Graded Bassoon Studies – Levels 1–5 Lessons, Videos & Accompaniments

Online Course of Study for Bassoon

Graded Bassoon Music, Accompaniments, and Materials.

This webpage provides an index to materials on 2reed.net and YouTube for students and teachers. The materials are graded by level of difficulty. Beginners should start at Grade 1.

Some materials linked on this website were developed during a sabbatical in Spring 2021 thanks to Towson University.

Who Should Play Bassoon? YouTube | mp4 | transcript

Grade 1 (Easiest)

Método Level 1, lessons 1-9.
Starting Bassoon & Bassoon Lessons (Lessons 1-5) Ten videos for the beginning bassoonists. Topics include assembly and swabbing of the instrument, proper embouchure, the first fingerings, and introduction to playing the instrument.
Starting Bassoon & Bassoon Lessons (Lessons 6-10) Ten videos for the beginning bassoonists. Topics include flicking, additional fingerings, and musicality.
Fingering chart.
A Tune A Day Duets Part of the "Play Along" series. Students practice duets from this etude book with recordings by Dr. Ewell.
Rubank Elementary Method Duets Part of the "Play Along" series. Students practice duets from this etude book with recordings by Dr. Ewell.
Graded Bassoon Excerpts, Grade Level 1-2 Solos, Music from Lulu.
Graded Bassoon Excerpts, Grade Levels 1-2 Duets | Music from Lulu. Part of the "Play Along" series. Students practice duets from orchestral repertoire with recordings by Dr. Ewell.
Grade 1 Solo Accompaniments A-M | N-Z

Grade 2

Método Levels 1, lessons 10-20 and 2, lessons 1-5
Instructional Videos:

Articulation (Basics, Introduction)
Fingering Technique
Practicing with Rhythms

Fingering chart.
A Tune A Day Duets Part of the "Play Along" series. Students practice duets from this etude book with recordings by Dr. Ewell.
Rubank Elementary Method Duets Part of the "Play Along" series. Students practice duets from this etude book with recordings by Dr. Ewell.
Graded Bassoon Excerpts, Grade Level 1-2 Solos, Music from Lulu.
Graded Bassoon Excerpts, Grade Levels 1-2 Duets | Music from Lulu. Part of the "Play Along" series. Students practice duets from orchestral repertoire with recordings by Dr. Ewell.
Grade 2 Solos Accompaniments A-M | N-Z

Select Videos on Bassoon Solos:

Milde, Three Easy Pieces, YouTube | Player | mp4 | transcript
Oforka, Grace. "Aklunon Kou Noun Bla wou Miton" (Lord Have Mercy). YouTube | mp4 | Composer's Website
Weissenborn, Two Pieces: Arioso and Humoresque, YouTube | Player | mp4 | transcript

Grade 3

Método Levels 2, lessons 6-20
Instructional Videos

Counting Rests
"On the Wind"
Alternate F# Key
Practicing with the Metronome

Rubank Intermediate Method Duets Part of the "Play Along" series. Students practice duets from this etude book with recordings by Dr. Ewell.
Graded Bassoon Excerpts, Grade Level 3a Solos, Music from Lulu
Graded Bassoon Excerpts, Grade Level 3b Solos, Music from Lulu
Graded Bassoon Excerpts, Grade Level 3 Duets and Trio | Music from Lulu. Part of the "Play Along" series. Students practice duets from orchestral repertoire with recordings by Dr. Ewell.
Satzenhofer, Praktische Fagott-Schule (Method for the Bassoon), pp. 1-49. Free music available.
Weissenborn Practical Bassoon School and Opus 8, No. 1 Free music available.
Grade 3 Solo Accompaniments A-M | N-Z

Select Videos on Bassoon Solos:

Jacob, Four Sketches, YouTube | Player | mp4 | wmv | transcript
Oforka, Grace. "Oluwatunmise" (God has Redeemed Me) for Bassoon and Piano. YouTube | mp4 | mov | Windows Media | Composer's Website | Composer's discussion of the work: YouTube | Alternate (20:31-24:50)
Weissenborn, Two Pieces: Arioso and Humoresque, YouTube | Player | mp4 | transcript

Grade 4

Método Level 3
Instructional Videos

Chamber Music Video lessons on performing Quintets by Milhaud and Nielsen.
Ensemble Games Innovative methods for practicing ensemble skills with a group.
Phrasing, Musicality Four videos presenting "playing on the wind," phrasing in music, music in motion, and the relationship between Chinese calligraphy and music.
Vibrato. See parts 14, 15, and 16 of the Mozart Bassoon Concerto videos.

Rubank Advanced Method Duets Part of the "Play Along" series. Students practice duets from this etude book with recordings by Dr. Ewell.
Satzenhofer, Praktische Fagott-Schule (Method for the Bassoon), pp. 50-100. Free music available.
Weissenborn,Opus 8, No. 1. Free music available.
Weissenborn, Fifty Advanced Studies, Opus 8, No. 2 (beginning portion) Fifty-five instructional videos.
Weissenborn, Fifty Advanced Studies Free music available (imslp and alternative link)
Grade 4 Solo Accompaniments A-M | N-Z

Select Videos on Bassoon Solos:

Hindemith, Sonata (4 videos)
Mozart, Concerto in Bb, 2nd and 3rd movements (19 videos in the series)
Telemann, Sonata in F Dorian (F Minor, 5 videos)

Grade 5

Método Level 4
Instructional Videos

Ornamentation of Baroque Music Five videos with additional practice materials.
Reed Finishing Videos Seven videos that complement the Reed Finishing Paper.
Reed Making Videos Five videos.

Reed Finishing Paper A presentation of Dr. Ewell's pedagogy on finishing bassoon reeds.
Minimum Reed Finishing Tools
Orefici Studi per Fagotto. Free music available.
Orefici 20 Melodic Studies Videos.
Weissenborn, Fifty Advanced Studies, Opus 8, No. 2 Fifty-five instructional videos.
Weissenborn, Fifty Advanced Studies Free music available (imslp and alternative link)
Grade 5 Solo Accompaniments A-M | N-Z

Select Videos on Bassoon Solos:

Böddecker, Sonata sopra "La Monica" for Bassoon and Basso Continuo

Introduction to Böddecker's Sonata YouTube | Player | mp4 | transcript

Mozart, Concerto in Bb, 1st movement (19 videos in the series)
Osborne, Rhapsody for Solo Bassoon (3 videos)
Phillips, Concert Piece, YouTube | Player | mp4 | transcript

Grade 6 (Difficult)

Método Level 5
Instructional Videos

Articulation (Multiple Tonguing)
Double Tonguing
Triple Tonguing
Baroque Performance
Writing Cadenzas for Baroque and Classical Music
Circular Breathing

Videos on Orchestral Excerpts

Beethoven, Symphonies 4 and 6
Berlioz, Symphonie Fantastique
Ravel, Bolero
Rimsky-Korsakov, Scheherazade
Stravinsky, Rite of Spring.

Grade 6 Solo Accompaniments A-M | N-Z

Select Videos on Bassoon Solos:

Vivaldi, Bassoon Concerto in Bb, "La Notte" [The Night], F VIII, no. 1; RV 501. (2 videos)

This website is developed for double reed musicians, teachers, and performers throughout the world. In this site you will find many aids to helping you grow as a performer, teacher, and person. I hope that this site will greatly encourage you as you learn more about double reed performance and living as a musician. May God richly bless you as you visit this site.

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