Dictionary of Music - Birding America

34 basset hornto be the source of various later dances, whichdeveloped into the movements (not intended fordancing) that comprise the eighteenth-century suite.bass fiddlebass fluteA familiar name for the DOUBLE BASS.See under FLUTE.basset (bas′it) horn An eighteenth-century typeof tenor clarinet that is still occasionally used.Invented about 1770, the basset horn has the samemouthpiece and bore as the ordinary B-flat clarinetbut is longer and usually has an upturned metal bell.It is usually pitched in F, its range being from low Fto the E above middle C, and it has a low, pleasantlysomber tone. Two composers in particular have beenfig. 25 p/u from p. 36attracted to the instrument. Mozart used it in hisRequiem Mass, in several operas, and in such chamberworks as three Andantes for two clarinets andthree basset horns and the Serenade in B-flat for thirteenwind instruments. Richard Strauss used the bassethorn in six of his operas. In addition, Beethovenfig. 26 p/u from p. 36bass hornSee under SERPENT.Bassklarinette (bäs′ klä rē net′′ə). The Germanword for bass clarinet (see under CLARINET).basso (bäs′ sô). The Italian word for BASS.basso buffo (bäs′sô boo f′fô) Italian. See underBASS, def. 1.basso cantante (bäs′sô kän tän′te) Italian.under BASS, def. 1.Seebasso continuo (bäs′sô kôn tēn′ oo — ô) Italian.See CONTINUO.basson (bA sôN′).The French word for BASSOON.bassoon (ba soo — n′). The bass member of the oboefamily. The bassoon has a very large range, from thethird B-flat below middle C to the second D abovemiddle C. Because of the low pitch of its lowestnotes, it requires a tube about nine feet long; due tothis great length the tube is doubled back on itself.The bassoon has a conical bore and is made in foursections.fig. 27 p/u from p. 37called for it in Prometheus, Mendelssohn wrote twoworks for clarinet, basset horn, and piano (op. 113and op. 114), and Stravinsky’s Elegy for J. F. K.(1964) is scored for baritone voice, two clarinets,and basset horn.Like the oboe, the bassoon is played with a DOU-BLE REED and consists of a wooden pipe, usually ofmaple, into which are bored a number of fingerholes, some of which are opened and shut by meansof keys. The bassoon developed sometime duringthe seventeenth century from the CURTAL andchanged several times during the course of its development,mainly through the addition of more keys.Since the early nineteenth century there have beentwo quite separate schools of bassoon building, oneFrench and the other German. German bassoons are