To all readers of the bassoon newsletter and all 1974 IDRS members: Here at last is the final issue of "To The World's Bassoonists" for 1974. Thank you all for your infinite patience. In the seven years since I first inaugurated the newsletter idea, I have never failed to send to each subscriber (or IDRS member) the three issues of a given volume of TTWB. But, due to a very busy schedule there have never been all three issues of a volume mailed within a calendar year. This last issue of Volume IV is certainly the record-holder for lateness (over 1 1/2 years overdue!). I hope that the contents will prove worthy enough in quality to partially compensate for my (as Will Jansen so politely-musically puts it) very long "tacet."
Plans are in motion to ease the idea-gathering and editing duties of this writer so that a much more efficient production schedule will be possible in future.
I would like to voice one plea in particular, echoing the opinion of Earl Clemens, 1976 IDRS President. That is: Please mail material to the Editor whenever you have an idea, report, article or story of interest to the community of bassoonists. There are numerous research projects being developed and completed in the field--by university-based scholars and by keenly-involved professionals and graduate students. If I can be informed of all good materials, I will seek out the sources, prepare copy for print (by re-typing and editing), do art and photo work, in short--all the details required to rush interesting ideas to the printers and thus to our wide bassoon readership.
In particular, I would welcome news from the bassoon sections of professional orchestras. I am a little frustrated after requesting these feature articles from many colleagues--both by letter and by telephone--to still be waiting for reports from the bassoons of six major orchestras. I would dearly like to hear from European orchestras and all other foreign orchestras - as well as from our more familiar North American orchestras. So far I have featured the bassoons of the Philadelphia Orchestra, Chicago Symphony, Toronto Symphony, and the Detroit Symphony. I am waiting for: New York Philharmonic, Boston, Houston, Los Angeles, London Symphony Orchestra (England), and The Berlin Philharmonic. Please include either a group photo of the bassoon section or photos of individual members (5 x 7 inch Black and White Glossy), short biographical sketches of the current section, some interesting facts about the orchestra or former bassoonists in the section, and any other points of interest from your center (for example: all-Heckel section or all-Fox instruments, etc.--same reed model for entire section, etc.) Thank you for this valuable information.
Dr. Arthur Benade has recently sent me a review copy of his new book, Fundamentals of Musical Acoustics (1976. Oxford University Press. London-New York-Toronto.) There is much valuable information for performers (particularly) in this welcome book. In a forthcoming issue of TTWB I will include a descriptive review with comments. Other books by bassoonists and about the bassoon have recently been published. I would welcome a review of Arthur Weisberg's The Art of Wind Playing (1975. Schirmer Books. New York.$8.95), and reviews or abstracts of other interesting books, papers or dissertations dealing with the bassoon and related subjects.
There is usually no shortage of submissions on interesting performances. I am always pleased to mention good recital programs, interesting chamber music performances involving bassoon and contrabassoon, and of course solo appearances with orchestras.
A regular column is now appearing dealing with fingerings for difficult passages and combinations. I would welcome any and all ideas for "ways around" (although for many passages the British have an excellent solution which they call "Plan Zed"--practice!) To date all fingerings given have been submitted by only three other bassoonists and myself. In the old WOODWIND magazine, credit was given to as many as ten players per issue in the fingerings column. Surely we have found a few better fingerings than even were known in those years.
Thank you for thinking constructively about our communications medium which from the beginning has been designed for reader participation as well as elucidation and enjoyment. I will look forward to hearing from many who probably were wondering if there still was a bassoon newsletter.
For those who have allowed their subscriptions or IDRS memberships to lapse, please check the membership information box for recent changes in application. IDRS members please report your CHANGE OF ADDRESS to: LOWRY RIGGINS, IDRS Treasurer, School of Music, NLU, Monroe LA 71201, U.S.A. Bassoon newsletter subscribers (living outside North America), report change of address to me -(Gerald E. Corey, 745 Hemlock Rd., Ottawa, Ontario, K1K OK7, Canada).