bassoon

The bassoon is a woodwind instrument of the double-reed family. It has a long, wooden body with a folded conical bore. Modern bassoons are typically made of Grenadilla wood or composite materials and consist of two joined sections plus a curved metal crook called a bocal that holds the double reed. The reed is made of cane and vibrates to produce sound when the air column is excited by the player.

It is pitched in F and is a transposing instrument, meaning it sounds lower than written. The instrument uses a system of keys and tone holes to play chromatically across a wide range. Its written range typically extends from around B-flat1 up to about E5, with a rich bottom end and a capable upper register. The tone is characteristically warm and reedy, with a wide dynamic range and the ability to sustain long, lyrical lines as well as articulate passages.

In orchestral and chamber music, the bassoon commonly supplies bass lines, inner voices, and coloristic effects. It is frequently featured in solos and concertos and appears across periods from the Classical through the modern era. Notable repertoire includes works by Mozart, Beethoven, and Brahms, as well as 20th-century pieces by Stravinsky, Prokofiev, Hindemith, and contemporary composers.

History of the instrument traces the bassoon’s development from early double-reed instruments such as the dulcian in the 16th and 17th centuries to the modern instrument with standardized keywork. The name derives from the Italian fagotto and the German basson, with the English term bassoon.