Taras Boliubash

The bassoon is a woodwind instrument in the double reed family, which plays in the tenor and bass ranges. It is composed of six pieces, and is usually made of wood. It is known for its distinctive tone color, wide range, versatility, and virtuosity. It is a non-transposing instrument and typically its music is written in the bass and tenor clefs, and sometimes in the treble. There are two forms of modern bassoon: the Buffet (or French) and Heckel (or German) systems. It is typically played while sitting using a seat strap, but can be played while standing if the player has a harness to hold the instrument. Sound is produced by rolling both lips over the reed and blowing direct air pressure to cause the reed to vibrate. Its fingering system can be quite complex when compared to those of other instruments. Appearing in its modern form in the 19th century, the bassoon figures prominently in orchestral, concert band, and chamber music literature, and is occasionally heard in pop, rock, and jazz settings as well. One who plays a bassoon is called a bassoonist.

A Yamaha YFG-812 II bassoon

Range

Playing range of a bassoon

(A1) B♭1–E5 (A5)

The range of the bassoon begins at B♭1 (the first one below the bass staff) and extends upward over three octaves, roughly to the G above the treble staff (G5).[7] However, most writing for bassoon rarely calls for notes above C5 or D5; even Stravinsky's opening solo in The Rite of Spring only ascends to D5. Notes higher than this are entirely possible, but seldom written, as they are difficult to produce (often requiring specific reed design features to ensure reliability), and at any rate are quite homogeneous in timbre to the same pitches on cor anglais, which can produce them with relative ease. French bassoon has greater facility in the extreme high register, and so repertoire written for it is somewhat likelier to include very high notes, although repertoire for French system can be executed on German system without alterations and vice versa.

The extensive high register of the bassoon and its frequent role as a lyric tenor have meant that tenor clef is very commonly employed in its literature after the Baroque, partly to avoid excessive ledger lines, and, beginning in the 20th century, treble clef is also seen for similar reasons.

Although the primary tone hole pitches are a pitched perfect 5th lower than other non-transposing Western woodwinds (effectively an octave beneath English horn) the bassoon is non-transposing, meaning that notes sounded match the written pitch.

Structure

The bore of the bassoon is conical, like that of the oboe and the saxophone, and the two adjoining bores of the boot joint are connected at the bottom of the instrument with a U-shaped metal connector. Both bore and tone holes are precision-machined, and each instrument is finished by hand for proper tuning. The walls of the bassoon are thicker at various points along the bore; here, the tone holes are drilled at an angle to the axis of the bore, which reduces the distance between the holes on the exterior. This ensures coverage by the fingers of the average adult hand. Playing is facilitated by closing the distance between the widely spaced holes with a complex system of key work, which extends throughout nearly the entire length of the instrument. The overall height of the bassoon stretches to 1.34 m (4 ft 5 in) tall, but the total sounding length is 2.54 m (8 ft 4 in) considering that the tube is doubled back on itself. There are also short-reach bassoons made for the benefit of young or petite players.

Materials

A modern beginner's bassoon is generally made of maple, with medium-hardness types such as sycamore maple and sugar maple preferred. Less-expensive models are also made of materials such as polypropylene and ebonite, primarily for student and outdoor use. Metal bassoons were made in the past but have not been produced by any major manufacturer since 1889.

Reeds

Detail of binding around base of reed.

The art of reed-making has been practiced for several hundred years, some of the earliest known reeds having been made for the dulcian, a predecessor of the bassoon.[8] Current methods of reed-making consist of a set of basic methods; however, individual bassoonists' playing styles vary greatly and thus require that reeds be customized to best suit their respective bassoonist. Advanced players usually make their own reeds to this end. With regards to commercially made reeds, many companies and individuals offer pre-made reeds for sale, but players often find that such reeds still require adjustments to suit their particular playing style.

