It is well known that students of wind instruments tend to use their lower jaws and lower lips -- especially for the forming, or rather forcing, of higher notes. This method may be alright, even good for certain instruments. However, it must be forbidden on the bassoon!
I shall now present -- together with my own comments the teaching method of my former professor, Imre Rudas, which is now known as the upper embouchure method among bassoon methods.
The goal is thus: consciousness of the upper embouchure. Consistent intonation and good tone in every register may only be produced by this method. The essence of it is: before sounding the note one places the reed under the upper lip, which itself is pulled behind the upper teeth (slightly); then one draws closed the inactive lower lip to the reed.
Those who do not follow this method tend to press the bocal either haphazardly or upwards, thus tending to produce pressed, grotesque, or false sounds, especially in the upper register. In such cases, whenever air-intake is necessary, they tend to take the upper lip off the reed, thus these lip muscles lose their position and they cannot accurately find the same note again after inhaling. The correct solution to the problem can only be that the teacher does not allow air intake above the reed. This way the tone-producing, ring-like muscle (Musculus orbicularis oris) does not relax completely; the upper lip still has contact with the reed; and the player can continue with a good intonation. His upper notes will also be more beautiful than if he pressed them out from below .
When the pupil has a correct tone production, when his endeavor for correct solutions is completely ingrained, and when his sound is uniformly beautiful (all this may require several years), then the teacher may tell him, in case he hasn't discovered it for himself, that there is no upper and lower embouchure, since the task of the two lips is the co-ordinated narrowing and widening of the reed's gap. One only needs this slightly inaccurate rule in order to help the student acquire the correct embouchure technique. By this time the pupil should know from several years' experience that if he pushes upwards on the bocal several disadvantages would be the result.
It is noteworthy that Professor Rudas, with his generally unknown and unused methods, has produced many famous bassoonists who play in the best orchestras and have won or placed highly in international competitions.
Here I must mention the opinion of those who oppose this embouchure method, which goes: "There are many known foreign institutions where this method is not used and they are still producing good results. Each pupil presents a different anatomical make-up, a different amount of talent, energy and motivation. The teacher must find the method best suited for each particular pupil." The wider freedom inherent in their teaching methods will usually result in the incorrect development of the lower lip. I would like to name other methods of this nature "subjective embouchure" and the method of this article, since it is the result of exterior reasoning, an "objective embouchure." Let me add to the objection quoted above that a person who hasn't enough faith and self-control to adopt the "upper embouchure" method, but who has obvious talent will, through various methods, arrive at the conclusion (only, much later) that the lower lip and jaw should never push the reed upwards. In other words I am not talking about regimentation of bassoon playing! There have been many who didn't "fall for" this method for years, but have now adopted it seeing the excellent results it has produced. Yet how few teachers use this method even in this country (Hungary) - perhaps two or three. This theory of the Rudas-school, which in my opinion is the only correct one, should be more widely publicized not only at home, but abroad as well, if we think of its surprisingly fine results.
In the music of today, each instrumentalist must reach a high standard of performance. The belief is dated which selects certain instruments of the orchestra for soloistic playing and others -- such as the bassoon -- only for accompaniment. Let us bring the level of bassoon-playing up to the level of the most demanding instruments, the ones with the richest literature. There are still many unexplored possibilities. It is indeed a worthy aim to help rejuvenate the bassoon with the aid of up-to-date pedagogy - and allow it to take its deserved place among the increasingly equal members of the orchestra.
(Translated from Hungarian by Janos Csaba. )