritual katharsis and foundexpression in the festival and mystery play ofDionysos as bull-god. His chief attendants were theBaccantes—women who uttered wild cries,performing upon auloi, rhombs or bull-roarers,39

hand-held drums, rattles, cymbals (kumbala) andclappers (krotala). These were the musicalinstruments accompanying the frenzied rituals ofthe Bacchic mysteries.40 According to musicologistCurt Sachs, the sound of auloi … could be as shrill


and exciting as the sound of their relatives, the bagpipesof modern Scotch regiments.41

After between the sixth and the fourth centuriesB.C.E., the aulos and solo song were introduced toaccompany the dithyramb in such rites. Originallysung solely by a chorus, the dithyramb (from theGreek dithyrambos) was a passionate song thathonored Dionysos. It was analogous to the paean, asong in praise of the god Apollo.

In addition to reed material, auloi were made ofanimal horn and, played in pairs (in a V shape),they no doubt symbolized the horns of the livinganimal who bore them, such as the Dionysian bull.42

Among the oldest symbols of power, traceable intothe remote past, animal horns were thought topossess the very life force of the sacrificed animal.Thus, the music that emanated from auloi or otherwind instruments made of horn was thought topossess the very essence of the divine bull-godDionysos. As with all sound, this musical and deificmist was thought to penetrate the very soul of thelistener. Inded, Plato defines sound as

“ a blow which passes through the ears, and istransmitted by means of the air, the brain, and theblood, to the soul …41

Such musical penetration was thus consideredsacred in much the same way as the infiltrationthroughout the physical body of ingested raw fleshthat had been torn from the sacrificial bull of theDionysian rite. Both activities were believed tobring about the dispersion of the deities’ essence,the former in the spiritual realm, the latter in thephysical. The drums, too, echoed Dionysos’ spiritin that they were typically made from bull’s hidewhich was stretched over a wooden hoop.

Finally, let us briefly reflect upon Dionysos’primary symbols: aulos, wine, thyrsos, and animalhorn. In a sense, is it not possible to regard them asparallel to Apollo’s symbols: kithara, laurel,shepherd’s staff, and wolf? Do we not see that thehealing powers of the divine deities Apollo andDionysos were, from the Greek standpoint, thehealing powers of nature and of its pharmacy ofmedicinal plants, herbs and the like? Indeed, weknow that the mysteries were rooted in theprehistory of nature-worship and vegetation-magic.And Dionysos and the aulos were symbolicallyrelated to the horn of plenty, or cornucopia; withits mouth faced upwards, it was a symbol offruitfulness and the bountiful gifts from the gods tomortals. As mentioned earlier, the paean and thedithyramb were both songs of honor and praise.The first to the god Apollo, icon of the light of day,the second to Dionysos, god of the darkness ofnight. Together, these gods symbolize the infinitecycle of life. Indeed, Apollo and Dionysos are

paired archetypes of the life force which wasunderstood to vibrate in all things, including theirrespective musical instruments, the kithara and theaulos, which, when sounded, were believed to besacred vessels from which mortals may drink ofthe potent and eternal power of the music of thespheres. I leave the reader with a passage from TheNatural History of Pliny the Elder:

That the world thus framed, in a continual andincessant circuit, with unspeakable swiftnessturneth round about in the space of four andtwenty hours, the rising and setting ordinarily ofthe sun hath left clear and doubtless. Now,whether it being in height infinite, and thereforethe sound of so huge a frame, while it is whirledabout, and never resteth in that revolution,cannot be heard with our ears, I cannot so easilyresolve and pronounce no more I assure you, thanI may a vouch the ringing of the stars that aredriven about herewith, and rule with all their ownspheres: or determine, that as the heaven moveth,it doth represent indeed a pleasant and incrediblesweet harmony both day and night: although to uswithin, it seemeth to pass in silence.44

Footnotes1 Pindar, Pythian Ode, trans. William H. Race, ed. G. P.Goold, Loeb Classical Library (Cambridge, Mass.: HarvardUniversity Press, 1997), Vol. 1, 5.64, 307.2 It is uncertain whether the aulos was typically played as asingle or double reed instrument. See D. J. Blaikley, “Flute,”Grove’s Dictionary of Music and Musicians, 3rd edn., ed. H. C.Colles, 5 Vols. (New York: The Macmillan Co., 1944), Vol. 2,260. With respect to this question, Blaikley cites thefollowing reference: Catalogue of the BrusselsConservatoire of Music, vol. i, 432; iii, 294; he also names M.V. Mahillon as one who has studied this questionextensively and who has determined, from what can bediscerned in painting and sculpture, that both the aulosand the tibia were played with the double reed.

3 For futher details on each category and on Pre-Hippocratic medicine in general, see Fielding H. Garrison’schapter, “Greek Medicine Before Hippocrates,” in History ofMedicine, 3rd edn. (Philadelphia: W. B. Saunders Co., 1921),71-96,4 Euripides, The Baccae, trans William Arrowsmith, in TheComplete Greek Tragedies, Centennial Edn., eds. DavidGrene and Richmond Lattimore, 4 Vols (Chicago: TheUniversity of Chicago Press, 1958; Vol. 4 publ., 1992), 860-61.5 Philostratus the Elder, IImagines, trans. Arthur Fairbanks,ed. G. P. Goold, Loeb Classical Library (Cambridge, Mass.:Harvard University Press, 1931), I.10, 310K. 12-14.6 Ibid., I.10, 309K. 1.7 Philostratus the Elder, op. cit., I.10, 310K. 17-18.8 Boethius, Fundamentals of Music, trans. Calvin M. Bower,ed. Claude V. Palisca (New Haven: Yale University Press,1989), I:180, 2.


9 Philostratus the Elder, op. cit., I.10, 310K. 16-17.10 The number seven was considered sacred. In thiscontext, and in addition to those symbols alreadymentioned, Flora R. Levin names the seven sages, theseventh day of the month Bysios (Apollo’s birthday), andthe seven vowels of the Greek language which, as quotedfrom Nicomachus, “are not to be spoken aloud by wisemen.” See Flora R. Levin, trans. and commentary, TheManual of Harmonics of Nicomachus the Pythagorean (GrandRapids: Phanes Press, 1994), 74, 194.11 Boethius, op. cit., I:206, 31.12 The precise dating of this incident has not beenestablished archeologically, though the last half of thefourteenth century B.C.E. has been suggested. For a goodand conside overview of the Jericho of biblical times, seeLawrence E. Toombs, “Jericho,” Harper’s Bible Dictionary,Pual J. Achtemeier, gen. ed. with the Society of BiblicalLiterature, ed. John B. Shopp. New York: HarperCollinsPublishers, 1985, 458-61. Toombs includes the followingbibliographic references: Kenyon, K.M. Digging up Jericho.New York: Praeger, 1957 and Kenyon, K.M., g. Foerster, G.Bacchi, and E. Nezer. “Jerico,” in Encyclopedia ofArchaeological Excavations in the Holy Land. Vol. 2.Jerusalem: Masada, 1970, 550-75. The more commonlyaccepted date is around 1200 B.C.E.13 Plato, Sophist, trans F. M. Cornford, The CollectedDialogues of Plato, eds. Edith Hamilton and HuntingtonCairns, Bollingen Series LXXI (Princeton, N.J.: PrincetonUniversity Press, 1963), 228a.14 Ibid., 228a.15 Euripides, op. cit., 343-5416 Early pipes had three or four holes and were thusrestricted to one of three modes, each of which spanned adiatonic fourth: Dorian (with the semi-tone at the bottom),Phrygian (semi-tone in the middle) and Lydian (semi-toneat the top). From the fifth century the added number offingerholes made the use of any of the three modespossible. For further details see Curt Sachs, The History ofMusical Instruments (New York: W. W. Norton & Co., Inc.,1940), 138-40.17 Boethius, op. cit., I:185, 5.18 Plato, Republic, trans. Paul Shorey, The CollectedDialogues of Plato, eds. Edith Hamilton and HuntingtonCairns, Bollingen Series LXXI (Princeton, N.J.: PrincetonUniversity Press, 1963), III.411e.19 Boethius then quotes from Statius’ Thebias 6.120-21. SeeBoethius, op. cit., I:186, 8.20 In some versions, Apollo fastened Marsyas’ skin to a treenear the river in Phrygia that bears his name.21 Plato, Rep. III. 399e.22 Aristotle, Politics, trans. H. Rackham, ed. G.P. Goold, LoebClassical Library, 23 Vols. (Cambridge, Mass.: HarvardUniversity Press, 1932), Vol. XXI, VIII, iv. 2; As stated by H.Rackham, Musaeus was “a semi-legendary bard, to whom anumber of oracular verses that were current wereattributed.”23 Some accounts say Apollo turned Marsyas, himself, intothat flowing Phrygian river and that the river was formedfrom the tears of nymphs and satyrs who mournedMarsyas’ death.

24 Diodorus Siculus, Diodorus of Sicily, trans. C.H. Oldfather,ed. G.P. Goold, Loeb Classical Library, 12 Vols. (Cambridge,Mass.: Cambridge University Press, 1935), Vol. II, III. 59.625 See Warren D. Anderson, Music and Musicians in AncientGreece (Ithaca: Cornell University Press, 1994), AppendixA.7, 183.26 Euripides, op. cit., 703-13.27 In fact, the use of pine cones in coffins and at cemeteriesstems from the traditional belief that they could preservethe body from corruption.28 Plutarch, “Isis and Osiris,” Moralia, trans. Frank ColeBabbitt, eds. T. E. Page, E. Capps, L. A. Post, W. H. D. Rouse,E. H. Warmington, The Loeb Classical Library, 15 vols.(Cambridge, Mass.: Harvard University Press, 1936), V.364F, 85.29 See Theophrastus, Enquiry into Plants, I.IV.xi; a thoroughaccount of reeds in terms of making pipes is given.30 E. Guhl and W. Koner, The Greeks: Their Life and Customs(London: Senate, 1994), 207.31 Orchomenos.32 The nymph Kopais.33 Pindar, op. cit., 12.22-7.34 The aulos initially had only three or four holes. Later,Diodoros of Thebes added to the number. In addition toreed, the aulos was made from the wood of box or laurel,the bones of the hart, and ivory. For more details see E.Guhl and W. Koner, op. cit., 207.35 Euripides, op. cit., 731-33.36 Ibid., 188-90.37 Joseph Campbell, The Hero with a Thousand Faces,Bolingen Series XVII (Princeton: Princeton University Press,1949), 26.38 See Aristotle, op. cit., VIII. vii. 4.39 A bull-roarer consists of a wooden piece, oval orrectangular in shape. The upper end is attached to a string.When swung in a circular motion, it revolves on its ownaxis and, with increasing speed, produces a great variety ofsounds.40 These instruments were also used in the worship ofother deities from Asia Minor, including Rhea and Cybele.Like the aulos, they were considered exotic. Some wereimports from Phrygia.41 Curt Sachs, The History of Musical Instruments (New York:W. W. Norton & Co., Inc., 1940), 138.42 Horns were also likened to the “horned” moon, alsoassociated with Dionysos.43 Plato, Tim. 67b.44 Pliny the Elder, “The Music of the Spheres,” in TheNatural History, trans. Philemon Holland, ed. Paul Turner(New York: McGraw-Hill, 1962) Book 2, 24.


Oboe Recording Reviews

By Jeanne BelfyBoise, Idaho

A Guide to Classic Oboe Studies. Marilyn Zupnik, oboe. DLM Records, 1998.

DLM Records, P.O. Box 72, Excelsior, MN [email protected].

Of all the CDs backed up for review on mydesk, the one that intrigues me the most isMarilyn Zupnik’s A Guide to Classic Oboe Etudes.The sixty-minute collection includes repre-sentative examples from the Barret OboeMethod, Brod’s 20 Etudes et 6 Grandes Sonates,and Ferling’s 48 Exercises for Oboe, Op. 31. Notonly does Ms. Zupnik perform thirty of theseetudes to perfection, but she has written awonderfully direct and meaningful printed textto accompany them. Together, these materialsoffer students a model to which they mayaspire, as well as a number of precisesuggestions about phrasing, intonation, andinterpretation. They further offer older players,myself included, a fresh look at well-wornteaching tools.

The recording is artistically conceived fromstart to finish. After playing the simple, wistfulBarret #26, Marilyn Zupnik begins her spokencommentary, addressing issues of generalpreparation that reinforce but do not merelyrepeat the text in her accompanying booklet.With the comfortable ease of an experiencedteacher, she points out the basic necessities oftechnique and musicianship on the oboe. Hercontralto speaking voice is pleasant andconvincing, her slight Minnesota accent isadorable. Marilyn Zupnik is in her nineteenthyear as principal oboist with the MinnesotaOrchestra, having begun the instrument as apupil of her father, Robert Zupnik, who wasassistant principal in the Cleveland Orchestrafor thirty-one years. She continued her trainingwith John Mack and Elden Gatwood , andgraduated from Curtis under John de Lancie,who has written a foreward for the disc’s book-let. His essay underlines the particular value ofthe three methods chosen for this project inhelping oboists achieve the various skillsneeded for successful performance. I was struckby the simple truth, probably often overlooked,in de Lancie’s statement about Barret, Brod andFerling: “These men’s lives encompassed themusical life of the 19th century from Beethovento Brahms, and these Etudes reflect the

demands the great composers of their timeplaced on the oboe’s role in the orchestra.”

The statement is illuminated by briefbiographical essays which introduce thecomposers before each of the etude sections onthe recording. Then Zupnik writes aconversational discussion of each etudeperformed, starting with Barret articulationstudy #1. She explains how and why thearticulation studies appear in the Method andgives detailed comments on phrasing, dynamics,and articulation. Practice ideas and intonationconcerns are also touched upon. Her approachis positively educational, asking the student toapply ideas learned earlier to new situations andleaving open the possibility of alternate choices.

This pattern continues through studies 5, 9,and 10. As she presents selected “ProgressiveMelodies,” her spoken and written com-mentaries show the insights gained from manyyears of teaching these pieces, as well ascareful, personal study. Reed-making tips,embouchure, vibrato and rhythmic issues,circular breathing, and a couple of sharp jabs atconductors all find reference points, as Zupnikpresents two etudes by Brod and twelve ofFerling’s 48 Exercises for Oboe, Op. 31.

Marilyn Zupnik’s last chance to demonstratethe result of all that excellent study in technicaland expressive control comes in a performanceof Benjamin Britten’s Six Metamorphoses afterOvid. These she plays the same way she hashandled the many etudes: with fine variety andthoughtful interpretation. Her tone is mellowand a bit reedy with a subtle, narrow vibrato. Iprefer it especially in the forte passages. Thefluidity of her “finger-technique” (as John deLancie calls it) is superb.

Zupnik has given us a fine pedagogical assistwith this project. Among its several appli-cations, I would vote first for placing it with highschool oboists who do not have access to agood teacher. Simply hearing her perform theseetudes, many of which can be played by youngstudents, would go a long way toward expandinghorizons. Add that to her no-nonsensecommentary, and a bright student could makeenormous progress. I will not hesitate to use thedisc to back up my own studio teaching; it’salready inspired me to work through thesemethods again, myself.

OBOE RECORDING REVIEWS74

The Bach Family Circle.Geoffrey Burgess, baroque oboe; Ann Murphy,

harpsichord. Move Records MD 3202, 1998.

The Apotheosis of the OboeOmar Zoboli, baroque oboe and d’amore;

Attilio Cremonesi, harpsichord. Datum DAT 80005, 1996.

A fine assortment of baroque oboists hasemerged over the past decade: here I sit withnot one but two stunning performances of J.S.Bach’s B minor flute Sonata, transposed, as welike it, to G minor for oboe and harpsichord. Therecordings differ in several respects, startingwith their liner notes’ disagreement as towhether the work is BWV 1035 or 1030b. Theplayers themselves hail from Australia and Italy;what they have in common is the anatomicalcorrectness to program this back-breakingpiece, not just with the oboe, but with the farmore difficult oboe used during Bach’s time.Since Daniel Stolper was kind enough to sharethese performances with me, I’m glad to take theopportunity to make some comparisons.

Geoffrey Burgess was a Ph.D. student atCornell in 1997 when he completed thisAustralian recording entitled The Bach FamilyCircle. He seems to be equally recognized as amusicologist and an oboist, and he has done abeautiful job integrating the two in his youngcareer. His liner notes seductively draw thereader into his premise: “This is not areconstruction of a lost repertoire, but anexploration of a hypothetical, imaginary tonalpersona . . . the voice of the lost Bach oboe.” HisG minor Sonata, BWV 1035, is boldly placed upfront, crisply begun with carefully plannedarticulation and precise triplets. The tone ofBurgess’ Denner copy is mellow and diffused;his harpsichord partner, Ann Murphy, plays asweetly resonant and brilliant Dulken copy byWilliam Bright. They give a tasty, impressiveperformance of this exhausting sonata in its foursubstantial movements. The Siciliano is playedboth too quickly and aggressively for my taste,and gives hardly enough time to digest the“extensive embellishment” and “extravagantharmonisations” Burgess refers to in his notes.But he gets around the fiendish instrument justfine, showing the lightness and variety of hisarticulations in the third movement.

Omar Zoboli, who teaches at the BaselConservatory in Switzerland, places his G minorBach Sonata at the end of a disc called TheApotheosis of the Oboe, issued in 1995. Zoboli,with his 1720 Bradbury copy by Christian

Schlegel, is, baldly put, a more sophisticatedbaroque oboist, and his harpsichordist, AttilioCremonesi, responds in kind. The firstmovement unfolds with elasticity of both detailsand large gestures. There is a transparency oftimbre and dynamic nuance that brings out thesubtle aspects of the counterpoint, as well asbetter give and take between the twoinstruments. This is a magnificent reading of ascore already jam-packed with information—Cremonesi shapes his figurations and phrases inways that illuminate Bach’s intentions, offeringup much more than accuracy. The Siciliano issuitably languorous, with rhythmic risks andmelting phrases. The Presto has a wonderfullooseness over-riding its breakneck tempo:Zoboli swings his sixteenth notes here, as wellas his triplet phrase endings in the culminatingGigue.

With these stylistic differences in mind, wereturn to Geoffrey Burgess’ Bach essay. Hechases the G minor Sonata with a poignanttranscription of BWV 992, a “Capriccio sopra lalontananza del suo fratello dilettissimo,” aharpsichord suite which was probably notwritten as a direct programmatic commentaryon the departure of Johann Sebastian’s oboe-playing brother Johann Jacob to go play for theKing of Sweden. And though it was probably not,it is here included as a component of that“hypothetical, imaginary tonal persona.” The sixshort movements are quite believable, andBurgess’ adaptations fit the instruments well.The oboe is particularly suited to thedescending minor seconds in movement three’s“general lament.” Not used in movements two,four, and six, it takes some of the statements ofthe posthorn in the fifth movement, before theharpsichord plays a concluding fugue based onthat theme.

The next G minor Sonata, BWV 1020, waswritten in that same key for the flute. Burgessfinds it negotiable for the baroque oboe, anddoes a nice job moving from foreground tobackground and back, blending with theharpsichord articulation. This sonata is a horseof a different color, both easier, but in someways, more inscrutable than 1035—possibly, asBurgess points out, the work of C.P.E. Bach. Theinclusion of Georg Philipp Telemann’s fourthMethodical Sonata is justified on the basis of hisstatus as godfather for Bach’s son, Carl PhilippEmanuel. Burgess decided to use some and notall of the ornamentation Telemann wrote on hisalternate treble staff. The lightness ofTelemann’s musical ideas, sequencing, andpredictable gestures stand out in vivid contrast


to the works by Johann Sebastian. Ann Murphy’sharpsichord has a charming buff stop! Finally,C.P.E. Bach’s “Hobo Solo” in G minor H549reminds us of the peculiarities of preclassicstyle. The fractured first movement serves as aleisurely introduction to a more straightforwardallegro second movement in binary form. Thelast movement is the gem of the entire effort, aset of imaginative variations on a touching,familiar theme. One can only admire GeoffreyBurgess’ intelligent plan to bring together hisfine performance skills with historicalunderstanding to create a unified, well-conceived compact disc.

Returning to the work of Omar Zoboli, we findthe rest of his Apotheosis disc full of fascinatinglate baroque/preclassic sonatas, starting withGiuseppe Sammartini’s Sonata 4 in G major, Op.13. This is a piece easily available in a Schottedition and is taken from oboe playerSammartini’s Six Solos for a German Flute Violinor Hautboy with a Thorough Bass. Zoboli’s ideason the simple, gallant piece are nothing short ofextraordinary. The fun begins even before theSonata proper, as Cremonesi introduces the keywith a sumptuous harpsichord improvisation.The oboist takes enormous expressive libertieswith the first movement Andante, especially inthe way of mid-section cadences with dramaticpauses. I’m intrigued by his use of the 6/4 chordon the second beat of the last measure as aninvitation to a cadenza during the repeat of the Bsection. The second movement is played in amore straight-forward manner, but withentertaining contrasts in dynamics and affects.Another short harpsichord lead-in introduces thethird movement in E minor, which is just a burstof runs, trills, and other operatic effectssupplemented by much harpsichord improv-isation. The rounded binary minuet concludesthe Sonata with a lilting grace all its own.

Pietro Castrucci (Sonata 7 in D major) is thesecond of three Italian composers who workedin London and who are featured on this disc. Hissonata is from a collection published in that cityby Walsh, around 1725. The longest of its fourmovements is barely over two minutes, but anamazing range of emotions is portrayed in thesehighly ornamented vignettes. FrancescoGeminiani’s Sonata in E major has longer, moreflorid slow movements than the Castrucci work,and it concludes with an abstract vivace insteadof a minuet. The recording (which concludeswith J.S. Bach’s G minor Sonata) also includes aTelemann Partita (No. 5 in E minor) performedon the oboe d’amore. The informative linernotes by Angela Romagnoli explain that Zoboli

chose to transpose the work in order to “make itsuitable for the sharp keys” and give it a“meatier tone” (“piu pastoso”!) Meat is not thefirst thing that comes to my mind when I hearZoboli’s baroque oboe d’amore, a copy ofEichentopf, 1715-20, made by Alfredo Bernardini.If anything, it’s a little more velvety and mellowthan the sound of his baroque oboe. It bears noresemblance to the bleating quality that themodern version sometimes imparts. If that’s thesecret to playing in E minor on a baroqueinstrument, I’m all for it. This partita runs toseven short character movements, an Andantefollowed by Arias 1 through 6. I can’t praise therecording enough; I’m already fretting abouthaving to return it to Prof. Stolper, and possiblynot finding another copy.

Pamela Pecha, oboe. Janacek Chamber Orchestra;

Karel Paukert, organ. Crystal Records CD721, 1998.

The utility of Crystal Records’ 1998 PamelaPecha issue lies in its collection of organ duoswhich were actually recorded back in 1985 at theCleveland Museum of Art on the McMylarMemorial Organ (built by Walter Holtkamp, Jr.).Ms. Pecha’s partner in this endeavor was KarelPaukert, a Belgium-trained Czech emigré whoserves as Curator of Musical Arts at theCleveland Museum of Art. Of these oboe/oboed’amore/English horn and organ works, HermannSchroeder’s Drei Dialoge stand out because oftheir imaginative interplay between oboe andoboe-like organ stops. The wistful Chaconne hasjust the right touch of Hindemithian dissonanceto keep its lugubrious theme interesting. Thesame might be said of the second movement, buta more creative use of tempo and dynamicswould have added to its expressiveness. A thirdbrief “dialogue” has the two instruments cleverlytrading five-note motives.

Johann Ludwig Krebs’ four-and-a-half-minuteFantasie is performed, as is most of theremaining repertoire, with the organ very muchin the background. The piece uses chain afterchain of sequences, offering Pecha manyopportunities to demonstrate the uniformity ofher interpretation. Joseph Rheinberger’s pairedpieces, Andante pastorale and Rhapsodie, posesimilar challenges. The first one, despite itsstormy B section, evokes a meditative stateperfect for a church service, while the secondone’s central episode may be too violent forthis.

OBOE RECORDING REVIEWS76

The inclusion of Alexandre Guilmant’sCantilene pastorale gives us a chance to hear Ms.Pecha’s work on the oboe d’amore, and in astyle outside the German school of composition.With regard to the latter, the d’amore’s tone issurprisingly bright and aggressive. But whatborders on edginess in the d’amore may beperceived as brilliance in the sound of theEnglish horn, as Pecha demonstrates in her fluidinterpretation of Jan Koetsier’s Partita. In fiveshort movements, the piece has enoughcontrast and rhythmic imagination to set itapart from the others. There’s even a movementfor organ alone, and a closing gapped chorale.

As for the rest of the seventy-plus minutescontained on this disc, they display Pecha’swork with the Janacek Chamber Orchestra inthree 18th-century, or pseudo-18th-century,concertos. Strongest is her clean, predictablereading of the Cimarosa/Benjamin Concerto in C.Arthur Benjamin’s 1942 effort to expand EvelynRothwell’s repertoire of baroque concertos is adelightful pastiche of early classical keyboardgestures, idiomatic only for a nimble 20th-cen-tury player. Though not as harmonically far-flung as Stravinsky’s Pulcinella, the Concerto has

some of the same rhythmic fun andorchestration surprises. The disc opens with arendition of the Marcello Concerto in the C minorversion, a poor choice over the D minor, in myopinion. Pecha adds some creative embellish-ments to the first movement, but her orna-mentation in the slow movement is sometimesat odds with the harmonic direction—orperhaps J.S. Bach’s ideas are too firmlyimbedded in my mind. Lastly, it is peculiar tohear Bach’s second Brandenburg Concerto withthe piccolo trumpet way off in the distance.Whoever miked and mixed this performanceeither had a grudge against the exceedinglyaccurate trumpeter Marek Zvolánek, or an oddconception of the texture of the Concerto. Thetempo of the second movement is fast, and thecontinuo sounds clumsy, while the flute andviolin project heavy, fast vibrato. The inclusionof this composition is questionable becausethere are so many excellent period recordings.Pamela Pecha plays her part with an agile,articulative bounce; if you seek a recording inwhich the oboe is in the foreground throughout,this is it. ❖

Obituary: Jennifer Louise Martz(April 30, 1956 - March 19, 1999)

Jennifer Martz, bassoonist and IDRS member, died on March19, 1999. She was a long time member of the United States Army,performing with Army Bands in Berlin and Ansbach, Germany,after graduating from high school in 1974. After attendingEmporia State University (Kansas) in 1981, Jennifer completedOfficer Candidate School at Ft. Benning, Georgia, in 1984, with arank of Second Lieutenant in the Signal Corps. Returning toactive duty in 1986, Jennifer joined the 4th Division Band at Ft.Carson, Colorado, and served with the 2nd Division Band inKorea from 1988 to 1989. From July, 1989 until 1994 she served inthe Army Ground Forces Band in Atlanta, Georgia, touring and giving numerous performancesthroughout the US. In 1994 Jennifer was assigned to the USAREUR (US Army-Europe) Band inHeidelberg, Germany, until 1997, traveling throughout Europe and performing in manyinternational concerts. In 1997, she was re-assigned to Walter Reed Army Hospital in Washington,D. C. until her death in March, 1999. Jennifer is survived by her parents, brother Steve and hiswife Sue; nephews Adam, Ben, Kyler and Max; and nieces Lisa, Chelsea and Emily, as well as manyfriends. The IDRS joins her family and many friends in mourning her loss.


