(From the Editor, Gerald E. Corey: The publication of part of this important historical project by the late Lawrence Intravaia, our society's first librarian, gives me great satisfaction. As Mr. Intravaia pointed out, no one before (to our knowledge) has documented a partial or complete history of bassoon reed-making practices from the first days of the bassoon in orchestras to the present day. At the time of his death, Mr. Intravaia had accomplished a very large part of his goal as stated in this Part One. I have recently received from Mrs. Toni Intravaia all of the material gathered by Lawrence in connection with this project I am personally planning to continue Mr. Intravaia's project according to the four phases he presents in this Part One. Therefore, I would like to request from anyone at this time: information, ideas, papers, documents, photographs, actual period reeds, replicas of reeds for period bassoons, drawings and measurements of different reed models, etc. - all for reeds designed for bassoons of the type constructed and played between the late 17th century and the late l9th century (using say 1885 as a limit). I will be corresponding with many individual bassoonists and historian/librarians known to me to assist me in locating further information related to bassoon reed history. I hope that any readers of this article will please contact me if they have an interest in the project. I will be pleased to continue Mr. Intravaia's plan of sharing all pertinent information with an bassoonists and others who have an interest in performing on period bassoons or in making reeds for these older instruments.
Included in the following article was a parallel project of Mr. Intravaia's, dealing with the measurement of outside dimensions and also the thicknesses of vibrating blades of reeds forming two famous collections of bassoon reeds (developed by the late Rochester (N. Y.) bassoonist, Vincent Pezzi, and by the late Philadelphia Orchestra bassoonist, J. Walter Guetter). Mr. Intravaia made close-up photographs of all the reeds in these two collections and also measured their outside dimensions and blade thicknesses (down the center line).
With the aid of another bassoonist, Ms. Barbara Davis and a computer expert, Dr. Erwin Atwood, both of Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, Illinois, Mr. Intravaia entered the dimensions of these reeds on computer punch cards. A statistical analysis of all of these (primarily 20th-century) reeds was made, and the report of this study win be printed at a later date either in "To The World's Bassoonists" or in this IDRS Journal.)
During the past few decades, as much early music has been made available for performance, there has been a decided effort to obtain authentic performances through use of the actual instruments called for in the musical scores, or those instruments known to have been in use at the time of the composition. These instruments were quite different from those now in use. A growing number of professional and collegiate ensembles now devote their time to the study and performance of early music. Concert and recorded performances are increasing in popularity. In order to obtain the most authentic instrumental sounds, these groups perform on original instruments insofar as these are available, or else on modern reproductions of the instruments (see "Baroque Bassoon Discography," To The World's Bassoonists, Vol. VI, No. 1, 1976. Ed.).
In order to approximate the original instrumental sounds it is not enough to obtain or reproduce the instruments; the original sound generator (reed, mouthpiece, bow, etc.) must also be obtained or replicated. The style, shape, and dimensions of the sound generator developed along with technical changes in the instruments themselves, as well as with changes in the level of the tuning pitch. As most of the instrument makers were in business for thirty years or more, and in any case as different pitch levels seem to have existed simultaneously in different circles, the name on the instrument does not give much help. Especially in the cases of wind instruments, one must experiment with the reeds and mouthpieces until the instrument is in tune with itself over all the register, at which time one can assume one has found approximately or exactly the pitch level intended for the instrument.
Of the many problems that face the woodwind player who wishes to perform on original early bassoons, perhaps none is quite so vexing as that of the double reed. Since the reed can affect both the pitch and tone quality of an instrument, its dimensions become a question of paramount importance. Bassoonists who have attempted to play on early instruments have found it impossible to play them in tune with modern (20th-century) reeds. It is, therefore, vitally necessary to play on an original reed, if possible, or to reconstruct a reed of the same proportions as the original. The few specimens surviving from the late 17th and 18th centuries offer only meager evidence upon which to base conjectures regarding precise dating or positive association of a reed with a particular period instrument. Only in those cases in which a reed-maker left his "trade mark" (usually his name) on the reed is it possible to date the reed. This is so because of an annotated listing of reed-makers in various countries from the late 17th to the 19th centuries. Another technique for determining dates is to compare the specimen reeds with drawings of reeds in tutors and treatises.