Modern bassoon reeds, made of Arundo donax cane,[8] are often made by the players themselves, although beginner bassoonists tend to buy their reeds from professional reed makers or use reeds made by their teachers. Reeds begin with a length of tube cane that is split into three or four pieces using a tool called a cane splitter. The cane is then trimmed and gouged to the desired thickness, leaving the bark attached. After soaking, the gouged cane is cut to the proper shape and milled to the desired thickness, or profiled, by removing material from the bark side. This can be done by hand with a file; more frequently it is done with a machine or tool designed for the purpose. After the profiled cane has soaked once again it is folded over in the middle. Prior to soaking, the reed maker will have lightly scored the bark with parallel lines with a knife; this ensures that the cane will assume a cylindrical shape during the forming stage.

On the bark portion, the reed maker binds on one, two, or three coils or loops of brass wire to aid in the final forming process. The exact placement of these loops can vary somewhat depending on the reed maker. The bound reed blank is then wrapped with thick cotton or linen thread to protect it, and a conical steel mandrel (which sometimes has been heated in a flame) is quickly inserted in between the blades. Using a special pair of pliers, the reed maker presses down the cane, making it conform to the shape of the mandrel. (The steam generated by the heated mandrel causes the cane to permanently assume the shape of the mandrel.) The upper portion of the cavity thus created is called the "throat", and its shape has an influence on the final playing characteristics of the reed. The lower, mostly cylindrical portion will be reamed out with a special tool called a reamer, allowing the reed to fit on the bocal.

After the reed has dried, the wires are tightened around the reed, which has shrunk after drying, or replaced completely. The lower part is sealed (a nitrocellulose-based cement such as Duco may be used) and then wrapped with thread to ensure both that no air leaks out through the bottom of the reed and that the reed maintains its shape. The wrapping itself is often sealed with Duco or clear nail varnish (polish). Electrical tape can also be used as a wrapping for amateur reed makers. The bulge in the wrapping is sometimes referred to as the "Turk's head"—it serves as a convenient handle when inserting the reed on the bocal. Recently, more players are choosing the more modern heat-shrink tubing instead of the time-consuming and fiddly thread. The thread wrapping (commonly known as a "Turban" due to the criss-crossing fabric) is still more common in commercially sold reeds.

To finish the reed, the end of the reed blank, originally at the center of the unfolded piece of cane, is cut off, creating an opening. The blades above the first wire are now roughly 27–30 mm (1.1–1.2 in) long. For the reed to play, a slight bevel must be created at the tip with a knife, although there is also a machine that can perform this function. Other adjustments with the reed knife may be necessary, depending on the hardness, the profile of the cane, and the requirements of the player. The reed opening may also need to be adjusted by squeezing either the first or second wire with the pliers. Additional material may be removed from the sides (the "channels") or tip to balance the reed. Additionally, if the "e" in the bass clef staff is sagging in pitch, it may be necessary to "clip" the reed by removing 1–2 mm (0.039–0.079 in) from its length using a pair of very sharp scissors or the equivalent.

Sopilka (Audio Sopilkafail) is a folk wind musical instrument known in Ukraine since princely times. It was made of viburnum twigs, elderberries, hazelnuts, reeds, etc. The length reached 30-40 cm, at the lower end drilled 4- 5-6 holes. In the western regions there were varieties of bagpipes - dentsivka, dvodentsivka, floyara.

Bagpipe "Dvodentsivka", XIX century. Kosiv district

Nowadays, the so-called "continuous" flute is widespread - on the example of folk, it has 10 holes, which provides it with a chromatic scale

History of origin

According to the method of sound extraction, the bagpipe is one of the oldest wind instruments: Academy. M. Lysenko Myroslav Korchynsky. We find mentions of this instrument in the ancient chronicles of the Eastern Slavs of the XI century, monuments of old Ukrainian writing Theodosius of Pechersk, Metropolitan of Kiev Cyril, Pamphilus (XI - XIII centuries), Ukrainian songs, fairy tales, legends, legends, works of Russian and Ukrainian writers (V. Korolenko "Blind Musician", Lesya Ukrainka "Forest Song", M. Kotsyubynsky "On the Wings of Song", etc.), which describes the use of the flute among shepherds, buffoons, chumaks, musicians at weddings in the oral tradition.

