Bassoons: Articulations

Legato

Played without tonguing
Downward slurs:
Bassoon
Low register
High register
Contra
Low register
High register

Non Legato

Each individual note is 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

Combinations

Notes with both dots and slurs, or lines and slurs, vary in interpretation, but are somewhere between legato and non legato. As the video clips reveal, interpretations of these markings vary from player to player!

Bassoon
Low register
High register
Contra
Low register
High register

"Tenuto"

Tenuto (so-called) is really a variation on non legato and is sometimes seen with both lines and dots implying shorter note durations. Means either a stress or sustain, depending on context.

Tenuto:
Bassoon
Low register
High register
Contra
Low register
High register

Double, Triple Tonguing & Sforzando

Double/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 and triple tonguing:

Sforzando
Although accents and sforzandi are standard for most instruments, on a double reed instrument they produce a particular timbre. Notate with sfz above the note, or sffz for extreme sforzandi.

sffzp:
Low
High