Those bassoonists attempting to reconstruct early period reeds must have at their disposal information about: (1) the methods and techniques for making the reed, (2) the exact dimensions of the reed, and (3) the length and bore dimensions of the intended instrument. (Note: It is also very important to determine if the bocal being used is compatible in length, bore, and thickness of metal with the old bassoon being used. Most historical bassoons found in museums and private collections have been acquired minus the all-important bocal. This is because bocals are easily bent, crushed or lost; in fact they seem to be about as rare as actual reeds for these instruments. Editor.)
The bassoon as we know it today has altered little in over-all outward appearance for 200 years. However, major modifications were made to its overall length, inner bore shape and dimensions, tone-hole placement and increased mechanization all of which have necessitated corresponding changes in the construction and dimensions of the reed.
Few early original specimen reeds exist compared with the large number that were most probably made and used. Reeds are made from Arundo Donax, a member of the cane-grass family resembling bamboo stalks in appearance. Reeds have been made from this same material for several centuries. Arundo Donax, being highly susceptible to environmental conditions, requires very careful handling and storage, as it does not always keep indefinitely. The accumulating moisture build-up in the cane's fibres from constant use causes it to deteriorate and crack. When this happens, reeds are usually discarded. Existing original specimen reeds are, therefore, not abundant.
While in London during April, 1969 the researcher conferred several times with Mr. William Waterhouse, principal bassoonist of the B.B.C. Orchestra and a member of the Melos Ensemble. In addition to his performance activities, Mr. Waterhouse is internationally famous for his avid interest and active work in the history of the bassoon and its music. As a consequence, he has collected bassoons from each historical period of its technical development - all of them in playable condition. Mr. Waterhouse plans to use these original instruments in a series of solo-lecture-recitals on the stylistic characteristics of the music. However, he points to the lack of authentic reeds from the same periods as the instruments. Mr. Waterhouse strongly encouraged the writer to commence his research on the project, in order to reconstruct early reeds for him and for other bassoonists who also own original specimen bassoons and intend to perform with them. Without correctly proportioned reeds, it may be impracticable or perhaps impossible for them to play these instruments in the correct manner.
According to Waterhouse, the main objectives of this project have never been undertaken by anyone as yet, and it is imperative that it be commenced, so that the information and knowledge can be made available to all interested bassoonists and performers of early music.
There is no published or unpublished study or source devoted to the history of bassoon reed-making per se. There are scattered references to the history of the use of reeds. The one exception is a translation of a German source from the early 19th century on reedmaking. This is odd in view of the fact that detailed, comprehensive information on the history of the bassoon is available. Since the instrument and reed are so interrelated, there is an imbalance in the total knowledge about the bassoon. The results of this project will add substantially to knowledge and information about the bassoon.
The objectives of the project are:
I. The first phase will encompass the research and collection of information and data on the history of bassoon reed-making (including shape, size, dimensions, methods, techniques, materials) from the following sources: bassoon tutors, treatises and essays on woodwind instruments; articles in musicological journals and other music periodicals; subject yearbooks in music; musical instrument dictionaries, lexicons, encyclopedae; dissertations and theses. Advance research by the writer while on sabbatical leave in England, Germany and Italy indicates that the main sources of information may be found in: city libraries, national libraries and music conservatories in London, Glasgow, Paris, Vienna, Berlin, Munich, Rome, Milan, Florence and Naples in Europe; and Chicago, Cincinnati, Boston, New York Washington (D.C.), Rochester (New York), Ann Arbor (Michigan), New Haven (Connecticut) and Philadelphia in the United States. It will be necessary, therefore, to travel to each of these locations to complete the first phase of the project. (Editor's note. Although Mr. Intravaia mentions personal visits to each of the above-mentioned cities much information has already been gathered by means of letter communication and photo-reproduction of written materials.)