The first samples of the flute were technically imperfect, had 6 holes. According to M. Lysenko, "closed or open, in various combinations, these holes change the length of the air column in the pipe, and thus change the pitch or tone." These instruments were diatonic, used to win singing and dancing, the repertoire includes "shepherds epic songs" (XIV - XVII centuries.). That is, their use was limited to the purely ethnographic environment. This is what M. Lysenko emphasizes: The flute is a tool specifically for shepherds.

As a professional, academic, ensemble instrument, the bagpipe began to be used only in the second half of the XX century.

At the end of the 1920s, the first amateur orchestras of Ukrainian folk instruments were organized in Ukraine. Leaders of these groups, along with solving various artistic and stylistic tasks, creating a repertoire, educating conductors, begin painstaking work on improving musical instruments, creating orchestral families, organizing ensembles of folk instruments in orchestras. For the first time, attempts are being made to unite a family of orchestral flutes into a homogeneous ensemble by talented master designers, leaders of orchestral groups LG Gaidamaka and VO Zulyak. Their followers were masters and connoisseurs of this instrument: G. Kaskun, O. Shlonchyk, E. Bobrovnikov, I. Sklyar.

A significant contribution to the improvement and reconstruction of the flute was made by the teacher of Opolonivska secondary school of Shtepiv district of Sumy region Nikifor Matveev. He can rightly be considered the first master bagpiper in Ukraine, who made standard bagpipes (diatonic system, 6 holes) and bass pipes. He created the first amateur children's groups of bagpipers (1939, 1940, 1945), their numerous performances at district, regional, national reviews of amateur art testified to the popularity of this instrument, the high level of performance of these ensembles, the diversity of repertoire. N. Matveyev's successors in the organization of bagpipe ensembles were his students V. Ya. Borukha, MS Andrusenko and master performers V. Zulyak, E. Bobrovnikov.

The flute of the master designer I. Sklyar became the first concert instrument with fine tuning, chromatic scale and with a tonal tuner such as moving celluloid rings placed on the surface. The basis for the improvement was the 7-hole flute of the folk artist I. Yarosh. In the process of improving the bagpipe, I. Sklyar managed to develop stable principles of manufacturing standard instruments, on which the entire chromatic scale can be obtained by means of a combined overlap of the fingering holes with the appropriate air flow. As I. Sklyar himself writes, "the purpose of this painstaking work was to create a basis on which to develop a school of playing the flute, as well as, most importantly, to educate performers of the game on this wonderful folk instrument." In addition to theoretical justifications, I. Sklyar in his book "Gift to the flute players", provides a musical appendix, which contains recommendations for the performance of musical material. Among the works included in this book: duets (flutes I and II; piano and flute; flute and bandura); quartets (pipes I, II, III and piano); quintets (pipes I, II, viola, banduras I and II).

The process of improving the flute at this stage has not yet been completed, N. Matveev in the late 50's stressed: "The process of improving and chromatizing the flute is not over, it has a great future in the family of Ukrainian folk instruments." In 1970, master DF Deminchuk created a chromatic flute with 10 holes [1], where the chromatic scale is easily obtained by sequential fingering (its structure - in C major, range - From C to second to Sol fourth octave; noted one octave lower) [2 ]. Bagpipe classes are being opened in universities, in particular at the Lviv State Conservatory named after M. Lysenko (today the Academy of Music). Among the teachers of the special class, Professor Myroslav Korchynsky became an active creator of the repertoire and introduced it to the curriculum.

Clarinet (English clarinet, Italian clarinetto, French clarinette, German Klarinette; from Latin - clear (sound)) - a musical instrument of the family of woodwinds, invented in 1701. It is widely used as a solo instrument, as well as in a symphony orchestra, and is considered one of the most virtuoso musical instruments.

The clarinet belongs to the transposing instruments, clarinets are used in various systems, mainly in the B flat style ("in B") and in the "la A" style. Clarinet range (by entry) from e to c ^ 4. Varieties of clarinet are piccolo clarinet (in Es, rarely in D), basset horn (almost out of practice, in F) and bass clarinet (in B). In a symphony orchestra score, the clarinet part is written between oboe and bassoon parts.

