Contrabassoon: characteristics and role in the orchestra

The instrument is familiar to many as a double bassoon. In fact, the contrabassoon is an enlarged version of the bassoon, but it has a lower sound. The techniques of the game are very similar. Musicians who have mastered the bassoon can also play the contrabassoon. The history of this musical instrument is quite interesting, because for many years it was simply underestimated.

An instrument made of wood belongs to the class of wind instruments. The instrument was first built in 1620 by the master craftsman Hans Schreiber from Berlin. He invented an instrument that sounded one octave lower than the usual bassoon. There have been attempts to obtain such a tool before, but they cannot be called successful.

Later, other masters tried to realize a low sounding musical instrument. The main difficulty was the choice of suitable wood, and some design features also created additional problems. The solid wood should be such that it is possible to drill a fairly large hole in the section. It was impossible to arrange the keys on the instrument so that the musician would not have difficulties with their use. Such problems were directly related to the dimensions of the contrabassoon.

Schreiber's instrument did not gain popularity and world recognition, since it had significant technical difficulties in manufacturing due to its large dimensions and insufficiently clean tuning. Used most often in Germany. In France, Belgium and England, the contrabass was replaced by a reed metal contrabass made in Australia. Such an instrument was very similar to the contrabassoon, but had a worse sound. The purity of the melody was almost impossible to achieve.

France later abandoned the tongue-and-groove double bass in favor of the double bass saruzophone. Such an instrument is sometimes used today instead of the contrabassoon. However, the saryuzophone also has a serious drawback: its sound is too powerful, juicy and dense. In an orchestra, this is not always acceptable.

By the end of the 19th century, the Germans still managed to make a quality instrument. A century later, it was improved by W. Häckel. The tool tube now had a narrower opening, but was increased in length. The valve mechanism duplicated the version used in the bassoon.

Even later, a variety of contrabassoon designs became available. The Anglo-French model had a wide opening in a short tube. It is worth noting that this type was originally developed in Germany. As a result, the Anglo-French contrabassoon sounds rough, has a large size and is not very agile. It was the latter factors that were the reason that the French treated such a wind instrument badly.

Contrabassoon notes are written in a bass clef one octave higher than their actual sound. In the same way, they write notes for playing the double bass. There were attempts to introduce other recording rules that Claude Debussy worked on.

Some of the classics of the West have always remained faithful to the contrabassoon. Among them were Haydn and Beethoven. But Richard Wagner could always do without using such a dubious musical instrument. M. Glinka used the contrabassoon only in the opera Ruslan and Lyudmila.

The long and rich history of the contrabassoon makes the instrument especially interesting and attractive. It did not receive recognition only because the craftsmen could not find the optimal way of making it. In some works, the contrabassoon could be replaced with another instrument, and concert directors used this opportunity. However, today the situation has improved: the double bassoon is now a full-fledged musical instrument in orchestras.

This woodwind musical instrument is a modified bassoon, has a larger structure, due to which it sounds much lower. It was the difference in size that influenced the timbre and structure of the sound. The contrabassoon is 2 times the size of the standard bassoon.

The instrument has a tongue measuring 6.5-7.5 cm. Large blades are built inside, with the help of which the vibrations of the lower register are caught. The contrabassoon is made in such a way that the sound is in the subcontact register. Double bass and tuba are also played.

The modern Russian contrabassoon can have either a straight trumpet made of wood, or a bent metal one. The sound of the instrument also depends on the material and type of pipe.

The mass production of contrabassoids began not so long ago. Several companies have been making and selling them only since 2013. Among them are the following manufacturers:

• Moennig-Adler;
• Amati;
• Moosman;
• Heckel.

Also on the bassoon market is the German company Püchner.

For a long time, the contrabassoon was rather a hindrance to the orchestra than a participant. The clumsy instrument was rough and unattractive. The sound always happened with some delay, so the musicians did not like the contrabassoon. Most composers tried not to use it in their works.

The instrument is used in brass bands. Instrumental compositions are divided into several types: small, medium and large. The double bassoon is found in the latter variety to reinforce the bassoons and expand the bassoon scale to a lower register. In addition, the instrument can be used in a large mixed orchestra.