Technique

The Art of Wind Playing by Arthur Weisberg

Bassoonist Arthur Weisberg was obviously a thoughtful and dedicated musician. From his many years of experience comes this book. It guides players through the finer points of musical performance, concentrating especially on attack and release. His powerful clarity and sometimes pithy wordage make this a book every wind player should own.

Bassoon Reimagined by Ryan Romine

The most complete collection and explanation of contemporary techniques for bassoon, this book features guidance for both performers and composers, along with thirty-two character studies (titled Fantastic Tales) that showcase these techniques in largely tonal settings geared toward student bassoonists.

Bassoon Strategies for the Next Level by Christopher Weait

This book pulls together many of the things we know to be true about practice and life and puts them in print—in front of us—to remind us how to be good, healthy musicians. There are also many bits of advice that may not occur to us naturally, but have an incredible resonance once they are absorbed.

Bassoon Trills, Shakes and Skills from My Symphonic Career by Gerald Corey

Quite useful and charming at the same time. Is less complete but much more portable than the Cooper/Toplansky. This book is currently out of print and is nearly impossible to find for sale, though it is in the collection of a number of university libraries.

The Breathing Book for Bassoon by Kristin Wolfe Jensen

An Alexander/Body Mapping approach to the bassoon. This indispensable resource allows teachers and students to have more accurate and meaningful conversations about posture and breath and to follow up those explorations with playing exercises developed specifically for bassoon players.

Contemporary Techniques for the Bassoon: Multiphonics by Jamie Sampson

Released in 2014, this is the mother of all multiphonics listings. It has a few typos and there are surely going to be a few multiphonics that do not work on your bassoon/reed setup, but if you are even slightly interested in contemporary bassoon technique, this book belongs on your shelf.

The Essentials of Bassoon Technique by Lewis Hugh Cooper and Howard Toplansky

Perhaps the most complete fingering guide available. This book is an absolute necessity.

Metodo per fagotto by Sergio Penazzi and Bruno Barolozzi

This is basically an etude/method book specifically for bassoon based on the work the two did for New Sounds for Woodwind.

New Sounds for Woodwind by Bruno Bartolozzi

This book is the first to detail many contemporary techniques in a systemized fashion. It is valuable not only for its wealth of information, but also for its historical value. This slender volume also includes techniques for flute, oboe, and clarinet. Sadly, it is currently out of print.

Pictoral Fingerings for Bassoon by Don Christlieb

Includes fingerings for super high and super low notes not available anywhere else. Was also one of the earliest sources for multiphonic fingerings.

The Techniques of Bassoon Playing by Pascal Gallois

This volume by perhaps the world’s leading bassoon soloist picks up where Bartolozzi and Penazzi left off and describes the developments and innovations of the past twenty or so years. It is quite profitable to pay close attention to the section on harmonics and consider their numerous possibilities, especially in accomplishing otherwise difficult/impossible glissandi.

History

Bassoon by William Waterhouse

This incredibly informative opus, written by one of the twentieth century’s foremost double reed scholars and performers, covers such a vast array of topics that it could easily fit into either category listed on this page. Waterhouse’s tone is informative and charming at the same time.

The Bassoon by James Kopp

Published in 2012, this is the most recent version of the history of our instrument. Following in Waterhouse’s footsteps, James Kopp has created a beautiful book that will serve generations of bassoonists to come.

The Bassoon and Contrabassoon by Lyndesay G. Langwill

Langwill (1897-1983) was a founding member of the Galpin Society. This goes a long way toward explaining the breadth and tone of the work. There is an incredible wealth of information compiled in The Bassoon and Contrabassoon, but it is not without its detractors--one of whom is the author listed immediately below.

The Bassoon: Its History, Construction, Makers, Players, and Music by Will Jansen

Published in five(!) volumes, this is perhaps the most exhaustive collection of information concerning the bassoon. As it was published in 1978, the work could most definitely benefit from a new, updated edition.

The New Langwill Index: A Dictionary of Musical Wind-Instrument Makers and Inventors by Lyndesay Langwill and William Waterhouse

This is perhaps the definitive source for information on historical makers of bassoons and bassoon-related instruments. If you have an old bassoon and want to know more about it, this is where you should begin your research.

The Oboe and the Bassoon by Gunther Joppig

This is one of the standard sources concerning double reed history and organology (the scientific study and classification of musical instruments). Unfortunately, it has been poorly translated from the original German. It serves as an invaluable source for bassoon-related facts, but is not an easy or pleasurable read.

The Paris Conservatoire and the Contest Solos for Bassoon

by Kristine Klopfenstein Fletcher

If you are seeking information on any of the 72 pieces used for the Paris concours for bassoon between 1898 and 1984, this is absolutely where you must start. What began as Fletcher’s doctoral dissertation (University of Iowa), has now become an indispensable addition to our library shelves. Her writing is to be commended not just for its thoroughness but also for its readability.

Repertoire

Bassoon Bibliography by Bodo Koenigsbeck

Likely the most complete listing of bassoon and contrabassoon repertoire ever assembled. A must-have resource for any bassoonist looking to broaden their awareness of works written for our instrument.

Music for and with Bassoon between 1700 and 1900, Bohemia – Moravia —Silesia: A Thematic and Bibliographic Catalogue by František Červenka and Jiří Seidl

A lovingly compiled and beautifully published book listing many works not included in Koenigsbeck’s Bibliography. Useful for those bassoonists researching repertoire from the modern-day Czech Republic.