History of the tool

The clarinet was invented in the late 17th - early 18th centuries (some reference books indicate the year of the invention of the clarinet 1690, other researchers question this date and point out that the first mention of the clarinet dates back to 1710 ) by Nuremberg musician Johann Christoph. Denner (1655-1707), who at the time was working to improve the design of an ancient French wind instrument, the shalyumo. The main innovation that makes it possible to clearly distinguish between a shalyum and a clarinet is the appearance of a valve on the back of the instrument, which is controlled by the thumb of the left hand and helps the transition to the second octave. In this register, the sound of the first samples of the new instrument (originally called simply "advanced shalyumo") resembled the timbre of the pipe used at the time, called "clarino" (clarino), whose name, in turn, comes from Latin. clarus - "clear" (sound). This trumpet gave its name first to the register, and then to the whole instrument -clarinetto (Italian name for clarinet) literally means "little clarino". For some time shalyumo and clarinet were used on an equal footing, but in the second quarter of the XVIII century shalyumo almost disappeared from musical practice. Denner's work was continued by his son Jacob (1681-1735), and three instruments of his work are preserved in the museums of Nuremberg, Berlin, and Brussels. All these clarinets had two valves. Instruments of this design were quite common until the XIX century, but the Austrian master Paur around 1760 added to the two existing valves, the third, the Belgian master Rottenburg - the fourth, the Englishman John Hale in 1785 - the fifth, and finally the famous French clarinetist. and composer Jean-Xavier Lefebvre around 1790 created a classical model of a clarinet with six valves.

By the end of the XVIII century the clarinet became a full-fledged instrument of classical music. There are virtuoso performers who improve not only the technique of clarinet performance, but also its design. Among them is Ivan Mueller, who changed the design of the mouthpiece, which significantly affected the timbre, simplified the prelude and expanded the range of the instrument, in fact, creating a new model. From this time begins the "golden age" of the clarinet.

Improvement of the clarinet continued in the XIX century: Professor of the Paris Conservatory Hyacinth Klose and music master Louis-Auguste Buffet (brother of the founder of "Buffet-Crampon" Danny Buffet) successfully adapted to the clarinet ring valve system, invented by Belian and flutist only on the flute. This model is called "Bem's clarinet" or "French clarinet". Other outstanding masters who took part in further improving the design of the clarinet include Adolf Sachs (inventor of the saxophone and wide-brass brass instruments) and Eugene Albert. In Germany and Austria, the so-called "German" and "Austrian" clarinets became widespread, originating from an instrument with a valve system designed by Johann Georg Ottensteiner (1815-1879) together with clarinetist Karl Berman, who graduated from the School of Playing. for this system. In the 1900s, the Berlin master Oscar Eleri (1858-1936) made small improvements. Traditionally, such a system is called "Elery's system". The mechanism of the German clarinet differs from the French and is less suitable for fast virtuoso playing. Mouthpieces and canes of these clarinets are also made by a technology different from the French. It is believed, however, that the instruments of the German system provide greater expressiveness and volume. For a long time, the clarinets of the German system were widespread throughout the world, but around the 1950s began the transition of musicians to clarinets of the French system, and now German clarinets are played mainly only Austrian, German and Dutch, and keeping the tradition. - Some Russian clarinetists. In addition to the Bem and Eleri systems, there are several other options for the location of valves on the instrument, in particular, in the early XX century, the company "Selmer" produced "Albert clarinets" (reminiscent of instruments of the mid-XIX century), and in 1960-70's - " Clarinet Mark ». The range of the latter could be extended up by an octave. However, these tools are not widespread. Among the experimental samples of various designers should be noted the quarter-tone clarinet of Fritz Schuller, intended for the performance of modern music.

French and German clarinet

Fritz Schuller Quarter Clarinet (1933)

Modern clarinet is a rather complex mechanism. The tool has about 20 valves, many axes, springs, rods and screws. Leading manufacturers of musical instruments are constantly improving the design of the clarinet and creating new models.

