At 12:46 AM +0200 6/24/07, Daniel Wolf wrote:
I have a question about the bassoon in Le Sacre: does anyone have a strong opinion as to whether the instrument Stravinsky had in mind was a French or German-style instrument? My old Monteux recording -- for all its faults, still the sonic image of Le Sacre I carry around with me -- definitely has a French Basson, with its characterist articulation and the contrasts between registers rather more pronounced than on a German instrument.
He was writing for Paris, and I suspect that he knew the orchestra and perhaps even he players. My best guess, definitely French. (Anybody know what Russian orchestras were using at the time?)
That said, is this now a matter of historical performance practice?
Oh yes. The "early instrument movement" (actually the "appropriate" instrument movement) is most certainly lapping at the early 20th century. Pea-shooter trombones, as well.
do some players play both styles of bassoon, choosing the particular instrument to fit the repertoire?
Can't say on way or the other, but there are certainly some who double on baroque bassoon and treat it as a different though related instrument, which of course it is.
John -- Prof. John R. Howell Virginia Tech Department of Music Blacksburg, Virginia, U.S.A 24061-0240 Vox (540) 231-8411 Fax (540) 231-5034 (mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]) http://www.music.vt.edu/faculty/howell/howell.html _______________________________________________ Finale mailing list Finale@shsu.edu http://lists.shsu.edu/mailman/listinfo/finale