The Bassoon

By August MesnardNew York, New York

(The following article first appeared in a 1926issue of The Clarinet magazine, edited by G.Langenus, who also translated it from the originalFrench. Its message about the poetic powers of thebassoon still ring as true today as it did in the1920’s! —ED.)

orn in Cognac, France, Mr. August Mesnard,one of the foremost bassoonists in thiscountry, began his musical education at theAngouleme National School of Music, near

Bordeaux.He made his debut in the commercial world as

an office boy in the shop of a liquor vendor. Laterhe served successive apprenticeships with afurniture dealer, upholsterer, hardware man andhouse-painter.

In 1893 he entered the Conservatory of Pariswhere he studied the bassoon, being awarded thefirst prize in 1897. He has played first bassoon withthe following organizations: Orchestras ofLamoureux Concerts and Paris Opera House, 1989-1905; New York Symphony, 1905-1910; ChicagoOpera, 1910-1913; New York Philharmonic, 1913-1924; and lately with the State Symphony,Wagnerian Opera and the Capitol Orchestra.

It is not generally known that Mr. Mesnard in hisspare time devotes himself to gardening andliterature, being the author of an unpublishedFrench novel. He also plays violin but it is only onspecial occasions that he can be prevailed upon toplay the Meditation from Thais. G.L.

hen my friend, Gustave Langenus,asked me to write a few worlds aboutthe bassoon, I had a vision—the ghostof a college director I met twenty-five

years ago suddenly appeared before me. Ivividly recall a certain morning about noonwhen, still asleep, somebody knocked at mydoor. Hardly awake, I opened it and foundmyself facing a little fellow, very sprightly, inspite of his plumpness. After having introducedhimself as the director, he said that he wasorganizing a concert for graduation day andwished to put on the program a small comicalpiece for the merry edification of the students,and would I select the funniest piece in myrepertoire of bassoon music and play it? Beingtaken aback by his request, I asked him if I hadalso to dress up as a clown in order to make theaffair a complete success. Our conversationwent no further.

Having heard the bassoon badly played, thisdirector, like so many other people, wasignorant of the beautiful tone that thisinstrument possesses. He saw only the peculiarshape of the bassoon and, to him, the ridiculousposition of the player. Hence, a mis-understanding which, unfortunately, time hasnot dispelled, since even lecturers insist onrepresenting the bassoon as a buffoon of theorchestra when, as a matter of fact, it is themost poetical of instruments, the mystic poetwho has grown up in the shadow of cathedrals.

Mystic? Why not? Was it not invented by amonk and for centuries used to accompany theplain-song in churches? Is it not also so onaccount of its mellow and poetic sonority, whichhas the impressive voice evokes the sombrelight of a Gothic cathedral. There is the floatingperfume of incense, imagination creates apicture, dimly lit by the stained glass glowing inthe dusk. A shadow hovers near a pillar; it isthat of a man who thinks and prays, and in theseclusion hopes to appease his sufferings. Forme, this vision expresses all the symbolism ofthe bassoon. I remember that, when I began toknow it, I discovered it possessed a human soul.It seemed to me that it had a heart and wascapable of thought. Its noble accents of gravedepths, of restlessness, of nostalgia; its more orless sarcastic nature, waggishness, humoristic

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August Mesnard

THE BASSOON78

at times; and even a tendency to the fantastic—everything, in short, seemed to design it toexpress the diversity of human feelings. For thatreason it is the most living of all windinstruments!

Composers have very well understood thebassoon, for they have given it a preponderantplace in their scores. It plays the most importantroles and excels in every one of them.

Tchaikovsky could not find a better mediumto sing the fatalistic first measures of thePathetic Symphony; to express, the poignanthumanity of the Andante of the FourthSymphony, and in general of all the slowmelodies in which his music abounds.Furthermore, the whole phalanx of Slaviccomposers resorted to it to depict theundefinable mist that veils the Russian soul—bethe sky ever so clear.

Gounod found in the bassoon a very markedpersonality and said of it: “If I should have towrite an opera to be accompanied by oneinstrument, I would prefer choosing the bassoonabove all others.”

The bassoon comical? If the foregoing doesnot prove the contrary, it would only benecessary, in order to convince everyone, toconsult the repertoire of classical composers.When listening to the symphonies of Beethovenone realizes how fully that master has utilizedthe multiple resources of the instrument. Theheights of thought in the Adagi set off all itsnobility. The Allegro movements, as well as thepeasants’ dance in the Pastoral Symphony, andlater, the scene at the brook, make theinstrument stand out as the principal and poeticcharacter, especially when it sings the beautifulmelody that everybody knows.

Haydn has written for it real little poems fullof grace and sprightliness. When the bassoonperforms its role in the Minuets and Finales ofhis symphonies, the mind unconsciouslypictures the old-fashioned elegance of theEighteenth Century Marquis of which Langlet’scanvases have bequeathed us the remembrance.

Mozart also treated it with a typicalEighteenth Century grace. With him the bassoonin his Allegri become frolicsome, not without atouch of roguishness. Within the pages of hisoperas, the Andanti and Minuets have a naive,cherub-like sentimentality which is very marked.All that is far from being comical.

If we wish to learn something about thefantastic aspect of the bassoon, let us consultone of the romantic composers—Berlioz, thepoet of love, of cypresses and infernalroundelays, who has made of it the symbol ofhis works. All the sarcasm and the deviltry ofthe bassoon are let loose. In his works, it seems,so to speak, to be living amidst the most violentperfumes, and, on the other hand, to delight inthe most nauseating odors of death. It is alwaysfelt to be in its proper domain—be it in the love-scene of Romeo and Juliette or in the Sabbath-Night Dance of the Fantastic Symphony.

Many people thought that Paul Dukas wantedto make the bassoon play a comical role whenhe wrote for it the humoristic solo which is thetheme of l’Apprenti Sorcier. The opinion of thosewho are familiar with the subject-matter of thecomposition is different, for it is the fantasticside of the instrument that has been brought outto depict the action of the devilish sweepingbroom. Grieg did not think differently when heconfided to the bassoon the principal part inThe Hall of the Mountain King from Peer Gynt.

Unfortunately, it is the humorous, thepicturesque, the waggish side of the bassoon’snature which seems to make the deepestimpression on the listener, and when it is badlyplayed, these characteristics seem to make of itan exclusive comical instrument. For that reasonnobody seems to take it seriously. And yet,when it is gay, sarcastic, or humoristic, if oneonly knew how sad its soul is! How often, in themidst of the dances of demons, diabolicalmoving about of brooms, I feel in its sonority thepresence of a sadness which nothing can dispel!It has a human soul, I repeat it, but a soul that isconcealed and which one must know how todiscover and materialize. It is up to thebassoonist to be its medium. We are probablyresponsible to a certain degree for themisunderstanding which surrounds thebassoon. We cannot always make it talk. Weoften forget that “blowing is not playing,” asLamoureux, the famous conductor, once said.Let us be poets. Let us try to create forourselves an image of the works we have toplay, thus we shall be able to do much towardrevealing the most misunderstood of musicalinstruments! ❖


A Bassoon Lite, Please

BassoonarellaBy Alan GoodmanSaugus, California

his is the story of Bassoonarella. Bassoonarella had a pre-war bocal sticking

out from the top of her tenor joint. It wasn’texactly her most flattering feature, but as she

often assured sympathetic wellwishers, “It’s betterthan a poke in the whisper key from a conductor’sbaton.”

Bassoonarella never got any credit for playing allthe time. Tuttis, bass parts, tenor parts, alto stuff…youname it…Bassoonarella had to hack it all.

The same couldn’t be said for Bassoonarella’ssisters, Oboista, Flutabella, and Claranetta. There wasabsolutely no way that trio would ever be caughtplaying bass, treble and alto parts in the same year, letalone in the same piece.

While Bassoonarella played her heart out fromdawn to dusk on every conceivable part imaginable,the three sisters, sat around the orchestra primping,giggling, waiting for their incidental orchestral solos.

One day a letter arrived at the home ofBassoonarella and her sisters, Oboista, Flutabella, andClaranetta. As usual, Bassoonarella was too busyscraping reeds that could play bass, tenor, and altoparts, to take much notice of the newly arrived letter.The sisters, on the other hand, lounging around waitingfor solo bows from the conductor, had plenty of time toread, and digest the contents of the letter.

“It came! It came,” shouted Claranetta to her sistersupon opening the letter, “Here it is! The cue we havebeen waiting for.”

They gathered around the letter to learn how theyhad been invited to attend the Annual Conductor’s Ball.Immediately, they began making plans to attend.

“What about Bassoonarella?” one of the sistersexclaimed.

“What about her???,” the other two sisters said,“she’s too spaced out trying to cover the entire rangeof the instrument to go to the ball. Besides… there’snot enough room in the pumpkin for all of us.”

So the sisters made plans to attend the AnnualConductor’s Ball without Bassoonarella.

On the night of the big Annual Conductor’s Ball, thethree sisters cloaked themselves in the finest windsolos they could find, and off they went to check outthe handsome new conductor who was hosting the Ballthat year. Bassoonarella, still struggling to find theperfect reed that would play high, low, sharp, flat,tenor, bass, fast or slow, waved them off at the doorwith a wan smile.

“I wish I had a reed good enough for theConductor’s Annual Ball,” she sighed into the hallwaymirror.

Just then, Bassoonarella’s Fairy Reedmotherappeared.

“Why aren’t you going to the ball my child?” Sheasked Bassoonarella.

“My reed won’t play high, low, sharp, flat, tenor,bass, fast or slow.” Bassoonarella replied, “Withoutsomething to cover all my parts, Fairy Reedmother, Idare not attend.”

“Here, try my reeds,” said Bassoonarella’s FairyReedmother, handing her a box of reeds.

To Bassoonarella’s amazement and delight all thereeds in Fairy Reedmother’s reed box played high, low,sharp, flat, tenor, bass, fast, or slow. In a word, theywere perfect…or as close to perfect as these things get.

“Wow!” exclaimed Bassoonarella upon trying thenew reeds.

Fairy Reedmother smiled beneficently.“Now let’s get you to the Annual Conductor’s Ball,”

beamed the Fairy Reedmother, “so the conductor cancheck out your parts.”

When Bassoonarella arrived at the Conductor’sAnnual Ball, the handsome new conductor had alreadycued every instrument in the orchestra. His feet werekilling him, and he was eyeballing the quickest path tothe exit wings.

“Who is that beautiful bassoon,” the handsomeconductor asked his assistant when Bassoonarellaentered the ballroom.

“You mean the one with the pre-war bocal stickingout of her tenor joint?” replied the handsome youngconductor’s agent.

Soon Bassoonarella found herself on the dancefloor, in the arms of the handsome young conductor,making beautiful music.

“Who’s that beautiful bassoon…the one with thepre-war bocal sticking out of the top of her tenor joint?”asked the three sisters, Oboista, Flutabella, andClaranetta …not recognizing Bassoonarella with herbox of perfect reeds. “And why is the handsome youngconductor ignoring us to cue her?”

“You have the most beautiful reeds I have everseen,” said the smitten handsome young conductor toBassoonarella, “…they go so perfectly with your pre-war bocal.”

Before Bassoonarella could reply, the clock struckmidnight. Bassoonarella, who had been warned by her

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A BASSOON LITE, PLEASE80

Fairy Reedmother to be home before the gig went intoovertime, fled offstage, across the dance floor, and outthe nearest exit.

In her haste… she dropped one of her daintyperfect reeds.

The handsome new young conductor, unavoidablydetained by an angry personnel manager, and unionrepresentative for the unexpected overtime, watchedhelplessly as Bassoonarella’s pre-war bocal…stickingout from the top of her tenor joint, disappeared fromhis view.

It was only later, when all the guests had departed,that he found the dainty perfect reed thatBassoonarella had, in her haste, dropped.

“Place a call to every bassoon in the land,” thehandsome young conductor said imperiously to hispersonnel manager, “…whosoever can fit this daintyperfect reed on a pre-war bocal sticking out of the topof their tenor joint shall be my soloist in perpetuity,and maybe, even longer.

When the three sisters received the notice from thehandsome young conductor announcing his intent tofind the owner of the dainty perfect reed, theyconspired to catch his attention.

On a day when the handsome new conductorknocked on their door, the three sisters were prepared.Each had managed to tape, glue, or wedge a pre-warbassoon bocal into their mouthpiece.

They greeted the handsome young conductor withcoquettish trills in the low register. But alas…andalack…when the handsome young conductor heldforth the dainty perfect reed, they sounded nothing atall like a bassoon to the handsome, young conductor.

“Golly, wolly. Jumping eighth notes!” exclaimed theconductor to his assistant, “Just when you think you’veheard everything, a flute, an oboe, and a clarinet withpre-war bassoon bocals stuck in them appear to proveyou wrong!”

Just then, Bassoonarella came out of her reed room,pre-war bocal sticking out from the top of her tenorjoint. The handsome young conductor moved quicklyto her whereupon he easily slipped the dainty perfectreed onto her bocal.

They married and lived happily ever after… thehandsome young conductor and Bassoonarella.

‘Ever After’ …being a relative term… the happinesslasted two seasons. After that, the handsome youngconductor took up with a voluptuous string bass,leaving Bassoonarella to play high, low, sharp, flat,tenor, bass, fast, or slow with her aging perfect reeds,and with two young tenoroons in tow.

As for the three sisters, Oboista, Flutabella, andClaranetta, they quickly tired of the handsome youngconductor, whose rehearsals proved dull andunimaginative. Disillusioned, they gave up music, toopen a Western Bagel Store in the Mall.

Bassoonarella foreswore Fairy Reedmother’sperfect reeds for those she made herself.

“Conductors, especially handsome young ones, arelike perfect reeds,” she mused to herself, “… .theyfunction well only in fairy tales.”

She smiled upon her two young tenoroonsfrolicking in the reed room.

“Bagels are better,” she sighed. “Just ask Oboista,Flutabella, and Clarinetta.” ❖

A Bassoon Lite, PleaseThe Big Bopper

ou are the world’s greatest bassoon player. When you walk down the street people stop

in their tracks to gawk at you as you saunter by. “Hey isn’t that the world’s greatest bassoon

player” They ask each other, breathlessly. You’re not a celebrity. You are THE celebrity. You have 20 solo CD’s out, each more spectacular

than the last. Your phone is ringing off the hook withpeople begging you for lessons. They’re anxious to payan outrageous fee to soak up your every word ofwisdom including your throat clearing coughs.

Summer festivals are pleading with you to lend yourname to their brochure. Instrument manufacturers leavetheir bassoons leaning against your front door in thehope you’ll deign to blow two notes on them.Composers vie for your attention so that you mightpremier their latest work for bassoon and orchestra.Conductors dream of having you lead their bassoon

section. Reed makers brag that you once used one oftheir reeds. Oboe players take their tuning “A” from youbefore they give it to the orchestra.

The concertmaster is constantly turning to remindthe violins, “ Listen to the bassoon. Listen to thebassoon!”

Your tone is so dark, rich, vibrant, and expressivethat your solo recitals are advertised with a disclaimer,“Persons swooning in the aisle during concerts will notbe dragged out until the last note is played so as to notdisturb the world’s greatest bassoonist at work.”

The conductor calls you into his room afterorchestra concerts in which you are the solo, principal,premier, ‘numer uno’ bassoonist.

In deferential tones, he solicits your opinion abouthis conducting.

“Pardon me ‘Mr. World’s Greatest Bassoonist’,” hebegins, “… but did you approve of my conducting

Y


performance tonight? I’m sorry I gave you such anobvious cue in the Beethoven. I just forgot myself. Ipromise it will never happen again.”

You have your secretary tell the orchestra managerthat you can see him at 4:00PM Sunday after the concertso that he can make a salary offer to you in the form of ablank check signed by the chairman of the board

You are paid by the International Double ReedSociety to be a member. Each issue of the IDRS Journalis hand delivered to your doorstep by a supplicant whohas won a quarterly drawing for this honor. His job is toturn the pages for you while your hands are gloved toprotect them from paper cuts. A number is printed inthe upper left-hand corner of the cover page listing thenumber of times your name is mentioned in thisparticular issue.

You are the world’s greatest bassoon player. You are ‘The Man’, The ‘Head Honcho’, ‘El Grande

Enchilada’. You are...The BIG BASSOON BOPPER!!!!Is this the way you see yourself? Without a doubt,

the best bassoonist in the world? A lifetime of practice, practice, and more practice

has led you to a hill overlooking the promised land …but, no cigar … you can’t seem to get any closer to thisgoal.

Maybe a little publicity is all you need to get youover the hump? Your picture in a famous double reedjournal!!

Have you tried getting your picture into theInternational Double Reed Society Journal lately? You’dhave better luck seeing your likeness on the wall of thelocal post office. Every issue is filled with photographsof a coterie of famous bassoonists … all familiar frompast issues. You see them from five different angles.

In a side shot they are about to take a breath. In a fullfrontal, they are letting their breath out. A tricky angleshowing them picking up the bassoon. Thephotographer lays on his back getting an action shot asthey put the bassoon down ...

Recording the way to go?? You devote the better part of two years of your life

recording the only known works by Alphonse WedameirIII for solo bassoon and three banjos. You send theresultant CD to the Journal for review. The reviewer’smother-in-law arrives at his house for dinner andprepares his least favorite foods for him right before hereviews your CD.

Maybe you want to go the intellectual route?You pull out your Webster’s Dictionary of

Impossibly Big Words and write an article titled, ‘TheBassoon In Old Testament Scripture’.

The ‘extreme fanatical middle’, a politically powerfulreligious group, successfully suppresses your paper …forever and ever.

My friends, the traditional road to Big Bassoon

Bopperdom, as you can see, is clogged with too manypilgrims making the same journey.

What you need is an edge, a secret to greatness. Thetired old methods of practice, practice, practice …every day practice just don’t work any more. Let’s faceit, a new technique is needed to replace the old wornout notions of the way in which we aspire to rise to theheights of ‘Big Bopperdom’.

I propose that what students should be studying is… TALENT!

Not reeds, not etudes … but, TALENT! WithTALENT anything and everything is possible. Why wastetime studying the basics, when the Big Boppers do itwith TALENT.

It’s time to do it the ‘Big Bopper’ way! Time to tearaway the fabrications, the myths of achieving greatness.Forget the threadbare admonition to practice.

Practice is overrated. A lot of people practiceeveryday. Where does it get them? Are they the world’sgreatest bassoonists?

Of course not! In an effort to share the secret ‘TALENT’ path to

greatness with others I hereby announce my one-weekseminar entitled ‘BOP BIGGER WITH TALENT’.

Forget the reed seminar you considered attending inthe summer heat of a large eastern city. Cancel thoseplans you considered for chamber music in the coolnight air of the mountains. What you need, you can’tfind in those places. Sure, sure … I know you thoughtyou had to attend that special camp in the Poconos tofind the secret way to hold the bassoon in both hands.And that seminar proposing to make your embouchureover in just two weeks at two thousand dollars a pop …forget it!

Have these places guaranteed your money back ifyou aren’t the greatest Big Bopper that ever came downthe pike after their help?

‘BOP BIG WITH TALENT’ seminar does just that …money back. If you aren’t the best bassoonist ever afterattending ‘BOP BIG WITH TALENT’ … the money isyours. Now that’s a deal!

You can be playing better than your idols in just oneweek. Yes!! One week … or your money back.

Simply send for our ‘BIG BOPPER’ brochure withyour personal, signed blank check made out to ‘Bop BigWith Talent’. Then, sit back and look forward to oneglorious, hedonistic, week of seminar on the beautifulwhite sands of a secret Caribbean paradise. You won’tbe sorry … and, oh yes … your bassoon is optional.

Remember … we’re here for you … (honest).

(FINE PRINT DISCLAIMER: Offer not good in the contiguous, or‘discontiguous’ fifty states. Offer not good between midnight, December31st, and midnight of the next December 31st in any year of anycalendar, of any civilization, on any portion of planet earth. Money backguarantee void under other, as yet, undetermined, circumstances. Offergood at all times to bassoon players … citizens of planet Venus … whocan produce valid green card at time of seminar closure). ❖

IDRS ONLINE82

IDRS OnLine®/IDRS WWW

IDRS WWWhttp://idrs.colorado.edu

IDRS OnLine®Access to certain sections of the IDRS WWW, such as the membership directory, require a password. To obtain apassword, you must subscribe to IDRS OnLine®. To subscribe to IDRS OnLine®, send an e-mail message to:[email protected]. Leave the subject field blank and type in the first line of text in the body of yourmessage: SUBSCRIBE IDRS-L [your first name] [your last name]. Example: SUBSCRIBE IDRS-L David Brown. Youmay also subscribe via the IDRS WWW at <https://www.idrs.org/www.idrs/registration/online.taf>


New Bassoon Music, 1999

By Ronald KlimkoMoscow, Idaho

Music for Bassoon Solo or Bassoon and Piano

Adrian Williams: Seven Kilvert Sketches forBassoon Solo (1997) ( M.E. 9228 Editions MaxEschig, 215 rue du Faubourg St-Honore, 75008

Paris, France)

This is a beautiful work for solo bassoonbased on the writings of Reverend FrancisKilvert, who was a young clergyman living andworking in rural communities bordering Englandand Wales in the late 19th century. Each sketchis inspired by an extract from his diary andoften programmatically reflect the mood andeven the sights and sounds found in thequotation, such as bird calls, the rush of a river,etc. The composer suggests in the frontispiecethat he would prefer if each extract, which isquoted before each sketch, be read aloud, butthey could also be printed in the program (orboth).

The imagery is one mostly of serenity andgorgeous sounds. Overall the entire work is heldtogether beautifully by a series of impres-sionistic-like motives, based mostly on majorand augmented chordal patterns. Technically itis a VERY demanding work-requiring not only acomplete command of the range of the bassoonall the way up to high e2, but also a completedynamic range from the softest piano to theloudest forte. It is definitely a IV, in overalldifficulty. But the practice required in working itup would definitely be worth it. The work is fullof quiet, gorgeous imagery, and its gentle,delicate mood could make it a highlight of one’srecital. I know of few other works that createsuch beautiful mood and imagery, MelvinSolomon’s Etudes to Spring (no longer in print, Ibelieve) and the impressionistic Etudes byVirginio Bianchi (Schirmer) are the only otherworks that can cast the idyllic spell that thiswork does. This, along with the recentlypublished Sonata for Bassoon and Piano(reviewed in an earlier Double Reed), bringAdrian Williams to the forefront as a majorcomposer for the bassoon. I recommend thiswork, as I did the Sonata, strongly to advancedbassoonists looking for exciting new literatureto perform.

Willard S. Elliot: Sonata for Bassoon and Piano

(1998) (Bruyere Music Publishers, 6731 Trail Cliff Way, Fort Worth, Texas 76132)

Bassoonist/composer Willard Elliot may beretired as principal bassoon of the ChicagoSymphony, but as this work and his recentConcerto for Two Bassoons and Orchestra (whichwill be performed with piano at the 1999 IDRSConference in Madison in August) show, hecertainly hasn’t retired his compositional pen.This is a brand new two-movement work ofmajor proportions beautifully written for thebassoon which just might become an importantpiece in the bassoon repertoire. Written in anexpanded tonal style, the work features lushharmonies and interesting rhythms of a LatinAmerican flavor, especially in the dance-likesecond movement. The first movement is moreserious and rhapsodic in character withfrequent changes in tempo and moodthroughout. This gives way to the secondmovement which features a variety of themesranging from an interesting scherzo-like openingmotive to a tango-like melody in duple meter. Afinal “allegro molto” section ends the workdramatically. This is definitely a work for anadvanced and technically accomplishedperformer-in the IV- range of difficulty. Therange is to high e2, but in each case theperformer is set up for it beautifully by thecomposer/bassoonist/author. And speaking ofthat further, Willard Elliot knows the bassoon sovery well that everything about the bassoonwriting is very carefully conceived as definitely“characteristic” music for the bassoon. Rightdown to the careful editing of the articulationsand dynamics, the work has been beautifullycomposed by one who knows the instrument aswell as one can. I recommend this fine new workstrongly to the advanced student. It wasrecently given its premiere by Maria LuciaGaravito Arciniegas, who studied with Willardand to whom the work is dedicated.

NEW BASSOON MUSIC, 199984

Cláudio M. de Freitas: Sonata for bassoon and piano (1998) (Contact the composer at Rua Palmira,

376/1001 Bhte, BRAZIL 30220-110. tel/fax: 55 31 2234040.

email: [email protected])

This is an interesting, highly energetic work.In three movements, the format is a standardfast-slow-fast outline, although the lastmovement is a mere 35 measures long at a Vivotempo. Stylistically, it is in widely extendedtonality, encompassing passages of both amoderate and extreme dissonance structure.The word “energetic” fits it well. Even the lyricalsecond movement gains quite a bit ofmomentum after a quiet start. Throughout, thework spends a lot of time in the ‘strato’ range ofthe bassoon. The first movement twice ascendsto high e2, and the last movement ends on ahigh e2 to f2. Because of the range and theoverall rhythmic/technical demands, the work isa definite IV- in difficulty. The biggestdisappointment of the piece for me was that thethird movement was so short. It has some of themost interesting musical material, but just whenit gets going, the work ends abruptly. Despitethis, the work displays some very interestingrhythmic ideas-as one might expect from ayouthful Latin American composer. I suspect wecan look forward to even more interesting worksin the future for the bassoon from his pen.