Mouthpiece

Mouthpiece with modern ligature and cane

The mouthpiece is a part of the beak-shaped clarinet into which the musician blows air. On the back of the mouthpiece on a flat surface is a hole that is continuously closed during play and opened with a vibrating cane - the sound-forming element of the clarinet. On both sides of the hole are the so-called "rails" (rails), responsible for limiting the vibration of the cane. A small bend in their upper part away from the cane is called a "notch". The length of the notch, as well as the distance from the free end of the cane to the top of the mouthpiece ("openness" of the mouthpiece) - the main characteristics that distinguish mouthpieces from each other and affect the timbre of the tool as a whole. The shape of the cane hole, the angle of the upper surface of the mouthpiece, the characteristics of the ebonite used and others may also differ. In the modern market of mouthpieces there is a wide range of models, among which the musician can choose the appropriate option for the desired purposes (solo, chamber, orchestral performance, jazz, etc.).

Mouthpiece with modern ligature and cane

In the early stages of clarinet history, the mouthpiece was not a separate part of the clarinet and passed directly into the main body of the instrument, the material for which was wood (eg, pear). With the need to separate the mouthpiece from other parts of the clarinet, it began to use stronger materials: ivory, metals, etc. appeared in the second half of the XIX century, ebonite mouthpieces soon became essentially the standard. They are most often used in music of all genres and provide ample opportunities for sound control. There are also mouthpieces made of glass ("crystal"), relatively easy to operate and have a more open sound, as well as plastic (which have a lower price and less rich sound), which are commonly used in training. Solid wood mouthpieces are common in Germany. Regardless of the material from which the mouthpiece is made, its surface is usually ground and polished (except for the part to which the cane is adjacent).

Cane

From left to right: clarinet cane in B, clarinet cane in Es, soprano clarinet cane in As

Cane (tongue) - sound-reproducing (vibrating) part of the instrument, which is a thin narrow plate, which is made of special varieties of reeds (Arundo donax). The cane is attached to the mouthpiece with a ligature (in the slang of musicians - "typewriters") - a special metal, leather or plastic clamp with two screws (newer models of ligatures can have one screw, which gives bidirectional screwing). The invention of the ligature is attributed to Ivan Mueller and dates back to the first quarter of the XIX century. Until then, the cane was tied to the mouthpiece with a special lace (on German and Austrian clarinet models, this method of attaching the cane is still used).

From left to right: clarinet cane in B, clarinet cane in Es, soprano clarinet cane in As

In the earliest models of clarinets, the cane was on top of the mouthpiece and controlled by the upper lip, but from the end of the XVIII century began the transition to performance on the cane, located below the mouthpiece and controlled by the lower lip. Recommendations for this way of playing are contained in the textbooks of a number of famous clarinetists of the time, in particular, Ivan Mueller. However, many musicians, including the famous English clarinetist Thomas Lindsay Willman, preferred the old way of performing until almost the middle of the 19th century, and the Paris Conservatory did not officially announce the transition to teaching with a cane under its mouth until 1831.

Device for processing canes

Canes are sold in packages, according to their "hardness" or, as musicians say, "weight", which depends on the thickness of the working surface of the cane. Some musicians use special instruments to make canes themselves or rework already purchased ones (before clarinetists did this before producing canes on the assembly line). The "weight" of the cane and the characteristics of the mouthpiece are interrelated.

In the process of using canes fail quickly due to wear of reed fibers. The service life of the cane depends on the strength of the blown air flow, the "weight" of the cane itself, the force of pressure on it and other factors, and usually does not exceed a month of daily active activities.

Clarinet canes are a fragile and thin device. To prevent accidental damage, a special metal or plastic cap is used, which is put on the mouthpiece if the tool is not used for a long time.

Barrel

Barrel

The barrel is the part of the clarinet that connects the mouthpiece to the main body of the instrument (upper knee). In addition to aesthetic and practical (in case of damage, the barrel is easy to replace with a new one) functions, it is also responsible for tuning the clarinet. Slightly pushing the barrel out of the case or pushing back before the game, you can change the overall structure of the instrument within about a quarter tone. As a rule, clarinetists stock up on several barrels of different lengths to be able to adapt to changing playing conditions (temperature, humidity, etc.).

Upper and lower knee

Part of the valve mechanism on the lower knee

These parts of the instrument are located between the bell and the barrel. They have sound holes, rings and valves. Behind the lower knee is a special small stand that rests on the thumb of the right hand, which thus maintains the weight of the entire tool. The other fingers open and close the holes on the instrument body to produce sounds of different pitches. Seven holes are closed and opened directly with the fingers (six on the front of the tool and one on the back), valves are used for all others. The elements of the valve mechanism are interconnected by a complex system of axes, springs, rods and screws.

