(The following article by British
bassoonist, Lewis Dann, along with my own report on bassoon study
in Nice, France, constitute an attempt to bring the bassoon readership
up to date on recent activities of the French bassoon. With the
retirement of Cecil James of London, Mr. Dann is, to my knowledge,
the only active player of the French bassoon
in the U.K. at the present time. Ed.)
On reading Philip Gottling's
Bassoon Record Reviews in Vol. 9 No. I of The Double Reed a
number of old questions came to mind. It was with pleasant surprise
that I noticed that the first review concerned performances by
French artists of 20th Century French music and of course on French
instruments.
Taking my bassoon around the country I am often stopped by concert-goers who wish to admire the instrument and comment on its distinctive tone. One recent admirer said, "That looks like a fine old instrument. " I was quick to show him that my instrument was in fact a oneyear-old Buffet R.C. model. This is the latest in my collection of instruments.
Some 12 years ago my French model was stolen and the insurance company, being unable to value my loss, replaced it with a German system model. In this way my hand was forced and I persevered for six years knowing deep in my heart that the German sound was not what I wanted the bassoon to make. Somewhere the comparison with a "wooden horn" had made me consider the complete revision of my embouchure and I returned to the style of French bassooning with which I had grown up. You will gather that I cannot cope, myself, with the two styles simultaneously.
I bought an old Buffet model made of maple wood although the wing joint was of the customary rosewood. It has a vocal quality which, when one has spent innumerable hours of reed making and adjusting, is compatible with the strings in a Vivaldi Concerto or alternatively lays the foundation in a quartet or quintet to satisfaction. However its weightiest sound was sometimes inadequate for the requirements of many conductors, and this is where the modern Buffet R.C. model has met every challenge.
The recent developments in bore dimensions, the redesigned copper crooks, wood from the forests of South America, carefully bored tone holes and additional vents have made a new concept in French bassooning, the foundations of which have been laid down by the incomparable Maurice Allard. Another, who unfortunately has sadly left us, but who also encouraged and inspired me entirely by his remarkable performances with the "Quintette a Vent de Paris" has been Paul Hongne. He features on a commemorative album of four discs (Ades COF 7084) with the other members of the Quintette: Jacques Castagner, flute; Robert Casier, oboe; Andre Boutard, clarinet; and Michel Berges, horn; with pianist, Leslie Wright.
It is now more than 100 years since the creation in Paris of the Chamber Music Society for Wind Instruments which served to afford the same status to wind instruments as was already afforded to the piano, violin and 'cello by the large sonata repertoire for those instruments. The result of this gave rise to the proliferation of chamber music for wind during the present century and of which the above-mentioned discs are a microcosm.
So why is it, that following the daily broadcasts of the B.B.C. Music Programmes I note a continuing reluctance to broadcast anything to do with the French bassoon? The British audience is adequately served with volumes of American, Czech, German and Russian performances amongst a welter of British performances as one would rightly expect, although certain French singers, pianists, flautists and oboists feature occasionally at off-peak unsociable hours. As for a performance by a French orchestra of anything other than French music, this seems an impossibility. Why should this be so?
Perhaps the French have to accept part of the blame. Maybe their solidarity in the past has been interpreted as insularity. It is high time that the old prejudices on both sides are laid low.