fagotto

Fagotto is the Italian name for the bassoon, a double-reed woodwind instrument in the modern orchestral and chamber music repertoire. The instrument consists of a long, folded wooden body with a conical bore, typically made of maple, in three or four sections joined by sockets. A double reed attached to a metal or wooden crook (bocal) vibrates to produce sound, and a flared bell helps project it. Modern bassoons are pitched in Bb and are designed with the Heckel key system, providing a wide range and chromatic agility. The instrument's written range generally spans from about B♭1 to E5, with extension possible in the upper register; the sounding pitch is lower than written.

The fagotto emerged in Europe in the 17th century from earlier double-reed instruments such as shawms and curtal. German makers Johann Denner and his successors refined the design, yielding the instrument's basic form in the early 18th century. It gradually established itself in orchestras and chamber music, with prominent parts in the works of Bach, Mozart, Beethoven, and later composers. The contrabassoon extends the range further downward.

In orchestral music the fagotto often provides bass or tenor lines, support for harmony, and dramatic color in solos. In addition to classical repertoire, it appears in film scores and contemporary works. Notable features include a flexible dynamic range, a distinctive reedy timbre, and a capacity for rapid passages and expressive legato.