University of Cincinnati

UNIVERSITY OF CINCINNATI

Date:______30 May 2008

I, ______Adam Tobias Schwalje ______, hereby submit this work as part of the requirements for the degree of: Doctor of Musical Arts in: Bassoon Performance

It is entitled:

Beginning Bassoon Instruction: A Curriculum Based in Part on the Teachings of Shinichi Suzuki

This work and its defense approved by:

Chair: ______William Winstead ______Dr. Mark Ostoich ______Dr. Ann Porter ______Beginning Bassoon Instruction: A Curriculum Based in Part on the Teachings of Shinichi Suzuki

A document submitted to the

The Graduate School of the University of Cincinnati

in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of

DOCTOR OF MUSICAL ARTS

in the Performance Studies Division of the College-Conservatory of Music

2008

Adam T. Schwalje

B.M., University of Colorado, 2001 B.A., University of Colorado, 2001 M.M., University of Colorado, 2002

Committee Chair: William Winstead Abstract

Bassoon teachers can currently choose from only a few method books, most of which are not designed for the true beginner. Many are largely outdated, and contain insufficient and sometimes incorrect information. This document attempts to rectify the situation with the creation of a new curriculum for beginning bassoon instruction.

The philosophical and technical underpinnings for this new curriculum are borrowed from the Talent Education method of Shinichi Suzuki. While the Suzuki

Method is known mostly for its success in teaching very young students, its philosophy is widely applicable, and has been adapted for use in teaching various orchestral wind instruments. There are some elements of Suzuki instruction which lend themselves well to being included in a method book, while some elements must be left to individual teachers. Both categories are discussed in detail. I also suggest the use of the mini- bassoon, or tenoroon, in teaching younger and smaller students.

iv Acknowledgements

This document would have been impossible without the help of very many people. I can only hope to thank a few specifically, but all of my family and friends have my deep gratitude for their support. I would particularly like to acknowledge my advisor, William

Winstead, and committee members, Dr. Mark Ostoich and Dr. Ann Porter. Evan Lewis and James Massol helped throughout the editing process. Jéssica Garduño gave terrific advice and logistical support. Finally, I would like to thank my wife Dr. Sasha Garver, who was, as always, tremendous inspiration and encouragement.

v Contents

Abstract ...... iii Acknowledgements...... v

Chapter 1: Introduction...... 1 The Suzuki Method ...... 5 Technical Issues for the Beginning Bassoonist...... 6 Scope ...... 6

Chapter 2: Bassoon and the Suzuki Methodology ...... 9 Suzuki Philosophy and Teaching Techniques: Elements Which Can Optionally Be Included in the Teaching Approach...... 11 Suzuki Philosophy and Teaching Techniques: Elements Which Are Included in My Method...... 14

Chapter 3: Technical Issues for Beginners and Particulars of My Method...... 18 Intended Audience...... 18 Size ...... 19 Reeds ...... 23 Music Basics ...... 23 Rhythm Teaching ...... 24 Note Teaching ...... 25 Fingerings ...... 25 Music Appreciation ...... 27

Bassoon or Tenoroon Method...... 28

Selected Bibliography...... 106

vi Chapter 1: Introduction Many difficulties exist for the beginning bassoonist and his or her teacher. First, the bassoon student often begins study only after learning some other woodwind instrument. Formative years are thus lost from the study of the instrument, when the student could be learning bassoon-specific information and skills. Second, the bassoon teacher currently has few choices of methods to use in teaching the beginning student.

While there are many pieces of music and even collections of works available for the beginner, the overwhelming majority of bassoon methods are either pedagogically unsound, contain insufficient material, or are out of print.

Recent scholarship in this area has led to the creation of methods for the transitional student switching from clarinet or another instrument to bassoon,1 a new edition of the standard Weissenborn Method (originally published in 1887, with the modern edition first published in 1930),2 and a beginning book of technical studies that is focused on learning scales.3 But the lack of a pedagogically sound beginner’s method still haunts bassoon teachers. Many novice teachers are frustrated when they attempt to start bassoon instruction with the Weissenborn method, the standard method of choice – it introduces 6/8 meter on the third page, and progresses far too rapidly in all areas for most students. While the new edition of this method overcomes some of Weissenborn’s

1 Jerry R. Stallsmith, “A Self-Study Method for Junior and Senior High School Musicians Transferring from a Beginning Wind Instrument to the Bassoon” (M.M. thesis, Bowling Green State University, 1992); Gretchen Schaeffer Gainacopulos, “A Self-Instructional Method Book for Students Transferring to the Bassoon” (D.M.A. document, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1988); M. Curtis, New Millenium Bassoon Method (Oregon: MSS Publishing, 2001).

2 Christopher Schaub, “An Analysis and New Edition of Weissenborn's Method for Bassoon” (D.M.A. document, The Florida State University, 2006).

3 Cheryl Ann Huddleston, Foundations for Success: Technical Training for the Young Bassoonist (San Antonio, Texas: Southern Music Company, 2006).

1 difficulties, it does not achieve the goal of providing a truly progressive method for beginning bassoon students, and it is not (yet) commercially available.

Teachers who begin by using the standard band methods like Standard of

Excellence sacrifice the correct instructional sequencing in order to play in the key of Bb

Major. This particular key, while perfect for most brass instruments and the clarinet, is far from ideal for the beginning bassoonist. One reason this key is inappropriate for a beginning bassoonist is that the standard fingering for the note E-flat (Eb3) is decidedly unstable even on professional instruments; on student instruments, the note can be unmanageable without the addition of extra keys in the right hand. Also, the note sequence required by Bb Major is far from ideal: at a minimum, the notes E3, D3, C3, F3,

B2, and A2 should all precede the note B-flat in beginning bassoon instruction.

To exacerbate the problem, nearly all fingering charts included with beginning

band method books, and many of those included with beginning bassoon methods, list

one of several less-desirable fingerings for Eb3 and other notes. In general, band

methods do not include much bassoon-specific information; sometimes, as in the case of

fingerings, printed information is simply outdated or wrong. Especially in the case of the

bassoon, band methods are not designed to take the place of a dedicated curriculum.

Other prominent examples in the ranks of bassoon methods, such as Curtis’s New

Millenium Bassoon Method, and the first volume of Angerhöfer’s Das Fagott, are not

suitable for the beginner. For example, Das Fagott introduces 5/4, 6/8, 3/8, and 9/4

meters in the fourth and fifth lessons.4 The introduction to the New Millenium Bassoon

Method states specifically that it is for “the serious student of the bassoon,” especially

4 Werner Seltmann and Günter Angerhöfer, Das Fagott, vol. 1, trans. William Waterhouse (Leipzig: VEB Deutscher Verlag für Musik Leipzig, 1977), 110-111.

2 one with previous knowledge of music.5 As such, it introduces a tie over the bar line on the first page of exercises.6 Either of these approaches would be daunting to most beginners.

European publishers have responded to the need for a new beginning bassoon method with at least two offerings, both printed in 2001. One is the beautifully-published

German tenoroon or bassoon method, Musikmappe für Fagottino und Fagott.7 This method presents material in a rather unorthodox manner, having 38 pages of text and preliminary materials before any exercises are played. Once the music notation begins, though, the instructional sequence is well-designed for the bassoon. However, this method is not available in the United States, and has not yet been translated into English.

The fingering choices are also different than those commonly taught in the United States.

The second is Abracadabra Bassoon, by Jane Sebba. This British publication is much closer to the mark of what is needed for the beginning bassoonist. However, it suffers from some of the same deficiencies as other bassoon methods: descriptions of new concepts are cursory or lacking altogether, fingerings are questionable (such as lack of the resonance key on many notes), and at least one definition, that for trill (“quickly alternate the written note with the semitone above”), is simply wrong.8 In addition, it uses the British system of notation (crotchet, quaver, etc.), which might be confusing for a child otherwise brought up using a different naming convention.

5 Curtis, “Introductory Note.”

6 Ibid., exercise #6.

7 Christoph Peter, Musikmappe für Fagottino und Fagott: Lehr- und Spielbuch für Fagottino und Fagott [Music Map for Tenoroon and Bassoon: Tutor and Song Book for Tenoroon and Bassoon], Band 1 (Theilingen: Verlag musica practica, 2001).

8 Jane Sebba, Abracadabra Bassoon (London: A & C Black, 2001), 138.

3 An exhaustive, descriptive survey of all available bassoon methods is beyond the scope of this text. The preceding is intended only as a brief critique of some of the most commonly-used, readily available, and newest bassoon methods. This shows that bassoon methods, especially those which are easily available in America, are not well-designed for teaching beginners.

Anecdotally, many bassoon teachers often gather multiple sources for beginning teaching materials, in which they include various methods, compilations of solos, original compositions, transcriptions, and more. This ingenuity is currently the only way a dedicated and thoughtful teacher can create a useful curriculum of instruction. However, this approach can lead to several problems: the excessive cost for each student of purchasing many books, or the potential copyright infringement of distributing copies; more work for the teacher in planning lessons; and the need to develop a curriculum from scratch.

4 The Suzuki Method Since a satisfactory curriculum for beginning bassoon study is not provided by currently available materials, guidance may be sought from an underlying philosophy of teaching. I have chosen the Talent Education School, also known as the Suzuki Method, as the philosophical foundation of my method. Suzuki instruction is based on the mother- tongue approach to learning: music learning occurs best when music is an integral part of the home life.9

The teachings of Shinichi Suzuki, though originally conceived for the violin and other string instruments, have been adapted for piano and some orchestral wind instruments. The Suzuki Flute School has gained tremendous popularity over the last two decades, and has proven to be pedagogically successful.10 More recent studies have been done that highlight the benefits for other orchestral winds. Currently, the official methodology includes both the oboe and the flute; researchers also found that incorporation of several aspects of the Suzuki methodology would be advantageous to students of clarinet.11 Beginning bassoon instruction could also benefit from inclusion of some aspects of the Suzuki approach.

