As a result of several factors, very few American method books specifically for the bassoon exist from the early nineteenth century. First, during this period, many professional bassoonists in America were recent immigrants who brought teaching materials with them. Secondly, the instrumental teacher of this period was often not eager to publish his "playing secrets." Instead, the novice musician would come to the master teacher for this specialized instruction, so that publication of this material might have weakened the teaching market. Finally, the needs of amateur bassoonists were adequately met by the more general ensemble method books, so that more specialized materials would have been superfluous for them.
The relative scarcity of bassoonists at this time, as compared to other instrumentalists further restricted the market for bassoon method books. Thus, even publishers who released a great many method books overlooked the bassoonist. For example. Elias Howe, active in Boston during the mid-19th century and one of the most prolific of these publishers, issued instruction books for accordian, banjo, clarionett, fife, flute, concertina, cornet, flageolet, drum, violin, guitar, melodeon and seraphine, but omitted publishing any information for the bassoon. [1] Since such an entrepreneur would not have overlooked a lucrative market, there must have been very little demand for bassoon methods.
One bassoon method, "[Willing's] Bassoon Instructions" was advertised in J.R. Parker's 1820 Catalogue, but an extant copy has never been located. Willing, a Baltimore-based music teacher, publisher, and dealer in music merchandise was designated as both the author and publisher of this method. It is likely that this instruction book, if ever actually published, was issued in a very limited quantity.
At least two early American method books survive, however. These two methods, W. W. Jones' The Bassoon Preceptor, and G. E. Blake's An Introduction to the Art of Playing the Bassoon, not only provide insights into the technical level of early nineteenth-century American bassoonists, but reveal the standard repertoire and styles employed by composers for woodwind instruments during this period. This article stems from a study of these previously unexamined sources.
W. W. Jones of New York City was probably the first American to produce an instruction book specifically for the bassoon. Published by J. Hewitt's establishment, The Bassoon Preceptor offered:
The whole art of Playing -- rendered easy to all capacities wherein every instruction relative to that instrument is elucidated in the most clear and simple manner [sic], and by which anyone may without assistance of a Master learn to play with Taste and Judgement, in a Short Time.
All this for only 62 cents!
Little is known of the man who could make such a promise, W. W. Jones.
His name does not appear in standard American biographical sources. Thus, it is likely that W. W. Jones was primarily a woodwind specialist, possibly a bassoonist, whose bassoon method represented his one published pedagogic source.
Much more well known was the Hewitt firm, responsible for the publication of Jones' method. The Bassoon Preceptor's title page specified it as "Printed and Sold at J. Hewitt's Musical Repository and Library, No. 59 Maiden Lane." No date is provided here, but, according to Wolfe, its publication can be placed between 1807 and 1810, when the Hewitt firm occupied this residence.
As with other bassoon methods, The Bassoon Preceptor seems not to have been widely distributed. I have been able to locate one copy, that owned by the Duke University Library. Thus, this publication may have been intended simply as pedagogic material for Jones's bassoon students, distributed only in his locality.
The pedagogic contents of The Bassoon Preceptor are based upon an earlier anonymous English tutor, Compleat Instructions for the Bassoon or Fagotto. This prototype has been traced through several editions, the earliest of which appeared around 1770, with a later edition published by Longman and Broderip between 1776 and 1782. [2] Two copies of these editions are incomplete, but a third copy from around 1780, also published in London, survives in its entirety in the British Museum. [3]
Although the title page and opening citations of The Bassoon Preceptor differ from the Compleat Instructions, and the order of the pedagogic advice is slightly rearranged,there is no significant difference in the content. Indeed, there is a direct plagiarism from the earlier source in the first eight pages of The Bassoon Preceptor. Only one technical advance appears in The Bassoon Preceptorit is written for a seven-key bassoon, whereas the Compleat Instructions are based upon a four-key instrument. *
Thereafter, the sources differ in their musical contents. The earlier edition of the Compleat Instructions ends, promising that "a further Collection of Tunes for one and two bassoons will be Published Shortly," [4] while the British Museum copy provides a number of pieces, including several duets and a three movement sonata. [5] Although The Bassoon Preceptor follows the Compleat Instructions in opening with "God Save the King" (as did the American general method books) and presenting a piece simultaneously scored in bass and tenor clefs, it contains a different set of pieces, of which only two are bassoon duets and the rest are solos.