J. S. Bach: Concerto in D minor for Bassoon,Strings and Continuo (after BWV 1056)

arranged for bassoon and piano by MordechaiRechtman. Accolade Musicverlag (Austrasse 7,

D-83607 Holzkirchen, Germany) ACC.R001a(The orchestral material is available separately)

This is a beautiful transcription of BWV 1056-technically challenging, but transcribed verycarefully to fit the character of the bassoon. Themusic is a reproduction of the manuscript inMordechai’s own hand, which is very legible andeasy to read. Rangewise, the bassoon rises nohigher than Bb2, but because the originalversion is for a stringed instrument, the lines arecontinuous and long, and would require anadvanced bassoonist to perform themeffectively. Because of this, I would rate thearrangement as a IV- technically. It’s suchbeautiful music, however. The secondmovement, of course, is the lovely and well

known “Air”, also found in G major in the Bach bminor Suite. It’s a wonderful opportunity for abassoonist to show off his or her lyricism,between the technical consistency of the twoouter movements. Like other Rechtmanarrangements, the bassoon part is left with fewarticulations specified. While it could beperformed exactly as Mordechai has edited it, Ipersonally would favor a few more slurs-especially in some of the extended passagework. This could easily be added at thediscretion of the performer. The keyboardrealization is also very solid and tastily done.This is the first of hopefully many arrangementsto come from Accolade Verlag, thank largely tothe assistance of German bassoon artist/teacherKlaus Thunemann to whom this arrangement isdedicated. I recommend this work strongly toyou for a solid addition to your next recital orsolo orchestral appearance.

Jean-Pierre Seguin: 6 PETITES PIECES POURBASSON ET PIANO Vol. 1 – Début de cycle 1

(débutante 1) Editions Vincent Massot (13chemin de Lucivel – 27570 l’Hosmes – France,

Tél. Fax. Rép : 02.32.56.93 – Portable : 06.11.08.88.86

E-Mail : VMassot @aol.com Internet Site:http://www.edit-vincent-massot.com)

This appears to be the first of a new series ofnice pedagogical works for young bassoonists.The six short pieces here, each named after acity in Malagach, are roughly progressive indifficulty. All of them are very limited in range:the first descends only to low G and up to c1,the second from low F to f1, and so on. They areall in the bass clef throughout and are quiteinteresting both melodically and technically,incorporating a variety of rhythms, articulationsand dynamics. The overall I rating make themperfect as teaching tunes for the very beginner.The piano parts are also quite simple,presumably so that the bassoon teacher ofmodest pianistic ability (qui moi!) might be ableto accompany the student at the lesson. Jean-Pierre, who holds no less than four “premieresprix” from the Paris Conservatory, includingstudy with Maurice Allard , has a strongpedagogical background, having served asPresident of the Fédération Nationale desConservatoires et Ecoles de Musique of Francefrom 1992 to 1995. I recommend these works asa nice addition to the sparse repertoire availableto the beginning bassoon student.


Arthur Frackenpohl: Concerto for Bassoonand Band (1958) Editions Viento (8711 SW

42nd Avenue, Portland, OR 97219-3571.Tel/Fax: 503/244-3060) Available in: Completescore and parts $70.00, Complete score $40.00,

or Bassoon/Piano reduction $13.50 (EV901)

This is a very nice three movement work ofabout 13 minutes duration, written in a veryaccessible neo-classical/expanded tonal style. Itwas composed for William Armstrong and theCrane Wind Ensemble of the State University ofNew York at Potsdam where the composer isProfessor Emeritus. The piano reduction of thebandstration is very convincing and useable, sothe work could be used as a recital piece or asone of those truly rare works for bassoon soloand band. The first movement is in a clearsonata form. The second is ternary, beginningand ending with a slow lyrical bassoon melody,with a contrasting faster fugal section in themiddle. The last movement is a hoot! It is a setof variations to the familiar “Pop Goes theWeasel” melody. In describing the piece,publisher/bassoonist Gordon Solie calls it: “…awelcome addition to bassoon literature andperhaps the only work (concerto) written forthis combination…Whenever I’ve played it, it’sbeen met with great success.” Overall I wouldrate it as a III+, well within the ability of areasonably advanced bassoonist. The range isup to d2, but this is in the cadenza and isoptional. The db2 of the second movement ispart of a lyrical passage and easily reached. Aswith all the Editions Viento publications, theprinting is beautifully done and very clear toread. This work would be a real “crowd-pleaser’piece with which to end a recital. I recommendit strongly to you.

Chamber Music

Don Gillis (1912-1978): “A Memory” for Bassoon Quartet (Bruce Gbur Series)

Miami Music Editions MME 65(PO. Box 4491, Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33338)

According to the program notes, this is abassoon quartet written by the composer whenhe was teaching at the National Music Camp inInterlochen after hearing a student ensembleincluding bassoonist John Miller. John, who is

now principal bassoon of the MinnesotaOrchestra, was a student there at the time. Thework was scheduled for publication by theInterlochen Press, but Gillis withdrew the workwhen he left the camp. This first edition of thework was prepared from those corrected proofsthrough the courtesy of Mrs. Barbara Gillis, thecomposer’s widow. This is the first printededition of the work.

The difficulty level is very moderate for thework, a level II+. The most difficult part of thisshort, but lyrical work would be the carefultuning it would require. This might make it veryuseable for training a student quartet inintonation and inner listening. It would also be alyrical encore for a more advanced ensemble.Rangewise, the first bassoon ascends only tohigh b2. The engraving of the score and parts isbeautifully done, as is always the case withHenry Skolnick’s Miami Editions. I recommendthe work strongly as a nice, lyrical addition tothe bassoon quartet repertoire.

Vinicio Meza: Imagenes for Bassoon Quartet(White Oak Press, 2825 W. Wagon Wheel Dr.,

Tucson, AZ 85745 $22.00 plus postage)

Vinicio Meza is from Costa Rica and is agraduate of the Curtis Institute of Music andFlorida State University. He has composed avery nice Latin American work of moderatedifficulty, which, with its delightful rhythms andmelodic beauty, adds an exciting newcomposition to the bassoon quartet repertoire.The piece is very musical, and requiresmoderately strong players on all four parts. Iwould rate it as a III-. Curiously, the highestnote, tenor clef high b2, comes in the secondbassoon part-the first only ascends to high a2.Also curious about the work is that the secondbassoon seems to be more active technicallythan the first. In other words, the melodicinterest is divided between the upper threebassoon parts and not all in the first bassoonpart. With its characteristic Latin Americanrhythms and basically tonal style, it would makean excellent work for your next bassoon quartetperformance. I recommend it strongly to you.(Some of you might remember the performanceof it at the IDRS Conference in Tallahassee in1996 by Tina Carpenter, William Dietz, TerryEwell, and Richard Ramey.)


Douglas Spaniol: Quartet for Bassoons (To Sanford Berry) Miami Music Editions

(Box 4491, Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33338) MME 74

It is very difficult to review this piece,because technically it is a very difficultcomposition! I tried to “read through” it with mystudents, but this is not that kind of work. Itmakes extreme technical/rhythmic/stylisticdemands of all four players (flutter-tongue,dynamic extremes, tempo changes via accel-erations, multiphonics,etc.). I think that thismight represent the next logical step in theevolution of the bassoon quartet as a musicalgenre; it seems reasonable to move from thelight, easy-to-sightread-type works typical of thegenre to the next level. The recent new bassoonquartet by Peter Schickele, which I haven’t yetseen, is supposedly another work that even agifted quartet can’t just “rattle off”. CountDouglas Spaniol’s intricate Quartet in this same“new” category of bassoon quartets.

The work consists of a slowish firstmovement of 49 measures, which features a lotof dynamic contrasts on sustained pitchescarrying over from one instrument to another ina “klangfarbenmelodie” type manner in thebeginning and at the end, with more rapid andintricate rhythmic work, often in unisonrhythms, in the middle. The second movementbegins with repeated 16th notes, followed byslower unison rhythms, breaking off graduallyinto highly individual and intricate passages inall four parts, interspersed between trills andmultiphonics. Ending quietly, the secondmovement moves via a cadenza in the secondbassoon to a canonic third movement, which isinterrupted from time to time by improvisatorypassages in all four parts. Finally rallying into arhythmically unison passage, the work endswith 2 to 3 players improvising around acomposed part or parts. This is one tough work.It appears to be organized around the principlesof serialization, but is definitely atonal if not.The work is a definite IV+ technically. Is yourquartet looking for a real “challenge” to sink itsteeth into????

Alexandre Ouzounoff: Les Carnets de Routedes Hautboistes et Bassonistes (A Travel

Journal for Oboists and Bassoonists)Volumes I and II International Music Diffusion

(24-26 rue Etex, 75018 Paris, France, Tel: 01 42 29 21 31 or 01 42 63 47 31)

Vol. I = IMD 442, Vol. II = IMD 453.

These are delightful, short compositions forvarious combinations of oboes, English horn,and bassoon which have been inspired by thetravels of the composer/bassoonist AlexandreOuzounoff. Each work is written in the styleand/or mood of the city or area visited and bearnames such as “Berkley, Buenos Aires,Manhattan, Novogorod, Kyoto” and so on. Oftenthere are two arrangements of the same work.“Buenos Aires” for instance is arranged both fortwo oboes, English horn, and bassoon; and forthree oboes and English horn. “Manhattan” onthe other hand, which is written in a jazz style,is arranged both for two oboes and Englishhorn; and oboe and two bassoons. All the worksare short; the longest is less than three minutesin length, and the style is generally tonal butmodern. Only the final work of Volume 2,“Kyoto”, is somewhat improvisatory in nature;although the composer suggests that: “Peopleperforming these ‘Carnets de route’ can usetheir imagination, and depending on the piece,can add percussion instruments, incorporateimprovisation, or even make ‘double reedorchestral’ versions.”

Another nice aspect that makes these worksparticularly “user-friendly” is that they areroughly progressive in difficulty. Volume I isgenerally Grade II in difficulty, well within thetechnical capacity of most high school players;while Volume II is a more difficult III-, requiringmore advanced high school or college agedplayers. All in all this is a delightful set ofchamber works, fun to read and equally fun toperform. I recommend them strongly, especiallyfor their pedagogical potential.

Antonio Rodríguez de Hita (1724-1787) Eight Trios for Two Oboes and BassoonEditions Viento (address given earlier).

EV 314 Score and Parts: $20.00

These are very straightforward works,written in a rather unelaborated Baroque style,and all in binary form. They are technically verysimple and sightreadable by reasonablyadvanced players. They could also function well


as challenging works for high school levelplayers. The bassoon part is quite simplethroughout, but the oboe parts rise to high d3and require a slightly higher level of technicalfacility. I would rate them at the II+ level ofdifficulty. They would be very effective as shortrecital or pedagocical works.

The composer was Chapelmaster at theCathedral at Valencia, Spain, and at theConvento de la Encarnación in Madrid from 1757until his death in 1787.

Frederic Chopin: Four Mazurkas, Op. 6arranged for Two Oboes, English Horn,

and Bassoon by Phillip Freihofer(812 Erie Street, Oakland CA 94610-2225. Website: http://members.aol.com/philfrei)

This is a beautiful edition for mixed doublereed ensemble by Phil Freihofer-well arranged andbeautifully engraved similar to his arrangement ofthe Bach Italian Concerto reviewed in an earlierDouble Reed. These works are from the 1830mazurkas by Chopin which were his first to bepublished. They are mostly in ternary form,except for the very short #4 which is in a roundedbinary form. The editorial notes in thefrontispiece are very helpful as the followingquotation shows. “The first edition metronomemarkings are included. Given the rich texture of adouble reed ensemble, slightly slower temposmay be preferred.”

The principal oboe carries the heaviesttechnical burden in these arrangements, althoughits highest note is only e3. The works, however,would require a fairly advanced ensemble torealize the musical demands of bel canto andrubato, which the music would demand. Also, theoriginal keys are retained, including the 4thmazurka in f# minor. Overall I would rate theworks a III- in difficulty and recommend themstrongly for any advanced double reed ensemble.

Mordechai Rechtman: Mordechai’s Portfolio:Masterpieces Arranged for Woodwind

Quintet Volume Two: Works of WolfgangAmadeus Mozart. McGinnis and Marx,

(236 West 26th St., New York, NY 10001. Tel: 212 675 1630)

Like Volume One of this incredible portfolio,this collection is a MUST GET for all seriouswind quintet players and teachers!! Mostquintets have already marvelled at Mordechai’s

arrangements of Bach from Volume One: workssuch as the Chorale Prelude Nun komm’ derHeiden Heiland (S.659), and the wonderfulConcerto #2 after Vivaldi (S.593) among others inthat collection. But his arrangements of themostly shorter works by Mozart in Volume Twomight be new to most quintets. They include theAdagio and Allegro, K. 594, Andante in F Major, K.616, Fantasia in F minor, K. 608, Adagio in B-flatMajor, K. 411, Menuetto in D major, K. 576b,Adagio in C major, K. 617a, arranged for quintet;and the Gigue in G Major, K. 574 arranged forquartet (without horn); and finally the Adagio inF Major, K. 410 arranged for oboe, clarinet andbassoon. They are all PRIMO in quality. It isalways such a joy to play an arrangement byMordechai. Like few other arrangers for winds,he manages to make the music seem to fitperfectly when transcribed into its new medium.His arrangements add to the music rather thandetract from it, as is sometimes the case. LikeMaurice Ravel, the works seem to take on a newlife in his deft hands! So don’t miss anopportunity to own BOTH of these wonderfulcollections. Many of the works would be perfectas opening numbers for a quintet recital, ratherthan a major work on the program. (If you arelooking for that, try his arrangement of thefamous Serenade in C minor, K. 388 arranged forquintet, available from the same publisher.) Allare beautifully edited and printed in thisexcellent edition. Since his retirement from theIsrael Philharmonic in 1991 where he served asprincipal bassoon over a 45 year span,Mordechai has continued to be active as both aperformer, conductor and, as an enduringlegacy to the world of the wind player-a masterarranger for our medium.

Andreas Berger (1584-1656) Eight Part Canonin the Eighth Mode for Two Double Reed

Quartet Choirs (2 Oboes, English Horn, andBassoon) Editions Viento (address given

earlier) EV803 $15.00.

Oh boy! A double reed teacher could have alot of fun with this piece. The work is in theearly Baroque “Gabrieli” style, and could be avery effective number on a recital program withit’s “back and forth” antiphonal themes echoingthroughout. The music is very readable andtechnically undemanding. The principal oboepart rises no higher than a3. It would be a funpiece to perform showing off the quality of allthe double reed instruments. We should


perform it sometime on the finale program foran IDRS Conference! The composer was active invarious churches in the Stuttgart, Germany areaduring his lifetime. Nice piece!

Jacob Triebensee (1722-1846) Variations on aTheme by Haydn for Woodwind Octet

(2 Oboes, 2 Clarinets, 2 Horns, and 2 Bassoons)Editions Viento (address given earlier).

EV 802. $15.00.

This would make a lovely encore (or final)work for a woodwind octet program. It is a lovelyset of variations on the “Deutchland Über Alles”theme, which was unfortunately somewhattainted by its popularity during the Nazi era inGerman history. It IS a lovely tune, however, andthis set of variations is beautiful and statelythroughout, ending quietly on a lovely Bb majorchord. Each variation features a differentcombination of instruments. Variation I has themelody in the clarinet with a faster obbligato partin the first oboe. Variation II puts the melody inthe first bassoon surrounded by the clarinets andoboes in counterpoint. Variation III features theclarinets and horns throughout. In Variation IVthe second oboe plays the tune while the clarinetsand bassoon provide the interplay. In Variation Vthe more fragmented melody is given over to theoboes and horn while the first bassoon plays thefaster moving contrapuntal role. Finally VariationVI features the entire ensemble in a harmonicallylush version of the theme. All in all this is abeautiful work and should be in the repertoire ofall wind octets, the somewhat jaded history of itstheme notwithstanding! Overall it is a level IIIwork and could be performed with a talented highschool or better ensemble. I strongly recommendit to you.

Besides the above reviewed music, I havereceived some interesting looking catalogs whichmight pique your interest in your search forsources of double reed music. Among there are:

International Opus, PO Box 4852, RichmondVA 23220 Tel: 1-800-720-0189 in US,

Tel/Fax Outside the US: 804-355-5778.E-Mail: [email protected],

http://www.users.aol.com/intlopus/woodwind.html

This company has a great variety of works fordouble reed instruments in all kinds ofcombinations.

Anglo-American Music Publishers Worldwide Music International, PO Box

161323, Altamonte Springs, FL 32716

They have recently published the CarlStamitz Concerto in C Major for Bassoon(previously thought to have been lost) in pianoreduction, and will soon have full score andparts available. They also have Ten BassoonQuartets and a Trio Divertimento by Franz AntonPfeiffer in three volumes available.

Hildegard Publishing Company Box 332, Bryn Mawr, PA 19010

Tel: 610-649-8649, Fax: 610-649-8677,http://www.hildegard.com

This is an interesting publishing companyspecializing in works by women composers.

RR ProductsBox 9203, San Jose, CA 95157-0203

Tel: (408) 249-2871E-mail: [email protected]

These publications by bassoonist VernonRead specialize in hard-to-find items. Forinstance, he has a number of Vivaldi concertiavailable, as well as the Vanhal Concerto for 2Bassoons both for orchestral or bandaccompanyment.

Jack Spratt Woodwind Shop11 Park Ave., Old Greenwich, CT 06870.

Tel: 800-636-9277, E-mail: [email protected]

http://www.windworld.com

Jack has a Price Buster Sale of music goingon. For every selection you buy you may pick afree copy of another selection of lesser value!Check it out!! ❖


Morceaux de ConcoursRediscovering the Treasures of the Paris Conservatoire

By Frances Jones

(The following article is reprinted from the Autumn,1997, issue #40, pp. 33-36, issue of Double Reed Newsof the BDRS with kind permission. —ED)

ave you ever noticed that flautists seem to beoverflowing with late Romantic Frenchshowpieces to choose from, but as oboistswe tend to play a very small selection of this

sort of music? Grovlez’s Sarabande et Allegro says onits cover ‘Concours du Conservatoire National deMusique’. I found myself wondering if this might bethe key to exploring this genre further. Is a Solo deConcours du Conservatoire for competitive entry intothe Paris Conservatoire, or a sort of graduationpiece? Might there be lots more repertoire hidingthere, waiting to be rediscovered? If so, who wrotethese pieces? Who were the leading figuresassociated with the oboe there? What was theConservatoire like?

I was camping with my family on an island in themiddle of the Seine for a week when I decided tobegin my search. The Michelin Guide gave theaddress for the Paris Conservatoire as 14 rue deMadrid. A large impressive façade greeted us; wewent inside the spacious foyer and looked into theglass cabinets displaying collections of earlyinstruments. Following directions to the office on thefirst floor we climbed the wide stone staircase. I feltslightly overawed at the thought of treading in thefootsteps of Fauré, Ravel and all those other greatParisian composers. The secretary there told us twothings: firstly that this was no longer the ParisConservatoire: in December 1990 it had moved to anew site on the outskirts of Paris - this building wasnow the local Paris ‘School of Music’. Secondly, wewould find lots of documentation about theConservatoire’s past in the National ReferenceLibrary in the Pompidou Centre.

At the National Reference Library I discovered,amongst other relevant books, a great tome entitledLe Conservatoire National de Musique et deDéclamation: Documents Historiques et Administratifsput together by Constand Pierre, one of theConservatoire’s Secretariat, in 1900. It was a goldmineof information. Details of the founding of theConservatoire, biographies of Directors and otherkey figures, how it was organized, and two things thatwere most exciting to me: biographical notes on all

the professors of each instrument since theformation of the Conservatoire, and the answer to thequestion about those ‘Morceaux de Concours’.

The seeds of the Conservatoire are to be found intwo earlier establishments - the École Royale duChant founded in 1783, and the École pour laMusique de la Garde Nationale for wind instrumentswhich was set up at the end of 1792. They merged tobecome the National Conservatoire of Music andDrama in 1795. It was to be the first of the greatnational public music teaching establishments. Byway of comparison, the Royal Academy of Music inLondon was established in 1822 and the RoyalCollege in 1883. Although set up with royal patronage,Paris’s Conservatoire managed to survive throughthe upheaval of the Revolution and the many years ofpolitical turmoil that followed.

It was housed in the delightfully named Hôtel desMenus Plaisirs du Roi (set aside for the king to pursuehis minor pleasures). As I read the name I receivedone of those amused Gosh-you-English-are-so-prudishlooks! It was situated on the corner of rue duFaubourg Poissonnière and rue Bergère. Theestablishment soon expanded to engulf much of thesurrounding land, having a small concert hall movedthere stone by stone from Foire St. Laurent, and anew larger theatre opened by Napoleon in 1812. Ithoused its own publishing centre to cater for all thenew Tutors, Methods, Study Books and other worksappearing there, and a vast library. The Con-servatoire of Drama still remains today on theoriginal site, though it has now somewhat reduced inarea. The original building of the Hôtel des Menus-Plaisirs du Roi was demolished in 1912 and a smallconcert hall is gone, but Napoleon’s splendid theatreis still in use, virtually unchanged, today.

In 1911, under the directorship of Gabriel Fauré,the Conservatoire of Music moved to the premises atrue de Madrid, formerly a Jesuit college. We couldnot help noticing that the area around here iscrawling with music businesses - sheet music shops,specialist music bookshops, secondhand musicbookshops, music publishers, instruments shops,instrument makers, instrument repairers - the biggestwas the sheet music shop called La Flûte de Pan,spread about over a number of different premises,each with a different specialism - strings, wind, brass,vocal, scores etc. Reputedly, it can get any piece ofmusic you want. That sounded potentially rather

H

MORCEAUX DE CONDOURS90

useful. As we would have expected, French musicwas cheaper there than in England, but importedmaterial was more expensive.

The new Paris Conservatoire buildings, at LaVillette, are an outstanding example of Mitterand’svision to endow Paris with modern architecturalmasterpieces. The equally striking building complexadjacent to it, called the Cité de la Musique, houses amagnificent new concert hall and a comprehensivemuseum of instruments, displaying examples ofvarious different oboes used during the 200 years ofthe Conservatoire’s teaching.

Over those years, many famous composers haveheld the post of Director of the Paris Conservatoire,including Cherubini, Ambroise Thomas, Auber,Dubois and Fauré; amongst the teaching staff wereDevienne, Reicha, Berlioz, d’Indy, Widor, Delibes andDukas. Of the professors of oboe, some names will befamiliar: François-Alexandre Sallentin* 1793-1816;Pierre-François-Joseph Delcambre 1795-1800; JacquesSchneitzhoeffer 1800-1802; Gustave-Auguste Vogt1816-1853; Louis-Stanislas Verroust 1853-1863;Charles-Louis Triébert 1863-1867; Félix-CharlesBerthélmy 1867-1868; Charles-Joseph Colin 1868-1881;Georges-Vital-Victor Gillet 1881-1918, Louis Bleuzet1919-1941, then Pierre Bajeux.

And now to the answer to the question aboutthose Morceaux de Concours. Neither of my guesseswas correct. I found that from the beginning, theConservatoire awarded an annual prize on eachinstrument, and each year there was a set piece to beperformed. Every student was expected to reach firstprize standard whilst at the Conservatoire and therecould be a number of players awarded a first prizeeach year on the same instrument. The work was tobe performed from memory and students were givenone month to prepare it. Normally it was written bythe current professor of the appropriate instrument,though sometimes a work from a previous year wasused again. Thus all the oboe competition pieces setbetween 1824 and 1854 were written by Vogt; from1857 to 1863 they were by Verroust, from 1868 to 1878by Colin, etc. Occasionally competition pieces werewritten by fellow professors - Klosé who wrote the1867 set work for oboe was the professor of clarinet.Here, then, is the body of repertoire to explore.

The Documents Historiques contain a transcript ofa meeting held on 29 October 1817 between LuigiCherubini, then Professor of Composition and laterDirector of the Conservatoire, and François Perne,Professor of Harmony, to review the arrangementsfor the annual prize system. There were competitionson all instruments (including the serpent!), separateclasses for male pianists and female pianists, alsopiano accompaniment (again separately for men andwomen), different classes for high horn players and

low horn players; composition, harmony,counterpoint and theory were all treated separatelytoo, in both subject and gender. There was a varietyof different voice disciplines.

The prizes in the non-instrumental sections werescores - a Haydn Oratorio or 12 Symphonies, or stringquartets, or 300 francs worth of music to be chosenby the administrative committee. Pianists alsoreceived music as prizes, but for orchestralinstrumentalists the winner of a first prize waspresented with a new instrument or an equivalentamount of money (100-300 francs). The second prizewas 100 francs worth of music.

There follows a statement about the need forcompetitions: ‘The Committee unanimously holds theview that annual competitions are an indispensablenecessity, that they are the principal source of rivalrybetween professors and between students, that theyare a means of accounting to the public and thatwithout them there would be no School … only thedrive of a competition keeps students worthy ofpublic presentation and ready to pass from theSchool into orchestras and the teaching profession.’[Own translation]

Seen from a different perspective though, theConservatoire was also providing by this processan invaluable service to all present and futuremusicians. It was enabling a huge new body ofrepertoire to be created.

From 1897, policy changed. The competitionpieces were no longer to be written specifically byplayers for their own instruments. The Conservatoirebegan not only using works for oboe by Bach andHandel, but also started to commission thecompetition pieces from other leading composers ofthe day. Works were written by other members of theConservatoire’s staff, like Fauré and Pierné, and bykey figures from other musical institutions in Paris,such as Gabriel Grovlez who was head of the ScholaCantorum, the base of those studying church music.Grovlez’s Sarabande et Allegro was the prescribedwork for oboe in 1929; he had also written the clarinetset piece for 1923, the flute piece for 1927 and wrotethe bassoon one for 1930. Amongst other composerscommissioned to write the competition pieces formany different instruments were Bozza, Busser,Forêt, d’Olonne and Mauguë.