The organization of my method utilizes the basic structure of the Suzuki Method

– real songs, organized progressively, with an emphasis on listening to recordings of these songs. Each song, however, is accompanied by various exercises and supplemental

9 John Kendall, “Suzuki's Mother Tongue Method,” Music Educators Journal 72 no. 6 (Feb, 1986): 47-50.

10 Stephanie Jeanne Rea, “The Suzuki Flute Method: A History and Description” (DM diss., Florida State University, 1999).

11 John Sperti, An Experimental Investigation Testing the Comparative Effectiveness of Two Different Pedagogical Methodologies As Applied to the Teaching of the Clarinet (New York: by the author, 1976); Richard Dennis Layne, A Comparative Investigation of Traditional and Modified Suzuki Teaching Techniques in Beginning Clarinet Instruction (Los Angeles: by the author, 1976).

5 materials organized into some or all of the following topics: rhythm, fingerings, technical exercises, theory, expression, tonal exercises, explanatory prose, and others as appropriate. In the Suzuki Method, these types of studies are generally passed down during teacher training as part of an oral tradition.

Other elements common to Suzuki instruction, such as memorization and the basic teaching philosophy that all children can learn, are not easily included in a printed method book. Instead, these elements can be incorporated by individual teachers, should they wish to do so. The Suzuki Method, and its influence on my own method, is discussed in Chapter 2.

Technical Issues for the Beginning Bassoonist Technical issues and special challenges, such as size of the instrument, reedmaking and fingering choice, are discussed in Chapter 3. I also discuss how these issues are specifically treated in my method.

Scope Teaching techniques are as various as teachers. There can be no single best approach to the teaching or learning of any instrument, or any aspect of music. One of the best things about private instrumental instruction, or private tutelage of any kind, is the teacher's ability to change the curriculum based on the student's strengths, weaknesses, learning style, mood, and any number of other factors. Neither this method nor its accompanying text is meant as a replacement for a highly-qualified private bassoon instructor.

Instead, it is intended as a resource for bassoon teachers, students, and parents. It brings various pedagogical materials into one place, organized in a way that is conducive

6 to lesson customization. Many beginning methods use a one-size-fits-all approach, whereby all students progress through all the tunes in the method. Instead, I suggest that teachers use the same backbone of progressively-organized songs for all students, but tailor the use of other games and exercises to focus on what each student needs. I expect that most students will not go through all of the exercises and activities in the method. I hope that the easy availability of distinct exercises for rhythm, fingerings, and other elements of music will make such customization more common.

By using the word “curriculum” in the title of this paper, instead of the more commonly used “method,” I intend to broaden the conception of bassoon instruction beyond the standard method book. A full treatment of the meaning of curriculum is beyond the scope of this text. The word “method” is too often taken to mean that each student should have the same educational experiences – they should start at the beginning of the method book, play all of the material contained therein, and then go on to the next book. The reader will find that my method gives the bassoon teacher the ability to devise a curriculum, a unique set of educational experiences, for each student.

In the following pages, I introduce a beginning method whose inspiration and construction is based in part on the Suzuki Method of instruction. I also discuss the philosophical and technical underpinnings of the method.

The essential goal of this document is to make it easier for students of music to express themselves through the bassoon. For the professional bassoon teacher, I hope the method will give organization to tools already in use, and perhaps introduce some new approaches. For the first-time bassoon teacher, or the music educator with limited experience on the instrument, I hope that this method will help make teaching the first

7 bassoon student easier. For the parent and student, I hope this method will begin a successful life study of music, through the bassoon.

8 Chapter 2: Bassoon and the Suzuki Methodology The Suzuki Method of instruction, also known as the Talent Education School, has been a shaping force behind instrumental music instruction in America since the

1960s. Largely known as a string method due to its roots in violin instruction, the Suzuki

Method also includes flute, piano, harp, recorder, guitar, voice, oboe, mandolin, organ, and early childhood education.12 These programs have been highly successful and beneficial to the overall level of musicianship in the ranks of every Suzuki instrument.13

Suzuki-based curricula are being or have been developed for other instruments, as well, including clarinet and brass family.14

The Suzuki Method includes more than the commonly-known aspects of group and individual instruction. Specific philosophies will be discussed in more detail later, but for now an excerpt from John Kendall’s seminal article will suffice as introduction:

Suzuki’s conviction that all human beings are born musical and have the remarkable ability to learn musical instruments in the same way they learn to speak is reflected in the following principles: begin early (listening from birth, playing from 2 ½ or 3 years of age); postpone reading until the child is technically well established; involve parents in home teaching and practice; and create a favorable learning environment with parent- child-teacher cooperation; use carefully graded, musically excellent literature, with recordings to match (recorded for repeated listening); use private lessons to provide careful, thorough, technical foundations and nurture the abilities of each child, and group lessons for motivation and support; use repetition and reinforcement effectively through constant review of previously learned music; and minimize competition and maximize self development as a goal.15

Students of Shinichi Suzuki, the founder of the Suzuki Method, amazed audiences at the 1964 Music Educators National Conference in Philadelphia. Ten elementary-age

12 W Starr, “A Visionary with a Violin,” Strad 109, no. 1304 (1998): 1336.

13 R Landers, The Talent Education School of Shinichi Suzuki: An Analysis, 2d ed. (Chicago: Daniel Press, 1980), 5.

14 Sperti; Layne; Robert J Blaine Jr., “Adaptation of the Suzuki-Kendall Method to the Teaching of a Heterogeneous Brass-Wind Instrument Class of Trumpets and Trombones,” (Ph.D. diss., Music, Catholic University of America, 1976).

15 Kendall, 44.

9 students played, in unison, a program including Bach’s Double Violin Concerto. Three years before, upon hearing a similar concert in Tokyo given by hundreds of students,

Pablo Casals, overcome with emotion, said to the audience, “To train these children to understand that music is not only sound for dancing or to have small pleasure but such a high thing in life that perhaps it is music that will save the world – this is wonderful….”16

While the Suzuki Method is not a professional training program, and aims mainly at “building character and appreciating beauty,” the success of Suzuki-trained professional musicians has been dramatic.17 Suzuki-trained string players have attained positions in many major orchestras around the world, including the Berlin Philharmonic

(concertmaster), Cleveland Orchestra (concertmaster), New York Philharmonic, to name a few. Training programs for other Suzuki instruments are still in their infancy, but preliminary results appear to be similarly strong.

Students who are able to begin bassoon as young as six years of age, regardless of method, might be expected to perform at a much higher level than the student who begins bassoon at twelve or fourteen years of age. The practice of starting bassoon instruction at young ages is not widespread in the United States, though in Europe use of the mini- bassoon, or tenoroon, is becoming more common due to the marketing efforts of tenoroon makers like the German manufacturer, Guntram Wolf.

Neither the Suzuki Method nor my bassoon method is only for very young

students. While I hope that bassoon teachers will begin to stretch the traditional American

concept of when bassoonists can begin instruction, my method is designed to be useful

for students of all ages. It can be used with or without knowledge of Suzuki teaching

16 Starr, 1339.

17 Landers, 5.

10 philosophy. However, bassoon instruction from a young age, combined with Suzuki methodology, could have the potential to change bassoon playing. In addition, and more importantly, it will open another avenue for anyone to explore music, to appreciate beauty, and to develop a noble spirit.

Suzuki Philosophy and Teaching Techniques: Elements Which Can Optionally Be Included in the Teaching Approach Suzuki said, “Let a child do today what he did yesterday, and praise him if he does it well. Gradually it becomes easier for him, and the result is joy and pride.”18 In behaviorist terms, positive reinforcement (for Suzuki teachers, this is in the form of bountiful praise) leads to an increase in the target behavior. As a teaching approach, this needs to be incorporated into the lesson rather than into the method book. It boils down to the teacher’s adage, “catch the student being good.” One way behaviorism can be implemented in the lesson is with various opportunities for feedback-response loops.19

The teacher gives a directive, which the student carries out. The teacher then responds to the student’s actions, leading to another directive. In Suzuki instruction, there is praise included in every loop. 20 If the sequence of instruction is chosen correctly, the student can be assured of frequent success to warrant such praise.21

One of the main tenets of the Suzuki methodology is that the environment is key to achieving the learning outcomes. Given the correct environment, all students are able to learn, regardless of their genetic, physiological, or cognitive makeup. On the debate of

18 Shinichi Suzuki, Young Children’s Talent Education and Its Method, trans. Kyoko Selden (Miami: Summy-Birchard, 1996), 39.

19 HE Price, “Sequential patterns of instruction and learning to use them,” Journal of Research in Music Education 40, no. 1 (1992): 14-29.

20 Doris Koppelman, Introducing Suzuki Piano (San Diego: Dichter Press, 1978), 46-47.

21 Ibid.

11 nature vs. nurture, a Suzuki curriculum weighs in on the side of nurture. The home environment cannot be dictated in any method book. However, teachers can encourage

(and Suzuki teachers sometimes insist on) parental involvement in the student’s study of music, both active and passive listening, and a positive atmosphere whereby music is a part of everyday life.22

Suzuki methodology is perhaps best known for its emphasis on imitation, which is encouraged from the beginning of instruction. Modeling in the lesson can take many forms, and is not limited to teaching young students. Children and adults alike can benefit from imitating a great model, both inside and outside the lesson.