Thus, W. W. Jones' publication cannot be considered an original work in the modern sense, but rather a compilation of available materials. Jones' pirating cannot be viewed as reprehensible, however, for this practice was commonplace. In fact, the Compleat Instructions themselves were based upon an earlier publication, the Musick Master of 1730. Jones's contribution lay in choosing appropriate pedagogical information and supplementing it with music which would appeal to an American market.
In his introductory remarks to The Bassoon Preceptor, Jones voiced the bassoonist's familiar plaint -- the need for a good ear, good instrument, and good reed:
The BASSOON like all other Instruments, is of itself very Imperfect, and requires the assistance of a good Musical Ear, to help its imperfections, and blow it tolerably in tune. In the first place, tis essentially necessary to be well assured that you have a good Instrument, Also a Good Reed, as the playing with ease chiefly depends on those two particulars. [Jones, p. 2]
Only a few music fundamentals are explained -- the note names are associated with their respective pitches (in bass clef), and the tenor clef is presented with its corresponding note-names. Jones did not discuss metric or rhythmic matters, relying on the learner to acquire this information from other sources:
As there are few who attempts [sic] the BASSOON but what can play on some other Instrument or have a little knowledge of Music, I think it useless to treat on NOTES, CHARACTERS, TIME, etc. if it should so happen that the Learner is unacquainted with these, I would advise him to peruse the Instruction Books for the Hoboy, Violin, or German Flute, where he will find a full explanation of Notes, Time, Keys, Flats, Sharps, etc. [Jones, p. 8]
From this excerpt, it appears that even at this time, bassoonists were probably recruited from the ranks of other woodwind players.
After teaching the note names, Jones provides the student with a diatonic fingering chart, from B1-flat to g'. An extended scale follows, giving all chromatic fingerings, with the exception of B1 and C-sharp, which were "lipped" by the bassoonist. This extended scale provides fingerings ascending to a', although there was still no a' wing key to simplify its production. Indeed, the bassoon depicted in Jones' fingering charts is equipped with seven keys -- F, A-flat, F-sharp, D, E- flat, C, and B1-flat -- standard at the beginning of the nineteenth century. Thus, while common trills, or "shakes," are provided, these are limited primarily to diatonic notes and common chromatic inflections -- e-flat, b-flat, and c-sharp. At this time the "notes which admit of shakes" were relatively few, for the bassoon's key mechanism was not sufficiently developed to permit many trills common today.
Six introductory exercises for the bassoonist precede the main body of the work. These exercises consist of diatonic scales, octave leaps, and ascending and descending thirds. All six lessons remain in B-flat major, but they do extend to the extremes of contemporary bassoon range -- B1-flat to g'. However, although Jones assumes that the beginner will have other access to rhythmic and metric instruction, these lessons utilize only the simplest metric components, strict quarter notes in C or 3/4 meter.
Although a common popular idiom pervades The Bassoon Preceptor, a variety of genres appear in the chosen selections. Its contents are:
Stylistic directions and indications are infrequent, perhaps because learning to make these stylistic distinctions was considered a necessity, but, more likely the tunes themselves were so well known as to make extensive directions superfluous. Dynamic markings occur only once -- forte to piano echos are indicated in "Hail, Columbia." Similarly, two tempo or stylistic markings appear. "The Thorn" is to be played "with energy," and "Ere around the Huge Oak," is described as a "Siciliana."
When the selection is written for two bassoons, the upper part sustains the melodic line, while the lower voice provides harmonic and rhythmic support. However, the two lines require equal, or near equal, technical resources. Thus, there is no division into "student-teacher" roles, as there is in many other instrumental books.
