The bassoon is a fascinating instrument, particularly for children. Who does not remember the grandfather's deep humming from the composition "Peter and the wolf" by Sergej Prokofiev or the indefatigable brooms from the "Sorcerer's apprentice" by Paul Dukas ?
But why is the bassoon rarely heard at music schools ?
-
minimum age for real bassoon ca. 11-12 y.
- minimum body size needed (bassoon has ca. 1,45 length)
- minimum of power needed, a standard bassoon can weigh up to over 3,5kg
(without bag and accessories, risk of postural deformities)
- tricky assembly of 5 parts (not only for children)
- no intuitive usability
- prone to damage by assembly/disassembly
- finger hole distances too large
- price and maintenance costs are comparably high due to complex design
Our target was to develop an intuitively usable instrument, most of all one that works and sounds like a "real" large bassoon. In short: fit in all ways for the needs and actual daily life of small kids.
What are the features of a Fagonello ?
-
playable from ca. 5 years old
- intuitive usability, because complicated
assembly is totally eliminated by its one-piece design
- just pull the instrument out of its bag, put the
bocal on plus reed, and start playing, whenever you
want
- total
weight ca. 1,25 kg (thus 2 to 3 times lighter than a bassoon)
- hangs perfectly balanced in the correct position
in front of the body
- all parameters for the ideal ergonomic position of
wrist joints, fingers, embouchure etc. are there - incorporated into
a new and child-friendly instrument
- conforms exactly to the "real" bassoon in regard
to register, pitch, finger positions, blowing pressure, reeds used,
and feel-for-playing
- seamless changeover to the large bassoon
- Made
of high quality materials
- 100%
made in Germany
What were the alternatives in the past ?
-
a compromise in handling and sound is offered by the so called quart-
and quint bassoons (pitched in F or G) and octave bassoons (Fagottino)
Pro:
- size, weight and ergonomics are adapted (quasi shrunken bassoon)
Contra:
- must be transposed (quart/quint bassoon)
- changeover to standard bassoon is more difficult (quart/quint bassoon)
- after changeover the sound differs from the fingerings (quart/quint
bassoon)
- all scaled down bassoons cannot sound like a proper bassoon
due to their system-limited size and register, above all the Fagottino
(principle: contra bass > violin)
- not really a bass instrument
- still tricky 4 piece design, no intuitive usability