Suzuki flute teachers begin each lesson with a tonalization: The teacher plays a short melodic fragment, and the student repeats it, attempting to imitate everything about how it is produced and how it sounds. The tonalization starts off as two notes, and adds length as the student becomes more advanced. This teaching technique is based on De La

Sonorite, tonalization exercises by the famous French flute pedagogue, Marcel Moyse.

The flute exercise was written by the founder of the Suzuki Flute School, Toshio

Takahashi.23 I suggest that bassoon teachers also use this technique at the beginning of each lesson, but add an element of ear training by using different melodic fragments each time. It is best to incorporate melodic fragments that the student has been practicing or will be using in the upcoming lesson.

Suzuki lessons rely heavily on teacher modeling and student imitation throughout the lesson. This puts a heavy burden on the teacher to be a good model, but the benefit to

22 William Starr, The Suzuki Violinist (Knoxville, Tennessee: Kongston Ellis Press, 1976), 15.

23 Sasha Garver, “The Oral Pedagogy of the Suzuki Flute Method,” (D.M.A. document, University of Colorado at Boulder, 2006), 48.

12 the student is apparent in the concept of tone, physical production, musicality, and other aspects of playing their instrument. It is most important that the student’s own playing is not the only sound ideal to which they are exposed.

Group instruction is another highly recognizable facet of Suzuki instruction.

Concerts of many young people playing difficult repertoire in unison provide fodder for those who say that the Suzuki movement creates automatons instead of leading to musical understanding. The emphasis is less on the group lesson outside of Japan: in general, Suzuki teachers in America and Europe do not use group instruction in place of a private lesson, as is sometimes the case in Japan. Instead, group classes are offered regularly, at intervals ranging from one week to one semester.24

In modern American practice, Suzuki instructors use group lessons to achieve four main goals: 1) performance experience; 2) exposing younger students to more advanced models, fostering a sense of community and belonging (and sometimes competition); 3) teaching concepts, like some music theory constructs, which are more efficiently disseminated in a group situation, or concepts which are inherent to the group situation, such as following a leader; and 4) reinforcement of the early Suzuki repertoire for more advanced students.25 Though bassoon studios can be quite small, I suggest that interested teachers experiment with group instruction. Bassoonists are often all alone in their ensembles, and may greatly benefit from interacting with other students who have faced similar challenges.

24 Gilles Comeau, ed., Teaching Suzuki Piano: 10 Master Teachers’ Viewpoints (Vanier, Ontario: CFORP, 1997), 135.

25 Ibid; Starr, The Suzuki Violinist, 27; Carolyn McCall, “What are Suzuki Group Lessons For?” American Suzuki Journal 31 (Summer, 2003): 28-30; Carolyn McCall, “What are Suzuki Group Lessons For? Part 2,” American Suzuki Journal 32 (Fall, 2003): 53-55.

13 Suzuki Philosophy and Teaching Techniques: Elements Which Are Included in My Method Traditionally, Suzuki method books are comprised of great works for the instrument. Even for the beginning songs, I have chosen pieces not only for their applicability to a sequential approach to learning the bassoon, but also for their place in the canon of great musical works. The sequence is vitally important, for a number of reasons – each piece has been carefully selected for the order of introduction of notes, rhythms, musical terms, and other musical concepts. Learning steps are small enough so that learning is easy and natural. The Suzuki approach is one of mastery learning, with no value placed on how fast or slow the student progresses.26 That is not to say that students will not or should not be frustrated from time to time: Learning to overcome frustration and succeed in the face of adversity is an important life lesson that can be experienced in music study.

One of the most important elements of Suzuki instruction is the organizational framework Suzuki institutions provide for teachers, parents, and students. The Suzuki

Association of the Americas is responsible for teacher training and certification for

Suzuki teachers in North and South America. Similar organizations exist throughout the world, under the umbrella of the International Suzuki Association. While specific guidelines differ around the world, the goals of teacher training remain the same. This training is specifically designed to pass on techniques of Suzuki instruction via an oral tradition of transmission, by specially qualified teacher trainers.27 The end result should

26 Shinichi Suzuki, Nurtured by Love (Miami: Summy-Birchard, 1983), 14-15.

27 Comeau, 16-17.

14 be that teachers who call themselves “Suzuki teachers” are at least minimally qualified to teach using the Suzuki materials.

It is of course not possible to ensure that all teachers using my method are qualified. However, some of the games and exercises included in my method are based on those that are often transmitted in Suzuki teacher training, as they have been described in print.28 It is important to note that this type of sequencing is not unique to Suzuki methodology, but is compatible with any number of learning theories and pedagogies.

As a general rule for deciding on the proper sequence, prerequisite factors are learned first. Items are learned from the known to the unknown where possible. For example, the progression of notes learned is based on ease of linking the new fingering with a fingering that is already known. Learning also proceeds from simple to complex; hence, rhythms begin with quarter notes and half notes – not with eighths and sixteenths.

Note exercises are built on small chunks of technically challenging material, which are elided to form larger musical phrases.

Moving from the known to the unknown is one reason why listening is so important: listening allows the student to “know” the music even before it is taught. In my method, listening suggestions are included for many songs. My method could also be supplemented with piano accompaniments and a bassoon recording. I take listening one step further than the traditional Suzuki usage, by introducing students to a broader appreciation of music with various listening examples from each composer.

The Suzuki methodology has been criticized for its emphasis on aural or rote learning versus learning how to read notes on the page. A strict Suzuki approach delays

28 See, e.g., Sasha Garver, “The Oral Pedagogy of the Suzuki Flute Method,” (D.M.A. document, University of Colorado at Boulder, 2006).

15 music reading until the child is reading printed language. Suzuki students memorize all songs, and in the early years of the introduction of the Suzuki Method into the United

States, many learned by rote even into their teenage years. More recently, American teachers have responded to this criticism by using supplemental repertoire to focus on note reading, from an earlier point in study.29

Imitation and aural development are important and often-overlooked aspects of

early music training. However, even the youngest bassoon students are likely to be

reading in school. This means that they should also learn to read music. My method can

be used for music reading or teaching by rote. I suggest a combination: students should

read music for the exercises and for learning the pieces initially, but should eventually

memorize all thirty of the main songs. Modeling by a teacher and/or a recording should

also be an important part of the bassoon student’s experience, as described in the

previous section.

There are many benefits to memorizing music, especially at the beginning of music study. One is that the student who memorizes is able to focus on the technical aspects of making the instrument sound, instead of being preoccupied with the notes on the page. Memorization also gives students an ability to recognize common melodic figures, such as scales and arpeggios, aurally. These can then be associated with the way they look on the page. Such an approach does not and should not preclude note reading.

For those students who come to the bassoon with no music literacy, my method includes a concise introduction to music reading, so that a student could begin the method right

29 Nurtured by Love: The Life and Work of Shinichi Suzuki, produced by The Cleveland Institute of Music, 58 min., Telos Productions, 1996, videocassette.

16 away. Requiring students to “draw” songs, and to listen to songs while looking at the music, can also help early music reading.

Teaching of beginning bassoon students could be guided by some tenets of

Suzuki’s methodology, regardless of what method book is used. This would probably be beneficial to the general state of bassoon pedagogy. My method uses some of Suzuki’s ideas as a philosophical backbone, and teachers are free to incorporate more of Suzuki’s ideas as they feel comfortable.

17 Chapter 3: Technical Issues for Beginners and Particulars of My Method

Intended Audience Students are expected to be able to begin my curriculum between the ages six and eight; however, as noted earlier, this does not preclude participation of other age groups.

If current teaching practices in the United States continue, the age of beginning bassoonists is likely to remain around 12-14 years. With that in mind, the language and presentation style I use is geared toward the 11-12 age group. Before beginning this curriculum, very young students should have the following abilities: hold eye contact before and after bowing to the teacher (to show a minimum level of focus and concentration), hold a straw between their lips with a total seal (to show a minimum development and flexibility of embouchure musculature), and have enough finger dexterity to write somewhat legibly.30 No other skills are required. Hand and instrument size is also an issue that needs to be addressed before beginners start study on the bassoon; this is discussed in detail below.

Having a competent bassoon teacher is highly recommended for bassoon students of all levels, using any method. Students who don’t have a teacher are likely to develop poor habits, which may be both musically and physically detrimental. While it is possible for a student to play through my method by him or herself, it is highly unlikely that such a student would gain a full understanding of the concepts as they should be taught.

30 A respectful bow is a commonly-used introduction to Suzuki lessons. A discussion of its use in Suzuki can be found in Victoria Vorreiter, “To bow or not to bow?...That is the question!,” American Suzuki Journal 23, no. 2 (1995): 46-47.

18 Size The size of the bassoon is a major challenge for beginners. Smaller students simply cannot fit their fingers around the instrument. I suggest using a set of pvc pipes or wooden dowels, sized to the thickness of the bassoon, and with “tone holes” drilled or drawn on them, to check the hand size of students before they commit to beginning study.

The dowels should not only check the size of the student's grasp, but also the stretch of the fingers, especially in the right hand. Students whose hands are too small for the regular bassoon should consider one of the options I describe below.

Today, most bassoonists begin on some other instrument, often clarinet. The logic for this is that, first, the clarinet is smaller and therefore can be played by younger students. Second, the clarinet uses similar fingerings as the bassoon on similar notes; for example, the bottom G’s on both instruments have similar fingerings. Unfortunately, this note does not sound the same on both instruments, nor does it look the same on the staff.

Clarinet and bassoon are not similar in most regards. Double reed vs. single reed, treble clef vs. bass clef, different fingerings, different embouchure, all make this a less than perfect solution.

