New Sources on the Early History of the Almenräder-Heckel Bassoon: The Correspondence between Carl Almenräder and the Music House B. Schott’s Söhne (original) (raw)
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Today's dominance of the Almenräder-Heckel bassoon combined with the fact that it has basically been in existence since the 1820s may easily lead one to the assumption that this type of bassoon quickly and continuously gained acceptance immediately after it was first introduced. However, this presumption proves to be incorrect especially for regions of Europe with a preference for the French bassoon. In England, as is well known, it was not until about 1930 that the Almenräder-Heckel bassoon gained acceptance, and in Italy and Spain it was not accepted until after World War II. In German-speaking countries too the performance of the Almenräder-Heckel bassoon was not widespread until the last third of the nineteenth Century. This article is intended to give an overview describing the existence of numerous Instrument makers, who in spite of all of their diversity had one thing in common: well into the nineteenth Century they were making "evolutionary bassoons." These bassoons were further developed derivatives of the classical bassoon of about 1800 without fundamental changes to the traditional bore and therefore the sound of the instrument.
Bassoon Playing in Perspective : Character and Performance Practice from 1800 to 1850
2013
This dissertation is a theoretical study of bassoon performance practice in the first half of the nineteenth century, analysing the temporal changes that took place in the different musical traditions of France, Germany and Britain. It emphasizes methodological problems inherent in historical performance studies in general, as well as those specifically related to nineteenth-century music, from the performer s point of view. Moreover, woodwind performance practice finds itself lagging behind keyboard or string instruments as a relevant research topic. The research is based on the analysis of bassoon performance practice from a double perspective, combining research on historical written sources with a practical experimentation and application of data on period instruments. As a result, the conclusions derived from the investigation have ample and immediate practical applications. The thesis theoretical framework is interdisciplinary, bringing together different questions on history and music theory. This research seeks to be a new approach to understanding bassoon performance practice, in this historical period and in its relationship with the present-day practice of nineteenth-century repertoire. Furthermore, by using the bassoon as a case study, the research gives some hints that may be used to understand performance practice in a wider context. The most important subject that gives structure to this thesis comes from what has been a constant presence in all historical sources. This is the concept of character as it is understood by arts in the early nineteenth century. Hence, character is used in the research to give unity to the analysis of the different parameters like tempo, articulation, ornamentation, and even the performance of repertoire in general. Therefore character lies at the core of the whole performance in this research. The conclusion of this thesis is based on research which shows that performance in the first half of the nineteenth century finds its balance between the influences of some baroque practice, and the germ of some ideas, marked by a positivist mentality, that will fully develop by the end of the century. Somehow, the bassoon like other woodwind instruments also finds itself in a similar position. It is undeniable, according to the data, that singing and its new techniques had a great influence as the main source of inspiration for every performer. However, the period studied witnesses a new trend whereby bassoonists start to look into how string players developed new features that become personal marks, especially, in virtuoso performance.
Möglichkeiten und Grenzen der Historisch informierten Aufführungspraxis am Beispiel des Fagotts
Der Beitrag versucht am Beispiel des Fagotts eine Bestandsaufnahme, inwieweit es heute überhaupt möglich ist, sich an die historische Klanglichkeit anzunähern. Hierbei werden neben der Vielfalt historischer Fagotte auch Aspekte des Rohrbaus und der Klangvorstellung des Musikers berücksichtigt und das Selbstverständnis der Historisch informierten Aufführungspraxis beleuchtet. Erschienen in: Tradition und Innovation im Holzblasinstrumentenbau des 19. Jahrhunderts, hg. von Sebastian Werr, Augsburg 2012
Exploring Performance Practice: Late 18th-century and 19th-century Bassoon Embouchure
The Double Reed, 2015
The primary purpose of this article is to investigate and describe historical embouchure, which can be considered one of the key features of eighteenth- and nineteenth-century bassoon technique. Bassoonists in the of this time did not base their technique on breathing; in fact there are only random references to the topic in their writings. This fact suggests that bassoon technique was not sustained by concepts like air support or column of air. Instead of mentions to breathing techniques, historical sources devote relevant chapters and make constant references to embouchure. Indeed, according to the place occupied by embouchure in those sources, it might be considered as having the equivalent role of breathing in modern bassoon technique. Nineteenthcentury bassoonists described their embouchure as very flexible and in constant movement. Therefore, embouchure is presented as the key to numerous aspects of performance, such as register changes, dynamics, tuning modifications, and variations in sound. For this study, several eighteenth-century and nineteenth-century bassoon tutors were used to explore historical performance techniques. Thus, the main sources that support the arguments in the article are taken from texts written by bassoonists such as Pierre Cugnier (1740-?), Etienne Ozi (1754-1813), Joseph Fröhlich (1780-1862), Carl Almenräder (1786- 1843), Frédéric Berr (1794-1838), Wenzel Neukirchner (1805-1889), Jean Baptiste Joseph Willent-Bordogni (1809-1852), and Eugène Jancourt (1815-1901).
Galpin Society Journal, 2017
Small clarinets are sparsely represented in the literature and what is available is often incomplete and inaccurate. These instruments are well-known in wind bands but their wider use and complex history are usually not explained. The purpose of this article is to define the group called small clarinets, report new information from tutors, treatises, photos, and archival documents: identify music utliizing small clarinets; and provide a list of extant small clarinet in the Appendix. Small clarinets are built in a higher pitch than the soprano C clarinet. They include instruments made (from lowest to highest pitches) in D, Eb, E, F, G Ab, small A, small Bb, and small C. Nineteenth-century examples of these clarinets are described in a table with their maker, city of manufacture, number of keys, date, location, and length in millimeters. Each small clarinet type is discussed beginning with its earliest documentation, makers, musical use, and examples of music in which they are required. Characteristics of construction are described for each of the 12 illustrated clarinets including decoration. An Appendix of 665 small clarinets lists makers from Austria, Belgium, England, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Russia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United States.
The Development of the Clarinet as depicted in Austro-German Instruction Sources, 1732-1892
Tradition und Innovation im Holzblasinstrumentenbau des 19. Jahrhunderts, ed. S. Werr, Augsburg: Wißner, 2012
Instruction books published in Germany and Austria were first published for the two-key Baroque clarinet in 1732. During the 1760s, the four-key Classical clarinet was initially developed and the important five-key clarinet was first made in England and within a few years was adopted and used throughout Europe. By the second decade of the 19th century, Romantic-period clarinets of 12, 13 and more keys were developed. By reviewing these sources we discover the type of clarinet available; often with an engraving of the instrument; fingerings recommended; how the clarinet was held; the placement of the lips on the mouthpiece and position of the reed; articulation; and breathing; the position of fingers on the finger holes; reed making instructions; study pieces; duets, and popular music. A table shows all the sources reviewed and indicates that the reed-above placement was used by most players until the 1840s.