bassoon
Deep orchestral tube
A bassoon is a large woodwind instrument with a distinctive deep, reedy tone.
Its long wooden body doubles back on itself, with a curved metal tube called a bocal connecting to the double reed.
The bassoon provides bass lines in orchestras and wind ensembles, though it also handles melodic passages: The bassoon solo opened the second movement.
A contrabassoon plays an octave lower.
Lowest orchestral woodwind
- double-reedPaired vibrating blades
- bocalBassoon neck tube
- bassoonistDouble-reed instrumentalist
- keyworkLever system on woodwinds
Solo-and-orchestra composition
- sonataMulti-movement instrumental composition
- MozartEighteenth-century Austrian composer
- WeberGerman scholarly surname
- VivaldiBaroque composer from Venice
Scheherazade · Stravinsky · cadenza · etude · solo · duet · trio
Wind player's mouth position
- fingeringNote-playing hand technique
- articulationClear vocal expression
- legatoUnbroken musical phrasing
- staccatoShort, separated note style
vibrato · breath · phrasing · intonation · flick · trill · slur · tonguing
Stick for support
- double-reedPaired vibrating blades
- reed-makingCrafting woodwind vibrating elements
- scrapeRub harshly against
- profileSide-facing outline
shaper · tip · heart · back · gouge · wire · binding · bevel
Sound's distinctive character
- sonorityRichness of tone
- resonanceAmplified oscillation at natural frequency
- toneQuality of sound
- warmthHeat you feel
darkness · reedy · woody · nasal · colorful · plaintive · comical · lyrical
Unified group or outfit
- philharmonicLarge orchestra organization
- scoreNumerical standing in competition
- principalChief school administrator
- contraIn opposition to
doubling · tutti · soli · obbligato · accompaniment · orchestration · pit · symphony
contrabassoon
Lowest orchestral woodwind
- double-reedPaired vibrating blades
- bocalBassoon neck tube
- bassoonistDouble-reed instrumentalist
concerto
Solo-and-orchestra composition
- sonataMulti-movement instrumental composition
- MozartEighteenth-century Austrian composer
- WeberGerman scholarly surname
Vivaldi · Scheherazade · Stravinsky · cadenza · etude · solo · duet · trio
embouchure
Wind player's mouth position
- fingeringNote-playing hand technique
- articulationClear vocal expression
- legatoUnbroken musical phrasing
staccato · vibrato · breath · phrasing · intonation · flick · trill · slur · tonguing · glissando
cane
Stick for support
- double-reedPaired vibrating blades
- reed-makingCrafting woodwind vibrating elements
- scrapeRub harshly against
profile · shaper · tip · heart · back · gouge · wire · binding · bevel · balance
timbre
Sound's distinctive character
warmth · darkness · reedy · woody · nasal · colorful · plaintive · comical · lyrical · mellow
ensemble
Unified group or outfit
- philharmonicLarge orchestra organization
- scoreNumerical standing in competition
- principalChief school administrator
contra · doubling · tutti · soli · obbligato · accompaniment · orchestration · pit · symphony · opera
- bass instrumentstuba, contrabass, contrabassoon, sousaphone
- reed instrumentsoboe, clarinet, saxophone, English horn, alto sax
- woodwindsclarinet, oboe, flute, piccolo, saxophone
- low woodwindscontrabassoon, baritone saxophone, tenor saxophone
- classical musicBach, Mozart, Beethoven, Chopin, Brahms
- orchestraorchestra, symphony orchestra, philharmonic, strings, string orchestra