Other instruments have faced similar difficulties of size. One can scarcely picture a five-year-old playing a double bass! For string instruction, the solution is to begin students on miniature instruments. Thus, the three-year-old violin student does not play on a full-sized violin; instead, his or her violin is one-sixteenth or even one-thirty-second the size of a normal instrument. As the student grows, size of the instrument is also increased, until full size is reached.31

31 Richard Ward, “It’s a Small World,” Strings 21, no. 7 (Feb 2007): 94-95.

19 The situation for wind instruments is more problematic. While smaller string instruments can be constructed in such a way as to make their pitches equal to those of their full-size counterparts, reducing the length of wind instruments necessarily changes their pitch. The solution for the flute has been modification of as many elements as possible without shifting the instrument’s key, resulting in the curved headjoint and elimination of the bottom notes in the Jupiter flute brand.

A similar option for bassoon is the short-reach instrument. These are available through Fox Products, and have slightly modified keywork for those students who are uncomfortable with the reach required on the larger instrument. Short-reach instruments

are generally just as expensive as their full-sized

counterparts, but provide the advantage of playing at

the same pitch as the standard bassoon. The amount

of benefit derived, though, is minimal: short-reach

instruments are only suitable for those beginners

whose hands are very nearly large enough for the

full-sized bassoon.

For even smaller beginners, I suggest using a

smaller-sized and higher-pitched bassoon. Bassoons

of different sizes have been manufactured since the

time of the Renaissance bassoon consort. As in

Fig 1: Quart bassoon, quint bassoon, similar ensembles of recorders, bassoons came in and octave bassoon. Photo courtesy 32 Guntram Wolf. Used with many sizes and keys. Modern manufacturers still permission.

32 William Waterhouse, The Bassoon (London: Kahn & Averill, 2003), 30.

20 make three of these instruments, besides the modern bassoon: from largest to smallest, the quart bassoon in F, the quint bassoon in G, and the octave bassoon in C. Collectively, these small bassoons are called “tenoroons,” “fagottinos,” or “mini-bassoons” (see Fig.

1). My preliminary research, undertaken through a grant from the University of Colorado at Boulder (unpublished), indicates that in the case of the bassoon, the size problem can be successfully remedied by use of the tenoroon. Using the tenoroon has proven to be successful in Germany for students as young as age six.33 Its use is also specifically sanctioned in the 2006 Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music (ABRSM) syllabus for instrumental exams.34

These instruments cost approximately half of what a bassoon costs, at around US

$2500.35 It is possible that with increased demand, the price would decrease over time.

And since the bassoon has traditionally been supplied to bassoon students by school music programs, it is my hope that the usefulness of the tenoroon will cause it to be supplied in the same way.

For purposes of teaching, the octave bassoon, while perhaps most desirable for its smallest size, is, with current manufacturing processes, too unstable in pitch. The quint bassoon, which will fit most six-year-olds comfortably, is most useful.

33 Heide Bönig, „Schon ab 6? Das Fagottino im frühinstrumentalen: Unterricht Methodisch- didaktischer Vergleich von drei Unterrichtskoncepten” (“As early as six years of age? Teaching fagottino to young children: A comparative study of three teaching approaches for their methodological and didactic conceptualization”) (Degree dissertation, Hochschule für Musik und Theater „Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy“ Leipzig, 2001).

34 Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music, Bassoon Complete Graded Examination Syllabus [online]; available from http://www.abrsm.org/resources/bassoonSyllabusComplete08.pdf; Internet; accessed 23 March 2008.

35 This is the cost of Miller Marketing’s quint bassoon, which is widely available in the United States.

21 These instruments have modern keywork and bore design, and can use a regular bassoon reed. The reed is slightly more effective with some minor modifications: a shorter reed with a narrower shape gives a range from the instrument’s low Bb (Bb1 on the modern bassoon) to high Bb (Bb4 on the modern instrument). This compares with a top note of G4 or A4 on an unmodified reed. Articulation in the high register is also predictably improved with these modifications. The range limitations slightly impact use of the tenoroon, but only for teaching the most advanced young students: one would hope that by the time students are ready to learn the notes C5 and D5 and up, they will be playing on a full-sized instrument.

Fingerings are the same between the Heckel-system bassoon (which is the system used in most places outside of France) and the tenoroon, with two main exceptions. First, there is no whisper key on the quint bassoon, which instead uses an always-open vent in the bocal. The instrument has an immovable peg where the whisper key would normally sit. This could be replaced with a moving key to encourage use of the whisper key where appropriate; otherwise, the student is likely to not use the whisper key at all. The second fingering difference is for the notes F#1 and F#2 – on the tenoroon, these notes must be played with the low F key depressed. While this fingering will work on the modern bassoon, the low F key is not required. The habit produced by using the low F key is not detrimental, and will probably be extinguished over the course of study on the full-sized instrument.

The transition from smaller-sized instruments to larger sizes is surprisingly easy.

By the time students are ready to switch, the smaller instrument should be too small – students’ hands will actually be more comfortable on a larger instrument. I have had the

22 opportunity to switch one nine-year old girl from the quint bassoon to the full-size version. The transition was smooth, and she regained her previous level of playing within two weeks. That is not to say that all transitions will be so smooth, but the challenges involved are more akin to switching to a different model of instrument

(finding where the keys are, feeling the new balance) than specific issues related to the tenoroon to bassoon switch.

Reeds Having a supply of the best possible reeds is essential for the beginning bassoonist. If the student has to fight against poorly-constructed reeds, he or she is likely to develop bad habits to compensate for the things that the reed doesn't do well. At the same time, reeds are expensive and difficult to make, and students are often very hard on reeds. A balance must be found between quality of the reed and the propensity of the student to destroy it before its expected useful lifespan. Because there are so many approaches to reedmaking, I suggest, simply, that the student ask his or her teacher where to get reeds.

Music Basics Only a very few methods currently in print purport to cater to beginning students of the bassoon. Research shows that most, if not all, bassoon methods in print assume at least some knowledge of music before beginning study. While it is likely that students of the bassoon have come from some other instrument, a blanket assumption should not be made about the music knowledge of all beginning bassoonists.

For the true music novice, I have included an introduction to the basics of music in my method, along with suggested activities and games. This introduction is not meant

23 to be complete or comprehensive, like those of the Faber series of piano books.36 Instead, my goal is that the novice will be able to begin bassoon study after going through the introductory exercises and games. The materials I provide are just the bare minimum required for starting a beginner.

Rhythm Teaching In my method, time and rhythm are dealt with separately from melodic material and notes. For each piece, as new rhythms are introduced, I suggest various exercises for rhythm learning. Each set of exercises is designed progressively, building on what the student already knows to help him or her master the new rhythmic content of the coming song. This should enable the teacher to give the students who need it the extra rhythm practice they require.

There are numerous approaches to teaching rhythms, including the “ta” and “ti” of Kodaly, the “du, da, di, de” of Gordon, the “Takadimi” syllables, and the counting subdivisions “one-ee-and-ah.”37 While I don't include any of these explicitly, there is nothing in my method to prevent teachers from using these approaches.

Instead, I borrow the word association method, which is common in Kodaly and

Suzuki instruction. I suggest that teachers use the words that I list in the method for teaching rhythms, as follows: plum (quarter note), apple (eighth notes), watermelon

(sixteenths), purple (dotted eighth-sixteenth), and hamster (dotted quarter-eighth). This approach is not new. While the word association technique is usually passed on via an

36 N Faber and R Faber, Piano Adventures (Fort Lauderdale, FL: FJH Music Company Inc., 1993).

37 Bruce Dalby, “Toward an Effective Pedagogy for Teaching Rhythm: Gordon and Beyond” Music Educators Journal 92, no. 1. (Sep., 2005): 54-60; Don P. Ester; John W. Scheib; Kimberly J. Inks, “Takadimi: A rhythm system for all ages,” Music Educators Journal 93, no. 2 (Nov., 2006) 60-65.

24 oral tradition in Orff and Suzuki training, and so is not well-documented, its use is quite widespread.38

In my experience, when students learn to associate a specific sound with what they see on the page, they are more likely to become successful rhythm readers. The sound of the words is a powerful mnemonic device for what the rhythms should sound like. Using real words, instead of nonsense syllables, takes advantage of the learning theory of chunking. The students can read entire patterns in one group, or one “perceptual chunk,” instead of having to figure out each rhythm anew. 39 The caveat is that the teacher must militantly enforce proper subdivision when saying the rhythmic words. That is, the words have to be said strictly in rhythm, not just in any old way.

Note Teaching In my method, each new note is accompanied by specific exercises to help the student understand the logic (where such logic exists) behind the fingering, based on notes they already know. Melodic exercises then progressively expand the ability of the student to play the more technically challenging parts of each song.

Fingerings As mentioned in the introduction, many fingerings in beginning bassoon instructional books are not the most appropriate ones. In my method, I include the fingering(s) for each new note as it is introduced, and there is an annotated fingering chart at the end of the method.

38 Timothy Leggett, Kevin Costley and Byra Ramsey, “Feel the Beat: Plum, Apple, Cantaloupe, Watermelon!” (Lecture presented at the Southern Early Childhood Association, Nashville, Tennessee. February 3, 2006); private correspondence with the authors.

39 Fernand Gobet, “Chunking Models of Expertise: Implications for Education,” Applied Cognitive Psychology 19 (2005): 184, 188, 193.

25 The fingerings I use are the standard fingerings most commonly used today.40

There are some notes for which more than one fingering is common. When this is the case, I list the fingering I find most useful first. In the fingering chart at the end of the method, I explain some of the most salient differences between these options. Some alternate possibilities are filled in with grey instead of black, indicating optional keys or tone holes. When this is the case, I describe the use of the optional fingering in the prose beneath the fingering diagram.

