The Double Reed Vol. 24 No.

1 2002
THE DOUBLE REED

47

A Guide to Pianissimo Fingerings on the Heckel-System Bassoon

Terry B. Ewell Towson University [This article first appeared in Dutch in Scrapes 2 (September 1998): 30-35]

erforming pianissimo passages on any double readers may better familiarize themselves with this reed instrument presents unique challenges. resource. Unlike the single reed, the double reed has a marked tendency to cease vibrating at the quieter dynamic levels particularly in the lower registers. AN INTRODUCTION TO THE FORMAT OF THE These difficulties have prompted many innovations by BASSOON-FAMILY FINGERING COMPANION bassoonists which have included making special reeds, muting the instrument with cloth or handkerchief Several people greatly helped to finalize the format material in the bell, or closing certain key holes with for the Companion. Andrew Brandt and others on the wedged corks or other material. In addition many basDoublereed list aided in the development an ASCII soonists have discovered that certain fingerings on the encoding of bassoon and contrabassoon fingerings instrument mute the tone and provide an extra measure in August of 1994. The ASCII encoding of bassoonof safety for those difficult pianissimo passages. family fingerings is employed instead of a pictorial Comprehensive sources for Heckel-system basrepresentation on the web site because it requires less soon fingerings appear in print and on the World Wide computer memory to store, saves downloading time Web. The best known and most complete source of for the viewer, and it is accessible to those with textHeckel-system bassoon fingerings in print is Hugh L. only readers. Perhaps the earliest version of ASCII Cooper and Howard Toplanskys Essentials of Bassoon encoding of bassoon fingertips is found on page 36 Technique (New Jersey: Howard Toplansky, 1968, of Gerald Coreys How to Make the French Bassoon 1974, 1976). Readers are encouraged to consult this Work, Journal of the International Double Reed fine work. In 1996 I established on the World Wide Web Society 1 (May 1973). site of the International Double Reed Society a database The note names in the Companion and in this of bassoon-family fingerings. This project, which was article are designated according to the labeling system supported by funding from the IDRS and graduate assisadopted by the Acoustical Society of America. In this tant Lisa Hoyt at West Virginia University, is resident at system each C on the piano is numbered from the http://idrs.colorado.edu/BSNFING/FINGHOME.HTM. lowest C, C1, to the highest, C8. The pitch numbering The Bassoon-Family Fingering Companion (hereafsystem employed by the Acoustical Society of America ter the Companion) contains the most comprehensive is one integer larger than the system found in Cooper collection of fingerings for and Toplanskys Essentials the Heckel-system bassoon, of Bassoon Technique. Thus, Buffet-system bassoon, conCooper and Toplanskys trabassoons (German and CI equals the Acoustical French systems), historic Societys C2. Notes withbassoons, and other double in an octave above the Cs reed instruments amassed receive the number of their in one location. The lower C. Therefore, the lowCompanion not only conest bassoon note, Bb, is tains fingerings but also labeled Bb1. The next three serves as an index to pubchromatic notes are labeled lications of fingerings in B1, C2, and C#2. Open F print. This article will prois F3, the F above that is vide a guide to pianissimo F4, and the F above high fingerings for the HeckelE is F5. system bassoon and serve Figure 1 gives American as an introduction for readlabels for the Heckel-system ers interested in further bassoon keys and holes. using the Companion. I will Figure 2 has the ASCII Figure 1: American labels for the Heckel-System bassoon use the format of the encoding of standard key keys and holes. Companion here so that work on the Heckel-system

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A GUIDE TO PIANISSIMO FINGERINGS ON THE HECKEL-SYSTEM BASSOON

pianissimo fingering for B2. Note that the whisper key lock needs to be engaged so that the left thumb can close the low Bb, B, C, and D keys. Adding the lefthand keys gives the performer a measure of comfort so that more air can be used during the attack without the note sounding too loud. Figure 5 supplies both

Figure 2: ASCII encoding of the Heckel-System bassoon keys and holes.

bassoon. Note that the ASCII encoding is rotated 90%, that is, the fingerings go left to right instead of top to bottom. The ASCII representation in Figure 2 assumes that all tone holes are covered and all keys are downa very unlikely occurrence. Please note that an x indicates a covered tone hole or G key, and o indicates an open hole or G key. When the name of a key is given the key should be depressed. The sign l stands for a half hole, or in some instances a venting of the hole 1/4-3/4 open. Parenthesis ( ) indicate optional fingerings. The easiest way to explain the system will be to examine a few fingerings in the context of our discussion of difficult passages below. PIANISSIMO FINGERINGS FOR DIFFICULT PASSAGES Doubtless one of the most difficult pianissimo passages for the bassoon is found in the first movement of Tchaikovskys Sixth Symphony (Fig. 3). Many have found the result on the bassoon so unsatisfactory

Figure 5: ASCII and pictorial representations for pianissimo A2.

representations of the pianissimo fingering for A2, the next note in the solo. This note on the bassoon tends to be sharp and rather loud. This muted fingering for A2 is an excellent one to remember; it is useful in many contexts. Likewise I have found the pianissimo fingering for F#2 in Figure 6 quite handy not only

Figure 6: ASCII and pictorial representations for pianissimo F#2.

for this solo, but also for other passages. It is duller and flatter than the normal F#2 fingering. The D2 (low Figure 3: Tchaikovsky Symphony 6, 1st movement, m 160. D) ending the solo does not have a special fingering since the handkerchief in the bell sufficiently mutes that often the part is given to the bass clarinet. In addithe sound. For the entire solo the performer will tion to treating the first clarinetist to a good steak dinhave to experiment with using more air since the finner (so that the clarinetgerings and the handkerist will not play too quichief in the bell add resisetly before the bassoon tance. For added safety solo) the bassoonist may a well-scraped, pianissifind the fingerings given mo-playing reed is also in Figures 4-6 helpful. recommended. Before the solo is played, A pianissimo Bb3 on I prepare the bassoon by the bassoon presents placing a small handkerproblems with both intochief in the bassoon bell. nation and stability for Figure 4 supplies the performer. Often I both the ASCII and pictowill add the left hand Figure 4: ASCII and pictorial representations rial representation of the little finger Db resonance and pianissimo B2.