Funnel

Funnel

The invention of the bell is attributed to Jacob Denner (1720s). This part of the instrument allows you to extract the lowest sound (low octave) and improve the intonation of some other low sounds, as well as achieve greater accuracy between the low and middle registers. The bell of the basset horn and lower clarinet versions is made of metal and bends.

The oboe (Italian: oboe, from French hautbois - tall tree) is a wooden wind musical instrument of the soprano register. Range - from b to f3 or a3. Oboe notes are written in the violin key according to the real sound.

The oboe

Appeared in France in the middle of the XVII century as a result of reconstruction of the helmet. Of great importance for the evolution of the oboe was the invention in the early XIX century by T. Behm valve system, originally used for the flute. Later, the French masters Guillaume Tribert, François and Lucien Lore adapted Bem's invention for the oboe, thus giving the instrument a modern look.

Building

The tool is a straight conical tube and consists of three parts - upper, lower knee and bell. The width of the channel is 4 mm at the point of entry of the cane into the body, 16 mm at the end of the lower knee (480 mm long), then expands to 38 mm near the bell (section length 110 mm).

A double cane is inserted into the upper knee to make sound. The length of the barrel is about 60 cm. The barrel has 25 holes, 22-24 of which are closed by valves. Oboe is made of black (ebony) or fertilizer wood. The main material for valves is cupronickel. Each valve is adjusted to the shape of the tool, ground, polished and covered with a thin layer of nickel or silver. The double cane is a pair of elastic thin reed plates, tightly connected to each other and vibrating under the action of a jet of air, which blows the musician. The quality of the cane is important for the sound of the instrument and is often made by the oboists themselves, adapted to their needs.

Oboe varieties

In modern musical practice, the following types of instruments are used:

Obo-piccolo, or Musset in F or in Es, the highest of the oboe varieties, is used very rarely.

Oboe d'Amour (in A), alto register with a small curved ace (a special tube on which the cane is placed) and a pear-shaped bell.

English horn (in F), with a curved ace and a pear-shaped bell

There are also such exotic varieties of oboe as bass and double bass oboes, but they are used very rarely.

In addition, since the end of the XX century there has been a growing interest in the Baroque varieties of oboe, including:

Baroque oboe, similar to modern oboe, but without valves

Baroque oboe d'Amour

Oboe da Kachchia ("Hunting Oboe")

Viennese oboe, developed in the early twentieth century by Hermann Zuleger. Used only in the orchestra of the Vienna Philharmonic.

Using

A symphony orchestra usually uses two or three oboes. The parts of the English horn or oboe d'amour (if any) are performed by one of the oboists. In a symphony orchestra score, the oboe part is written between flutes and clarinets.

Traditionally, the orchestra is tuned to the oboe, namely to the note of the first octave. This is due to the fact that due to the small cane the oboe is the least susceptible to frustration, but you can adjust the oboe only in a very limited range.

The oboe is also widely used as a solo instrument. One of the first concertos for oboe was written by François Couperin ("Royal Concerts"), a significant part of the oboe's repertoire consists of works of the Baroque and Classical eras, in particular concertos for oboe were written by A. Vivaldi, GF Handel, J. Haydn, V. A. Mozart. JS Bach in his works used the oboe as a solo instrument, giving it a very expressive and complex parts. In the XIX century among the popular works for oboe - Concerto for Oboe Bellini, Grand Concerto on the opera "Sicilian Evening" by Antonio Pasculli, Concertino for English horn by Donizetti, Three Romances for Oboe and R. Schumann Piano. In the twentieth century, solo works for oboe were written by C. Saint-Saens, F. Poulenc, B. Martin, R. Strauss, and B. Britten.

Modern oboes:

• Lorée
• Buffet-Crampon
• Bulgheroni
• Covey
• Fossati
• Marigaux
• Patricola
• Mönnig
• Rigoutat
• Yamaha
• Howarth
• Dupin
• Laub

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