Unfortunately some of the 19th CenturyConservatoire Annual Prize set pieces written foroboe are now out of print, but it is possible to see theoriginal manuscripts and early printed editions in theBibliothèque Nationale - it is well worth wadingthrough the morass of administrative red tape just tosee them. With more patient diplomacy they willunder certain circumstances photocopy some thingsfor you.


Amongst the works that are still in print, though, Ihave found a lot of delightful and very playableworks. They generally sound very impressive as theyrun around a lot, but since they were written byoboists, they lie well under the fingers and are in niceuser-friendly keys like C and G. The Conservatoireplaced great store on teaching the rudiments ofcomposition, so these works emerge as tuneful, well-balanced pieces, generally very pleasing to the ear. Inmy experience audiences love them.

I would particularly like to recommend fourAnnual Prize set pieces: Colin’s Solos de Concours No.1 and No. 3, Lefébvre’s Deux Pièces and Guilhaud’sConcertino No 1, and two others in a similar style:Verroust’s Souvenir of Old Quebec, and a brilliant,pretty easy, extremely impressive cor anglaisshowpiece, Lalliet’s Fantasie Originale Op. 6. By theway, Casimir-Theophile Lalliet was a cor anglaisenthusiast - if you want to give your star pupils a spinon the cor and would like them to play somethingother than the Hovis advert, Lalliet produced manynice arrangements of pieces for cor with piano, likeAir on the G String, or The Swan, or Handel’s Largo.

All these pieces mentioned above are readilyavailable from your friendly neighborhood musicsupplier, or try June Emerson. Or next time you are inParis you could gain brownie points on theauthenticity front and save a few pence by gettingthem either at the publishers’ shops or at La Flûte dePan. Leduc publishes all Colin’s Solos de Concours,Billaudot and Lemoine each publish some works byVerroust and Vogt.

Later into this century French recital piecesbecome a different genre - not what I had set out tofind here. What I have discovered is a lovelycollection of French romantic oboe pieces whichstand up very well as alternatives to churning out thebeloved Old Faithful by Grovlez for the umpteenthtime.

[*Source - Constant Pierre, p. 456. Both Joppig, p.156, and Bate, p. 207 give the name as AntoineSallentin with somewhat conflicting but remarkablysimilar biographical details.]

SourcesLe Conservatoire National de Musique et de

Déclamation: Documents Historiques etAdministratifs, Constand Pierre, 1900. LeConservatoire de Paris, 1795-1995: des Menus-Plaisirsà la Cité de la Musique, Anne Bongrain & YvesGérard, 1996. Le Conservatoire de Paris: regatrds surune institution et son histoire, Emmanuel Hondré,1995. Le Conservatoire de Paris, ou les voies de lacréation, Laetitia Chassain-Doulliou, 1995. DeuxSièccles au Conservatoire National d’Art Dramatique,Monique Sueur, 1986. Dictionary of Music and

Musicians, Grove, 1889, 1954, 1980. The Oboe and theBassoon, Gunther Joppig, 1988. The Oboe: an outlineof its History, Development and Construction PhilipBate 1956. Clarinet Classics CD CC0011 Solos deConcours, Victoria Soames, Insert text by PamelaWeston, 1995.

Additional Biographical Information - OboistsFrançois-Alexandre Sallentin*, born 1755 in Paris,

was appointed professor of oboe when the MilitarySchool started in 1793 and remained until he retiredin 1816. He played oboe in the orchestra at the ParisOpéra from 1770 to 1812.

Pierre-François-Joseph Delcambre came fromDouai, born in 1760. He also played at the Opéra from1791 until 1816, and was appointed to teach alongsideSallentin when the newly fashioned Conservatoirewas created in 1795, staying until 1800. His brotherThomas Delcambre became professor of bassoon in1795, though he stayed on for 29 years.

Jacques Schneitzhoeffer, 1754-1829, was born inDunkirk. He had been the professor for flute from1793 until 1800, then taught oboe until 1802. Heplayed both instruments at the Opéra.

Gustave-Auguste Vogt, 1781-1870, born inStrasburg, learned with Sallentin. He won first prize inoboe playing at the Conservatoire in 1799 at the ageof 18. He was appointed professor of oboe alongsideSallentin in 1802 and held the post until hisretirement a remarkable 51 years later, in 1853. Hisplaying activities demonstrated that to stay in work,one’s politics had to go with the flow - he held theposition of principal oboe at the Imperial Chapel,then became a musician in the Foot Grenadiers of theImperial Guard. He subsequently fought underNapoleon in the German campaign in 1805-6, and waspresent at Napoleon’s coronation in Milan. Hereturned to play again for the Imperial Chapel, andwas eventually employed until 1848 in the privateRoyal Band of Louis-Philippe. He also was principaloboe at Paris’s Opéra Comique from 1803 to 1812 andthen at the Opéra until 1834. He played in London forthe Philharmonic Society in 1825 and is mentionedmany times by Berlioz in his writings. He became aChevalier de la Légion d’honneur in 1829 at the age of48. He played the four-keyed oboe all his life, thoughhe was a close associate of the celebrated Triébertfamily of instrument makers, and it was at hissuggestion that Triébert designed a baritone oboe.His works feature prominently in the excerpts at theback of Otto Langey’s Oboe Tutor.

Louis-Stanislas Verroust, 1814-1863, came fromHazebrouck. He was taught by Vogt at theConservatoire and won first prize for oboe in 1834. Hewas professor from 1853 until 1863, besides holdingboth military and civil appointments.

MORCEAUX DE CONDOURS92

Charles-Louis Triébert, 1810-1867, was born inParis, the eldest son of Guillaume Triébert, founder ofthe firm of instrument makers. He was also taught byVogt at the Conservatoire, winning first prize at theage of 19. He followed a prestigious career as avirtuoso oboist, playing with the Opéra Cinquyem,the Opéra, the Théâtre Italien and with the Orchestraof the Société des Concerts. He took over theappointment of professor of oboe at theConservatoire on the demise of Verroust in 1863 andremained until his own death in 1867. The books ofstudies that were specified for use around that timewere those of Barret, Brod, Ferling and Sellner.

Félix-Charles Berthélemy, 1829-1968, from Saint-Omer, also played at the Opéra and with the Sociétédes Concerts from 1855. He became professor ofoboe at the Conservatoire in 1867 but died only aftera year, at the age of 39.

Charles-Joseph Colin, 1832-1881, born inCherbourg, won first prize on oboe at the age of 20,the harmony and accompaniment prize the yearfollowing and the organ prize the year after that. Hewas placed second in the Grand Prix de Romecompetition for composition in 1857. He had joinedthe staff of the Conservatoire in 1854 as repétitéur forthe harmony and accompaniment classes andbecame professor of oboe in 1868 remaining until hisdeath. He received the award of Chevalier de laLégion d’honneur in the final month of his life.

Georges-Vital-Victor Gillet, born in Louviers in1854, won first prize for oboe at the age of 15. Fiveyears later he became solo oboist at the ThéâtreItalien and from 1876 he was principal at the Sociétédes Concerts where he remained until 1899, besidesplaying with the Opéra and the Opéra Comique. Hetook the post of professor of oboe at theConservatoire after Colin in 1881 at the early age of 27and remained for 37 years. Triébert’s No. 6 Modeloboe was pioneered by Gillet and remains today theforemost system of keywork in use for French oboes.They are still referred to as Gillet system instruments.The Studies that he wrote for his students, publishedin 1890, are also very much in use today; during the1950’s they were amongst those prescribed inConservatoire teaching, alongside those of Bleuzet,Lamotte, Loyon and Capelle.

Additional Biographical Information - Bassoonists

I cannot comment on which names are of specialinterest to bassoon players, but here is some basicinformation. These were the professors of bassoonfrom the first appointments at the École pour laMusique de la Garde Nationale in 1793, absorbed intothe Conservatoire National de Musique et deDéclamation in 1795.

Louis Tulou, 1749-1799, was bassoonist at theParis Opéra from 1780. He became professor ofbassoon from the founding of the Military School andremained at the Conservatoire until his death.Gaspard Veillard, was born in Clermont Ferand in1752. He had played with the military since 1771 andjoined Tulou at the Opéra in 1781. He was involved atthe Conservatoire from 1795 until his retirement in1816; although he taught bassoon, he was primarilyprofessor of theory. Etienne Ozi, 1754-1813, was alsoon the original appointment list as professor ofbassoon from 1795. He retired in 1813.

Thomas-Joseph Delcambre, 1762-1828, born inDouai, was a sergeant in the National Garde andbassoonist at the Opéra from 1791, alongside hisoboist brother Pierre. He was also one of the team ofbassoon professors appointed at the Conservatoirefrom 1795. He was awarded the Chevalier de la Légiond’honneur in the year of his retirement, 1824.

François-René Gebauer, 1773-1845, fromVersailles, was appointed as well in 1795; he left in1800 but returned to take over from Delcambre in1824 to teach again until his retirement in 1838. Hewas bassoonist with the Paris Opéra from 1801 until1826 and was also awarded the Chevalier de la Légiond’honneur in the year 1814. Dominique-Charles-Joseph Barizel, 1788-1850, born in Merville, wasprofessor from 1839 until 1848 and also received theaward of the Chevalier de la Légion d’honneur.

Thereafter the appointments went to Jean-Baptiste-Joseph Wollent, 1809-1852, from Douai whotaught from 1849 to 1852; Jean-François-BarthélemyCokken, 1801-1875; born in Paris, professor from1852 to 1875; Louis-Marie-Eugéne Jancourt, 1815-1900, born in Château-Thierry, taught at theConservatoire from 1875 until 1891; EugèneBourdeau, 1850-1900, from Paris, taught from 1891 to1922; Letellier was professor from 1923 until 1934and Gustave Dhérin from 1934. Prescribed studybooks in 1865 were those of Cokken and Berr (theConservatoire’s Professor of Clarinet, but also avirtuoso bassoon player; he wrote some of thebassoon competition pieces). Around 1950 they usedthe work of Dhérin.

I was interested to see that the French still make adistinction between the Bassoon and the Fagott. Theyare specified separately on the current Admissionnotices for the forthcoming year (1997/98).

There’s plenty of scope for someone to delvefurther here from a bassoonist’s viewpoint, and Iwould be very happy to assist with such a project.Please make contact through the DRN Editor. ❖


Bassoonists’ News of Interest

By Ronald KlimkoMoscow, Idaho

BASSOONISTS’ ACTIVITIES:

Michael Trentacosti, principal bassoon of theMarion (Indiana) Philharmonic, performed theMozart Concerto, K. 191, with cadenzas by BernardGarfield on April 17, 1999 at the PhillippePerforming Arts Center on the Indiana WesleyanUniversity campus with the orchestra conductedby Alexander Platt. Also on the program was theMozart Flute Concerto #2 in D Major, K. 314 withprincipal flutist Alain Barkar. The Mozart Requiem,K.626 with the combined choruses of IndianaWesleyan and Taylor Universities completed theconcert. A live CD of the concert will be availablethrough the Marion Philharmonic later in the year.Mike is also one of the master craftsmen at the FoxBassoon Company in South Whitley, Indiana.

Benjamin Coelho, a recent bassoon doctoralgraduate of Indiana University where he studiedwith Kim Walker and the recently appointedprofessor of bassoon at the University of Iowa,gave a master class at the University of Wisconsin/

Oshkosh at the Double Reed Bash there on March4-5, 1999, according to Andrea Gullickson,associate professor of bassoon at UW/Oshkosh. Inthe photo below, Benjamin is shown working withstudent bassoonist Michelle Stievo.

Bruce Gbur, recently appointed as double reedprofessor to the faculty at Kansas State University,Manhattan, replacing Sarah Funkhauser, whoretired in May, 1998, was guest soloist with theAkron (Ohio) Symphony in September, 1998,

performing the solo bagpipe part in Sir PeterMaxwell Davies’ An Orkney Wedding (with Sunrise).On March 14, 1999, Bruce joined KSU facultymembers Alfred Cochran, alto saxophone; andpianist William Wingfield in a performance of theConcerto #2 for saxophone, bassoon, and piano byMarguerite Roesgen-Champion on a chambermusic recital at KSU. On April 6, 1999, Bruceperformed a faculty recital entitled “AmericanMusic for Double Reeds” at KSU, assisted byWilliam Wingfield, piano; Anthony Di Sanza,percussion; Jennifer Edwards, mezzo-soprano; andMary Ellen Sutton, organ; with special guestappearance by Alan Hawkins, professor ofbassoon at the University of Kansas. Worksperformed included the Piece for Oboe andImprovisatory Percussion and Barbara, Piece forEnglish Horn by Alec Wilder (the latter restored byBruce Gbur); Lyric Study #2 for Oboe and Piano andLyric Study #6 for Bassoon and Piano (both worldpremieres), Concertino for Oboe and Piano byAlfred Reed; Two Daffodils for Voice and EnglishHorn by Stacy Willer; the Sonata for Bassoon andPiano by Halsey Stevens; Fantasy and Presto forTwo Bassoons by William Davis; Sonnet forContrabassoon and Piano by John Corina; andAmazing Grace arranged in a Percy Grainger-likeharmonization for Scottish Highland bagpipes andorgan by David Hallman-a very interestingprogram. Bruce writes that that the Harris workswere composed in 1950 as part of a series of LyricStudies for Woodwinds. Paula Robison premieredthe flute pieces several years ago, but the oboeand bassoon works have been neglected until now.

Bassoonist Jennifer Kirkman recently acted asthe co-ordinator of the North Central IndianaDouble Reed Society’s performance of the RoyalFireworks Music by Händel with the Kokomo

Bassoonist Benjamin Coelho works with MichelleStievo.

North Central Indiana Double Reed Society.

BASSOONISTS’ NEWS OF INTEREST94

(Indiana) Park Band on February 28, 1999, at theJohanning Civic Center in Kokomo. The followingis a picture of the double reed participants in thisperformance.

Bassoonist Eddie SandersIII, a student of Gene Griswoldat Towson University, per-formed the first movement ofthe Weber Concerto at theKennedy Center as part of theCollege Division Finals of theNational Symphony YoungSoloists Competition on Feb.21, 1999. Each year nearly onehundred young musicians enter

the competition. All of the entrants participate inthe preliminary round of auditions and sevenfinalists were chosen to perform with the NSO at alater date. Among the seven finalists, Eddie wasthe only bassoonist! Good job, Eddie!

Patti Katucki, principal bassoon of the Boise(Idaho) Philharmonic performed the MozartConcerto with the orchestra conducted by JamesOgle as part of “Mozart Month” on Feb. 20, 1999, inNampa, Idaho. In the February 20, 1999, review ofthe concert, critic Michael Winter wrote in theBoise Statesman: “Katucki gave a breath-defyingperformance of the Bassoon Concerto, completewith two extended cadenzas.”

Brazilian bassoonist Cláudio Möller de Freitasis a recent graduate of the Harid Conservatory inBoca Raton, Florida, where he was a student ofArthur Weisberg. He has appeared in numeroussolo and chamber music recitals both in his nativeBrazil, the United States and Eastern Europe.Cláudio began his studies with Francisco Formigaand Benjamin Coehlo at the Federal University ofMinas Gerais. At 18 he secured a position with theMinas Gerais Symphony where he worked untilcoming to the United States in 1995. Besides hismany performances, Cláudio is very active as acomposer. On April 30, 1999, his most recentwork:Concertino for violin, bassoon, and chamberorchestra (1998) was given its premiere by theHarid Contemporary Music Ensemble, conductedby Arthur Weisberg with Cláudio joining Romanianviolinist Nicolae Bica. The single movement workis in two distinct sections, linked by a doublecadenza. It may be the first time the violin andbassoon are combined in a concerto-like setting.He is also scheduled to perform at this year’s IDRSConference in Madison where he will do a recitalof music for bassoon and guitar with guitarist

Aliéksey Vianna, in which he will premiere his Duofor bassoon and guitar (1999). Finally, Cláudio alsohas a recently premiered Sonata for Bassoon andPiano (1998), which is reviewed in the RecentBassoon Music article elsewhere in this issue.Music Critic Richard Zoller wrote the followingconcerning Cláudio:

He plays bassoon with a beautiful tone anda singing style. Bassoon in the old days wasoften considered the “clown” of instruments, butde Freitas has elevated it to serious contentionwith the appeal of the most popular of soloinstruments.

The following photo shows violinist Bica andbassoonist de Freitas with Arthur Weisberg on thepodium at the completion of the Concertino forviolin, bassoon and chamber orchestra:

Dong-yun Kwon, principal bassoon of thePusan (Korea) Philharmonic Orchestra, had asuccessful debut in the US, performing the VanhalConcerto for Two Bassoons with her teacher, OttoEifert, and the Port Angeles (Washington)Symphony, conducted by Nico Snel, on April 18,1998. Also, her recording of Arthur R. Kelly’s FiveMoods for Two Bassoons with Otto Eifert wasselected for the in-flight music program for Korea’sAsiana Airline during May and June, 1998. InMarch, 1998, Ms. Kwon released her second CDwith Russian pianist Valery Vischnevsky, whichincludes works by Glinka, Flament, Persichetti,Hurlstone, and Breval. In February, 1998, sheperformed the Mozart Concerto with the PusanPhilharmonic under the baton of Sung Kwak, andin July, 1998, she performed the Christian LudwigDietter with the Sofia Ars Chamber Orchestra inPusan. This was the Korean premiere of this work.Finally in February, 1999, Ms. Kwon organized anevening of bassoon concerti with the PrimePhilharmonic from Seoul, with her studentsperforming the Vivaldi Concerto in e minor, theDevienne Concerto in B flat major, and the WeberConcerto all on the same program.

Eddie Sanders III

BASSOONISTS’ NEWS OF INTEREST 95

The American Festival of Microtonal Musicunder the direction of micro-tonal bassoonspecialist Johnny Reinhard presented MicroMay’99 in New York City, on May 20, 23, and 27, 1999.Between the opening concert on May 20th atColumbia University which featured a new clarinetsolo: Sleep by Johnny Reinhard and a work for 31-tone Microlyre: Thirsting for Peace in a RagingCentury by Ed Sanders among other works; and theclosing concert at Columbia on the 27th featuringworks by Harry Partch, Skip LaPlante, JohnGzowski, and Joseph Pehrson, the centerpiece wasa gigantic Microthon! at New York University from10 am to 9pm. This concert featured a hugenumber of experimental works by John Cage, AloisHába, Harry Partch, Virgil Thompson, and MayumiReinhard, to mention just a few. Johnny Reinhardalso has a new CD out which will be reviewed inthe next issue of the Double Reed.

Bassoonist Richard Meek performed aninteresting faculty recital at Texas Tech University,Lubbock, on November 22, 1998, entitled: Music forBassoon with Strings Attached. With cellist AlexExerman, he performed the Mozart Sonata forBassoon and Violoncello, K292; then joined withother string players: Stephanie Bland and AmandaHuntoon, violins; and Sharon Miril and FranciscoMarchan, violas; to perform the Franz KrommerQuartet in B Flat, Op. 46, No. 1, and the Quintet(1975-1994) for Bassoon and Strings by RobertBaska (1938-).

Dr. Lawrence Stewart of Rowan Universityrecently presented a bassoon master class for thehigh school bassoon students of Martha Frapton atWashington Township, New Jersey, on May 10,1999. Students participating in the workshopincluded: Jill Dietrich, Judy Stevenson, HeatherHayes, Shanna Green, Ariya Dararutana, andRowan University freshman bassoon majorKimberly Tursi. Following is a picture of the entiregroup, and the program performed by Larry andthe students.

For the May 10, 1999 master class, Dr. Stewartopened by performing the Cello Suite No. 1 by J.S.Bach and the Variations by John Burness. Next,bassoonists Jill Dieterich (A little Song – RoyJohnson), Judy Stevenson (Know Gnomes – EdSolomon), Heather Hayes (Evening in the Country –Bela Bartok), Shanna Green (Sonata in F minor –Telemann), Kimberly Tursi ( Sonatine – Tansman),and Ariya Dararutana (Flight of the Bumble Bee –Rimsky-Korsakov/Waterhouse) performed withMrs. Frampton as accompanist. Graduating seniorKim Tursi will study with Dr. Stewart at Rowan inSeptember, 1999.

Marvin Roth’s Two Duets were performed by Dr.Stewart and Mrs. Frampton to close the class.

Dr. Stewart is a member of the Rowan Univer-sity Woodwind Quintet, the Rowan UniversityBaroque Trio, the Opera Company Orchestra ofPhiladelphia, and free lances in the Tri State area.

The bassoon section of the LondonPhilharmonia Orchestra, Meyrick Alexander,Michael Cole, Jonathan Price and Gordon Laingon contra, gave the first performance of MichaelDaugherty’s latest bassoon work, a concerto for 3bassoons and contra entitled Hells Angels, onMarch 21, 1999, In Leichester, England. UnlikeDaugherty’s Dead Elvis, where the solo bassoonmust dress up like Elvis, here the four soloists hadto be decked out like four “bikers”!! Bet is was a hit!(Along with the soloists bassoonist Robin Oneill isco-principal of the Philharmonia.)

ERRATA: It is now time to make corrections (and some

apologies) for errors made in the previous DoubleReed.

First the easy ones. There is an error in Vol.21,No.3, p. 39 of the Double Reed concerning dates forthe IDRS-Deutchland. Their Conference was notheld in October, 1998, but will occur on October 1-3,1999 instead.

In the article User Friendly Bassoon Tunes (Vol.22, No. 1, pp. 63-65) by Daryl Durran, on page 63,second column, the references to the BesozziSonata and the three works by Boismortier all endwith the statement: “No separate bassoon part.”This should read: “No separate basso part” (as inbasso continuo).

The article Confessions of a Contra LovingComposer by Roger Soren really got garbled!! It wasconveyed over the internet as an attachment, andapparently only the first page was retrieved. Thecorrected and complete article can be found in thisissue. Apologies to both Roger Soren andcomposer Daniel Dorff.

BASSOONISTS’ NEWS OF INTEREST96

My biggest error and apology, however, goes toRenee Dee and the John Miller BassoonSymposium, 1999. Somehow we printed an earlierunedited version of the story by author andparticipant in the ’98 Symposium Arlene McCallum,(Vol. 22, No. 1, p 50) and, as a double whammy,inadvertently left out mention of this year’sSymposium with dates, etc., in my Bassoonist’sNews of Interest column! Make it a TRIPLE whammywith the caption error on page 50, listing GeneGriswold as the Symposium Director. Gene was aguest lecturer at the 1998 Symposium, havingserved for many years as the Director. The currentDirector, Renee Dee, who has served very well inthat capacity for the past number of years, recentlyannounced the cancellation of the 1999 Symposiumon the Net because of a decline in the number ofparticipants. I feel terrible in that the IDRS, throughmy mistakes, might have contributed to thiscancellation. I deeply regret this, and will doeverything in my power to assure that it doesn’thappen again.

OTHER SYMPOSIA,FESTIVALS AND BASSOON COURSES

Since we went onto this new publicationschedule, I often get notices of summer courses,etc., too late for inclusion in the first Double Reedissue for the year. Unfortunately some of thesemight be in your hands too late to be of benefit forthis year (I hope not.), so please make note of theones that interest you and write for informationearly in the year for next year’s session.

The Tenth Anniversary of the Boston Early MusicFestival and Exhibition is scheduled for June 7-13, 1999and will include a variety of activities, highlighted by aperformance of Francesco Cavalli’s opera ErcoleAmante (Hercules in Love). Oboist (and recorderplayer) for the Festival will be Bruce Haynes, alongwith bassoonist Marilyn Boenau. For furtherinformation contactKathleen Fay, Executive Direc-tor, at 617-661-1812 or 617-262-0650, Fax: 617-267-6539, email; [email protected], WWW: www.bemf.org.

The Sunflower Music Festival Institute for theAdvanced Study of Chamber Music is scheduled forJune 2-10, 1999, at Washburn University, Topeka,Kansas. Bassoon instructors will be Richard Beenefrom the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, andMark Romatz from Jacksonville, Florida. Oboeinstructors will be Peter Stempe from Boise, Idaho,and Kristen Beene from Ann Arbor, Michigan.

The Baroque Performance Institute will be held atthe Oberlin Conservatory of Music, Oberlin, Ohio,

from June 20 to July 4, 1999. Bassoon instructor willbe James Bolyard who is a member of theSmithsonian Chamber Orchestra, Hesperus, theFolger Consort, the Dryden Ensemble, PublickMusick, the Washington Bach Consort, andCapriole; and oboe instructor will be Gonzalo Ruiz,who was 1991 Bruges prizewinner and a member ofthe Philharmonia, American Bach Soloists, and theHandel and Haydn Society. For further informationcontact the Baroque Performance Institute,Conservatory of Music, 77 West College St., Oberlin,OH 44074-1855, Tel: 440-775-8044, Fax: 440-775-6840,email [email protected].

French bassoon artist Laurent Lefèvre, 199 IDRSGillet Performance Competition winner, member ofthe Orchestre de l’ Opera, Paris, and professor at theCNSM de Lyon, will be the bassoon instructor at theAcademie de St-Geniez-d’Olt , Aveyron, France, onJuly 19-31, 1999. Oboe instructor will be Jacques Tys,member of the Orchestre de l’Opèra, Paris, and pro-fessor at the CNSM de Paris. For further information,contact Marie Lachand , 100 bd de Charonne, 75020Paris, France. Tel: 01 46 59 13 91, Fax: 01 46 59 13 91.

