Susan Graves, baroque bassoon soloist and a founding member of the Toronto-based ensemble "TAFELMUSIK," is a graduate of Boston's New England Conservatory of Music. She studied bassoon there with Steven Maxym of the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra and discovered a real appreciation for music and instruments of the baroque period while playing in the collegium musicum of Kenneth Roth. White in Boston, Susan played a 5-keyed instrument by D. Porthaux (Langwill gives c. 1782-1824 Ed.), which she remembers as, "a good starting instrument, but with a multitude of problems!"
In 1977-78, Susan studied in Holland at the Royal Conservatory at the Hague. The baroque bassoon specialist there is Danny Bond. Susan speaks very highly of his work. She also studied there with Bruce Haynes, the American baroque oboist. The instrument Susan used during this study period was her present bassoon, by F. Wussinger of Klagenfurt, Austria (c. 1790- 1810).
My instrument is somewhat a transitional bassoon, having 9 keys. There were 8 keys originally, and a 9th, the C# key for the right thumb on the back of the boot joint, was added later. The keys are:
The original pitch of the bassoon was around 420 plus for the A. I have modified bocal and reeds to perform at 415 A.
The bocal was made by Jeremy Soulsby of England. I have lengthened it by adding an extension tube to the reed end of about 1 inch in length. This modification works very well, and a small pin hole in the usual location aids the formation of upper notes. It is therefore quite difficult to play softly in the low register.
My reeds are not "orthodox," but they work well for me. At first I tried many experiments, ranging from modern German bassoon-type reeds through many variants of early reed copies. At present I am quite happy using contrabassoon cane, gouged, pre-shaped and profiled. After forming the reed, I trim as for the Heckel bassoon reeds, but leave the reeds quite a bit more resistant, to control the Wussinger bassoon's bore. Reed dimensions at this date:
Total length 69-70 mm.
Width at tip 19
Width at wire I (formed) 10
Measuring towards the tip from the butt of
the reed, the wires and collar are placed--
Wire II 23 mm.
Wire I 34
Collar 36-37
1. For low G and an octave higher, I add the low B-flat key.
2. The low B-flat key is added also for low F and for A. This key stabilizes the tone and lowers the pitch.
3. I use the forked B-flats and they are stable.
4. For the note B (bass clef second line), I often add the low A-flat key.
5. In the lower octave, the right thumb C# key and the low F# key give beautiful results; but on the octaves above, I use the standard forked fingerings.
6. For the note a (top line bass clef staff) I add E (right thumb on F hole) and low B-flat.
7. e'-flat above middle c' . . . * * o / * *(E) *
8. e' . . . o * * / * * *
9. f' . . . o o * / * * *
10. f#' . . . 1/2 * * / * o o A-flat
11. g' . . . 1/2 * * / o o o A-flat
After several years of study and performing experience, I now find the baroque bassoon pretty comfortable (except for quiet low register playing). I love its tone and the possibilities for expressive playing, and I am searching for a very fine instrument by one of the best baroque makers.
In addition to a multitude of continuo parts in dozens of the best baroque trio sonatas, I have enjoyed performing the following solo bassoon works:
My project for this summer is the fine Telemann Sonata in F Minor.
The most exciting development in our work in Toronto is the recent expansion of our ensemble into a 15-piece baroque chamber orchestra. This permits us to program a range of works from a single solo instrument with or without continuo to the full high baroque repertoire of larger works, cantatas and orchestral suites. Our preferred pitch is 415 A, and wherever possible all players utilize either authentic instruments or the best copies available.