The notes A3, B-flat 3, B3, and C4 require special consideration. An emerging trend in bassoon teaching is that these notes require use of the speaker keys, also known as the “flick” keys, to get a clear attack. Modern bassoon technique allows for two approaches to these notes. The first option is to depress the speaker key quickly at the beginning of the note, and release it after the note sounds. The second option is to hold the speaker key down for the duration of the note. There are limited situations when the speaker keys are not required, for example when the note occurs under a slur during a stepwise passage. Most performers use both the first and second options, based on the requirements of the passage. Some performers prefer to consistently hold down the speaker key for these notes, reasoning that changing the fingering in the middle of the note will change the sound and pitch of the note as well.

I advocate teaching students using only the second approach; that is, holding down the speaker key for the duration of the note. The other options available to bassoonists are nuanced versions of this basic fingering. In my experience, taking away a key from a fingering is easier than adding one. Also, it is important that the bassoonist's

40 These, and many others, can be found in Cooper and Toplansky, Essentials of Bassoon Technique (New Jersey: Howard Toplansky, 1976).

26 left thumb be trained to go to the correct key on the wing joint when playing one of these

“flick” notes. This is best accomplished by using the correct fingering from the very beginning. With this in mind, the fingerings I list for those notes include the appropriate speaker key.

Music Appreciation One of the benefits of using real music, excerpted from pieces which are in the

Western canon of great works, is that the songs the student learns can be used to introduce the student to a broader appreciation of music. Though the historical information I provide in the method is geared toward the younger student, it can of course be supplemented where ability and interest allow.

In the following pages, the interested reader will find my beginning bassoon method. Its use will hopefully result in greater efficacy of teaching and greater ease of music-making.

27 BASSOON or Tenoroon METHOD

Adam Schwalje

28 Contents

Contents “Pre-Mary” Basics: Music 31 Notes; There Is No H; Time; Writing Music Down; The Staff; Line Note; Space Note; Treble clef; Bass clef “PRE-MARY” BASICS: Bassoon 36 Putting together the bassoon; Parts of the Bassoon; Reeds; How to Carry the Bassoon; How to Hold the Bassoon; Breathing; Embouchure; Tonguing Mary Had a Little Lamb 40 Quarter Note; Time Signature; Measure; Bar Line; Quarter Rest; Final Bar Line; Lyrics Hot Cross Buns 44 Eighth Notes; Common Time; Duet Rain, Rain Go Away 46 Half Rest; Half Note; Whole Rest Cuckoo 48 Goodbye to Winter 50 Dotted Notes Lightly Row 52 C Scale; C Arpeggio; Tempo; Moderato; Italian Sleep, Sleep My Darling: French Lullaby 53 Twinkle Variations 54 Staccato; Sixteenth Notes; Breath Mark; Chattanooga Choo-Choo; Hamburger; Elephant; Flying Tone; Twinkle Theme Go Tell Aunt Nancy 59 Dynamics; Forte Old Dog Tray 60 Eighth Rest; Stephen Foster (1826-1864); Mezzo-Forte French Children’s Song 62 Da Capo; Fine; Half Step; Whole Step; Sharp; Flat; Key Signature; F Major Scale; F Major Arpeggio Mahler, Symphony 1 64 Dotted Eighth - Sixteenth; Slur; Symphony; Round; D minor; Gustav Mahler (1860-1911) Allegro 66 Diminuendo; Tenuto; Molto Dolce; Allegro; Ritardando, rit; Repeat Sign; F Major The Merry Widow Waltz 67 Waltz; Tie; Opera; Operetta; Franz Lehar (1870-1948) Allegro Revisited 70 C Major Honeybee 72

29 Barcarolle 74 D Major; Jacques Offenbach (1819-1880) Can-Can 75 C Major Revisited Symphony no. 94 “Surprise” 76 Franz Joseph Haydn (1732-1809); Accent; Piano; Pianissimo; G Major Theme from Piano Sonata no. 11 K. 331 78 Dotted Quarter + Eighth Note; Natural sign; Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791); B-flat Major Long, Long Ago 81 Sempre; Legato; Mezzo-Piano Finlandia 82 Jean Sibelius (1865-1957) Wiegenlied 83 Grace Note; Lieder; Franz Schubert (1797-1828) Symphony No. 9 “From the New World” 85 Antonin Dvorak (1841-1904) Blue Danube Waltz 87 Pickup measure; Johann Strauss Jr. (1825-1899); D Major Minuet 1 90 G Major Revisited Minuet 2 92 G Major Scale; G Major Arpeggio; D Major Scale; D Major Arpeggio; Johann Sebastian Bach (1685- 1750); Minuet Early One Morning 94 A major Farandole 96 Enharmonic Spelling; Georges Bizet (1836-1875); C Minor; Natural Minor; Harmonic Minor Evening Prayer 98 Engelbert Humperdinck (1854-1921) Panis Angelicus 99 Cesar Franck (1822-1890); E Flat Major; A Flat Major Fingering Chart 102 Fingering Resources 105 Other Bassoon Resources 105

30 “Pre-Mary” Basics: Music

Notes Music is made up of notes, which are also called pitches. Some pitches are lower, like the rumble of traffic or the bark of a big dog. Other pitches are high, like the singing of a bird or the yip- ping of a small dog. The bassoon plays the lower pitches.

Note Names: There Is No H! Notes are named with the letters A to G. Then, the names start back at A again. So, the note names are: A, B, C, D, E, F, G, A, B, C, D, E, F, G, A, B, etc.

Say the note alphabet starting on different note names, until you get back to where you started: for example, D, E, F, G, A, B, C, D

Time To make music, notes are played at certain times. Pulse is lots of steady notes in a row, like your own pulse, or the ticking of a clock. Pulse can be felt on the inside, and doesn’t always have to be heard.

31 Find your pulse, either in your neck or your wrist. Notice how steady the heartbeats are. Try keeping time with it by tapping on your leg.

List some other things in everyday life that create a pulse.

See if you can find the pulse in your favorite music. Tap along, dance along, or snap your fingers!

In music, pulse is often organized into groups of two, three, or four beats. How can you tell? Well, the first beat of each group is louder than the others. Each group is called a measure.

Listening Game: Whenever you hear music, try to count to four over and over again, along with the music. See if you can get the number “one” to go together with the loudest beat in each measure.

32 Writing Music Down

There are two ways to know what notes to play. You can either listen to a recording and learn how to play like the recording. Or, you can read music off of a page, like reading a book.

Today, music is written using a five-line guide, called the staff.

The Staff

Notes are drawn on the staff using dots or circles. If a line goes through the note, it is called a “line note”

Line Note

Color all of the line notes green

33 Notes that fall in between the lines are called “space notes.”

Space Note

Color all of the space notes blue

Up on the staff means the next letter of the music alphabet, or the next higher note.

Up on the staff

“D” “E”

34 Once you know the name of one line, you can say what the names of all the rest of the lines and spaces are.

Game: Fill in the note names for the rest of the lines and spaces, given the name of one line.

There is a special shape, called a clef, that tells you the note name for one line:

Treble clef or “G” clef Bass clef or “F” clef

This shows where This shows the note “g” is. where the note it sort of looks “f” is. Do you like the letter G, agree that it doesn’t it? looks like the letter F?

The bassoon plays mostly with the bass clef. There is an easy way to remember the line and space notes of the bass clef:

Line notes (up): Good Boys Do Fine Always Space notes (up): All Cows Eat Grass

Game: come up with your own saying to help you remember the line notes and space notes of the bass clef.

35 “PRE-MARY” BASICS: Bassoon

Putting together the bassoon The bassoon is VERY FRAGILE!!! Please wait to put it together until you meet with your teacher.

Parts of the Bassoon Boot Tenor Joint Long Joint Bell

Bocal Reed

Reeds Talk to your teacher about where to get reeds.

How to Carry the Bassoon

1. Remove the reed and bocal from the instrument when you carry it around. Place the bocal in the bell so that it won’t get bent! Carry your reeds in a specially designed reed case.

36 2. Only lift the bassoon from the boot, not from any of the other joints. 3. Take special care carrying the instrument up or down stairs, around corners, etc.

How to Hold the Bassoon BRING THE BASSOON TO YOU, DON’T GO TO THE BASSOON! The height of the bassoon should be adjusted so that the reed goes right into your mouth as you sit up straight. Music can usually be read most easily over the right side of the instrument, unless you are playing the tenoroon.

The bassoon needs to be balanced properly so that you are not holding up the entire instrument with the left hand. This will make it easier to play. Here are some tips:

1. It is often better to sit back in the chair than to sit on the edge of the chair. You can use the back rest for support.

2. Lifting your right leg by putting your foot on a thick book can decrease pressure on the left hand.

3. If the bassoon is constantly slipping downward, try wrap- ping a long seat strap around your left leg. Or, try a fabric- covered seat for extra grip.

37 Breathing

The bassoon is a woodwind instrument. It is 1) often made of wood, and 2) powered by wind. Your air makes the bassoon sound when you breathe out.

DISCUSSION: 1) Name other instruments that are powered by air.

2) Name the other woodwind instruments.

3) Which of these are not made of wood? Why are they still included in our group?

Breathing is a very important part of playing the bassoon. It is the gas in the engine of the bassoon. You should practice breathing every day (just think what would happen if you didn’t!). Be sure to check with your teacher to make sure that you are breathing correctly.

38 Embouchure

Embouchure is a fancy name for the special way you hold your lips and mouth when you play. It is one of the most important elements of playing the bassoon.