Contrabassoonists Arlyn Fast of the New YorkPhilharmonic and Susan Nigro, soloist/recitalistfrom Chicago, will be the instructors for a Contra-bassoon Festival at Park City, Utah, on July 27-August 1, 1999. Arlyn will be on hand for the full fivedays of masterclasses, seminars, and workshops ona broad range of topics specific to thecontrabassoon. Susan will be there for three daysperforming and discussing the challenges ofselecting and commissioning works for thecontrabassoon. For further information contactKevin Damon, PO Box 3106, Park City, UT 84060,Tel: 435 649 3132, Fax: 435 649 6322,

email: [email protected]: http:// www.Pcmusicfestival.comor http://www.Contrabass.comor http://www.contrabassoon.com

ODDS ‘N ENDSThe Midwest Double Reed Society (c/o Virginia

Ormsby, 1045 E. Rosebrier, Springfield, MO 65807)continues to be a very active regional society.Serving the states of Nebraska, Iowa, Kansas,Missouri, Oklahoma, and Arkansas, the organizationputs out a very handsome and newsy newsletterthree times annually-full of pertinent informationabout concerts, workshops, etc., in the six-stateregion. One of their most important activities istheir Young Artist Competition for Junior High, HighSchool, and Undergraduate oboe and bassoonstudents from the six states. This year’s competi-


tion was scheduled for May 2, 1999, at the Univer-sity of Arkansas, Fayetteville. Hopefully we will havethe results in the next issue of The Double Reed.

There is exciting news from France about thebeginnings of the development of a future DoubleReed Society in that country! I was fortunate toattend a wonderful two-day meeting of the Frenchbassoonists (including BOTH fagott and basson!) inMarch in beautiful Colmar, France. At the meetingthere was a lot of discussion about forming aFrench Double Reed Society, combining their effortswith L’Association Francaise du Hautbois, which isalready in existence. Is it possible that we mightlook forward to having an IDRS Conference in Parisin the future??!! I will have a full report of themeeting plus an exciting interview with GilbertAudin, principal of the Orchestre de l’Opèra, Paris,and professor at the CNSM de Paris in the nextissue of the Double Reed.

Congratulations to Richard Meek, bassoonprofessor at Texas Tech University who recentlywas high bidder on the Ebay internet auction(www.ebay.com) when a Heckel bassoon from theestate of Melvin Tax , a wind instrument musicianwith Broadway and Hollywood orchestras came upfor bids. The instrument, #4802, went for the priceof $7,547 – a bargain at current Heckel prices. As theonce owner of a late 4000 series Heckel, I’m quitesure that Dick will be pleased with his newinstrument. I understand he might have bought itfor the university. Good going, Dick! Incidentally, Iencourage all bassoonists to check on the site fromtime to time. I have seen some reasonably pricedbassoons (and even a few Heckel bocals) come upfor bids from time to time. Just use the searchengine at the site and type in “bassoon”.

From Frank Ruggieri comes word that solves a“mystery” that I posed in an article from the Journalof the IDRS, No. 25, July 1997, page 97. The article,which was a reprint of an article by Gloria Sollowayentitled Bassoon and Powder Puff #2, whichoriginally appeared in Woodwind Magazine in theMay and June, 1951 issue. In it, Gloria recounts herprofessional experiences in Europe culminatingwith her appointment to the bassoon section of therenowned Concertgebouw Orchestra ofAmsterdam. At the end I posed the question: “Doany of our readers know what happened to GloriaSolloway following this?” Frank has answered thisquestion for us:

“Having known Gloria for many years, and wewere very close friends, any time she re-visited theUnited States she would call and we would meetwith Sol (Schoenbach) and other friends…She was

married to Anthony Judd, a bassoonist who playedin the Philharmonia in London. Her address was 94Christchurch Ave, London, NW6 7PE, England. Shepassed away about a year ago. Her husband stilllives at the above address.”

And now, as they say: “…you have the rest ofthe story.”

Also from Frank Ruggieri comes word that therewill be a memorial program celebrating the lives ofBertha and Sol Schoenbach on Saturday, June 5,

1999, at 4:00 p.m. at the MaryLouise Curtis Branch of the Set-tlement School, 416Kardon St., Phil-adelphia. Scheduledto perform are twoof Sol’s many greatformer students:David McGill of the

Chicago Symphony and Kim Walkerof Indiana University. Somehow itdoesn’t seem possible that ourbeloved Sol is gone. As a reminder here are tworecent photos of Sol, one with Frank Ruggieri, thatFrank included in his correspondence.

AND FINALLY…From bassoonist Alice Heckster, who lives in

Amsterdam with her husband, comes the followingquote from the wonderfully witty book by OscarLevant, Music in Aspic (October, 1939). In talkingabout conductors and their foibles, Levantmentions the following (p. 251):

“A recent development, in the post-Toscaniniperiod, is the fabulous-memory type. He is shrewdenough to realize that an orchestra is no longerimpressed with a musician who uses a score forrehearsals and conducts only his concerts frommemory, so he scorns the use of a score in hisrehearsals also. He has memorized not only thenoted and tempo indications, but also the numbersof the pages, the lettered sub-divisions of themovements, and the very accent marks in thebassoon part. (Italics mine, ed.)

It is a part of orchestral folk-legend that one suchvirtuoso, intent upon impressing the orchestra withhis memory, planted several errors in obscureplaces. In the midst of a furious tutti he stopped theorchestra, singled out the third horn player, andsaid: ‘Third horn—I heard you play a C. It should beC sharp’. The horn player responded, with propercontempt: ‘Some jackass wrote in a C natural, but Iknow the piece backward so I played it C sharp as itshould be.’”

After 60 years that story still says a lot! ❖

SolSchoenbach

Sol andFrank Ruggieri

IDRS HONORARY MEMBERS98

Honorary Members

Maurice Allard(1923)

Günter Angerhöfer(1921)

Lady Evelyn Barbirolli(1911)

Philip Bate(1909)

Gwydion Brooke(1912)

Donald Christlieb(1912)

Lewis Hugh Cooper(1920)

John de Lancie(1921)

George F. Goslee(1916)

Ralph Gomberg(1921)

E. Earnest Harrison(1918)

Norman H. Herzberg(1916)

Karl Öhlberger(1912)

Ivan Pushechnikov(1910)

Mordechai Rechtman(1926)

Lowry Riggins(1930)

Roland Rigoutat(1930)

Leonard Sharrow(1915)

Ray Still(1920)

Laila Storch(1921)

K. David van Hoesen(1926)

Robert Bloom

(1908-1994)

Victor Bruns

(1903-1996)

Robert De Gourdon

(1912-1993)

Ferdinand Del Negro

(1896-1986)

Fernand Gillet

(1882-1980)

Leon Goossens, CBE

(1897-1988)

Cecil James

(1913-1999)

Benjamin Kohon

(1890-1984)

Simon Kovar

(1890-1970)

Dr. Paul Henry Lang

(1901-1991)

Lyndesay Langwill

(1897-1983)

Alfred Laubin

(1906 - 1976)

Robert M. Mayer

(1910-1994)

W. Hans Moennig

(1903-1988)

Frederick Moritz

(1897-1993)

Fernand Oubradous

(1903-1986)

Sol Schoenbach(1915-1999)

Jerry Sirucek

(1922 - 1996)

Louis Skinner

(1918 - 1993)

Robert Sprenkle

(1914-1988)

Deceased Honorary Members


Ask The Doctor

By William J. Dawson, M.D.Evanston, Illinois

s I wait (patiently—pun intended!) for mailfrom our readership to roll in, hopefullyfilled with questions about medicalproblems which affect their musical

performance and about the subjects I’ve addressedin previous columns, I’m faced with the journalisticreality of deadlines. The Society keeps a strictpublication schedule, and the lack of readers’ lettersis a poor excuse for not sending in good and timelycopy for the next issue. How then, can I satisfy myeditors?

I took the easy way out this time by reviewing mye-mail for the IDRS-1 and the double reed-1 lists. Inthe approximately three years since these two listshave been on line, members of both have broughtme up a number of different medically relatedsubjects for discussion and answers. Now I realizethat not all the members of the IDRS areelectronically connected, but it seems that theinterests of those who are would be fairlyrepresentative of the whole group. It also seemslogical that many of these questions and concernswould be shared by all our members, and all mightbenefit from answers given in this column and notjust over the Internet.

As I looked at all these medically related topicsfrom the lists, I found that a great number wererepeated or re-introduced during this three-yearperiod. These topics obviously have been ofconcern to many of our members, and theirrepeated mention indicates to me that manyinstrumentalists may not know where to go forhelpful information. Discussion of these subjects,usually with answers to many frequently-askedquestions, have been presented in the pages of ourpublications over the years, and the lengthydiscussions held on the Internet have allowed manymusicians to express their thoughts and opinions.Unfortunately, there is no one easily-accessedsource of information about all these problems.

Some medically-related conditions may be theresult of improper technique or practice patterns(misuse) and may be dealt with most appropriatelyby a music teacher, not a physician. Others willrequire the attention of a health professional(dentists and various types of therapists areincluded in this category and may be the bestsource of information and help in some cases). Agreat many medical conditions indeed may not berelated to playing one’s instrument, but definitely

can have a negative effect on musical performance;these will usually require evaluation by a physician.

Following are lists of these topics and somepertinent comments and suggestions about many ofthem. Quite a few of the online concerns were aboutsubjects pertinent to all double reed musicians;some of them, however, were of specific interest tooboists and some to bassoonists.

General topicsThe most common topics seemed to fall into a

few basic categories.1. Head pain/headache/lightheadedness: This

area of concern has come up every year, sometimesrelating to oboists but often in more general terms.Specific subjects also have included migraineheadaches and pain occurring while playing. SomeInternet commentary has mentioned a possiblerelationship with tension or performance anxiety (avalid one, in my opinion).

2. Nerve compression problems: Carpal tunnelsyndrome (CTS) was the most common specificcondition, although ulnar nerve compression at theelbow was mentioned several times. Respondentshave experienced problems with diagnosis of theseconditions as well as with forms of treatment andprevention. Many conditions have erroneously beencalled CTS, and CTS has erroneously been calledmany other things. These subjects were discussedin The Double Reed, vol. 15, number 1 (1992).

3. Muscle strain/tendinitis: A conditioncommonly caused by overuse, musical or otherwise.Most instances involved performers’ forearms orhands, and both oboists and bassoonists wereaffected. This condition probably is related to issuesof instrument support (more later) andduration/intensity of playing.

4. Head problems (eyes/ears/dental): This groupof concerns included noise-induced hearing loss,aging changes of the eyes and ears, and numerousdiscussions of temporomandibular joint (TMJ) andbite problems. Air leakage around the palate andthroat while playing was mentioned at least yearly,and list members commented on both techniquechanges and medical evaluation for this somewhatunusual malady.

5. Playing with various medical conditions:Although some diseases or conditions mayinterfere with playing, many do not. Asthma wasmentioned on several occasions as a possible

A

ASK THE DOCTOR100

contraindication to playing, but the consensusseems to be that many can still play effectively.Medication plays a large part in the care of thisdisease and its use should be factored intomaking a decision about playing. Returning toplaying after surgery was another concern; manypeople were unsure of the proper length of timeto allow before resuming practice orperformance. The advice of the surgeon in thisregard must be considered; however, that personalso should be familiar with the physicalrequirements of playing a specific instrument, andthe performer must, in most cases, provide thesurgeon with those facts.

6. Where to seek help for specific conditions:Many musicians do not know where to seekprofessional help for their problems. Performingarts medicine is not a large specialty and itspractitioners are not located in every urban area.However, skilled help is available from members ofmany medical specialties who treat a wide spectrumof patients, including performers, and referrals mayneed to be made by one’s local primary physician orother professional. My first “Ask the Doctor” column(1997 Double Reed, Vol. 20, no. 2), contains a fairlycomprehensive list of arts-medicine clinics andpractitioners in the United States, with some foreignmembers as well; this should be a useful referencefor those who seek help.

Oboe topicsSupporting the oboe was the instrument-specific

subject most frequently brought up on the Internetas a source of physical problems. The e-mailcontroversy rages regarding neck straps vs. thumbrests vs. posts of various types—their advisability,advantages and detriments. Many oboistscomplained of hand pains, especially involving theright thumb and mostly related to instrumentposition and support. It may be useful to considerthat, although oboes are all about the same size,shape and weight, the people who play them arenot. There are many anatomically, physiologically,ergonomically and artistically correct ways to holdand support any musical instrument, and eachplayer must determine his/her own “right” way.Rigidity of thought and adherence to traditionalismmust take a back seat to the pragmatism of comfortand efficiency. Unfortunately, a certain amount oftrial and error may be necessary to achievecomfortable and effortless playing, but the resultscertainly are worth the effort.Bassoon topics

Like the oboe, instrument support issues andproblems related to support and positioning werethe most common topics specific to the bassoon.

The controversies include neck vs. seat strap vs.harness vs. floor peg, balance hanger or not, crutchor no crutch for the right hand, and whether to playsitting or standing; all these subjects have appearedat least twice each year. My comments onindividuality in the above paragraph can be appliedequally well to the bassoon and its associatedproblems. For some performers, a particularmethod of support (even one that is endorsed bymany teachers) may be detrimental to the musicianand actually produce physical problems from tryingto utilize or adapt to it. Many bassoonists may findthat one arrangement works better while playingseated and another one for standing; if such is thecase, and if the player is not harmed by any of themethods, the need for two methods should not be acause for concern.

The second most common topic, wrist andforearm pain, in most cases was related to thecontroversies I’ve just discussed. Pain is one of thefirst ways the body lets its owner know that some-thing is wrong; often the cause of pain can be tracedto muscles or joints that were asked to functionimproperly or beyond their physiological limits.

ConclusionsDouble-reeders can obtain help for their medical

problems from many sources, some of which arereadily available and some which require of theseeker greater time, effort and, occasionally,expense. 1) Many of the topics I’ve mentioned abovehave been discussed in both medical and musicalpublications, and our own journals contain a numberof informative articles (see references below). Laypublications also can provide useful information, butthe reader must evaluate the recommendationscritically. 2) The knowledgeable music teacher oftencan deal quite effectively with a performance-relatedproblem from the pedagogical standpoint, byevaluating technique, repertoire and other importantfactors and suggesting corrective adjustments oralternatives. 3) Finally, a medical professional maybe needed to supply answers about those disease- orinjury-related conditions, and for the difficultquestions that stump everyone else.

References and suggested readingSataloff RT; Brandfonbrener AG; Lederman RJ.

Textbook of Performing Arts Medicine. New York:Raven Press, 1991.

Prodan J. Index of articles in I.D.R.S.publication 1969-1993. The Double Reed, 1993:16(2): 67-84. [For members who have joined since1993, this article may be available on the Society’sWeb site, http://idrs.colorado.edu].


How To Make a Double Reed Web Site

By Susan G. GlennUniversity of Georgia

Athens, Georgia

he Internet provides a convenient avenuefor the exchange of information betweeninstructors and students. Instructors cancreate web pages for their classes that

include syllabi, assignments and other materials.Double reed instructors may also use a Web sitefor teaching, recruiting, and building a sense ofcommunity within their studio. This paper isaddressed to double reed players who havelimited experience with Web development butwish to learn how to create a Web site.

Designing a Web site may seem daunting tothe technically uninitiated. Technical manualspromising to help you teach yourself HTML, Java,or any number of technical skills proliferate onthe shelves of local bookstores. Many of thesetexts, which contain enough information todevelop large, complex Web sites, are notappropriate for the novice Web developer andmay even seem burdensome. Effective Web pagescan be created with a small set of HTMLcommands, a few guidelines, and a little helpfrom the departmental technical supportpersonnel. This paper seeks to provide practicalinstructions to double reed players that willenable them to create a simple double reed Webpage in a reasonable length of time. Thisdiscussion is approached from the conceptualframework of a college or university-level, doublereed educator and considers the concerns andgoals of double reed educators and theirstudents. The purpose of this paper is to outlinethe steps taken to develop a Web site for theBassoon Studio at the University of Georgia. TheUniversity of Georgia Bassoon Web Site may beviewed at:

http://www.uga.edu/music/bassoon/bassoon.html

What You Will NeedAs with any project, taking the time and effort

to collect the materials needed is an importantfirst step. Adequate attention to these details maysave much time and frustration as your projectprogresses. Before starting your Web site Irecommend you collect or gain access to thefollowing items:

- At least one comprehensive HTML handbook- Web browsing software - Word processor

- Scanner and software to work with thescanner

- Sound capturing software- Assess to a file server with an Internet

connection- Computer

HTML HandbookHypertext Markup Language (HTML) is a

system of marking the text elements of adocument with tags. An HTML tag is somepredefined series of characters enclosed withingreater-than and less-than symbols, "<>". Forexample, "<B>" is a tag that tells the Web browserto make all the text following this tag bold. Beadvised that the quotes are not part of the tag.Web browsers use these HTML tags to format thedocuments.

You may have heard of an alternate method ofmaking web pages using software programs calledWeb page authoring tools. PageMill and NetscapeComposer are examples of such software. Theseprograms resemble a common word processorexcept that they automatically generate HTMLtags based on what the user has typed. Thismakes them simple to use and many feel that theyoffer a more efficient means of Web pagedevelopment, however, there is still a significantlearning curve for most users. Furthermore, if atsome later date you develop your skills to a levelwhere you are using JAVA or JAVA script code toadd certain features to your Web site, a basicknowledge of HTML programming will provehelpful. Since the University of Georgia bassoonWeb site was developed using a limited set ofHTML tags rather than a Web page authoring tool,an in-depth discussion of these tools is beyondthe scope of this paper.

Even with the instructions that follow, a goodHTML handbook will definitely be an asset to yourproject. Look in any campus or commercialbookstore for the most current editions. I haveincluded a list of my favorites in Appendix A.

Web BrowserThe most common use of the term "browser" is

to describe the action of casually looking over orskimming through something, and thatdescription is appropriate for a piece of softwarecalled a Web browser. Web browsers translate

T

HOW TO MAKE A DOUBLE REED WEB SITE102

HTML tags and display documents in the properformat. They are used as a means of viewing thevarious files that represent the Web pages usersencounter while "surfing" the Web. A Webbrowser is needed to format your Web page sothat you can view your work as it progresses.Netscape Navigator is a popular browser and wasthe one used for the UGA bassoon Web site. Askyour technical support personnel for informationabout the Web browser to which you have access.They will need to show you how to view a filethrough the browser if you have never done so.

Word ProcessorAny word processor can be used to create the

files that will make up your Web site. The key is tosave your files as text files or in the "text" format.This is VERY important. Some word processorsseem to work better for this purpose than others.SimpleText was selected for our Web pagebecause documents are automatically saved astext files, and there have been no problems withconversions of any type. If you are using a PC,Notepad is the equivalent software.

ScannerA digital scanner will be necessary to create

backgrounds and to add appropriate images,photographs and artwork to your site. Scannersare simple to operate and with a little help youwill find them a very useful aid for a variety ofartistic projects. If you have never used a scannerbefore, ask your technical support personnel fordirections.

Scanner SoftwareYour scanner is set up to operate with a

specific software program. Again, your technicalsupport person can explain how to use thissoftware. Adobe Photoshop was used for ourbassoon Web site. Adobe Photoshop is a powerfulsoftware package that is widely used for scanningand for many other purposes.

Sound Capturing Software You can include a sound clip on your Web

page if you have software to record and edit thesound. A program called Sound Edit, was used tocreate a sound file in the WAV format for our site.There are other ways to accomplish this task,each with it’s own advantages and disadvantages.Check with your technical support person todetermine what is available to you. If your soundis on a cassette tape, you will also need aconnecting cable to run between the tape playerand the computer.

Access to a File Server with an InternetConnection

When your Web site is complete, you will needto obtain some space on a file server with a Webconnection. You will place the files you havecreated on this file server. Request six to tenmegabytes of space for this purpose. When youhave placed your files on this file server your Website will be accessible to the rest of the "Webworld".

ComputerWeb sites can be developed on any type of

computer, but the Web site described in thispaper was developed using a Macintosh computerand software that runs on a Macintosh platform.Therefore, you will find these instructions moreuseful if you are also using the Macintoshplatform.

Designing Your Web PageBefore you start writing any HTML code, your

first step should be to plan as closely as possiblehow your web site will appear and the informationit will contain. Generally, the more time you spendat this stage, the less you will spend in revisionsand modifications. I recommend taking a fewhours to browse the web for other sites on topicssimilar to yours. As you find ideas for your ownpage you may want to view the HTML code for thepage that you like. All browsers have an optionthat enables you to do this. Look under the "view"menu and select "document source". This way,you can see the HTML code that formatted thematerial on that page. I also recommend that onyour first attempt, create only a very simple page.You can always add more complicated and flashyfeatures as your skills increase.

Consider Your AudienceAs you plan your site, keep your audience in

mind. Will your site be primarily for your studentsor do you prefer to direct it toward other bassooninstructors? Perhaps your site will be viewed bythose interested in applying to your music school,or maybe your fellow wind teachers will visit thesite frequently. For most of us, the audience willconsist of all of the above with varying emphasison each topic.

Design IssuesThe simpler you keep your pages, the easier it

will be for others to comprehend the information.Avoid putting too much information on the screenat one time. Give special consideration to colorcoordination and format. Keep your columns


straight. Either center, left, or right align the textand graphic objects on the screen. It is better touse a serif font on a screen because it is easier toread. Serif means "foot", so you can distinguishbetween a serif font and a sans serif font bynoticing if the letters have any short lines orstrokes (feet) stemming from the upper and lowerends. Avoid too much animation. Break longstretches of text into more readable pieces byadding headings, paragraph breaks, underliningand bolding appropriate lines, and perhaps usingdifferent colors to help the reader formassociations quickly. Be careful to prevent pagebackgrounds from interfering with the readabilityof the text.

Navigation is a critical issue. You want yourvisitors to be able to move about your site easilyand efficiently without confusion or frustration.One way to facilitate this is to provide links tomajor pages in the site on every page of the site.For example, if your site consists of five separatepages, each page should contain a link to theother four pages, and these links should bepositioned in the same place, be the same color,and have the same wording and style on eachpage. If you mention another site, add a link tothat site as well for convenience. Make anydirections clear, using as few words as possible.

There is one last consideration when designingany web site. Different web browsers, andcomputers may display the same web page quitedifferently. Text that is nicely aligned andcentered on your computer may look totallydisorganized on a different machine. The colorswill also vary. There are no easy answers for thisdilemma. Try to view the web page on severaldifferent computers before placing it on the webserver to discover just how different it may look. Ifyou discover major problems or differences yousimply cannot accept, then you will at least havethe opportunity to modify your site. The bestadvice I have received is to avoid unnecessarilycomplex table and column formats. The "keep itsimple" philosophy helps avoid most majorproblems.

Some VERY Basic HTML TagsNow you are ready to being working with some

actual HTML tags. With the tags described below,surprisingly sophisticated and effective web sitescan be created. I have listed the HTML endingtags along with the beginning tags. With fewexceptions, every HTML tag has an accompanyingending tag. Ending tags look the same as thebeginning tag except that a backslash (/) is addedat the front of the tag. For example, the <HTML>

tag requires the </HTML> tag at the end of thedocument.

<P> The paragraph tag adds an empty spacebetween two lines of text. No ending tag isnecessary.

<HTML></HTML> The HTML tag must beplaced at the beginning of each web page file. Ittells the browser to read and translate the docu-ment. Place the ending tag at the very end of yourfile.

<HEAD></HEAD> The heading tag lets thebrowser know that the next item will be a title.

<TITLE></TITLE> The title tag is placed aroundthe title of your page. This title should be verybrief, but descriptive of the contents on that page.

<BODY></BODY> This tag tells your browserthat the main body of your document follows.

<IMG SRC> You will use the image source tagto embed all sorts of images, graphics, artwork,and even sound into your page.

<A HREF="filename"> </A> This pair of tagslinks the text or image file typed in between thedouble quotes to another Web page.

<UL></UL> UL stands for unordered list. It letsthe browser know to format the following text as alist.

<LI> The list item tag is used along with theunordered list tag. Each item or bullet in the list isbegun with the <LI> tag.

<BODY BGCOLOR=" "> BGCOLOR isactually what we call an "attribute" of the bodytag. Attributes are used to give more informationto the browser. In this case, the hexadecimalnumber or the color typed between the doublequotes will become the background color of thepage.

<BODY BACKGROUND=" "> This tag worksthe same as the BGCOLOR tag, except it allowsyou to use an image as your background insteadof a solid color.

<H2> Heading tags designate the size of thetext.

<TABLE></TABLE> The table tag lets thebrowser know that the following text and imageswill be formatted into a table.

<TR></TR> TR stands for table row. It is usedalong with the <TABLE> tag to designate a newrow in a table.

<TD></TD> TD means table data. Theinformation between the starting and ending<TD> tag will be placed into a separate cell in thetable.

HTML tags are not case sensitive, but they areoften typed in capital letters for the sake of easyreading. It is important for the HTML code to beeasily understood because you or perhaps


someone else may wish to modify the page andthis process will be greatly facilitated by aconsistent programming style.

Creating the siteAppendix B contains the HTML code for a very

simple web page. I suggest typing this exampleinto a file and then modifying that file andobserving how your changes effect the way thepage looks. I have outlined in as much detail aspossible the steps taken in creating each page ofthe University of Georgia Bassoon Web Site. Usethis information as a starting point when creatingyour own Web site.

Step 1: The Home PageThink of your home page as the doorway into

the rest of the site. A home page might consist ofa descriptive title for the site and a menu ofoptions for the user. You may want to add acounter as you will find it interesting to track thenumber of visitors to your site. It is alsocustomary to include an e-mail address and acopyright statement. The home page will invitethe user to spend time viewing the rest of the site,so plan it carefully. The UGA bassoon home pageconsists of a title, background, menu, bullets,counter and an e-mail address.

The background was created from a picture ofa bassoon and a contra bassoon. Be sure that anypictures you use on your Web site are in the publicdomain or else obtain permission to use thephotographs. Otherwise, you may be infringing oncopyright laws. The image was scanned intoAdobe Photoshop and then manipulated so thatonly a light outline of the two instruments isvisible. This image is embedded into the documentusing the <BODY BACKGROUND=" "> tag. Sincethe image is too small to cover the entire screen,the browser "tiles" or repeats the image over andover enough times to fill up the screen. If theimage is large enough to cover the entire screen,tiling will not occur.

The UGA Bassoon "Home" PageThe special reed-shaped bullets were created

by scanning an actual bassoon reed and using the<IMG SRC> tag to place the bullets on the screen.These reed-shaped bullets along with thedescriptive menu options are formatted using the<TABLE> tag. The counter was downloaded froma web site offering free counters. The e-mailoption was added using the following tag:

<a href="mailto:[email protected]"><B>[email protected]</B></a>

Step 2: Meet the InstructorOur "Meet The Instructor" page consists of

photographs of the bassoon instructor and hisfamily along with a description of his professionalexperience and personal interests. A link to thebrief description on the UGA school of music sitewas included as part of this page. Potential musicschool applicants might find such informationhelpful.

