CONTEMPORARY REPERTOIRE
"We're finally catching up to where we were in the baroque era...where composers, listeners and performers are understanding what a rich solo instrument the bassoon actually is."
- Rebekah Heller
BASSOON IN THE 21ST CENTURY
There are many amazing pieces which have been written specifically for the bassoon in recent years. With the help of several bassoonists worldwide, we'll be continuing to add to this section. Please see below to discover new and interesting repertoire for the bassoon.
"Jazz Training for Bassoonists"
Written by Paul Hanson
Paul Hanson is an internationally known jazz bassoon performer. This latest book, designed to be used with the iReal Pro app, helps bassoonists become musically fluent in non-classical music idioms such as jazz, groove-based instrumental music, fusion and world styles. It contains etudes which can be played as duets as well as jazz theory, some patterns and advice on real life situations.
"Bassango"
Written by Mathieu Lussier
This delightful and creative piece is also available in versions for bassoon and piano, and bassoon quartet. The set includes full score, solo bassoon, and strings 3-3-2-2-1. A great encore piece or stand alone solo when a shorter work (4 min) is required. A great piece to program with Mathieu's Spring Lullaby for the same combination.
Bassoon, Strings
"Get It!"
Written by Gene Koshinski
Originally written as a solo work, Get It! is a challenging concert piece for bassoon that stems from the popular music medium. The piece is designed to unleash the bassoonist’s inner “rock star!" Add cajon and hi-hat to the mix and you better watch out.
Bassoon, Percussion (cajon, hi-hat)
"Metafagote"
Written by Felipe Lara
Metafagote is a musical work for solo amplified bassoon and tape (comprised of 6 pre-recorded bassoons). This work is a culmination of an ongoing collaboration between bassoonist Rebekah Heller and composer Felipe Lara. The bassoon has been sorely underrepresented in the modern canon, and this piece promises to place it squarely in the 21st century. The listener will be placed “inside” the bassoon, with the help of spatialization, “close miking,” and amplification. This will bring forth a variety of subtle nuances, which in turn will crystalize into recognizable musical objects and motifs moving in time and space.
"Rustiques"
Written by Niño Rubén
Rustiques is one of the first compositions that try to gather the whole bassoon family, including the tenoroon (quint bassoon), instrument which has been linked exclusively to the field of education up until now. Released at the beginning of 2016 in Oteiza Museum in Navarra, it imitates the different ranges and timbres of the organ. This composition is available through the US publisher TrevCo Music Publishing.
Bassoon Septet (5 Bassoons, 1 Contrabassoon)