Bassoon Begin - Introduccion Enseñanza Fagot

THE DOUBLE REED

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Teaching the Beginning Bassoonist
By Terry B. Ewell Towson University, Maryland
any music educators see the need to start students on the bassoon, yet hesitate to do so because of their lack of expertise on the instrument. Even willing music educators have difficulty dealing with the complexity of the bassoon, its double reed, and its fingering system. The paucity ofbooks and articles on the pedagogy of the instrument—particularly on teaching the young bassoonist—no doubt compounds their frustrations.1 In response to this need, this article serves as a primer for starting young bassoonists. Below you will find information on criteria for selecting who should play the bassoon, the care of the instrument, lesson plans, and suggestions for ten model bassoonlessons. This article is written for the educator who does not play the bassoon or who has only encountered the bassoon briefly in a pedagogy course. I. Selecting a Bassoon Student There are several factors which contribute to a student’s success on the bassoon. First, the student’s hands should be large enough to play the instrument. Check to see if the student is able to cover the C hole with the leftring finger (third hole) and comfortably reach the whisper key and the speaker keys (A key, C key, and D key) with the left thumb. Figure 1 provides the names of the

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FIG. 2. Position of the Left Hand.

consideration for the student of the bassoon. Bassoon reeds are rather expensive ($6.00 or more) and the instrument itself is costly to purchase. Ready access to a playable instrument andbassoon reeds are essential for a student’s progress. Third, a student with an independent nature should be given preference. The bassoon is viewed as an oddity by most secondary school students, and if peer pressure is keenly felt by the student then playing the bassoon will more likely be a source of embarrassment than a positive experience. Last of all teachers should consider the student’smotivation, musical aptitude, and maturity. The bassoon is an excellent instrument for students with braces. When the bassoon reed is played properly, very little pressure is exerted on the teeth. Thus, playing the instrument does not exacerbate orthodontic problems nor is it as uncomfortable to perform as other instruments after one’s orthodontic hardware has been tightened or changed. In addition,bassoonists with braces don’t suffer as many problems with tone production as students of the flute and brass instruments encounter when they have orthodontic hardware. II. Ten Model Lesson Plans and Comments There are several method books that provide effective instruction for beginning students. The lesson plans below refer to four readily available studies: J. E. Skornicka’s Rubank ElementaryMethod for Bassoon (Hal Leonard Publishing Corporation), Henry Paine’s Studies and Melodious Etudes for Bassoon, Level 1 (Elementary) (Miami: Belwin Mills, 1969), C. Paul Herfurth and Hugh M. Stuart’s A Tune a Day (Boston: Boston Music Company, 1964), and Julius Weissenborn’s Bassoon Studies Opus 8, Vol. I (Frankfurt and New York: Edition

FIG. 1. Names of the Bassoon Keys

bassoon keys andholes, and Figure 2 illustrates the placement of the left hand thumb and fingers to play C3 (C below open F). Several bassoon manufacturers produce bassoons which feature a covered C hole that reduces the stretch for smaller hands. Second, finances are a

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TEACHING THE BEGINNING BASSOONIST

Peters). In this article the four methods are abbreviated as Rubank, Studies, A Tune, and Opus 8.The material in these study methods vary widely, and all of them may not be appropriate for your beginning student or your method of instruction. Beginners come in all different ages, aptitudes, and abilities, so the method of instruction must be tailored to each student. Please see the annotated bibliography at the end of the article to determine the appropriate method book. Lesson 1: A. Care of...