The "Meet the Instructor" Page

Step 3: Link to Your Schools Home PageIf your school of music or music department

has a Web site, provide a link to this page fromyour site. You will also want to contact yourtechnical support person to have a link to yoursite added to your music school’s web site.

Step 4: Picture GalleryIncluding some pictures of you and your

students is fun and makes your web site more

interesting. Keep in mind that images take up alarger amount of computer disk space, so it maybe wise to consult with your technical support

The "Picture Gallery" Page


person before you begin. You will want to askthem to help you determine the number of imagesyou can include based on the amount of diskspace available.

World Wide Web browsers read images in twoformats or file types: JPEG and GIFF. GIFF files aremore useful when working with line art anddrawings. JPEG formats are used more often forphotographs. Since the UGA bassoon picturegallery consisted of photographs only, all theimages are in the JPEG format.

ScanningScanners and scanning software work

differently, so you may need to ask for assistancethe first time you scan photographs. The scannerwill make image files in the JPEG format for yourpicture gallery page. Use the table tag to placethem in columns along with their captions. Atypical naming convention for image files is somedescriptive name ending with ".jpg" - without thedouble quotes. Deciding on a naming conventionfor all of your files early on and sticking with itconsistently will make your development taskmuch simpler.

ProcessingThe Adobe Photoshop program has some very

powerful features that will enable you to processyour images is some interesting ways. I havesummarized a few of my favorites.

The Eyedropper: After launching the Photoshopprogram and scanning or opening an image, lookat the tool bar at the left of the screen. One of thetools is called the eyedropper. You can use theeyedropper to remove or cover unwanted objectson your image. Click on the eyedropper tool andmove the icon into an area of the image that is asclose as possible to the area you wish to remove,then click again. The eyedropper "picks up" theexact color that you clicked on. Now, click on thepaintbrush tool. Use the paintbrush to fill in theareas of the image that you want to cover with thecolor you selected with the eyedropper. With thismethod you can clean up and modify your imagesin almost limitless ways.

Fill: Many of the backgrounds used for the UGAbassoon web page were created by scanning animage and then adding a fill. In Photoshop, the filloption is located under the edit menu. When youselect the fill option, the window that appearsgives you the option of filling your image using theforeground or the background color. Thebackground color is what I used. Then,experiment with filling in the image at differentpercentages. The higher the percentage you

designate the more your image will fade - a veryuseful technique for creating backgrounds that donot compete with the text and other images onthe page.

The Filter: The filter option is another way tomanipulate your images. For the UGA bassoon siteI used the "sharpen," "render," and style optionsliberally. The best way to discover the potential ofthese features is to experiment with an image.You will most likely be delighted at the original,and artistic images you can create.

Embedding The Image: You will use the <IMGSRC= ... > tag within your HTML file to refer to orembed images and sound into your files. Forexample, the tag <IMG SRC="largereed2.jpg"HEIGHT="25" BORDER="0"> will place an imagecalled largereed2.jpg onto the page. Increasing thevalue following HEIGHT, makes the image larger.Decreasing the value following HEIGHT makes theimage smaller. The value following BORDERcontrols the width of the frame around the image.A BORDER of 0 means no frame around thepicture.

Step 5: Creating A Sound FileYou may wish to include a sample of your

ensemble in performance. Be aware that soundfiles require much more computer storage spacethan text. As the size of any file increases, so willthe amount of time required to download thatfile. A very large sound file may require aprohibitive amount of time for your site visitorsto download. I recommend limiting your soundfiles to 15 to 20 seconds. Provide a link to the filerather than embedding it directly on the page.This method allows visitors to decide forthemselves whether or not they wish to take thetime to download and listen to the music.Designers recommend that you also provide asmuch information to the user as possible. Tell

The "Bassoon Ensemble in Performance" Page


them the length of the sound sample, the size ofthe sound file, and the approximate downloadtime. Describe what they will be hearing in detail,i.e. "my ensemble playing," "me playing," "mylatest composition," etc.

The Connecting Cable: The sound clip I usedwas on a cassette tape. Ask your technicalsupport person to loan you a cable to connectyour tape player to your computer. MostMacintosh computers come with a simple soundediting program like Sound Edit. When you startthis program you may discover that you are ableto proceed with the creation of your sound filewithout further assistance. Decide on the exactmusic you wish to record and "cue up" yourtape player. Start Sound Edit and click onrecord. Start the tape player. When you haverecorded your sound clip, click on record again.Save your file in the "wav" format.

Embedding The Sound File: Sound files areembedded the same way as any other external file.The <A HREF ="filename"> command refers to anyexternal file whether it be an image, text, movie, orsound file. Consider the command below:

<A HREF="bassoon1.wav"><IMG SRC="ensemble1.jpg" width=300 border=3></A>

This statement will provide a link to a filenamed bassoon1.wav, (and we know that it is asound file because is has a .wav extension). Animage named ensemble1.jpg, (we can tell it is animage because of the .jpg extension), will bedisplayed and will also act as a link to the soundfile. When the user clicks on the image calledensemble1.jpg, the sound file calledbassoon1.wav will be be downloaded andexecuted. The other parameters are cosmetic.The image will be 300 pixels wide with a borderaround it that is 3 pixels thick.

Step 6: Upcoming EventsAnother good use of a web site is to inform

your students and colleagues of any importantevents occurring in the near future. Our web sitecontains the instructor’s semester schedule,students’ birthdays, dates and deadlines forcompetitions and juries, and of course, the dateand location of the next IDRS convention.

The background for this page was created byscanning a reed and using Adobe Photoshop toadd a fill. Because the image is too small to coverthe entire computer screen, the web browser tilesthe image across the screen. I also used the blinkcommand to draw attention to the mostimportant dates.

Step 7: Student RosterYour students will enjoy seeing their names on

the web page. Adding a student roster to yourweb site will help foster a since of community andpride in your students. I created a web site foreach student on our roster and provided a link toeach page from the "Current Student Roster"page. Each student was asked to provide aphotograph and some simple information aboutthemselves such as major, class, ensembles theycurrently perform in, professional interests, andhobbies. Each page is a little different whichreflects the individuality of each student.

I created the background for the studentroster page by arranging some reed-making toolson the scanner and covering them with a lightpink towel. I added a fill to fade the image, thenembedded it into the <body> tag as a backgroundfor the page.

Step 8: Bassoon InstructionOur goal in developing the UGA bassoon site

was to create a resource that is as rich and useful

The “Upcoming Events” Page

The “Student Roster” Page


to as many bassoonists as possible. A specialsection providing instruction for students andteachers has become a real asset. So, along withall the other information about the bassoonstudio at UGA, there is a page for the instructor toshare information on diverse topics. Thisinformation can come from a variety of sources.Some of the instruction may be written by theinstructor based on experience. Other instructionmay come from the double reed listserv, masterclasses, or other bassoonists. This page was verysimple to create. It consists of a title and then aseries of links to files that talk about a specifictopic. The hierarchical arrangement makes iteasier for the visitor to navigate through the siteand to choose subjects that are of interest.

Step 9: Other Web SitesThe UGA bassoon Web site also provides a list

of links to other bassoon Web sites. Use your ownjudgment when deciding which sites to include. Itis important to check each site periodically asWeb sites change and disappear continually.

Special Effects And Finishing TouchesOnce you have included the basics on your

site, you can start experimenting with some ofthe flashier effects. For example, animated GIFFshelp attract the Web surfer’s attention. You mayalso enjoy adding the <blink> ... </blink> tagaround selected texts. Once you have moreconfidence you may wish to explore Java Scriptand Applescript, two programming tools thatare very useful but beyond the scope of thisdiscussion.

Finally, be sure to contact the Web searchengines so that your site will be included whenWeb users perform searches on certain keywords. For example, you will want your site to belisted for any searches performed on words suchas bassoon, contra bassoon, double reed, and soforth. I recommend contacting the search engineYahoo first since much information propagatesfrom there. Go to the Yahoo home page athttp://www.yahoo.com and look for any optionsthat allow you to add a URL or submit a homepage to their database.

ConclusionNew technologies provided methods of

enhancing educational experiences that whereimpossible only a few years ago. The World WideWeb is a tool that is usable by those in allacademic disciplines. The Web enables thesharing of information and instruction betweendouble reed players at all levels. It facilitatescommunication between double reed instructors,allowing those with more experience to mentorthose who are just beginning. Distance is nolonger a hindrance as computer links connect notjust machines, but the humans using thosemachines as well.

Appendix AThis is a list of just a few publications available

that discuss HTML coding and Web site design.You will likely find many others available at yourlocal bookstore.

Bain, S., & Gray, D. (1996). Looking good online:The ultimate resource for creating effective webdesigns. Research Triangle Park, NC: VentanaCommunications Group, Inc.

Brown, M., Jung, J., & Savola, T. (1996). UsingHTML, Special Edition. (2nd ed.). Indianapolis, IN:Que Corporation.

Lemay, L. (1996). Teach yourself webpublishing with HTML 3.0 in a week. (2nd ed.).Indianapolis, IN: Sams.net Publishing.

Oliver, Dick (1998). Teach yourself HTML 4 in

The "Bassoon Instruction" page

The "Bassoon-Related Web Sites" Page


24 hours. (3rd ed.). Indianapolis, IN: SamsPublishing Company.

Appendix BThis code will produce a simple web page.

Copy and paste it into a SimpleText or Notepadfile. Fill it in with your own information and thenview it. You will also need to have images in jpegor GIFF format to use as a background andpersonal photograph. This file can be used as a"dummy" file through which other pages can becreated quickly. I have indicated places whereyou will need to insert personal information withbrackets, "[ ]". For example, where you see[Student’s name], insert the name of an actualperson. Do not include the brackets.

<HTML><HEAD><TITLE>[Student’s name] Web Page</TITLE></HEAD><BODY><BODY BACKGROUND="[mybackground.jpg]"><center><FONT COLOR="003399" SIZE=+8><B>[Student’sName]</B></FONT></center><P><table border=0 align=center width=500><tr valign=center><td align=left><IMG SRC="[studentpicture.jpg]"width=200 border=3></td><td align=center><font color="003399" size =+2><B><P>Class Standing - [Student’s Class Standing]<p> Major - [Student’s Major] <p>From - [Where student is from]</B></font></td></tr></table><p><font color="003399" size = +1><B>[Student’sname] is a junior and a music education major at<A HREF="[web address of student’sschool"><font color="CC0000">[student’sschool].</font></A> She is studying bassoon with<A HREF="[web address of teacher’s webpage]"><font color="CC0000">[teacher’sname].</font></A> She keeps a very busyschedule combining a full load of classes withperforming in several large ensembles. [Student’sname] plays

<ul><li>[instrument and ensemble]<li>[instrument and ensemble]<li>[instrument and ensemble]. </B></font> </ul><P><HR><CENTER><p>

[The following statements provide links to themain pages in the web site. These links help thevisitor navigate through the site.]

<A HREF="[web address of your site’s home page,if you have a home page at this point.]"><fontcolor="CC0000"><B>[Name of your site’s homepage]</B></font></A> | <A HREF="[web address of your site’s mainstudent page, if you have one at thispoint.]"><font color="CC0000"><B>[Name of yoursite’s main student page]</B></font></A> | </body></html>

About the Author …Susan G. Glenn is a student at the University

of Georgia where she is completing a Ph.D. inInstructional Technology. Ms. Glenn has workedfor many years in the technical field as acomputer graphics artist, technical writerassistant, and computer programmer. She alsoenjoys a position as an adjunct professor ofComputer Science at Georgia Perimeter Collegein metro Atlanta. Ms. Glenn received her MastersDegree in Computer Science in 1994 fromSouthern College of Technology in MariettaGeorgia. Her major area of interest was softwareengineering and systems analysis and design. In1981 Ms. Glenn received a Bachelor of Fine ArtsDegree from the University of Georgia with amajor in Music Theory. Her interests includeteaching, research in the area of music educationand technology, and performing on her bassoonas a soloist and with small ensembles.


Customizing a Single Barrel Bassoon Profiler

By Mark D. AveryWestern Illinois University

[Reprinted from the NACWPI Journal, Vol. XLV,No. 4, Summer, 1997, pp. 9-12. Used by Permission.—ED]

he following is a description of a metho-dology for setting up and applying a lateraltaper to a single barrel bassoon profilerwithout using adjustable barrel pins. A

controlled lateral taper built into the profile willrequire less scraping after the reed is formed andhelps provide the structural arch in the blank thatreinforces the desired regenerative cupid bow tipfunction that is inherent to the dark, smooth,“German” style reed.

First, determine your desired average finalreed dimensions: shape, wire placement (throat),blade length, collar length, tube length, thethickness of the blade’s spine (center of the

blade) in front of the shoulder, the thickness ofthe spine at the critical point (the point on thereed where the taper increases in speed to the tip[3/8” from the tip on the author’s reed], and the

degree of lateral taper from the spine to the railsat both the critical point and in front of theshoulder.) These dimensions may be determinedby starting with the following author’sdimensions, measuring a good finished reed or anexisting profile (your teacher’s, a colleague’s, acommercial maker’s), or basing your dimensionson an established reed making book. A dial indi-cator is the easiest tool to use when measuring agouged piece of cane, a profile, or the reed’s bladethickness.

Next, determine the position of the profile onthe shaper. Many shapes are designed with thenarrowest point at the 1st wire. The 2nd wire isthe narrowest point with the author’s shape(40mm for the fold). This necking in from the 1stwire through the 2nd wire (throat) strengthensthe reverse wire function. Shapers are oversizedthrough the throat to the butt to allow forbeveling (reduces the throat width by .5-1.0mm)and compression of the wires (reduces another .5-1.0mm). The final reed design (and thus shape)described below is based on the following finaldimensions: 56mm overall reed length, 30mmshoulder position (measured from the butt end),27mm 1st wire, 20mm 2nd wire; 14.5mm tip width,7mm 1st wire width (shaper=9mm) 6.5mm 2ndwire width (shaper=8.5mm).

Determine the spine thickness desired in frontof the shoulder [back] (.81mm) and the criticalpoint (.61mm) of your finished reed. Determinethe length of the profile (28mm), and set theprofiler angle of cut to pass through the finishedback and critical point thickness. This angle willset your foldover thickness (.41mm). A standardprofiler setup includes a spine taper of ~.05mmper 1/8” (3.2mm), and a lateral taper of ~.05mmper 1/8” (3.2mm).

To modify the single barrel (e.g., Berdon,Kraslic) profiler’s lateral contour, lay 3 pieces ofscotch tape (~.035mm thick) 2mm apart laterally,beginning 2mm from the center, on each side ofthe easel. Lay the first one down, then add thenext 2 layers of tape over the previous layer’sextension. This will make each 2mm layer thicker(see Diagram 1 below). Profile a few pieces ofcane. Measuring the lateral taper across thefoldover position, the center should remain at.41mm, 2mm to each side of the center should =.375mm, 4mm to each side of the center should =.34mm, and 6mm to each side of the center should

T

Illustration 1

THE DOUBLE REED - THE JOURNAL ISSUE110

= .305mm; thus, theoretically 3mm should = .3575and 6mm should = .305mm (the lateral taper of.05mm taper per 1/8” [3.2mm]).

Another layer of tape may be applieddiagonally from the center of the easel outwardthrough a point 6mm from the center at the

critical point on all 4 sides (13mm from the centerof the easel longitudinally on the author’s design)to help reinforce the cupid bow effect (seeDiagram 2). This will give an appearance of theletter V on both sides of the easel (see Diagram 3).

As the profiler blade traverses the easel, thetape will raise the cane in the layered pattern andthe profiler will take more cane off in those areas.Care must be taken to make sure the tape isplaced properly - measure accurately. Profileseveral pieces of cane and check with a dialindicator for accuracy. After you are satisfied withthe tape results, apply a large piece of tape (clearpacking tape, ~3” in width) over the entire scotchtape pattern to help keep the scotch tape in placeand prevent water from seeping underneath and

creating bubbles. Every piece of tape applied canbe turned over on the corners furthest away fromthe center to allow for easy removal.

The author balances each piece of gouged canebefore soaking and profiling. Establish a consistentgouge longitudinally down the center of the cane

(correct with 220 grit wet sandpaper) and balancethe gouge’s lateral taper with sandpaper, whetheryou’re using a concentric or eccentric gouge. Usingbalanced gouged cane will produce moreconsistent finished reeds. (For further informationregarding preparing cane, see Selection andPreparation of Gouged Bassoon Cane, L. HughCooper and Mark Avery, IDRS Journal #36, p. 64)

To help align the gouged cane laterally on theeasel, mark the center of the easel on each endwith a pencil, measure and mark the center of thegouged cane laterally on each end, and line up thegouged cane marks with those on the easel. A flator foldover shape may be used. A flat shape canbe traced directly onto the easel (under all thetape) with a pencil.

Diagram 1

Diagram 2

Diagram 3


Then, aligning the shaped piece of cane on theeasel is very simple and consistent (see Diagram4).

After profiling, it is recommended that youdouble check your profile results. Check the spine

thickness at the back and at the critical point, andcheck the lateral taper. The back should taperlaterally from .81mm at the spine to ~.76mm toeach side near the rails, and at the critical point itshould taper laterally from .61mm at the spine to~.51mm to each side near the rails. If thesemeasurements are not met in all four quadrants of

the profile, balance (hand profile) them with aneedle file or a double hollow ground knife. Oncethe profile measurements are achieved, theauthor smoothes the entire profile surface with220 grit sandpaper.

The above is only one solution to customizinga single barrel profiler. There are obviously manyother possibilities and other final dimensions. Tocustomize your profiler to your needs,experiment, use logic, and some easy math.

About the Author …Mark Avery is an assistant professor of music

(bassoon) at Western Illinois University inMacomb and is a member of the CamerataWoodwind Quintet. He received his B.A. fromEastern Washington University, M.F.A. from theUniversity of Minnesota, and D.M.A. from the

University of Michigan. Mr. Avery studied bassoonwith L. Hugh Cooper, John Miller, and WendalJones. He has published an instructor’s manual forMusic of the World, Prentice Hall, and articles inthe International Double Reed Society Journal,The Double Reed.

Illustration 2

WRITER’S GUIDELINES112

Writer's GuidelinesThe Double Reed & I.D.R.S. Journal

MANUSCRIPTS: Manuscripts should be typewritten, double spaced on standard 8 1/2 x 11 typingpaper with duplicate copies submitted. Typing on thin, onion skin, or tracing paper is more difficult toread and therefore should be avoided. Please indent at the beginning of paragraphs. Underline anywords that are to be italicized. Add any diacritical marks in their correct positions. If typed with aword processor, feel free to use italic and bold typefaces in your manuscript. If possible, pleaseprovide a “word” file on a floppy disk with your article. ALWAYS PROVIDE HARD COPY.Footnotes should be grouped at the end of the manuscript. Please leave a margin at the bottom of thepage as well as at the top and sides. Please! Copyread and correct your copy. A short biographicalparagraph about the writer should be included with the manuscript. Each page should beconsecutively numbered with a short abbreviated title and writer's name at the top of each one.

Example: page 4. Bassoons in Italy. Jones.

PICTURES: Pictures should be sharp contrast black and white glossies. Color prints can be used, butusually result in poor reproduction. Pictures that are clipped from printed publications are screened(made into little dots) so that they can be reproduced. These must be rescreened when used foranother publication and are greatly reduced in quality the second time around and are thereforeundesirable. Color transparancies (slides) can be utilized by having a professional photo developinglab make a black and white print from it for you. Submit the black and white print with yourmanuscript. Tape must not be placed on a picture. Ideally, place your picture in a numberedenvelope. Place a corresponding number on the back of the picture close to the edge and corner. On aseparate sheet of paper, list your pictures' numbers and captions.

Example: Picture 1. Daryl Jones in concert at Miami, June 1989.Picture 2. Daryl Jones repairing an oboe in his workshop, etc.

ILLUSTRATIONS: Illustrations should be submitted on a separate sheet of paper. Indicate in themanuscript where the illustrations should be placed within the copy.

Example: “One should express the musical phrase line in this manner:(ILLUSTRATION NUMBER 1)

Thus, you will attain the desired effect.”

Then, draw illustrations with black ink on white paper. India ink is the best – ball point usuallyskips, globs and otherwise makes an uneven line. Artists' drawing paper made especially for India inkis ideal. Avoid tracing paper. Number the illustrations and space them so that there is enough whitearea around the drawings for the layout artist to cut them out without difficulty. Should theillustrations have captions, please type them separately, numbering them with the correspondingnumber of the illustration. Above all: Be Neat! Clean sharp illustrations will reproduce cleanly andsharply. Muddy, fuzzy illustrations sloppily drawn will reproduce just that way.

Please! If you can, avoid photo copies! If you absolutely must submit a photo copy of an illustra-tion, use the very best copier you can find. If a copier weakens a line to a faint grey broken almost notthere mark, a printer's camera just doesn't see it. A line is either there or not there to a photo offsetcamera. Shooting an illustration again will not add to it. It will not improve it. It will not look better.The lines must originally be hard, black and clean.

Following these simple guidelines will help insure that articles will look their best when published. Allmaterials should be sent to either of the following:

Dan Stolper, Oboe Editor Dr. Ronald Klimko, Bassoon Editor1515 West Kalamazoo Street 1314 Walenta DriveLansing, MI 48915 Moscow, ID 83843-2429(517) 355-727 (208) 885-6594(517) 267-7662 fax (208) 882-0479 faxE-mail: [email protected] E-mail: [email protected]


The Saga of William Waterhouse’s Heckel #7466: The Follow Up

By Ronald Klimko, Moscow, IdahoKim Laskowski, New York

h if bassoons could only talk…I wonderwhat Heckel bassoon #7466, stolen frombassoonist William Waterhouse out of hisVW Beetle in Biebrich, Germany, in

1956…Oh well, by now you know the whole story.After all it was on the national news in the US whenthe story broke a couple of months ago! (If youdon’t, try checking out the article reprint by HugoKugiya in the previous Double Reed: Vol. 22, No. 1,pp. 67-68.)

Here’s the rest of the story. First of all is a reportfrom New York bassoonist Kim Laskowski whichshe kindly posted on the Internet initially:

“I would like to tell you about the recent concertat Finley Middle School in Huntington L.I. whereWilliam Waterhouse retrieved the Heckel bassoon,serial # 7466, which was stolen from him in 1957(sic) in Wiesbaden, Germany. I was very fortunateto attend this concert given by Mr. Waterhouse.The program was as follows:

Morceau (1882) … Jules Massenet (1842-1912)Allegretto … Georges Bizet (1832-1875)Sonata“Abassoonata” (1996) … P.D.Q. BachThe first piece, Morceau by Massenet, was a

sight reading piece (Morceau a Dechiffrer) part ofthe exam which every instrumentalist must pass toenter the second cycle at the ConservatoireSuperieur National de Musique de Paris. Thesepieces were usually not published so many scholarsand players are not aware of their existence. (Oneinstance of a Morceau a Dechiffrer being publishedis the Petit Pièce for clarinet by Debussy.)Waterhouse found many pieces like these when theParis Conservatory moved from the old building tothe new.

The Bizet was a charming duo for bassoon andpiano dating from the period he was orchestratingCarmen.

The Sonata of P.D.Q. Bach was for bassoon andlate pianist-so late that Waterhouse had to play theentire piece himself (which meant that he had toplay the piano part as well as the bassoon) exceptfor the last few chords played by Peter Schickele(the founder of “P.D.Q. Bach” and the actualcomposer of the work, who was there for theconcert: ed). Anyone who has ever heardWaterhouse play Lucy Long on the bassoon knowshow utterly hilarious he can be, so imagine himpractically lying on the piano so he can play thebassoon and tap out the piano part with his bell at

the same time. We laughed until we cried. The bassoon he played was Heckel #8224 (I

think…well, at least the number was around there).He also played a tidbit on the Heckel he had cometo fetch which was cleverly restored to playingcondition by Peter Landy of Landy Bassoon inBrooklyn, N.Y. Up close, the instrument looked as ithad been through a few wars, but whenWaterhouse played it you could still detect thequalities of a first rate Heckel.

Many thanks to the repair person who noticed itand alerted James Kopp who we would also like tothank for getting in touch with Mr. Waterhouse.Thank you, Peter Landy, for dusting off (to put itlightly!) Heckel #7466.

I’m sure the press had a delightful timeinterviewing Mr. Waterhouse after the concert. Hemanaged even to charm the middle schooladolescents who were so quiet you could hear aspring pop. After the concert there was acelebration with High Tea served by the schooladministration. A great time was had by all.

Many thanks to William Waterhouse for his visitto New York.

Yours truly,Kim Laskowski N.Y.C.”

In a recent correspondence (April 1, 1999) Ireceived the following report of the concert fromBill Waterhouse himself:

“The ‘Reunion’ ceremony was organized in greatstyle. It was great that PDQB himself was able tomake a characteristically dramatic entrance for thefinal measure. We stayed with Jim Kopp, who gave

A

William Waterhouse greets Peter Schickele.

THE SAGA OF WILLIAM WATERHOUSE’S HECKEL #7466: THE FOLLOW UP114

Liz and me a super time. As for the horn, it stillworks (see below), but I’ll be taking it soon toWalter Rieger in Germany for a refit…They (theSchool District were delighted at all the positivepublicity the incident engendered for them.