Tonguing

1. Place the tip of the tongue on the tip of the reed so that no air can be blown through the reed. 2. Start building up air pressure but don’t let any air through the reed.

3. Move the tongue down and away from the reed, and keep blowing. Now a note should sound!

Practice emboucure and tonguing first on the reed only, then the reed + bocal.

39 Quarter Note Mary Time “plum” The quarter note lasts one beat.

Measure Time Signature 4 beats per Group of beats measure = Quarter note Bar Line gets one beat Separates each measure

Quarter Rest The quarter rest lasts one beat of silence.

Final Bar Line

The end of a piece or a section of music

Say the Rhythms:

40 41 First Notes!

Try these in one breath

42 Mary Had A Little Lamb Folk Song

Lyrics

Sing the tune with the following lyrics:

Mary had a little lamb, And so the teacher turned it out, Little lamb, little lamb, Turned it out, turned it out, Mary had a little lamb, And so the teacher turned it out, Its fleece was white as snow But still it lingered near

And everywhere that Mary went, And waited patiently about, Mary went, Mary went, Patiently about, patiently about, Everywhere that Mary went And waited patiently about The lamb was sure to go Till Mary did appear

It followed her to school one day “Why does the lamb love Mary so?” School one day, school one day Love Mary so? Love Mary so? It followed her to school one day “Why does the lamb love Mary so?” Which was against the rules. The eager children cry

It made the children laugh and play, “Why, Mary loves the lamb, you know.” Laugh and play, laugh and play, Loves the lamb, you know, loves the It made the children laugh and play lamb, you know To see a lamb at school “Why, Mary loves the lamb, you know.” The teacher did reply

43 Hot Cross Buns HCB Time

Eighth Notes “Apple” There are two eighth notes for every beat.

An eighth note looks like Sometimes the stems on a quarter note with a eighth notes are joined flag. together.

Terms

Common Time

is another way is sometimes of writing called “common time”

Say the Rhythms:

44 Hot Cross Buns Folk Song

Duet

45 Rain, Rain Go Away

New Note!

Half Note Rain “Half-Note” The half note lasts two Time beats.

Half Rest Whole Rest The half rest The whole rest lasts two beats lasts four beats of silence. of silence, or for a whole measure.

2 beats per measure

Quarter note gets one beat

46 Rain, Rain Go Away Folk Song

47 Cuckoo

New Notes!

A G

Cuckoo Time

3 beats per measure

Quarter note gets one beat

48 Cuckoo Folk Song

49 Goodbye to Winter

This is a half-hole. It is formed by sliding New NoteS! the first finger of the left hand downward.

F G

50 Winter Time The Dot A dot after a note increases its length by half. + . = 1 beat 3 beats 2 beats (half of 2 beats)

Goodbye to Winter Folk Song

51 Lightly Row Lightly Notes Scale means “stairway” in Italian. Playing a scale is Scale Steps C Scale like walking up and down steps, one at a time.

Skipping Steps C Arpeggio

Tempo How fast or slow music goes. Italian Terms Many musical terms are from A moderate tempo, not fast Moderato the Italian language. and not slow.

Lightly Row Folk Song

52 Sleep, Sleep My Darling: French Lullaby

Sleepy Notes

Sleepy Time

Sleep, Sleep My Darling Folk Song

53 Twinkle Variations

New Note!

The keys suggested for the left hand thumb for the notes A, Bb, B, and C are called “flick” keys or “vent” keys. Talk to your teacher about the proper use of these keys. A

Twinkle Tonguing Separated. Staccato does not necessarily mean short. Staccato In general, a staccato dot over or under the notehead decreases the note value by half.

Be sure to end the note with your air, not with your tongue.

54 Twinkle Time

Sixteenth notes “watermelon”

Sixteenth notes have two flags. Sometimes, these are joined together with a beam. There are four sixteenth notes per beat.

Twinkle Terms Breath Breathe out, then in as needed Mark

breathe: out, in

55 Twinkle Variations S. Suzuki Mark where you will breathe in each of the following variations.

Chattanooga Choo-Choo

56 Twinkle Variations

Hamburger

Elephant

57 Twinkle Variations

Flying Tone

Twinkle Theme

58 Go Tell Aunt Nancy Terms Dynamics How loud or soft music is.

Forte LOUD!

Nancy Notes

Go Tell Aunt Nancy Folk Song

Go tell Aunt Nancy, go tell Aunt Nancy Go tell Aunt Nancy the old gray goose is dead Lyrics She was a-saving for her feather bed Died in a mill pond on its head

Go tell Aunt Nancy, etc.

59 Eighth Rest Tray The eighth rest lasts for half a beat of Time silence.

Tray Notes

60 Tray Mezzo-Forte Medium-loud, not too Term loud and not too soft.

Old Dog Tray Stephen Foster

Stephen Foster (1826-1864) Songwriter Stephen Foster wrote some of America’s favorite songs. Lyrics His songs include “Oh! Susanna,” “My Old Ken- Old dog Tray’s ever faithful, tucky Home,” “Jeanie with Grief cannot drive him away, the Light Brown Hair,” and He’s gentle, he is kind; “Old Dog Tray.” I’ll never, never find A better friend than old dog Tray Suggested Listening: American Dreamer: Songs of Stephen Foster

61 French Children’s Song

New Notes!

F B

Terms Da Capo “the head:” go to the beginning.

Fine the end.

Half Step The difference in pitch between notes on the piano that are next to each other, either black or white keys. Whole Step Two half steps. Sharp Raise the next note by a half step.

Lower the next note by a Flat half step. A listing of flats or sharps at the beginning Key Signature of a piece, that last for the whole piece.

62 New Key! Scales come in many different types. One is called the Major scale. Any Major scale has all whole steps EXCEPT for half steps between the third and fourth notes, and between the seventh and eighth notes. Label the whole steps “W” and the half steps “H”:

______

F Major Scale

______

F Major Arpeggio

French Children’s Song Folk Song

63 Mahler, Symphony 1 New Note!

Mahler “Purple” = + = The Dotted eighth- Time sixteenth rhythm

Terms Slur No tonguing between notes. Always tongue the first note.

Symphony A long piece of music to be played by Round two or more players doing many musicians of the orchestra. the same thing at different times.

The minor scale has a half step between the second and third notes (in- New Key! stead of between the third and fourth notes of the Major scale). What is D minor the other half step in the incomplete scale below? Write in W for whole step and H for half step:

______64 Symphony 1 Gustav Mahler

*To play as a round, the second player should start when the first player gets to the star.

Austrian composer Gustav Mahler was best known Gustav Mahler (1860-1911) for his symphonies and songs. The melody from the third movement of his first symphony is based on the popular children’s song “Are You Sleeping.” Can you tell what instrument plays it first? How about second?

Suggested Listening: Mahler Symphony no. 1 (Titan), movement 3

65 Allegro Terms diminuendo Tenuto A line above or below dim Gradually get softer the notehead means to play the note long and connected. molto dolce very sweetly

Allegro Fast, happy ritardando, rit Gradually slow down

Repeat sign Do it again

Allegro Notes

F Major Again

66 Allegro S. Suzuki

The Merry Widow Waltz

New Note!

67 Waltz A ballroom dance with Terms three beats per measure.

Tie Glues two of the same note together to make one longer note. Only tongue the first note of a tie.

Tie (notes don’t change) Slur (notes change)

Opera A dramatic staged work with lots of singing, but no speaking.

Operetta An opera with speaking.

68 The Merry Widow Waltz Franz Lehar

Suggested Video Franz Lehar Lehar Merry Widow (1870-1948)

Austrian composer Franz Lehar is best known for his operetta The Suggested Listening Merry Widow. It is a comedy about Lehar Gold and Silver a rich widow’s search for a husband Waltz, Strauss Blue Dan- in the country of Pontevedro. ube Waltz

69 Allegro Revisited

The grey-shaded key for the left New Note! hand thumb is optional. C

C Major

70 Allegro Revisited S. Suzuki

71 Honeybee

Honey Notes

72 Honeybee Folk Song

73 New Note!

Using a larger opening This alternate f-sharp of the first tone hole fingering is often will help this note lower in pitch. speak. If you play the tenoroon, you may also need to put down the low F key. F

New Key! D Major

Barcarolle Offenbach

Jacques Offenbach (1819-1880) The opera Tales of Hoffmann is one of Offenbach’s best-known works. “Barcarolle” evokes the style of singing of the Venetian gondoliers as they paddled boats down the canals in Venice. “Can Can” is the common name for the “Galop” from Orpheus in the Underworld. Galop, like it sounds, is a dance imitating the movement of horses.

Suggested Listening Orpheus in the Underworld highlights

74 Can-Can Canned Notes C Major Revisited

Can-Can Offenbach

75 Franz Joseph Haydn (1732-1809)

Haydn is known as the “father of the symphony,” in part because he wrote so many of them - over 100! His “Surprise” Symphony, no. 94, might have been written to wake up the sleepy audiences in London. Or, it might have just been Haydn’s sense of humor!

Suggested Listening Cleveland Orchestra performs Haydn Symphony No. 94

Terms accent

Strong emphasis on a note.

piano pianissimo

softly very softly

76 New Key!

G Major

Symphony 94 “Surprise” Haydn

77 Theme from Piano Sonata no. 11 K. 331

Mo’ Time

“Hamster” Dotted quarter + = eighth note

78 New Note!

Your teacher should help you decide which of these e-flat fingerings to use. Please note that these are probably NOT the same as the fingerings in your band book!

This one is slightly This fingering Mo’ Terms sharper and is slightly flatter brighter. and darker. Natural sign

Cancels any flats or E sharps for the next note

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791)

Mozart is probably the most recognized classical composer today. He wrote his first complete opera at the age of eleven. He was quite famous during his lifetime, not only for his compositions, but also for his piano playing.