Jones presents these pieces straightforwardly, with no textual explanations to preface the individual items, with the one exception of "Air oe Julie," the only specifically pedagogical selection. This selection presents both tenor and bass clefs, so that the beginner could easily teach himself the tenor clef transposition. From the first selection, however, some technical facility is assumed, certainly above that required for the preceding six lessons. Although there is little progression in difficulty, certain passages do require more facility than might be expected in a beginning bassoon book. The most difficult selection, at least in terms of range, appears in "The Thorn," in which the bassoonist must execute two sixteenth-note passages, "with Energy," in the upper range:
Jones' selections are placed in easier keys -- F, G, B-flat, D and E-flat major -- suitable for a beginner. However, he did not shy away from chromaticism altogether, for individual c-sharps, a-flats, g-sharps, and d-flats do appear within the pieces. Thus, the selections employ a simple diatonic framework, occasionally embellished by chromatic inflection.
Much may be said about what W. W. Jones omitted from his bassoon method. There are no rigorous, progressive, pedagogic exercises, nor is much verbal attention given pedagogical aspects. The beginner was left to discover for himself the solutions to embouchure, breathing, tonguing, and other bassoon technique problems. However, Jone's Bassoon Preceptor is considerably more thorough than bassoon instructions in contemporary ensemble methods in both its verbal and musical sections. The bassoon is treated as a "total" instrument, capable of melodic expression and competent to perform even difficult passages. Within this framework, Jones utilized the complete range of the bassoon and required at least an intermediate level of technical facility. There are no ensemble arrangements nor information on other instruments. Instead, Jones compiled a body of music which he considered suitable for the bassoon, and, thus, produced the first complete bassoon method to be published in the United States.
The filigreed title page which prefaces An Introduction to the Art of Playing the Bassoon (Philadelphia: G. E. Blake, 1826) announces that it is "illustrated with examples calculated to promote the progress of the Student," and priced at a mere 75 cents. Compiled by "A Professor" (probably Blake), An Introduction's title page reflects the commercial nature of its publication, advertising "warranted Instruments, on reasonable terms" for "Military Bands and Musical Societies. " As indicated above, G. E. Blake (1775-1871), active as a publisher, dealer, teacher, flutist and clarinetist, was most likely its author as well as publisher.
The Library of Congress' copy of An Introduction to the Art of Playing the Bassoon is an 18 x 29 centimeter folio, bound in a faded green cover. Although a few corners are slightly frayed, all 26 pages survive completely and are clearly legible. No record of later editions of An Introduction exists.
The Introduction contains considerably more information on playing the bassoon than did its predecessor, The Bassoon Preceptor. Pages 3-8 provide the following basic directions for the beginning bassoonist. Beginning with praise for the capacities of the bassoon, the Introduction notes that the bassoon's tone is "more similar to the human voice than any other instrument which has yet been invented," and remarks that, although the bassoon is typically used as a bass instrument in an ensemble, it is capable of "the most difficult melodies and especially [sic] those selected for the flute." This elevated conception of the bassoon's capabilities is followed by "general instructions."
The General Instructions cover several pedagogical topics and offer practical advice. These topics may be briefly outlines as follows:
The first and most essential thing is a Good Reed. But unfortunately that can seldom be procured until the performer is able to make, or at least, to adjust one for himself . . . Should a good Reed be put into the hands of the learner he cannot be too careful of it. He would do well to have a small round box with a top to it, for holding his reeds, varnished well inside and out, to make it perfectly impervious to the effects of the atmosphere, for when a reed which has been used and becomes dry, the edges begin to open and it is no longer a good reed. [p. 3]
The leathers which are on the keys must completely cover the holes, and if they become hard or in any way injured, the instrument can neither be easily nor correctly played. A Bassoon ought to be frequently taken apart, the keys taken off, and the tube and holes well cleaned and when it is quite dry, a woollen rag slightly oiled ought to be passed through ever part of it, and all oil, water, and other things carefully rubbed off before putting on the keys. The brass tube to which the reed is applied (commonly called the Crook) may be cleaned with a long feather, and should be frequently washed out and oiled, otherwise the high notes become too sharp. [pp. 3-4]
The best method to prevent distortion of the body is to attach a string to the swivel which is fixed to the stock of the instrument and adjust its length so that when it is appended to a button of the waistcoat he must keep his head erect when he holds the Bassoon in the following Position.