II. The second phase includes a survey of published listings of collections of early bassoons as noted in museum catalogues, exhibition catalogues, private collections collections in universities and music conservatories. The main purpose of this phase is to ascertain whether or not reeds are included in the collections of bassoons. This information is occasionally inadvertently omitted from catalogues; it will be necessary to examine the collections in person. Advance research shows extensive wind instrument collections in the same locations as mentioned in "phase 1". The one extremely important, specialized, collection is located in the museum of the Heckel Bassoon Manufacturing Company in Wiesbaden (Biebrich), West Germany. This world-renowned firm has been manufacturing bassoons since 1831, and has in its museum not only an original of each of its models, but also original specimens of all precursors of the bassoon, many of which are extremely rare. Heckel publishes a catalogue of its complete collection which includes all dimensions of each instrument.
There are three extensive and very important historical collections of bassoon reeds known to the researcher--two in the United States and one in Europe. One is located in Charleston, West Virginia, owned by Paul Nellen, a professional bassoonist and eminent reedmaker. The second is located in Alexandria, Virginia, formerly the collection of the late Vincent Pezzi, who was principal bassoon of the Rochester Philharmonic and the Eastman-Rochester Orchestra. This collection is now in the possession of his daughter. In both cases, the owners have consented to allow the writer to analyze, measure and photograph the reeds. The researcher had the opportunity to see the largest known historical bassoon reed collection in Europe, owned by the Wilhelm Heckel firm, cited above. This collection contains reeds made by bassoonists from almost every country of the world. The Heckel firm likewise has consented to measurement and photography of its collection.
The writer has noted early bassoon reeds in small groups of two or three in the Adam Carse Collection (Horniman Museum, London), and in the instrument museum at Kneller Hall (The Royal Military School of Music, Twickenham, Sussex, England). Walter Hermann Sallagar, bassoonist and founder of the Eichendorf Wind Quintet, Vienna, Austria, has a file of copious notes on the history of the bassoon and to a certain extent on reed-making. He has informed the researcher that specimens exist in national and private museums in and around Vienna.
III. The third phase will include the taking of complete measurements of the exterior and interior (blade thickness) dimensions of all specimen reeds, using a vernier-type calipers and a dial-indicator type micrometer. As an aid for documentation and construction of replicas, all early specimens will be photographed with a close-up lens.
IV. The fourth phase will include the making of bassoon reeds which are representative of the shapes, sizes and dimensions of the bassoon reed in each of its developmental stages from the late 17th century to about 1885. Construction will be based on the information and data collected from the first three phases.
To evaluate the performance characteristics of these replicas of early reeds bassoonists who are known to have original early bassoons in their possession will be contacted and asked to test the reeds on their instruments. The reed corresponding to a specific historical period will be matched with the particular bassoon.
These bassoonists will be requested to make a tape recording of their performance with the replicated reed. Musical material for the recording will consist of: (1) solo literature for the bassoon from the same historical period as their instrument, and (2) the complete chromatic playing register of their bassoon in long, sustained tones. It will be possible to make comparisons between early period bassoons and their modern counterparts with these taped recordings. (Editor's note. When this stage of the project is reached, it will be very important to maintain standard conditions for recording. Room size and nature of acoustics, type of tape recorder and microphone(s) used, brand and type of recording tape recording level and exact placement of the microphone(s); all these should be standardized if the tapes are to be useful for comparisons with any other tapes.)
In North America, owners of period bassoons include: Gerald Corey, principal bassoonist of the National Arts Centre Orchestra in Ottawa; George Goslee, principal bassoonist of the Cleveland Orchestra; Leonard Sharrow, former NBC and Chicago Symphony principal bassoon, now teaching at Indiana University; Don Christlieb, bassoonist and reed-maker-- various movie and television studios in Los Angeles; and Morris Newman, professional bassoonist of New York City. Owners of period bassoons in Europe include: William Waterhouse, London -- who has instruments dated 1747 (the oldest specimen bassoon of English make surviving -- and in perfect condition-- by Thomas Stanesby Junior), 1790, 1828, 1885 and modern instruments; Will Janson, bassoon historian and collector, of Nieuloosdrecht, Holland; Alan Cave, professional bassoonist, London; Dominic Weir, professional bassoonist and reedmaker, London; Lyndesay Langwill, bassoon historian and collector, Edinburgh, Scotland; and the Wilhelm Heckel firm in Wiesbaden W. Germany. Mr. Waterhouse states that there are bassoonists in Germany and Austria who own either original early bassoons or modern replicas. It will be part of the project to locate as many of these as possible and to request their participation.
