THE ORCHESTRA: A USER'S MANUAL
Introduction Orchestration Orchestration Resources Historical Andrew Hugill
  Philharmonia

BASSOONS


Section: Woodwind
Transposing? No

Construction
Range
Articulations
Effects
Extended
Player's Tips and Tricks

Links

Articulations

Articulation on the bassoon
Articulation on the contra
Tonguing on the contra
Articulations in context

NAME
DESCRIPTION
NOTATION
LISTEN/VIEW
COMMENTS
legato
played without tonguing

downward slurs

Bassoon:
(low register)
(high register)

Contra:
(low register)
(high register)

  
nonlegato
each individual note tongued and separated
Contra:
(low register)
(high register)		  
staccato
short and separated notes (all tongued)

Bassoon:
(low register)
(high register)

Contra:
(low register)
(high register)

  
staccatissimo
very short notes (tongued)
Either a verbal indication, thus:


or 'wedge' notation, as follows:

Bassoon:
(low register)
(high register)

Contra:
(low register)
(high register)

  
(no specific name)
tongued slurred notes, in between legato and nonlegato

Bassoon:
(low register)
(high register)

Contra:
(low register)
(high register)

 Players interpret these symbols differently.
'tenuto'
variation on nonlegato
This is often called 'tenuto':

Here's another common variation of nonlegato:

tenuto

Bassoon:
(low register)
(high register)

Contra:
(low register)
(high register)

 Means either a stress or a full sustain, depending on the context.
sforzando
heavily accented note
write sfz above note (sffz for extreme articulation)
 sffzp
(low)
(high) 		Although accents and sforzandi are standard for most instruments, on a double reed instrument they produce a particular timbre.
double and triple tonguing
partial tonguing in groups of two or three (e.g. on syllables ta-ka, or ta-ka-ka) to give a very rapid articulation
double tonguing

triple tonguing
 double and triple tonguing  
flutter tonguing
a rolled 'r' tonguing

fluttertonguing the bassoon

fluttertonguing the contra

Bassoon:
(low register)
(high register)

Contra:
(low register)
(high register)




 Not all players can do fluttertonguing. Those that cannot have to 'fake' with a throat flutter that sounds less effective.