Suggested Listening Alicia De Larrocha plays Mozart piano sonatas K.283, 331, 332, 333

79 New Key! B-flat Major

Theme from Piano Sonata no. 11 K. 331 WA Mozart

80 Long, Long Ago Terms sempre Always legato Smooth and gentle New Note! tonguing mezzo piano D Moderately soft

Long, Long Ago Bayly

81 Finlandia

Jean Sibelius (1865-1957)

Finnish composer Sibelius is well-known for his beauti- ful orchestral melodies. The symphonic poem Finlandia was originally written for the orchestra in 1900. It has since become a symbol of Finnish culture.

Suggested Listening Cleveland Orchestra performing Sibelius Symphony No 2 and Finlandia

Finnish Notes

Finlandia Sibelius

82 Wiegenlied

Franz Schubert Terms (1797-1828)

Grace Note Wiegenlied, or Cradle Extra note or notes Song, was one of the that are played be- 150 songs that Viennese fore or after the main composer Schubert wrote note. Grace notes when he was 18 years are a kind of musical old. He was poor and “ornament.” unappreciated during his They appear short life, but is now con- smaller than sidered one of the best the main composers of German notes. songs, or Lieder. Suggested Listening Victoria de Los Angeles Lieder Songs (German) Tokyo Live ‘86

Lieder Time

83 Lieder Notes

Wiegenlied Schubert

84 Symphony No. 9 “From the New World”

New Note! E

Antonin Dvorak (1841-1904)

Czech composer Dvorak was largely self-taught. He wrote his ninth symphony, “From the New World,” while he was spending time in the US at the end of the 19th century. It is based on the kind of melodies found in Native American music.

Suggested Listening Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra performing Dvorak’s Symphony No. 9 “From the New World”

85 Symphony No. 9 “From the New World”

Draw in the slurs and dynamics Dvorak after listening to the recording.

86 Blue Danube Waltz

New Note!

Pickup measure Terms An incomplete first measure of a piece of music. Often, as in the Blue Danube Waltz (p. 63), the last measure contains only enough beats to complete the pickup measure.

Johann Strauss Jr. (1825-1899)

Johann Jr.’s dad Johann was also a composer, as was his brother Josef. But, he is unrelated to famous composer Richard Strauss. Both Johann Jr. and his brother were best known for their Viennese Waltzes. But it was Johann Jr who became known as the “Waltz King.”

Suggested Listening Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra performing Strauss Waltzes

87 Blue Notes

D Major

88 Blue Danube Waltz Johann Strauss Jr.

89 Minuet 1 New Notes!

F D E

G Major Revisited

90 Bach Time

Minuet 1 JS Bach

91 Minuet 2

Bach Notes

G Major Scale

G Major Arpeggio

D Major Scale

D Major Arpeggio

92 Minuet 2 JS Bach

Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750) JS Bach is the most famous Minuet member of the most musical family ever. His music is con- A dance which, like the sidered to be so perfect that he waltz, has three beats per got two tracks on the Voyager measure. The minuet is spacecraft probe, which was a French dance. It was launched in 1977. commonly used in Baroque instrumental music, and The two minuets included here later turned into the faster are found in the Anna Magda- Scherzo. lena Notebook. Historians think that Bach may not have actually written them.

Suggested Listening Toccata and Fugue in d minor “Stokowski’s Symphonic Bach” performed on organ by Michael by BBC Philharmonic Orchestra Murray

93 Early One Morning

New Notes!

G G

94 New Key! A major

Early One Morning Folk Song

95 Farandole Bizet Time

Terms

Enharmonic Spelling Different note spellings that sound the same. For example, A-flat is the same note as G-sharp =

Georges Bizet (1836-1875) Suggested Listening The Farandole is a dance from south- Bizet’s L’Arlesienne ern France. This particular “Faran- Suite No. 2 by dole” is from Bizet’s music for the play Sir Neville Mar- L’Arlesienne. The music is now most riner/Academy Of commonly performed by orchestras as St Martin-In-The- the L’Arlesienne Suite. Fields

96 There are different types of minor scales. Compared with the Major scale, New Key! the natural minor scale has flattened third, sixth, and seventh scale de- c minor grees. The harmonic minor scale only has flattened third and sixth scale degrees.

^ ^ ^ Natural minor: ^ 6 7 Harmonic minor: ^ ^ 7 3 3 6

Farandole Bizet

97 Evening Prayer Humperdinck

Engelbert Humperdinck (1854-1921)

German composer Humperdinck is most famous for his opera Han- Suggested Listening sel and Gretel. He gave this opera Zurich Opera stage as a gift to his fiancee Hedwig. production of Hansel The “Evening Prayer” is from this and Gretel opera.

98 Panis Angelicus New Notes!

F E D

Cesar Franck (1822-1890) Organist and French-German composer Cesar Franck is most famous for his vocal Suggested Listening music. This includes the setting of “Panis Angelicus” included here, which was origi- Tenor Luciano Pavarotti’s nally written for tenor, organ, harp, cello, CD “O Holy Night” and double bass.

99 New Key! E Flat Major

New Key! A Flat Major

Panis Angelicus Franck

100 Blank Page

101 Fingering Chart

high A high C high D low b-flat 1st tone hole low b 2nd tone hole 3rd tone hole low c resonance key (low e-flat) low d c-sharp low c-sharp whisper key

b-flat 4th tone hole 5th tone hole low e (pancake) alternate b-flat g f-sharp (back) low f alternate a-flat f-sharp (front) a-flat

You may have additional keys on your bassoon, not shown here. These are either used for trills or for very high notes. Also, some of the keys listed here may not appear on your bassoon. If this is the case, ask your teacher what other key you can use.

Bb/A# B C Db/C# D Eb/D#

Pressing down the low b key should auto- Pressing down the low c key should auto- Many players add the low b-flat key on these matically close the low c and d keys. matically close the low d key. notes to lower and stabilize the pitch.

102 A E F Gb/F# G Ab/G#

Adding the low c-sharp If you use a teno- Adding the low key and/or the low b-flat roon, you may need c-sharp key will some- key will lower and stabi- to put down the F times stabilize low G. lize the pitch of low e. key, also.

Bb/A# B C Db/C# D Eb/D#

It is sometimes neces- Your teacher should help you de- sary to add the pan- cide which of these e-flat fingerings cake key to lower and to use. This one is slightly sharper stabilize the pitch. and brighter. Please note that these are probably NOT the same as the fingerings in your band book!

Eb/D# alt E F Gb/F# Gb/F# G

This e-flat fingering Using a larger opening This alternate f-sharp is slightly flatter and of the first tone hole fingering is often darker. will help this note lower in pitch. speak.

103 Ab/G# A Bb/A# B C Db/C#

A smaller opening of The keys suggested for the left hand thumb for the notes A, Bb, B, and C are called “flick” keys or This fingering is the first tone hole is “vent” keys. Talk to your teacher about the proper use of these keys. often flat and some- requried for this note. times muffled.

Db/C# D Eb/D# E F Gb/F#

This is called the Using the left hand pinkie on the resonance Most players use the This fingering is “full c#.” It is some- key will raise the pitch of D and Eb. resonance key on this great for slurs and times too loud and note. It is called the attacks. Experiment somewhat sharp. “resonance key” for how to find the right it improves the sound. hole size for the But, leaving it off will second tone hole. raise the pitch. Pitch is usually very flexible.

Gb/F# G Ab/G# Ab/G# A A

Works well next to Sometimes needs Lower in pitch and Sometimes sharp Lower in pitch and Sometimes sharp high G for technical pancake key to flat- more stable than and lacking more stable than and lacking reso- passages. ten the pitch. the other fingering resonance. Note the the other fingering nance. for A-flat. Note the opening of the first for A. opening of the first tone hole. tone hole. 104 Fingering Resources

http://www.idrs.org/BSNFING/FINGHOME.HTM

This fantastic fingering resource includes both basic and advanced fingerings, trill fingerings, soft fingerings, and fingerings for the extreme high notes on the bassoon.

Other Bassoon Resources

www.idrs.org

Official website of the International Double Reed Society

www.bassoon.org

Various links, including a classified bulletin board for instruments and bocals.

105 Selected Bibliography

Apfelstadt, Marc and Ronald Klimko. Bassoon Performance Practice, Teaching Materials, Techniques and Methods. Moscow, Idaho: School of Music Publications, 1993.

Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music. Bassoon Complete Graded Examination Syllabus. Online. Available from http://www.abrsm.org/resources/bassoonSyllabusComplete08.pdf; Internet; accessed 23 March 2008.

Barris, R. and M. Jampole. “Basics for Beginning Bassoonists.” The Instrumentalist 52 (September 1997): 28-30.

Bivens, John A. “A Tenor-Clef Reader for the Bassoonist.” D.M.A. document, Louisiana State University, 1980.

Blaine, Robert Jr. “Adaptation of the Suzuki-Kendall Method to the Teaching of a Heterogeneous Brass-Wind Instrument Class of Trumpets and Trombones.” Ph.D. diss., Music, Catholic University of America, 1976.

Bloom, SL. “Ideas on Teaching Vibrato.” The Double Reed 25, no. 2 (2002): 19-24.

Bönig, Heide. „Schon ab 6? Das Fagottino im frühinstrumentalen: Unterricht Methodisch-didaktischer Vergleich von drei Unterrichtskoncepten” (“As early as six years of age? Teaching fagottino to young children: A comparative study of three teaching approaches for their methodological and didactic conceptualization”). Degree dissertation, Hochschule für Musik und Theater „Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy“ Leipzig, 2001.