The bassoon is to cross the body a little, the stock touching the hip-bone on the right side with its edge. The Bell nearly opposite to, and extending beyond the left shoulder -- the crook at right angles with the two tubes of the instrument and the top leaning forward so that the reed may reach the mouth when the performer stands perfectly erect and his shoulders square. [p. 4]
When the pupil begins his practice he must be very careful that he does not blow out his cheeks, nor stoop, nor twist his body in any way. . . .
Turn the under lip over the teeth as far as possible, then having the reed properly fixed in the crook lay it on the lower lip and extend the upper until it reaches nearly to the tying or copper ring with which the reed is usually bound, the lower lip does not reach more than halfway in consequence of its being turned over the teeth. Close the six holes on the outside appropriate to the 1st, 2nd and 3rd fingers of each hand and sound A . . .
After the learner can blow this note he may proceed to each note in succession of the following scale, being particularly careful that he bring each note correctly before he attempts another, as by that means he will ascertain the different degrees of pressing the reed in a gradual and certain manner. [pp. 4-5]
Although the Introduction's instructions on reed, maintenance, and position correspond to modern practice, its description of the proper bassoon embouchure varies somewhat with the embouchure commonly used today. It appears that the lower lip was not only dropped back beyond a normal overbite, but the lower lip was turned back over the teeth far more than is common today. The mention of changing pressure on the reed within a scale refers to the octave G to g, within which the modern bassoonist would make very little embouchure alteration.
Blake first introduces the diatonic scale, G to g, which the beginner is instructed to practice "until the notes can be taken with the greater facility." Only then is the complete fingering system, that of the 6-9 keyed bassoon, given. Blake describes the instrument as commonly equipped with F, G-sharp, F-sharp, E-flat, D, and B-flat keys, and sometimes furnished with the newer C-sharp, and wing a and b-flat keys. However, low E and C, are still open holes to be covered by the thumbs. An illustration of the bassoon clarifies this arrangement for the beginner.
Although the chromatic scale facilitated by this key system has expanded from that of Jones's Bassoon Preceptor, now including the high b-flat, there are still no fingerings for the low B, and C-sharp, which, presumably, the bassoonist had to "lip" if called upon to produce. Forked-fingerings for B-flat, E-flat, and C-sharp are still preserved, since these had not been superseded by new chromatic keys.
Much like The Bassoon Preceptor, An Introduction to the Art of Playing the Bassoon does not deal with the rudiments of music, but assumes this knowledge of the beginner. A short explanation of tenor clef appears (p. 8) and the treble clef is also explained. Seven short lessons provide the preliminary instruction for the bassoonist -- scales and scale patterns, octave leaps, thirds, and exercises involving a combination of these. The seven lessons are placed in the keys of C, F, B-flat, and E-flat major -- the keys used throughout the musical selection of An Introduction. The lessons themselves are completely appropriate as preparation for the contents of An Introduction, since most selections, although arranged for various combinations of instruments, employ the bassoon in just such standardized, indeed, cliched, patterns.
An Introduction to the Art of Playing the Bassoon contains the following pieces:
No pedagogic instruction appears within the selections chosen for An Introduction. Nor does the tenor clef appear, for bass clef is used throughout the book, in spite of the earlier explanation of other clefs. The selections exhibit two distinct styles of writing for the bassoon -- the bassoon as a solo and duo instrument, and the bassoon as a supporting member of a large ensemble. Thus, in "Gramacharie," a bassoon solo, "The Rising Sun" and "The Dutchess of Buccleugh's Favorite," duos for bassoon and clarinet, the bassoon is treated as a melodic voice, capable of some expressiveness and possessing some technical facility. Although the range employed by these three selections is limited from F to g', some short figures require a degree of technical competence to execute clearly. These excerpts, the first the bassoon solo 'Gramacharie," the second from the "Dutchess of Buccleugh's Favorite," typify the technical requirements of these pieces.
Ensemble arrangements in which the bassoon serves as the supporting bass follow. These arrangements, in four parts, offer a choice of instrumentation, thereby providing a flexibility necessary for music-making in nineteenth-century America. Thus, the upper two parts, primo and secondo, are scored for some combination of "clarionet," flute or violin, while the third part is given to the French Horn in C. The bass line is merely indicated as "basso," not specifically assigned to the bassoon. However, it is safe to assume, since these pieces are included in a bassoon method book, that this part was intended for the bassoon. Yet, as with the other lines, there are no technical or range demands that would identify it as idiomatic for any specific instrument.
