The bassoon is a woodwind instrument with a double reed, like the oboe. It has often been called the clown of the orchestra, as composers sometimes give it more humorous roles. The bassoon’s sound has much in common with the human voice. In its lower register, it is deep and resonant; in the middle register, it is warm and blends beautifully with the other woodwind instruments; and in its upper register, the sound becomes more penetrating. The contrabassoon is a true bass instrument, producing a powerful rumble in the lowest register.
Our orchestra has four bassoonists.