The Baroque Bassoon (Works by Fasch, Schutz, Boismoitier, Telemann & Galliard) - Robert Thompson

THE BAROQUE BASSOON Liner notes

The use of the bassoon became widespread throughout most of Europe in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. It was used by composers as a most dependable and popular bass voice in many ensemble combinations. The varieties of bassoons available were documented by the German, Michael Praetorius in 1619 and the Frenchman, Marin Mersenne in 1636. Their texts pictured and described bassoons of various sizes and pitch ranges, with limited potential of achieving chromatic tones -- but from the compositions existing from the period we know that composers pushed this limitation continuously. This album is something of a sampler with compositions from France, England and Germany, ranging in chronology from 1629 through about 1740. The number of compositions specifying the bassoon as a solo instrument is limited, but the ones that have survived are very charming. Because of the common practice of interchanging bassoon for cello or Viola de gamba, included here in one composition by Telemann for the latter, which seems in some way to suit the bassoon sonority better than some of the compositions that specify the option of the bassoon.