Carr, Walter Edward Jr. “A Videofluorographic Investigation of Tongue and Throat Positions in Playing Flute, Oboe, Clarinet, Bassoon and Saxophone.” D.M.A. document, University of Southern California, 1978.

Comeau, Gilles, ed. Teaching Suzuki Piano: 10 Master Teachers’ Viewpoints. Vanier, Ontario: CFORP, 1997.

Cooper and Toplansky. Essentials of Bassoon Technique. New Jersey: Howard Toplansky, 1976.

Dalby, Bruce. “Toward an Effective Pedagogy for Teaching Rhythm: Gordon and Beyond.” Music Educators Journal 92, no. 1. (Sep., 2005): 54-60.

Dee, RA. “Nurturing the Young Bassoonist: A Holistic Approach.” The Double Reed 24, no. 4 (2001): 113-23.

Dietz, William Johnston. The Bassoon Class: A Method and Resource Handbook for Music Educators. N.p., 1993.

106 Emerson J. “Teaching ABRSM – Bassoon Grade 1.” Music Teacher 82 (March 2003): 25.

Ester, Don P, John W Scheib, and Kimberly J Inks. “Takadimi: A rhythm system for all ages.” Music Educators Journal 93, no. 2 (Nov., 2006) 60-65.

Ewell, TB. “Teaching the Beginning Bassoonist.” The Double Reed 23, no. 2 (2000): 35- 43.

______. “Using the Bassoon Bocal as a Diagnostic and Pedagogical Tool.” NACWPI Journal 40, no. 3 (1992): 4-7.

Faber, N and R Faber. Piano Adventures. Fort Lauderdale, FL: FJH Music Company Inc., 1993.

Garver, Sasha. “The Oral Pedagogy of the Suzuki Flute Method.” D.M.A. document, University of Colorado at Boulder, 2006.

Gobet, Fernand. “Chunking Models of Expertise: Implications for Education.” Applied Cognitive Psychology 19 (2005): 184, 188, 193.

Hammel, Bruce. “A Compendium of Practice Methods and Their Application to the Bassoon.” D.M. document, Florida State University, 1989.

Hunt, Laura June. “An Analysis of Basic Instructional Elements for Bassoon Found in Full Band Beginning Method Books Published Since 1975.” M.M. thesis, James Madison University, 1986.

Jackson, DA. “An Evaluation of Tenor Clef Material in Twelve Existing Bassoon Methods and a Systematic Approach to Learning Tenor Clef for the Bassoonist.” MA thesis, Central Missouri State University, 1983.

Jones, John Paul. “A Survey, Critical Analysis, and Evaluation of a Selected Group of Private Bassoon Methods Now In Publication.” M.M.Ed. thesis, Mississippi Southern College, 1954.

Kendall, John. “Suzuki's Mother Tongue Method,” Music Educators Journal 72 no. 6 (Feb, 1986): 47-50.

Koppelman, Doris. Introducing Suzuki Piano. San Diego: Dichter Press, 1978.

Landers, R. The Talent Education School of Shinichi Suzuki: An Analysis, 2d ed. Chicago: Daniel Press, 1980.

Layne, Richard Dennis. A Comparative Investigation of Traditional and Modified Suzuki Teaching Techniques in Beginning Clarinet Instruction. Los Angeles: by the author, 1976.

107 Leggett, Timothy, Kevin Costley, and Byra Ramsey. “Feel the Beat: Plum, Apple, Cantaloupe, Watermelon!” Lecture presented at the Southern Early Childhood Association, Nashville, Tennessee. February 3, 2006.

Mann, J. “Moving beyond the Method Book with Solo Pieces for Bassoonists.” The Instrumentalist 57 (December 2002): 50.

McCall, Carolyn. “What are Suzuki Group Lessons For?” American Suzuki Journal 31 (Summer, 2003): 28-30.

______. “What are Suzuki Group Lessons For? Part 2.” American Suzuki Journal 32 (Fall, 2003): 53-55.

Pesavento, Ann M. “Orchestral Excerpts as Developmental Studies for the Intermediate Bassoonist: A Collection of Selected Passages.” D.M.A. diss., University of Northern Colorado, 1989.

Price, HE. “Sequential patterns of instruction and learning to use them.” Journal of Research in Music Education 40, no. 1 (1992): 14-29.

Rea, Stephanie Jeanne. “The Suzuki Flute Method: A History and Description.” DM diss., Florida State University, 1999.

Schultze-Florey A. “Kindgerechte Vorbereitung aufs Fagottspiel: Das Fagottino and seine Bedeutung für den Instrumentalunterricht.” Neue Musikzeitung 49, no. 11 (2000): 30.

Sperti, John. An Experimental Investigation Testing the Comparative Effectiveness of Two Different Pedagogical Methodologies As Applied to the Teaching of the Clarinet. New York: by the author, 1976.

Starr, W. The Suzuki Violinist. Knoxville, Tennessee: Kongston Ellis Press, 1976.

______. “A Visionary with a Violin.” Strad 109, no. 1304 (1998): 1336.

Suzuki, Shinichi. Nurtured by Love. Miami: Summy-Birchard, 1983.

______. Nurtured by Love: The Life and Work of Shinichi Suzuki. Produced by The Cleveland Institute of Music. 58 min. Telos Productions, 1996. Videocassette.

______. Young Children’s Talent Education and Its Method. Translated by Kyoko Selden. Miami: Summy-Birchard, 1996.

von Ruediger, B. “Fruehinstrumentaler Beginn auf dem kleinen Fagott.” TIBIA 22, no. 2 (1997): 428-31.

Vorreiter, Victoria. “To bow or not to bow?...That is the question!” American Suzuki Journal 23, no. 2 (1995): 46-47.

108 Ward, Richard. “It’s a Small World.” Strings 21, no. 7 (Feb 2007): 94-95.

Waterhouse, William. The Bassoon. London: Kahn & Averill, 2003.

METHODS AND STUDIES

Allard, Maurice. Methode de basson. Paris: Gerard Billaudot, 1975.

Anzalone, Valentine. Breeze-Easy Method for Bassoon. New York: M. Witmark and Sons, 1959.

Chicago Educational Research. Notes Alive: The Modern Method of Instruction for Bassoon. Chicago, Chicago Educational Research: 1956.

Curtis, M. New Millenium Bassoon Method. Oregon, MSS Publishing: 2001.

Dietz, William Johnston. The Bassoon Class: A Method and Resource Handbook for Music Educators. By the author, 1993.

Eisenhauer, William. Learn To Play the Bassoon. New York: Alfred, 1974.

Embou-sure: A Step-By-Step Method Complete With Tape. Ashland, Or.: W.I.B.C. Publishing, 1987.

Gainacopulos, Gretchen Schaeffer. “A Self-Instructional Method Book for Students Transferring to the Bassoon.” D.M.A. document, University of Wisconsin- Madison, 1988.

Gekeler, Kenneth. Belwin Bassoon Method. Melville, NY: Belwin Mills, 1952.

Gillfillan, Karen L. Method Book for Bassoon Techniques Class. M.M. thesis, Bowling Green State University, 1982.

Herfuth, C. Paul. Bassoon: A Method for Individual or Class Instruction. New York: Carl Fischer, 1966.

Huddleston, Cheryl Ann. Foundations for Success: Technical Training for the Young Bassoonist. San Antonio, Texas: Southern Music Company, 2006.

Hughes, Fred, Natalie Seltz, and others. Bassoon Basics. Fort Meade, Md.: Army Field Band, 1990. Videocassette.

Jancourt, Eugene and Thomas C. Collins. Bassoon Studies. New York: Belwin, 1946.

Lentz, Don. Lentz Method for Bassoon. New York: Boosey, Hawkes, Belwin, 1941.

Means, Paul B. “A Beginning Method for Bassoon.” M.A. thesis, Eastern Washington State College, 1971.

109 Paciorkiewicz, Ryszard. Mala Szkola Na Fagot [Bassoon Primer Method]. Krakow: Polskie Wydawnictwo Muzyczne, 1998.

Paine, Henry and James D. Ployhar. Bassoon Student: A Method for Private Instruction. Melville, N.Y.: Belwin Mills, 1971.

Peter, Christoph. Musikmappe für Fagottino und Fagott: Lehr- und Spielbuch für Fagottino und Fagott [Music Map for Tenoroon and Bassoon: Tutor and Song Book for Tenoroon and Bassoon], Band 1. Theilingen: Verlag musica practica, 2001.

Satzenhofer, J. Neue Praktische Fagott-Schule: zum Selbstunterrich geeignet. Leipzig: Zimmerman, 1900.

Schaub, Christopher. “An Analysis and New Edition of Weissenborn's Method for Bassoon.” D.M.A. document, The Florida State University, 2006.

Sebba, Jane. Abracadabra Bassoon. London: A & C Black, 2001.

Seltmann, Werner and Günter Angerhöfer. Das Fagott [The Bassoon], vol. 1. Translated by William Waterhouse. Leipzig: VEB Deutscher Verlag für Musik Leipzig, 1977.

Sheen, Graham. Going Solo Bassoon. London: Faber Music, 1987.

Skornicka, Joseph E. Rubank Elementary Method for Bassoon. Milwaukee, Wis.: Hal Leonard, 1935.

Stallsmith, Jerry R. “A Self-Study Method for Junior and Senior High School Musicians Transferring from a Beginning Wind Instrument to the Bassoon.” M.M. thesis, Bowling Green State University, 1992.

Weissenborn, Julius. Practical Method for the Bassoon. Edited by W.F. Ambrosio. New York: Carl Fischer, 1941.

110