Thus the bass line for these ensemble pieces is limited to a range of C to c', a greatly simplified technique employing monotonous quarter- and eighth-note patterns in octaves and fifths, and a complete dependence on the keys of C major, F major and A minor.
It would be a mistake, however, to ascribe this style of writing to a misunderstanding of the bassoon's capabilities by the compiler. Indeed, he has already shown some awareness of the bassoon's expressive and technical potential in the opening selections of the method book. Instead, this limited use of the bassoon results from the weakness of the arrangements themselves, which are based on a root-position concept of diatonic harmony with stratified voice functions. Within this homophonic framework, the upper voice provides the melody, the inner two lines add harmonic support, while the bass line is relegated to the production of chord roots. The overall musical effect is similar to the block-chord hymn style of American composers of the preceding century. Certainly, the technical requirements of these arrangements could easily be met by amateurs, a strong selling point for the method book.
The arrangements are only sparsely marked with tempo and dynamic indications. Thus, only two pieces, "Gramacharie" and "The Dutchess of Buccleugh's Favorite" are preceded by tempo specifications -- Andante, and "slow." The only consistent use of dynamics occurs in "The Rising Sun," in which several phrases are contrasted by piano and forte markings, creating an echo effect. Most likely these pieces, as those in the Bassoon Preceptor, were so well known that they required no further explanation. Furthermore, pieces with genre indications, such as "March," "Waltz," or "Quick Step," several of which appear in this collection, are stylistically self explanatory. Thus, the lack of interpretive marking resulted not from an oversight of the publisher or compiler, but as an attempt to avoid redundancy.
Although Blake's An Introduction to the Art of Playing the Bassoon reveals an advancement in pedagogic treatment of the bassoon, it makes no real progress in the musical utilization of the bassoon within an ensemble context. Blake provided more thorough, detailed information on several aspects of the bassoon which had previously received little attention in American publications -- reeds, maintenance, embouchure, and position. His preliminary lessons, although not extensive by any means, were as complete as those offered by Jones's Bassoon Preceptor, and his opening selections for the solo and duo bassoon reveal an awareness of the bassoon's capabilities. However, the ensemble arrangements hearken back to an earlier time, and appear to be modeled directly upon arrangements of general method books. Some of their primitive musical style may reflect an attempt to remain within amateur technical levels, but it is more likely that this style reveals a lack of thorough compositional training on the part of the compiler, G. E. Blake. Working with well-known tunes and limited musical resources, Blake was unable to produce polished selections which would highlight the idiomatic capacities of the instruments. The results are, however, sometimes quaint in their rustic simplicity. In summation, An Introduction to the Art of Playing the Bassoon is a significant document in American bassoon pedagogy, although limited in its musical worth.
GEORGIA KAY PEEPLES holds a B.M. from Baylor University (1974) an M.A. in Music History from the University of North Carolina (1976) and a D.M.A. in Bassoon Performance and Pedagogy from the University of Maryland (1981). She has studied bassoon with Kenneth Pasmanick and Mark Popkin and has performed with the American Dance Festival and the North Carolina Symphony and Chamber Players. She is currently Instructor of Bassoon at Penn State University.
[1] National Union Catalogue, Pre-1956 Imprints, Vol. 257, pp. 49-54. [return]
[2] Eric Halfpenney, "The Earliest English Bassoon Tutor." Galpin Society Journal XVII (1964), 103-105. [return]
[3] Don Arlen Horner, The Teaching of the Bassoon from c. 1700 to 1825: A Survey of Selected Pedagogical Material. D.M.A. dissertation, University of Oregon, June 1980. [return]
[4] Halfpenney, op. cit., 105. [return] [5] Horner, op. cit., p. 116. [return] *Those interested in earlier and European sources should see Don A. Horner's dissertation, The Teaching of the Bassoon from c.1700 to 1825: A Survey of Selected Pedagogical Material (D.M.A. dissertation, University of Oregon, 1980). [return]