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to stabilize and lower the pitch of the note. Adding the low Bb key further dampens the tone (Fig. 7). This is

awkward slur I performed the solo with the whisper key lock engaged. I also vent the left-hand C register key for the A3 and Bb3 notes in the solos. For the A3 in measures seven and eight I open the E hole while depressing the C register key (Fig. 10). The A2 fingering is one we employed above in the Sixth

Figure 7: Ending note to Hindemith Sonata movements 1 & 2 with ASCII fingering for pianissimo Bb3.

an appropriate fingering to employ for the last pitch of the first and second movements of Hindesmiths Bassoon Sonata. Others may find it useful in the last Bb3 of the bassoon solo towards the end of the second movement of Tchaikovskys Fourth Symphony (15 measures before the end of the movement). A few bars later, a beautiful diminuendo on the last noteF3of the second movement can be achieved by adding the E key at the start of the note and then slowly covering

Figure 10: Fingerings for a pianissimo A3-A2 slur.

Figure 8: Ending note to Tchaikovskys Fourth Symphony, second movement.

Symphony pianissimo solo, but is also included in Figure 10. I find this combination of fingerings more effective than the normal fingerings for the A3-A2 slur because the closing and opening of extra holes and keys helps to set up the new pattern of resonance needed in the bassoon bore to initiate the lower A. Practice closing the E-hole with the left-hand index finger in a percussive manner to further aid in the slur. Both of the A fingerings given in Figure 10 need more air than the normal fingeringsthey are more resistant. I find the increased resistance helpful during a pianissimo solo. I feel comfortable using more air than less when performing at quiet dynamics since the reed is less likely to stop vibrating with a greater airflow. I close with recommended fingerings for perform-

the B hole (Fig. 8). You may wish to leave the B hole venting slightly at the end of the note. Experiment to see what works best for you. A slight covering of the B hole is also an effective way to mute notes in the bassoon solo in the beginning

Figure 11: Ending note to Ligetti Sechs Bagatellen, movement 2 with ASCII fingerings for G4.

Figure 9: Mahlers First Symphony, third movement solo.

of the Third Movement of Mahlers First Symphony (Fig. 9). I find that shading the B hole, that is allowing it to vent slightly, dulls the tone for D3 and E3. I am grateful to Dan Welcher for pointing this out to me several years ago. Shading the B hole allows a pianissimo attack on the first D3 and excellent control throughout the first two measures of the solo. I also shade the E3s and D3s as needed in the fifth and sixth measures. Perhaps the most difficult aspect of the solo lies with the execution of clean A3-A2 slurs in the seventh and eighth measures. In preparation for this

ing Ligettis Sechs Bagatellen, a wind quintet. Figure 11 supplies a fingering that works well for the last note (G4) of the second movement. Ligetti asks the performer to start fortissimo on the pitch and diminuendo to pianissimoa difficult thing to do with the standard fingering for G4. Note the half hole with the left-hand index finger in Figure 11. Figure 12

Figure 12: Tempo I in Ligetti Sechs Bagatellen, movement 5 with ASCII fingerings for pianissimo B3.

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A GUIDE TO PIANISSIMO FINGERINGS ON THE HECKEL-SYSTEM BASSOON

Figure 13: Ligetti Sechs Bagatellen, movement 5, m. 26, with ASCII fingering for pianissimo F#-Gb3 trill.

furnishes a wonderfully muted fingering for B3, which works well in the fifth movement. A few measures later an F3-Gb3 pianissimo trill can be accomplished by trilling the high Eb key with the fingering supplied in Figure 13. A CHROMATIC LISTING OF PIANISSIMO FINGERINGS Below is a table of pianissimo fingerings presented in chromatic order from C2-B3. This list was gleaned from the Companion with some additional fingerings added by me. Full references, including the contributors name and the reference to the publication,

may be accessed in that database. Not all the fingerings in this list will work well for every instrument or style of reed. Readers will need to test them to see which is most appropriate. Two authors deserve mention here for their contributions to this table of pianissimo fingerings. L. Hugh Cooper has supplied a number of pianissimo fingerings in varied publications including The Double Reed and Essentials of Bassoon Technique. I also wish to acknowledge Georgia Peeples articles, Playing Pianissimo: Mute Fingerings for the Bassoon, in the NACWPI Journal 62/2 (Winter 1993-1994); 14. While these fingerings are not the total solution to the problem of playing pianissimo on bassoon, the reader will no doubt find them useful tools. Further suggestions for pianissimo fingerings or other fingerings for bassoon-family instruments may be forwarded to Terry B. Ewell. All contributions published in the Companion will acknowledge the name of the contributor.