Comments on: Honk http://stuartestell.co.uk/2009/11/09/honk/ Piano player Sat, 05 Nov 2011 17:09:13 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Stuart Estell http://stuartestell.co.uk/2009/11/09/honk/comment-page-1/#comment-2238 Stuart Estell Fri, 22 Jan 2010 13:58:28 +0000 http://stuartestell.co.uk/?p=278#comment-2238 Thanks for such a thoughtful response - sorry it's taken me so long to reply to it. Yes, I think you're right - and am still quite enthused by the idea of ordinary bassoons plus a handful of contras. I'm going to have to write the thing, aren't I? A couple of months after I posted this, I'm still haunted by the spectral sound of big wooden tubes honking away antiphonally. Thanks for such a thoughtful response – sorry it’s taken me so long to reply to it. Yes, I think you’re right – and am still quite enthused by the idea of ordinary bassoons plus a handful of contras. I’m going to have to write the thing, aren’t I? A couple of months after I posted this, I’m still haunted by the spectral sound of big wooden tubes honking away antiphonally.

]]> By: CrazyComposer http://stuartestell.co.uk/2009/11/09/honk/comment-page-1/#comment-2119 CrazyComposer Fri, 18 Dec 2009 17:38:37 +0000 http://stuartestell.co.uk/?p=278#comment-2119 I'm glad you mentioned the logistical challenge of finding 20 contrabassonists to perform any composition or arrangement. Such a feat might encompass every bassoonist with an extra instrument (most contrabassoonists in orchestras being the second bassoonist ... or the one who happens to have the instrument if the orchestra isn't providing one) from across Europe (or the United States and Canada - depending on where the concert is) in order to fill the needs of the ensemble. That would be quite the logistical nightmare ... not to mention the reed-preparation party that would take place before (and after) the rehearsal. Speaking as one who HAS composed for unaccompanied bassoon I can say - with a fair amount of confidence - that your idea is not entirely impossible. Like the Villa-Lobos 'Bachianas Brasilianas No. 5 which is scored for a dozen cellists, an ensemble of sixteen bassoons and four contrabassoons would be far easier to fill (with players) than twenty contrabassoonists (I doubt if even New York has that many in the city ... why would they?). Four, on the other hand, seems reasonable, and would add a range of sound (no pun intended) to the other 16 bassoons that no other instrument would be capable of doing ... not even the tuba. Never turn down visitations from the muse; you'll grow impatient of the time between her visits soon enough. I’m glad you mentioned the logistical challenge of finding 20 contrabassonists to perform any composition or arrangement. Such a feat might encompass every bassoonist with an extra instrument (most contrabassoonists in orchestras being the second bassoonist … or the one who happens to have the instrument if the orchestra isn’t providing one) from across Europe (or the United States and Canada – depending on where the concert is) in order to fill the needs of the ensemble.

That would be quite the logistical nightmare … not to mention the reed-preparation party that would take place before (and after) the rehearsal.

Speaking as one who HAS composed for unaccompanied bassoon I can say – with a fair amount of confidence – that your idea is not entirely impossible. Like the Villa-Lobos ‘Bachianas Brasilianas No. 5 which is scored for a dozen cellists, an ensemble of sixteen bassoons and four contrabassoons would be far easier to fill (with players) than twenty contrabassoonists (I doubt if even New York has that many in the city … why would they?). Four, on the other hand, seems reasonable, and would add a range of sound (no pun intended) to the other 16 bassoons that no other instrument would be capable of doing … not even the tuba.

Never turn down visitations from the muse; you’ll grow impatient of the time between her visits soon enough.

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