Heckel #7466 – condition as found on 19 iii 1999finish: re-varnished, but now very patchyfingerholes: no apparent interventionnotwithstanding its superficial state, plays pretty well (!!)

wingbore/body slightly warpedinner lining very dirty (scarred?)upper tenon: a replacement collar poorly fittedlower tenon: new brass ringdamage to wood (gash) at upper edge of épauleadded e/f# trill keythumb crook-lock: removed, leaving posts and pin spring to end of crook-key arm removed

buttsling ring replaced (gross)hand rest removedwing socket: brass ring risen upIV fingerhole: a thin plastic sleeve loosely insertedF, Ab keys: replaced with roller touchesBores behind sump-plate: condition OKAb tone hole: repaired at bore with plastic sleeve insert

long-jointlower tenon: replaced with plastic sleeve, brass ring (gross)upper tenon: replaced with wooden sleeve (gross)adjacent damage repaired (gross) traces where side body-locks added, removedC#, Eb keys:replaced with roller touches

bellsocket distorted

Yours sincerely,Bill”

In the program for the concert, the following listof some of the bassoonists who at one time oranother used the Heckel #7466, all graduates orpresent students of the school, were listed, alongwith their dates of attendance:

Patricia Burton Cohen 1958-1959Tom Stevenson 1960-1966Debbie Adams Hobgood 1968-1969Beth Gilbert Brosseau 1977-1982Nicole Quartier 1996-1997Laura Bell 1998-1999

A Footnote to the #7466That Sunday morning 43 years ago that I

discovered my bassoon missing out of my car stillrates as one of the worst moments of my life.Finding the local police station and giving astatement was not pleasant. But the thief had takenmy suitcase as well, so there was a chance it mightshow up. I can remember feeling relieved when amonth later an official letter arrived from theWiesbaden State Attorney's office. Imagine myfeelings when I read "Regarding the charge of theftbrought by you against a person unknown dated22nd July 1956: I have suspended the proceedings,since it has not been possible to identify theperpetrator." All I could now do was to keep onadvertising, so when I had the chance to do so in anIDRS publication, I grabbed it.

Now that my bassoon has finally found its wayback home, there are a number of public thank-yous I need to make: to DOUBLE REED and itseditor Ron Klimko for having carried my ad for allthese years, to Louis Nolemi for having identifiedand passed on the number of my instrument, to JimKopp for contacting me, and to Yoshi Ishigawa andJacob Schlosser for their helpful advice. Finally tothe School authorities for having graciouslyrelinquished it, and to Mrs Joan Fretz for making my'Reunion Recital' at the School last March such ahappy occasion.

Since then I've delivered #7466 to Walter Riegerin Rüsselsheim, Germany, former foreman at theHeckel factory and one eminently qualified toundertake the necessary repairs. These are notinconsiderable: for example, every tenon had beenreplaced and needs renewing. But luckily nointerventions had been made to the basic tone-holes. He is unable to start work on it beforeChristmas - but what's a year in the circumstances?

William Waterhouse


Bassoon Quartets by Two Renowned American Composers

By William DavisUniversity of Georgia

[Reprinted from the NCAWPI Journal, Vol. XLIV, No.1, Fall, 1995, pp. 13-14. Used by Permission. —ED]

mong the bassoon quartets written byAmerican composers, those by WilliamSchuman and John Harbison are notable fortwo reasons. Not surprisingly, the first is that

these are the only published bassoon quartets whichwere composed by winners of the prestigious PulitzerPrize in Music, which is awarded annually to anAmerican composer by Columbia University.Unfortunately, neither quartet is available in acommercial recording.1

Quartettino by William SchumanWilliam Schuman, the winner of the first Pulitzer

Prize in Music in 1943, composed his Quartettino forfour bassoons in 1939. It is published by PeerInternational, and is distributed by the TheodorePresser Corporation. Of the two works being discus-sed, this one is technically easier—it is performableby an undergraduate quartet—and stylistically moreaccessible to a wide audience. It consists of fourshort movements; the length of the entire work isapproximately eight minutes. The first movement,“Ostinato,” derives its name from accompanimentaltriplet patterns which are shared by a pair of bas-soons while the other pair is featured thematically.The second movement, “Nocture,” is very simple,slow-moving, and short—less than a minute inlength. Much of the “Vaise” movement featuresfourth bassoon solo while the first, second, and thirdbassoons move in parallel major triads. The lastmovement, “Fughetta,” contains traditional contra-puntal writing in which each instrument contributesequally.

Performers of the Quartettino should be aware ofanumber of misprints in the score and parts: Firstmovement—score (all parts) and first bassoon part,m. 32, the quarter rest at the end of the measure ismissing; second bassoon part, m. 27, the third noteshould be F rather than G; also m. 35, the secondnote should be Ab; third bassoon part, m. 14, the tieinto the third beat is missing; also m. 25, the sixthnote should be C-natural. Second movement—firstbassoon part, m. 13, the tie into the measure ismissing. Third movement—first bassoon part, m. 13,the flat before the first note is missing: fourth bassoonpart, m. 14, the flag on the note is incorrect. Fourthmovement—score and first bassoon part, m. 18, thetie into the measure is missing; third bassoon part, m.

22, the quarter rest should be removed; third andfourth bassoon parts, m. 29, the diminuendo should bea crescendo.

Canzonetta by John HarbisonJohn Harbison’s Canzonetta for four bassoons was

composed in 1962, and is published by the BubonicPublishing Company. Its length is about four and one-half minutes, and although the style is highlychromatic, it is not completely atonal. One of themain melodies, for example, occurs six times at thesame tonal level, although with some rhythmicvariation. These occurrences begin in m. 9 (firstbassoon part), m. 34 (first bassoon part), m. 45(fourth bassoon part), m. 73 (first and secondbassoon parts, with octave displacements), m. 82(second bassoon part), and m. 92 (first bassoon part,in augmentaiton). While the rhythmic drive is notconventional, every measure in the work is in quad-ruple meter—either 4/4 or 12/8. Until the final mea-sures, the rhythmic thrust is, in a sense, one large,“terraced” accelerando: quarter note=80 at the begin-ning, quarter note=96 at m. 35, più mosso (dottedquarter note=112) at m. 74, and a further più mosso atm. 88. The tempo indication of the last four measuresis meno mosso (quarter note=92), providing a dra-matic conclusion. The ending is somewhat abrupt,the last beat of the work containing sixteenth quintu-plets in octaves in the third and fourth bassoon parts.

All of the bassoon parts of the Canzonetta arechallenging, containing large intervallic leaps andangular technical passages. Despite the continuousquadruple meter, the rhythms are somewhatcomplex, containing much borrowed division of thebeat. Therefore, ensemble precision is one of themost difficult aspects of this work.

One more quartet should be mentioned. NormanDello Joio, who won the Pulitzer Prize in Music in1957, composed a bassoon quartet in 1937. However,like several of his early compositions, this work hasbeen withdrawn, and it is included here only in theinterest of completeness.

BibliographyHarbison, John. Canzonetta (1962), for four

bassoons. Score and parts. St. Paul, Minnesota:Bubonic Publishing Company, 1970.

Schuman, William. Quartettino (1939), for fourbassoons. Score and parts. New York: PeerInternational Corporation, 1956. Distributed by theTheodore Presser Company.

1 Although neither the Schuman nor the Harbison quartet iscurrently available in a commercial recording, the author haslearned from John Miller, principal bassoon of the MinnesotaOrchestra, that the bassoon section of that orchestra is planning toinclude both works on a compact disc in the near future.

A

STOLEN OBOES AND BASSOONS116

Stolen Oboes and BassoonsThis is our continuing list of known stolen oboes and bassoons. It is hoped that the listing of these instruments, along with

particulars leading to their disappearance, might be of assistance in their eventual recovery and return to their original owners, aswell as serving as a source for identifying suspected contraband instruments. If there is some way the Society can further discouragethe theft of so vital a tool to the performing artist, further suggestions are encouraged from the readers.

Please add to (and hopefully, delete from) the list by writing to the oboe and bassoon editors. The list will be printed in allfuture issues of the publications. Please include as much information as you can pertinent to the instrument (distinguishingcharacteristics, special keywork, etc.) and to its theft (where, when, etc.).

1. Puchner bassoon, serial number 8501 (1976), stolen from AlbrechtHolder, Lindpaintner strasse 81, 7000 Stuttgart, Germany, inCopenhagen, Denmark, when the Stuttgart Philharmonic Orchestrawas on tour.

2. Loree oboe, serial number EM67; stolen March, 1983, in Wichita,Kansas (Witchita State University Campus), from Susan D. Laney, 612E. Boone St., Tahlequah, Oklahoma 74464, Tel.: (918) 456-2298; stolenwhile attending Wichita State University.

3. Heckel bassoon, serial number 11953, stolen from Nusio Kato, of theOrchestre de la Suisse Romande, Geneva, at Carnegie Hall.

4. Heckel bassoon, serial number 7465, stolenfrom Martin Gatt, A4, 2/FJade Beach Villa, 3-7 , Horizon Drive, Chung Hom Kok, Hong Kong.

5. Oboe: Loree, serial number AY28. Stolen December 12, 1987 in NewYork City at 9th and Broadway. Contact Ernest Meyer, 7916 BurholmeAve., Philadelphia, PA 19111. (Tel.: 215-725-3249).

6. Marigaux oboe, serial number 15552, stolen February 23, 1988 inPhiladelphia (Temple University campus), from Lesley Boggia, 1224West Chester Pike, C-8, West Chester, PA 19382. Tel. (215) 436-4901.

7. Lorée oboe, serial number ER 08, stolen March 2 from the Tobey-Kendall dining hall, University of Northern Colorado, Greeley,Colorado. Contact Benham Ignacio at 10913 Bannock Street,Northglenn, CO 80234. (303) 452-7832, or at 3044 West Logan, Chicago,IL 60647. (312) 252-2963.

8. Bassoon: Fox model 101, serial number 8874, stolen March 7th 1988, fromthe home of Michael and Lori Garvey, 854-48th Ave., San Francisco, CA,Please contact Michael or Lori Garvey, 542 Center Ave., Martinez, CA94553. Tel.: (925) 370-6272.

9. Oboe: F Loree, serial no. DD89. If found or recovered contact MarianneIngels, 2310 Revenwood, Norman, OK 73071. Tel.: (405) 321-1008.

10. Loree English horn, serial no. GL-28. Stolen in Kingston, Ontario, July 20,1989. Contact Etienne de Medicis, 428 Dufferin, Sherbrooke, Ont. J1H 4M8Canada. Tel.: (819) 346-2093.

11. Heckel bassoon, serial number 10800, stolen from Martin Hoffer, P.O. Box111633, Anchorage, Alaska 99511, Tel.: (907) 346-2572.

12. Bassoon: Fox Renard Model 220, Serial #14f993. Stolen from the York HighSchool band area locker rooms on Friday, February 23, 1990. If foundcontact Kenneth Potsic, 444 Rex, Elmhurst, IL 60126. Tel.: (708) 832-6782.

13. Oboe: Fox model 300, serial number 4098. Stolen in Osaka Japan onNovember 1, 1987. In a french style case and a Jean Cavallaro case cover.Please contact Mike Morgenstern, 10777 Bill Point Crest, Bainbridge Island,WA 98110, USA. Tel.: (206) 842-1155.

14. Oboe: Lorée, serial number FV56. Stolen August 27, 1989 in Westwood, LAnear UCLA. Contact Michele Forrest, 1725 Camino Palmero, #322,Hollywood, CA 90046. Tel.: (213) 969-8205.

15. Heckelphone: Serial #3283. Stolen in Detroit, MI, July 7, 1983. ContactFrederic Dutton, 19553 Gault St., Reseda, CA 91335-3624. Tel.: (818) 344-2513.

16. Stolen: Oboe: Lorée: Serial IA06, an AK model. Stolen in NYC on October 2,1991. If found contact Robert Walters (215) 748-7354.

17. Püchner Bassoon, No. 759O. Stolen from the Secondary School of Music(Hritfeldska Gymnasiet), Gothenburg, Sweden, 30th of August, 1989. Whenthe bottom cap on the butt-joint is removed, a mended crack can be felt(and seen) in the larger bore. If found, please contact Rebecca Ekenberg,Nordhemsg.45 C, S-413 06, Gothenberg, Sweden.

18. Oboe: F. Gillet, serial # C42. The case is from a Rigoutat oboe. English Horn:Marigaux, serial #4697. Stolen July 22, 1991 in Foster City (San Franciscopeninsula). Please contact Rich Washington at (415) 493-2056 or (415) 725-3859 with any information.

19. Stolen: Oboe - Lorée: Serial # HQ93, Tabuteau Model. Also, Korg tuner and15-reed case. Stolen April 20, 1992, in Durham, NC. Contact: Bo Newsome,122 E. Seeman St., Apt. A, Durham, NC 27701; Tel.: 919-688-2298.

20. Stolen: Wooden oboe – Lorée serial # GY 23 from NYC apartment. Rewardoffered. Call 212-689-3083.

21. Lorée oboe #DY27, stolen from a San Jose, California-bound Greyhound busin December, 1982, Purchased from Pat McFarland in June, 1980. Reward forreturn. Contact SSG David L. Wheeler, PSC-457, Ft. McPherson, GA 30330.

22. Loree oboe #JS96 stolen on October 2, 1992 in Tucson, Arizona. Pleasecontact Alyssa Tomoff, 544 Glenwood, Prescott, Arizona 86303. Telephone:602-778-2626.

23. Püchner Bassoon: Student model serial #6201, stolen from Lionel HamptonSchool of Music, University of Idaho, in the Spring, 1991. Reward. Contact:Richard Hahn, Director; L.H. School of Music; University of Idaho, Moscow,ID 83843. Tel: (208) 885-6231; FAX: (208) 885-8964.

24. Lorée oboe (serial #DG66). Stolen last winter between Dec. 15, 1991 and Jan. 14,1992 from a locked school locker at Williamette University, Salem, OR. Anyinformation should go to: Robert or Joanne Wilgus, 28060 Farmhill Dr., Hayward,CA 94542, (510) 889-6176.

25. Rigoutat oboe, serial number 598AJ; stolen on June 8, 1993 in Prague,Czech Republic. Please contact Pirkka Sipila, Juhaninv. 2, SF-60150SEINAJOKI FINLAND. Tel. + 64 4121 242. Reward for return.

26. Laubin English Horn #1057. Stolen from Sue Goff with Loree Oboe CF 37.Contact A. Laubin, Inc., 638 Central Ave., Peekskill, NY 10566-2007.

27. Rosewood Laubin Oboe #1482. Stolen from David Woolsey in New YorkCity with Loree Oboe BP 24 - circa 1970. Contact A. Laubin, Inc., 638 CentralAve., Peekskill, NY 10566-2007.

28. Laubin Oboe #1465 and Laubin EBH #C42 – from Jessica Murrow. 212-663-9042 or A. Laubin, Inc., 638 Central Ave., Peekskill, NY 10566-2007.

29. Rosewood Laubin Oboe #1405. Stolen from Josh Siegel, 914-858-8526 or A.Laubin, Inc., 638 Central Ave., Peekskill, NY 10566-2007.

30. Barre Oboe #522. Stolen from Judy Rabinovitz. Contact A. Laubin, Inc., 638Central Ave., Peekskill, NY 10566-2007.

31. Laubin Oboe #1546. Stolen from Jonathan Darnell, 914-834-9354 or A.Laubin, Inc., 638 Central Ave., Peekskill, NY 10566-2007.

32. Laubin Oboe #1651. Stolen from Matthew Dine – November, 1988, 914-793-9383 or A. Laubin, Inc., 638 Central Ave., Peekskill, NY 10566-2007.

33. Laubin Oboe, #1494. Stolen from Alice Monego. Contact A. Laubin, Inc., 638Central Ave., Peekskill, NY 10566-2007.

34. Barre Oboe #7404. Stolen from Joan McDonald, April, 1989, 203-259-0342 orA. Laubin, Inc., 638 Central Ave., Peekskill, NY 10566-2007.

35. Laubin Oboe #1366. Stolen from McDuff Sheehy, April, 1990, from dormroom Brown University, 914-763-5158 or A. Laubin, Inc., 638 Central Ave.,Peekskill, NY 10566-2007.

36. Laubin English Horn #966. Stolen from University of Texas at Austin, Feb.1991. Contact A. Laubin, Inc., 638 Central Ave., Peekskill, NY 10566-2007.

37. Heckel Bassoon, serial #9266, stolen in San Francisco, September, 1964,from Bob Zimmerman. If found contact him at P.O. Box 1182, Chemalis, WA98532.

38. Fox Bassoon, Model 1, Serial #12966 with case, black leather cover and Fox2 cvx and 3 cvx bocals. Stolen from Heather N. Schneider at the Universityof Maryland, College Park, MD. If found, please contact Heather N.Schneider at (410) 761-7078 or (301) 314-3079.

39. Lorée English Horn serial #DC 48; purchased on June 17, 1974 from ClaudeReynolds, Dallas. It was stolen from the music department office in lateJuly, 1993, Montana State University, Bozeman, Montana. Please contactLorna Nelson, Music Dept., MSU, Bozeman, MT 59717. The EH was theproperty of MSU MUSIC #053756.

40. Rigoutat Oboe, French conservatoire system (with third octave). No. 433AD. Stolen in Paris between February 12 and 19, 1994 from Katrin Steinke,Am Hoelzle 50, D-78628 Rottwell/GERMANY. Tel. +49741/15960.

41. Oboe: Springer-Pfoffenhofen No. 9283. Stolen in Joensuu, Finland, fromKeijo Aho. Contact at Mäntyläntie 274 FIN-82210 Suhmura. Tel. 358-73-749227.

42. Heckel Bassoon, Serial #5712 w/French Key System (“World System”).Stolen in St. Paul, Minnesota on April 10, 1994. Reward for return. ContactSt. Paul Police (612) 292-3748, complaint #94-045-489) or Mary Banti at15194 75th Ave. No., Maple Grove, MN 55311, Tel. 612-420-9803.


43. Fox (RENARD) 222 serial #16187, September, 1994, Montreal, Quebec,Canada. Any information contact B. Finch, 33274 Whidden Ave., Mission,B.C. V2V 2T2 (604) 826-6285.

44. Lorée oboe, serial number HV96, stolen in Irving, Texas, September 1994.Contact Dan Gelber, Band Director, Lamar Junior High School, Irving, TX.Phone: (214) 986-9155.

45. Lorée oboe, serial number HL78, stolen September 16, 1994, near NCSUcampus in Raleigh, NC. Contact Carolyn I. Shull, 8512 Southbriar Drive,Raleigh, NC 27606-9618. Phone: (919) 851-5471.

46. Lorée oboe, serial number LC45, stolen September 16, 1994, near NCSUcampus in Raleigh, NC. Contact Carolyn I. Shull, 8512 Southbriar Drive,Raleigh, NC 27606-9618. Phone: (919) 851-5471.

47. Two Fox Renard oboes, serial numbers 4194 and 5567, stolen from theUniversity of South Florida, Tampa, Florida, in January, 1994. They also hadUSF decals with numbers 160352 and 175651 respectively. If found, pleasecontact Nancy Warfield at (813) 974-2311

48. Lorée oboe, serial # GJ22 - thumb plate modified to a Conservatoire System,entire body of high intensity plastic. Stolen in Calgary, Alberta on November23rd, 1994. Send any information on its whereabouts to Mr. Richard H. Lea,#24-2323 Oakmoor Drive SW, Calgary, Alberta, Canada, T2V 4T2.

49. Fox Bassoon: Model 220, Serial Number 12910, stolen on Jan. 4 1995.Contact Dr. Nicholas J. Contorno, Director of Bands and Orchestra,Marquette University, Varsity Theatre, 1324 West Wisconsin Avenue,Milwaukee, WI 53233. Tel. (414) 288-7476.

50. Bassoon: Gebruder Monnig serial #11377 (University of Delaware tag120489) missing from the campus of the University of Delaware since 1990.

51. Fossati Tiery oboe, serial #1452, in a black “Orly” case, with accessories,stolen July 6, 1995 from City Centre, Manchester, England. Please direct anyinformation to Joseph Nagy, 4 Kirkup St., Bay Shore, NY 11706-6900. Tel.(516) 665-5946.

52. Laubin oboe #1995 was stolen on Dec. 2nd, 1995 from John Wright, 4425Tise Ave., Winston-Salem, NC 27105.

53. Bassoon: Heckel Serial Number 12782/2. Stolen from Fernando Traba,Mexican bassoonist studying at the Juilliard School in New York. It wasstolen from him in a jewelry store on West 47th St., while he was shoppingwith his wife. Contact the IDRS bassoon editor if the instrument is located.

54. Bassoon: Schreiber, model 5014, serial number 29014, with accessories,stolen on July 12, 1995, from the home of Marcelo Padilla. Please contacthim at the following address: Casa J-5, Los Colegios, Moravia, COSTA RICA,or phone number (506) 236-7246.

55. Oboe: Loreé JC29 AK, Model stolen from Karen Hosmer in Philadelphia. Iffound contact K.H., 319 N. 34th St., Philadelphia, PA 19104.

56. Gordet oboe, serial #A331, stolen February 1996, in Springfield, Illinois, fromlocked school locker. (Springfield Southeast High School). Approx. 30 yrs.old, wooden, third octave key. From Allison B. Baker, 3301 Ivyton Drive,Springfield, IL 62704. (217) 787-6372.

57. Oboe: Lorée, Serial # BC-36. Its Northern Illinois University number is 37727.Stolen in DeKalb, Illinois, from the Northern Illinois University School ofMusic, April 15, 1996. Please contact Jennifer Swenson, Large EnsembleOffice, Northern Illinois University School of Music, DeKalb, Illinois 60115.(815) 753-1551.

58. Oboe: Loree, serial number LN13. Stolen from high school locker on May28, 1996 at South Lakes High School, Reston, VA. Contact Don Pittenger,12343 Coleraine Ct., Reston, VA 22091. (703) 860-4419.

59. Lorée Oboe: AK model LM26, stolen September 30, 1996 from myapartment in Cincinnati, Ohio, together with a Korg tuner and a Seikometronome. Contact me at: Janna Leigh Ryon, 2247 Hidden Cove Road,Cookeville, Tennessee 38506. (615) 528-2340.

60. Loree Oboe: Serial number II34, stolen in June, 1993 from my home inLucas, Texas. Contact Jennifer Allen. (972) 727-4456.

61. Leblanc Wood Oboe (Serial #1317) no left F. Stolen on September 17, 1996from the band room at Hamilton Music Academy, 2966 South RobertsonBoulevard, Los Angeles, California 90034. If found, please contact musicdirector Jeff Kaufman at (310) 559-9468.

62. Moosmann bassoon, serial number 91039, date of buy 05-03-91, stolen inthe small southwest German village D-66620 Kastel (Saarland), Im Aller 3,with a housebreaking, stolen from Muriel Thiel. tel. 00496873 400 or0033387 937145.

63. Marigaux, Serial No. 19892, with a thumbplate key (English fingeringsystem). Stolen from her hotel room in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, on26 February, 1997, while on tour with the wind soloists of the EuropeanChamber Orchestra. She can be reached at (44) 171 437 0493, Fax (44) 171437 0495, e-mail: Toby Scott <[email protected]>.

64. Heckel bassoon #6698. Stolen from the rooming house of Willard Elliot onMarch 12, 1945. If found or located contact Willard Elliot at 6731 Trail CliffWay, Fort Worth, TX 76132. Tel.: (817) 346-9508.

65. Oboe of Lorée, Paris. No. EY 64. Lost in Bat-Shlomo, Israel, July 4, 1997. Hasdistinct mark… worn spot on the silver of the F# key. Please contact Israel,Asaf Beéri, Ayelet-Hashahar 12200 (no need for PO Box). Tel.: 972-06-6932184 or 972-06-6932740.

66. Lorée oboe #CO33 stolen in Minneapolis in November, 1996. Pleasecontact David Cantieni, 105 Hawks Road, Deerfield, Massachusetts, 01342.

67. Lorée oboe, #HQ25 stolen in Amsterdam, The Netherlands December 8,1997. Please contact Kathy Halvorson, Kanaalstraat 158-l, 1054 XPAmsterdam, The Netherlands, Tel.: 31-20-689-8066, email:[email protected].

68. Lorée AK model oboe, #KT71 stolen in Amsterdam, The NetherlandsDecember 8, 1997. Please contact Kathy Halvorson, Kanaalstraat 158-l,1054 XP Amsterdam, The Netherlands, Tel.: 31-20-689-8066, email:[email protected].

69. Lorée oboe #JD88 - stolen during the LA Philharmonic’s 1992 tour toSalzburg. Please contact: David Weiss, 6226 S. Corning Ave., Los Angeles,CA 90056. Tel. (31) 337-0962, fax (310) 337-7431, email: [email protected].

70. Laubin oboe, serial number 1981. Stolen in October 1997 in New Haven, CT.Owned by Laura Chamberlain, 10 Frost Road, Lexington, MA 02173. (781)861-3759, messages (781) 736-2245. E-mail contact: c/[email protected].

71. Laubin Oboe #1981. Stolen in New Haven, CT in October 1997. ContactLaura Chamberlain, 10 Frost Road, Lexington, MA 02173 Tel. (781) 861-3759; or contact A. Laubin, Inc., 638 Central Ave., Peekskill, NY 10566.

72. Oboe: Lorée, #DP82, stolen in Oklahoma City on Feb. 26, 1998, and resoldsoon thereafter in the Texas area. If found, contact Kim Monk at the FentonLaw Firm, 211 N. Robinson, St. 800-N, Oklahoma City, OK, 73102. (405) 235-4671 x 3316, fax: (405) 234-5247. Email: [email protected]

73. Rosewood Lorée AK-reproduction serial #MA-88, stolen on June 10, 1998 (itis the property of UT-Austin). Please contact David Garcia, 1071 ClaytonLn. #1217, Austin, TX 78723. (512) 452-8620, or contact the UofT policedepartment.

74. Stolen: Püchner Bassoon, professional compact Model 23, S-No. 1081F.Stolen from Fabian Contreras in Mendoza City, Argentina, on September,1998, with C sharp piano key rollers, Ab-Bb trill key, C-plate, balancehanger, compact version. Case and accessory. Please contact him atparents address: Incagarcilaso 1565 C.P. 4000 S. M. deTucuman ArgentinaT.E. (381) 424 2310 or Asuncion City Shymphony Orchestra Paraguay. Fax(595) 21 492 416.

75. Stolen: Fox 601 bassoon, serial # 23502, stolen Dec. 21, 1997 in Minneapolis.Contact Coreen Nordling, 612-925-0620 or e-mail cnordling @yahoo.com.

76. Heckel Bassoon #10704 stolen from Gainesville, Florida, on Nov. 3, 1998.This is a very distinguishable instrument with extra keys and customfeatures. $2000 reward for its return. Contact John Tileston at 352-338-1800or e-mail at [email protected].

