Introduction to “Método: Music of the Americas for Bassoon”

Introduction to “Método: Music of the Americas for Bassoon,” by Terry B. Ewell. The video provides an overview of technical and melodic studies with accompanying multimedia enhancements. Student performers are: Tiana Fallon, Dylan Gim, and Eiane Tacastacas. BDP #357. https://www.2reed.net/Metodo/.

1. Welcome to this introduction of Método: Music of the Americas for Bassoon. I am Terry Ewell. This comprehensive pedagogy for the bassoon includes over 150 duets and trios, more than 120 videos, and hundreds of audio files. In all, Método has over 900 pages of print materials. Most of Método is formed from the wealth of melodies, literature, and methodologies that make up the musical heritage of the Americas.

2. Solos, duets, and trios in Método are drawn from the 1500s to the present day. They represent all of the Americas: Canada to Argentina and the Caribbean to Hawai’i. European pedagogies and literature also supplement Método. You can find Método available online for free. This video will focus on just one out of the 100 lessons and modules in the collection.

3. Lesson 5 from Level 3 is a typical lesson that freshman bassoon majors would study in my studio at Towson University. As in all of the lessons in Método, materials emphasize the four “Ts” and the one “M”: Tuning, Timing, Tone, Technique, and Musicality. Standard pedagogies appearing as print music cannot fully develop these skills. As you will see from the demonstrations by my students, Método targets all of the four “Ts” and the one “M.”

4. The first section of Método contains technical studies that develop specific skills. The Long Tones 9-Drives require the students to match pitch throughout dynamic changes and gauge their airflow with pacing provided by a metronome. The numbering follows American oboist Marcel Tabuteau’s method, the “Drive,” which is employed throughout Método.
[Music: demonstration]

5. Scales and arpeggios should be played with drones and metronome beats.
[Music: demonstration]

6. Videos support the whole collection. The video here explains the alternate F-sharp fingering.

7. In this embouchure study, we apply here a drone on C so the student can match the pitches. These are taken from studies developed by South American bassoonist Gonzalo Brusco.
[Music: demonstration]

8. Students develop flexibility with vibrato in Level 3 lessons. Here, the numbering in Tabuteau’s drives is applied to vibrato.
[Music: demonstration]

9. Rhythmic studies by George Anson Wedge, a former Dean of The Julliard School, appear throughout Levels 1-4 of the collection. Students may tap out the rhythms or perform them with scales or arpeggios. Here, the student performs the first rhythm with a scale.
[Music: demonstration]

10. Partimenti studies appear in each lesson in Levels 3-5. Partimenti are a method of technical mastery, harmonic understanding, memorization, transposition, and improvisation used in Italy and France in the 18th century. Students practice with the sound files.
[Music: demonstration]

11. Students master multiple tonguing techniques in Levels 3-5. This lesson has an additional instructional video.
[Music: demonstration]

12. Método provides ear-training exercises in every lesson.
[Music: demonstration]

13. The answers are given at the end of each lesson.

14. Método also provides intonation and synchronization studies in each lesson with mp3 accompaniments. In this example, the accompaniment is taken from a portion of a guitar method by Antonio Manjon, who lived in Buenos Aires.
[Music: demonstration]

15. Each lesson includes an etude.

16. Lessons also contain excerpts highlighting well-known bassoon music mostly from the European symphonic canon and also from the Americas.

17. Now, we have finally arrived at the heart of Método, the melody section. This section celebrates the rich cultures of over one billion people in the Americas. Every country in the Americas is represented in the collection except a few small island nations. This lesson 5 from level 3 features the music of Brazil.

18. Here is some folk music from Brazil.
[Music: Boomba, Sambalele, etc.]

19. The variety of music in Método can be observed here with the contrasting Brazilian sacred music from the 16th century.
[Music: Venid a sospirar al verde Prado]

20. The crown jewels of Método are the duets and trios. Students can play with their teachers and other students or use the sound files I have recorded for the collection. The four “Ts” and the one “M” mentioned earlier in this video are fully displayed in each of these duets or trios in Método.
[Music: Tico-Tico no Fubá, Chôro]