77. Lorée Oboe AK, serial #IW99, stolen from Lisa Geering in Chicago, Illinois inMarch, 1997. If found contact Lisa Geering at 5720 S. Stony Island Ave.,Chicago, IL 60637. Tel. 773-324-6021. E-mail: [email protected]

78. Marigaux Oboe, serial #9459, stolen from the Leeds University MusicBuilding, England, on April 21, 1999. It is gold plated and gorgeous! If found,please contact Helen Woolliscroft, 22 Hurstleigh Drive, Steate RH1 2 AA,England. Tel: 01737 763727, E-mail: [email protected]

79. Stolen: Laubin oboe, serial #1240 from Univ. of Iowa, Voxman Music Bldg.,May 8-9. Please contact Christopher Scheer/Melissa Etling. Address:Northwestern University, Steate, IL, USA. Phone: (319) 354-1032. Email: [email protected].

REPORT OF THE EXECUTIVE SECRETARY/TREASURER118

Report of the Executive Secretary/Treasurer

By Norma R. Hooks

Just say, “No”From time to time we provide mailing labels

to double reed businesses, organizations withjob openings, and camp or symposiumorganizers. This is done as a service to ourmembers, so that they can receive catalogs orother information pertinent to double reedmusicians. We provide our mailing list in onetime use form. If you don’t want to receive theseunsolicited mailings, if they offend you, if yourmailbox is already full of sale flyers and youwant no more, just say, “no.” Send me a note, ane-mail, or a fax and tell me to mark your recordwith a “no.” This will take you out of the listwhen it is used for mailings other than officialIDRS business.

Do you know someone who is lost?When was the last time you looked at the

list of “lost sheep” in our publications? I don’tmean glanced at the page as you hurriedthrough to the juicier bits, I mean really lookedat the page. We have the names of 122 peoplewho we’ve lost track of in the last coupleyears. Some of them think we just don’t careabout them. Some of them move frequentlyand have not caught up to us with their newaddresses. I get returned mail after everyissue, and some of these issues belong to thepeople who have vanished. Please, take a longhard look at the list and see if you can help uslocate someone.

Just today I received an e-mail from amember who did just that and found someonethat they knew. Well, I guess that makes my listonly 121 people.

Having a problem in cyberspace?Every week I hear from several of you who arehaving trouble accessing our members onlysection of the web page. Please check:http://idrs.colorado.edu/Idrs.index/index.OnLine.html for information. If that doesn’t work,contact Yoshi Ishikawa, our web master, [email protected]

A Fine TributeOn Saturday, June 5, 1999, Peter Schoenbach

hosted a concert and lovely reception, at theSettlement School in Philadelphia, in honor ofhis beloved parents, Sol and Bertha. Old friends,colleagues, students and admirers filled theroom. Many members of our Society were inevidence. It was a wonderful way to remembertwo outstanding artists and humanitarians.

See you in Madison!I’m looking forward to meeting many of you

at our conference in Madison. Our host, MarcFink, is working like a veritable Trojan to puttogether another outstanding conference. Thethings that are planned are truly exciting.

Don’t miss the exhibits! Are you looking for anew instrument, tools, reeds, music or any ofthe numerous toys we use in our profession?Madison is the place to be! There are over 50exhibitors planning to attend this conference. Ifyou need it, they’ll most likely have it. Nowhereelse can you try so many instruments, and toolsbefore you buy them. Come out and patronizeour outstanding double reed businesses. Theseexhibitors are members of the IDRS and arevery supportive of our Society. ❖


Lost Sheep

Denise L. Achram28378 Elba DriveGrosse Ile, MI 48138-1925

Rufus Ray Acosta1937 Stratford WayHanford, CA 93230-2154

Eckart AdorfKleüter Heide 2832758 Detmold GERMANY

Angela R. Anderson11809 San Jacinto Blvd. NEAlbuquerque, NM 87123-1217

Alison Ashmore1007 East Brooks; Apt. FNorman, OK 73071

Damrih Bannawittayakit647/1 Soi Ladprao 107Bang Kapi, Bangkok 10240 THAILAND

Wilfred Beaudoin149 Oakland AvenueCranston, RI 02901

Jennifer C. Bentley922 North Noble; Apt. # 4RChicago, IL 60622

Lauren Brass2141 Maple AvenueEvanston, IL 60201

Tammy A. Brayton6228 Bigelow CommonsEnfield, CT 06082-3352

Charlotte Broome5526 Elsworth Avenue; Apt. 6Pittsburgh, PA 15219

Timothy S. Burdick2163 Lee Road # 103Cleveland Hgts., OH 44118

Elissa Burggraff17202 North 42nd PlacePhoenix, AZ 85032

Miriam Ruth Butler4/29a Shirley RoadWollstonecraft, NSW 2065 AUSTRALIA

George Calvo730 Southwest First Avenue; Suite 3APortland, OR 97204

Margo Carlson2515 ShakespeareHouston, TX 77030

Margaret L. CarlsonP.O. Box 12626; UNTDenton, TX 76203

Christine E. Casner6814 Super Stallion Drive, Apt. # EIrvine, CA 92714

Heather Charlton1298 Park West Drive # 8Greenville, NC 27834

Lisa Marie Corso1524 20th StreetBoulder, CO 80302

Katrina CrosbyOCMR Box 652Oberlin, OH 44074

Sharon CurryP.O. Box 16; 1460 University DriveWinchester, VA 22601

Kathryn DavisHartwick College Box 411Oneonta, NY 13820

Troy Davis427 Gateway DrivePacifica, CA 94044

Brad DenningP.O. Box 296Gorham, ME 04038-0296

Deirdre J. Derrick555 North 7th Street Apt. 506Sierra Vista, AZ 85635

Pedro René Diaz282 West End RoadSouth Orange, NJ 07079

Kathryn Fields DiCola5 Riverview CircleLitchfield, NH 03051

Lisa Clare Eckstein16 Brookebury Drive; Apt. # 2AReisterstown, MD 21136

Carrie Erlandson3342 South Semoran Blvd. # 14Orlando, FL 32822

Jillian Fisher654 Crescent RoadColumbus, OH 43229

Leonardo FuksSveavägen 164, HO2,S-11346 Stockholm SWEDEN

J. Richard Garn1120 111 A StreetEdmonton, Alberta T6J 6R9 CANADA

Joao Carlos Goehring115 South Main Street; Apt. B10West Hartford, CT 06107-2529

Stephanie Grubb1327 High Road # R 2Tallahassee, FL 32304

Darryl L. Hartshorne1617 South Broad Street; Apt. # 3Philadelphia, PA 19148-1003

David R. Haskill23262 Morobe CircleDana Point, CA 92629

Jennet N. Hearne2231 West Wilson Avenue, Apt. # 3Chicago, IL 60625-2141

Fiona Margaret Heather Thomson28 Wiradjuri Cres.Wagga Wagga, NSW 2650 AUSTRALIA

Carl Helmer6401 North Christmas Tree Lane # 22Flagstaff, AZ 86004

Matthew Herington17800 Southeast Vogel RoadBoring, OR 97009

Aaron Ichiro Hilbun315-2 Aza MaedaUrasoe City, OkinawaKen 90121 JAPAN

Jasper Tai Hitchcock3659 DroletMontreal, Quebec H2X 3H7 CANADA

Carol Hoek100 East Miller Drive; Apt. # 5Bloomington, IN 47401-6575

A. Holtje2226 Wilmette AvenueWilmette, IL 60091

Kenneth G. Honas12021 West 58th Place # JShawnee, KS 66216-1940

Jan-Ching Huang1010 St. Paul Street, # 9BBaltimore, MD 21202

Kathryn Elizabeth Hunt560 Greenfield Avenue; Apt. F509Kitchener, Ontario W2C 2M2 CANADA

Norie Ishii5208 17th Avenue, #DSeattle, WA 98105-3408

Wendy Ellen KempAvda. de Belgica, No. 1138007 S/C de Tenerife SPAIN

Members are classified as “LOST” when first class mail is returned as undeliverable. Your assistance inlocating these members will be appreciated. If you live close to one of these members please consult thephone book and call them. After a years or so, lost members are placed in the archives.

LOST SHEEP120

Steven Kimball101 Bridgetown Road, Apt. 9AGoose Creek, SC 29445

Erika Naomi Kirsch111 East Avenue # 401Rochester, NY 14604

Andrew P. LeVasseur515 Monroe StreetDenver, CO 80206

Hung-Chu Lin11B Waldorf MansionZ-6A Causeway Bay RdCauseway Bay HONG KONG

Jose Linares824 North Euclid AvenuePittsburgh, PA 15206

Nancy E. Lutes808 North Main StreetBowling Green, OH 43402-1817

Jeffrey K. Marchant111 Kittredge StreetRoslindale, MA 02131-3504

Cynthia S. Margolis26 Hillside TerraceMonroe, NY 10950

Elione Alves de MedeirosAv. 02 Lore 12/13Niteroi, RJ 24342-330 BRAZIL

Helen E. Miller9865 UNCG StationGreensboro, NC 27413

Amy E. Morrison1119 20th StreetGreeley, CO 80631

Holly W. Morse916 East Ogden Avenue; # 101Milwaukee, WI 53202

Julie S. Morse9707 Kingsley Road #237Dallas, TX 75238

Lucius Batista MotaR. Cel. Joaquim C. Bastos QD 12 Lt. 38Goiania, Goias 74660-070 BRAZIL

Cheryl Norman902 MooreDanville, IL 61832

Michelle C. Lehman - O’Brien2207 Wickersham Lane # 504Austin, TX 78741

Nelson Oboe Reeds5330 Avenida AlmendrosSan Jose, CA 95123

April OsterBox 486; 606 St. Paul StreetBaltimore, MD 21202-2355

Jill E. Packard25 Horne Street Apt #12Methuen, MA 01844-3848

Barbara B. Penniston17705 Butler RoadSnohomish, WA 98290-6334

Annette Marie PerkinsP.O. Box 25287Milwaukee, WI 53225-0287

Kathryn Gleasman Pisaro659 West Roscoe Apt. 3Chicagon, IL 60657

Tracie D. Pybas#4 - 5710 Sherbrooke WestMontreal, PQ H4A 1W8 CANADA

Susan Read3 Grove StreetEltham, Victoria 3095 AUSTRALIA

Britannia ReedsP.O. Box 530St. Albans, Herts. AL1 SDR ENGLAND, UK

Paul W. Roberts, III1205 Gunsmith Ct. Apt. # 101Virginia Beach, VA 23464-4809

Christa Robinson399 Central Park Blvd.Oshawa, Ontario L1G 5Z9 CANADA

Amilcar Villanueva RomeroCorrera 46 N% 22A57 Apt #403Bogatá, D.C. COLUMBIA

Chad Roseland926 South 6th Street # 2Terre Haute, IN 47807-5008

Edward L. Ruden22521 SunbrookMission Viego, CA 92692

Erik A. Ruud228 Rocco AvenueHarrisonburg, VA 22801

William H. SackP.O. Box 2866Tucson, AZ 85702-2866

Angela K. SchnathorstKorb Hall; 16 Petrarca Drive; KSUKent, OH 44243-1016

Stewart R. Schroeder170 B Fisher AvenueRoxbury, MA 02120

Hye-Young Shim1450 Spartan Village; Apt. HEast Lansing, MI 48823-5746

Carey Shinbaum824 North Euclid AvenuePittsburgh, PA 15206

Satoshi Shoji1-30-41 Saiwai-cho #102 Tachikawa-shiTokyo, 190-0002 JAPAN

Gordon A. Skinner10 Strathmore Parade, ChatswoodSydney, NSW 2067 AUSTRALIA

Katie Legere - Smith311 College StreetKingston, Ontario K7L 4M3 CANADA

Karen L. Snively114 Moorwood Ridge DriveRichmond, VA 23236-2986

Suzanne M. Snyder5 Candlewyck Drive # B4Ithaca, NY 14850

Jace Stearn202-1002 McKenzie AvenueVictoria, BC V8X 4B5 CANADA

Susan Symonik30 St. Vital RoadWinnipeg, Manitoba R2M 1Z3 CANADA

Lucy TaylorDens of Crichie Cottage, StuartfieldPeterhead, Aberdeensh AB42 5DT SCOTLAND, UK

Elen M. C. TelesRua dos Vanzeleres 3014100 Porto PORTUGAL

Katherine ThibaultAmis D’EpsilonGarderLeCourrierSM PalSt. Malo Cedex, 35401 FRANCE

Maurizio Venturini2920 Scioto Street #1100Cincinnati, OH 45219-1906

Julie B. WadeP.O. Box 645Sandpoint, ID 83864

Kelly Jo Welch1300 Coconino Road; Apt. # 130Ames, IA 50014

Karl-Friedrich WentzelJohann-Sebastian-Bach Straße 16D-78224 Singen(Hohentwiel)GERMANY

Mark WienandN2639 County Road Z; #B73Dousman, WI 53118-9402

Timur YusupovMary Trevelyan Hall;10 York Terrace E.London, NW1 4PTENGLAND, UK


PATRONSAmerican Bassoon Co., Inc. Sara Lambert BloomJohn CampbellMark Chudnow WoodwindsCarlos E. Coelho WoodwindsJohn Goebel Forrests MusicLewis Hugh CooperDouble Reeds, Inc.- Bill RoscoeFox Products CorporationA. GlotinNorma R. HooksT. W. Howarth & Co.Jones Double Reed ProductsAnna LampidisDe Gourdon - LoreeMcFarland Double Reed ShopAlexander L. MillerFrank A. Morelli, Jr.Yoshiyuki NakanishiEdmund Nielsen Woodwinds, Inc. Lawrence M. Probes, M.D.Lowry RigginsPhilippe Rigoutat & FilsW. Schreiber & Söhne Daniel TemiankaChristopher Weait

DONORSAltieri Instrument BagsArundo Research CompanyArundo Reeds and CaneRobert Hart BakerWilliam P. BakerSue Schrier BancroftRobert BarrisBass Bags - Anthony MorganBassoon Heritage Edition, Inc.Charles BellWaldemar BhosysFranck BichonBocal Music - Alan R. HawkinsDitta BonazzaEdward T. Bowe, M.D.Boosey & Hawkes - Buffet CramponFratelli Bulgheroni SNCBilly H. & Nancy BurdineMichael K. ByrneFerald B. CappsCascade Oboe ReedsFrancisco CastilloCharles Double Reed CompanyPeter ChristChristlieb ProductsClarion Associates D. SchoenfieldCharles ClementsGerald E. Corey

Covey OboesTrevor Cramer - TrevCo MusicCustom Music CompanyJerryl DavisWilliam J. Dawson, M.D.Heiko DechertJohn J. DeeMichael H. DickerRaymond H. DustéB & D Publications - David E. DuttonHaskell EdelsteinHerbert W. Fawcett, D.D.S.Marc D. FinkFossati - L’Atelier du HautboisLudwig Frank & Frank MeyerPascal GalloisGEM Woodwind Products - Gary MoodyJulie Ann GiacobassiRobert D. Gilbert-RDG Inc.Margaret A. Gilinsky Oboe WorksNancy E. GoeresLauren Green GombolayArthur L. Gudwin, M.D.Wilhelm Heckel GmbHRebecca HendersonUdo HengSally Hickle-TeegardenLeonard W. HindellNorth Texas Oboe Reeds and CaneAnn Hodge Double Reed SuppliesRobin Howell BocalsWilliam F. HulskerInternational Music SuppliersYoshiyuki Ishikawa, D.M.A.Eugene IzotovJapan Double Reed Inc.Jeanné, IncAndrea & Stephen JonesRebecca JordanRichard E. KillmerCharles B. King, IIIPeter KlattKim LaskowskiG. Leblanc CorporationStephan LeitzingerSharon Fligner - LindquistDr. George LongazoHumbert J. LucarelliDonald V. Mac CourtCharles McCracken, Jr.Kathleen McLeanRichard MeekMidwest Musical ImportsRoger O. MillerJohn W. Miller, Jr.The Miller Marketing Co., Inc.Bernd Moosman, Ltd.

Yulio Nakamura of Musik JosefPascal NeuranterNew England Sheet Music ServiceJonathan R. ParkesFratelli PatricolaJames M. PoeJanet PolkSeth M. PowsnerJames C. ProdanWalter Püchner of PüchnerBassoonsPuffit Greeting CardsQuolibet, Inc.Robert P. Raker, M.D.Wayne RapierCarl RathClaude F. Reynolds Oboe ShoppeGeorg RiegerJoseph Lee RobinsonRobinson and Ross WoodwindsRonald RosemanD.Hugh RosenbaumDan RossGeorge J. Sakakeeny, IIIchiro SasajiScott W. Snyder, M.D.Robert & Bailey SortonJack Spratt Woodwind ShopStellar Oboe Products

- Amy CollinsVirginia K. StittSML Strasser - Marigaux SAHitomi SugawaraAffordable Music Co. Alvin SwineySally Jo Hinkle-TeagartenThe U.S. Army Band “Pershing’sOwn”Robert Polan VandorenCharles O. VeazeyDr. Vernon G. VernierGail Warnaar Double ReedsDavid Weber

- The Reed Maker’s ManualFrederic H. Weiner, Inc.Alan J. Werner, Jr.Richard O. WhiteWilliam WielgusGuntram WolfWomble/Williams Double ReedsRichard WoodhamsWilliam E. Wright, M.D.Yamaha Corporation of AmericaDavid Zar

SUSTAININGJohn W. AbbottHelen Mendell Ackley

Contributing MembersThe Society thanks those who have given additional financial support by becomingcontributors. Their additional support is vital to the accomplishment of our goals.

CONTRIBUTING MEMBERS122

Rodney F. AckmannNicola A. AdamoJames E. AddisonCarol Padgham AlbrechtMeyrick AlexanderBrenda L. AlonyBarbara J. AndersonKaryl ArnoldRichard AronsonKeith C. AtkinsonVivian J. BakerAlexander BakkerMichael BarnettPaul H. BarrettJohn H. BaxleyJon P. BeebeScott J. BellEmily M. BentgenJohn E. BentleyBerdon CompanyJames T. BerkenstockReuben Berman, M.D.Carol A. BernhardtSteven BernsteinDonald BeyerAnn Wheeler BilezikianAllen T. BishopE. Edwin BloedowDonna BoganDavid BournsMindy BraithwaiteHarold A. BraunJames BrodyDr. Andrew F. D. BrownWesley A. BrownMichelle M. BrownPeggy J. Brown, M.D.Celia Dugan BryanWilliam F. BuchmanJames ButterfieldJudith L. ButteryDonald W. ByoGeorge CairdSandro CaldiniDr. Charles F. Call, D.P.M.Gwendolyn E. CarltonWilliam CarpenterMarianne E. CarrelClaudia CartenGene C. CarterBrenda L. CascianiMarilyn A. ChappellPerry V. ClissaFredric T. CohenLynette Diers CohenStephen ColburnJack ColeRoger ColeCedric ColemanJulia C. CombsGeorge W. Comstock, M.D.Donna Conaty-Cooley

David P. CoombsPeter W. CooperPiroozi CooperSilvia Fanny CoricelliJohn H. CorinaJosé CoronadoBennie CottoneTimothy H. CroninDavid CushmanJerry A. DaggCecil F. DamGlen R. DanielsonLewis DannRobert DanzigerWilliam D. DavisCynthia Koledo de AlmeidaBruno De RosaDavid A. DeBoltRenee Anthony DeeGilbert DeJeanDoris A. DeLoachJohn William DentonDr. Jose A. DiazSteven A. DibnerThomas W. DienerWilliam D. DietzJonathan DlouhyNik DongesPeggy DudleyBarbara Jackson DukeDaryl W. DurranTheodore J. EckbergArtemus EdwardsJan EkstedtMichael A. EllertWillard S. ElliotHarold Stephen EmertKeiichiro EnomotoFrances EstesNancy Greene FarnetaniMichael W. FayJames C. FerraiuoloJulie A. FevesPeter FinchLewis T. FitchMary Ann & Harvey FleetSolomon M. FosterDr. Nancy FowlerJames M. FranklinBryant C. FreemanJonathan FriedmanAngela Monica FucciMasahiko Furukawa, M.D.Vitaliano GalloLawrence A. GardnerBert GassmanDr. Edward L. Gaudet, D.D.S.Bruce GburEdward A. GellerLinda M. GilbertGeralyn A. GiovannettiAlain Girard

Phyllis GlassIrving W. GlazerBen GlovinskyHarold M. GoldnerDoris D. GoltzerLouise Cavalieri GoniJames A. GortonVictoria GrayGene Marie GreenJulie A. GregorianPeter GrenierWarren GriffinH. Gene GriswoldHafsteinn GudmundssonGlen S. GuilesArnie GundersonPatricia L. GunterHoward B. Gutstein, M.D.Alayne GyetvaiJoseph H. HandlonPer HannevoldDwight D. HarePaul Michael HarrisDarryl E. Harris, Sr.Lisa Harvey-ReedDonald E. HasslerJonathan H. HawesJohn R. HeardTheodore C. HegerThomas C. HeinzeHan HendriksMichael L. HenochDavid HerbertJanie HicksAlan Hollander OboesCarolyn M. HoveCharles G. HuebnerTimothy R. HughesRobert G. HumistonJohn S. HusserDaniel L. IjamsSteven & Jennet IngleNoritsugu IshinoJames Y. JeterBetty J. JohnsonMichel Jolivet, D.V.M.Dr. Gunther JoppigNoburu Katayama, M.D.Mary C. KemenAndrew J. KingBruce P. KingNancy Ambrose KingStanley E. KingAlex KleinJay C. KlemmeEdward A. KnobHarold W. KohnPhillip A. M. KolkerLisa A. KozenkoFelix G. KrausRobert Kraus, M.D.Seth Krimsky


Arthur KubeyMarion Arthur KuszykEdwin V. LacyCecile LagarennéLandy Bassoon RepairRobert A. Lapkin, M.D.J. Laslie WoodwindsLaquita Sue LawrenceAntoine LazennecPeter C. LembergStéphane LévesqueRobert P. LewisLinton Oboe/Bassoon

- Jack LintonMartin S. Lipnick, D.D.S.Robert LohrRichard W. LottridgeMichael LundstenJeffrey G. LymanJohn W. MackJan Irma Maria de MaeyerAlice H. MagosSteve Malarskey WoodwindsDr. Kenneth MalhoitGuy MalleryBrandi Christine MansfieldStephen Margolis, M.D.Mauro Mascarenhas, Jr.Donald C. MattisonHolden P. McAleerPaul B. McCandless, Jr.Evelyn McCartyD. Keith McClellandDonald J. McGeenCatherine McGuireEugen MeierAndrea MerenzonAlberto Saul MerenzonKristy L. MerettaDennis P. MichelMarcos MincovMaryBeth Tuma MinnisJames R. MitchellW. Stuart Mitchell, Jr.Moeck VerlagRobert J. MooreLaurence S. MorganRobert E. MorganJames H. MoseleyDorothy E. MosherL. Bud MouldFranklin Pieter MulderJames W. Mullins, Jr.Rev. Greg W. NetelerAmelia Russo-Neustadt, Ph.D.Jan Joris NieuwenhuisDaina L. NishimotoPaul NordbyRebecca NoreenEarl C. NorthDirk Noyen

Leslie S. OdomEric P. OhlssonAntero OjantoRobert L. OlsonGustavo E. OrozaKatie OrthMark S. OstoichHavner H. Parish, M.D.Josep Julia PascualKenneth PasmanickJennifer PaullJane Pearce-BauerSandra E. PearsonHomer C. PenceTedrow L. PerkinsKermit C. PetersEric J. PetersonRussel & Jennifer PetersonChristopher PhilpottsGina PontoniRichard Porter, M.D.James F. PrestonGerald & Patricia PruntyGregory QuickJerome L. RabinowitzDan Williams & Paul RafanelliRichard RathVernon ReadJesse A. ReadPaul Brent RegisterJames F. ReiterGeorge T. RiordanFabio Paolo RizziJames E. Roberson, Jr.Tonyia R. RobinsonHarold E. RobisonJames R. RoeJohn RojasMark L. RomatzD. Hugh RosenbaumRosslyn Woodwind Supplies Ltd.Steven J. RovelstadHarrison E. RoweRichard Irwin RubinsteinFrank RuggieriJames M. RyonBruce M. SaladWalter Hermann SallagarSchilling Reeds - Kevin SchillingPeter J. SchoenbachClare ScholtzDavid SchreinerElizabeth A. SchulpRuth Peacock SchumacherMartin SchuringWilliam J. ScribnerLaura Jaeger SeiffertSasa SeikiGail F. SelburnThe Selmer CompanyMark Sforzini

Andrew M. ShreevesCarolyn I. ShullIvan A. Shulman, M.D.Joyce SidorfskyMalcolm W. SmithRheta R. SmithMichelle Jo SnyderDavid SolterDouglas E. SpaniolJennifer Kelley SpeckMichael Terrence Spevak, Ph.D.Frank S. StalzerJohn A. StarcicSylvia StarkmanRobert J. StephensonBob Stevens & SonEugene E. StickleyJim R. StockigtDaniel J. StolperLinda StrommenKeith W. SwegerSherry L. SylarJane TaylorJerri A. TaylorSally Jo Hinkle-TeegardenJohn F. ThompsonRobert K. ThompsonFernando TrabaMilan TurkovicCharles G. UlleryUnited Musical Instruments, Inc.John J. UrbanGerhard VeithVigder’s Bassoon SuppliesAllan VogelStephen J. WaltDavid B. WardWolfgang R. WawersikRobert WeinerAbraham M. WeissDavid E. WeissPhilip WestElizabeth Lyon WheelerAndrea WhitcombPaul A. WilleDr. Jack D. WilliamsDelmar A. WilliamsKerry M. WillinghamWilliam O. WinsteadJohn J. WisniewskiPeter J. WolfWilliam S. WoodwardMalcolm John WrightHiroyuki YamasakiHiroshi YoshimizuFred M. YoungerRandy H. ZasloffMS Bernadette ZirkuliMarilyn J. Zupnik

Vol.22 • No. 2 - idrs.org · of the 16th Century;” Peter Schickele (New York), Gilles...

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Transcript of Vol.22 • No. 2 - idrs.org · of the 16th Century;” Peter Schickele (New York), Gilles...