LATE 18th- TO EARLY 19th-CENTURY REEDS
To complete part one of this history of bassoon reed-making, there follows an excellent drawing by William Waterhouse of the outlines of 9 reeds made between the late 18th century and the early 19th century. These drawings were made by tracing around the actual specimen reeds. The outer dimensions, therefore are exact size. The measurements given below for the first nine reeds were taken from this drawing. Reed number 5, is on the right of the top row of reed drawings, is of a 20th-century German bassoon reed (Kurt Ludwig of Munich) which is included for a size comparison with the older reeds.
(Some further notes on details of the drawing -- (1) The writing, in William Waterhouse's characteristic style, says (from top to bottom): "Bassoon Reeds . . . 1 - 4 Shagreen box of 4 ex (from) Spottswoode Coll (collection) in Bate Coll. Prob late 18th cent. . . (at bottom of reed No. 1:) degree of crook penetration . . . third reed with asterisk at wire one point has the maker's name on it, TAYLOR LONDON . . . to the right of reed No. 4 . . . unscraped thickness 36 . . . 5 Modern German reed . . . 6 - 8 (reeds Nos. 6-8) early 19th century reeds in Bate Coll. . . 9. (reed No. 9) Reed by Thos. Ling, London, active 1794-1823 in Waterhouse Coll. . . *Taylor London: also on 19th cent. clarinet reed in Rendall Coll." (2) The indicated exterior dimensions of these reeds are all given in metric units by Waterhouse. In addition there are some penciled-in numbers at least some of which are in the inch system of measurement. Some of these are for exterior dimensions also and some seem to indicate center line blade thicknesses for the reeds. The editor will communicate with William Waterhouse on this point and report his findings in a subsequent paper.)
Reed No. 1. total length -81 mm.
width at tip -18 mm.
width at wire I -11.5 mm.
scrape length -31 mm.
Reed No. 2. total length -79 mm.
width at tip -17 mm.
width at wire I - 9.6 mm.
scrape length -30 mm.
Reed No. 3. total length -78 mm.
width at tip -14.5 mm.
width at wire I -10 mm.
scrape length -34 mm.
Reed No. 4. total length -65 mm.
width at tip -16 mm.
width at wire I - 9.5 mm.
scrape length -25 mm.
Reed No. 6. total length -75 mm.
width at tip -16 mm.
width at wire I -11.5 mm.
scrape length -25 mm.
Reed No. 7. total length -72 mm.
width at tip -15 mm.
width at wire I -10.5 mm.
scrape length -24 mm.
Reed No. 8. total length -70 mm.
width at tip -15 mm.
width at wire I -10.5 mm.
scrape length -25 mm.
Reed No. 9. total length -70 mm.
width at tip -13.5 mm.
width at wire I -11 mm.
scrape length -31 mm.
In preparation for Part Two of this paper (to appear in To The World's Bassoonists, Vol. VI, No. 2, 1976), the following is a list of references on the subject of early bassoon reedmaking which form part of the large collection of material researched by Lawrence Intravaia, through his travels in Europe and by postal communication. Mr. Intravaia's research has paved an exciting path for further study into the various methods of cane selection, reed preparation and construction utilized by these various teachers and bassoonists from over two hundred years ago. It goes without saying that many many bassoonists will be able to make practical use of this study by constructing much more authentic reproduction of reeds for their period instruments. In addition, it will be most interesting to observe how many of the "truths" about reed-making technique in the present day are echoes from prior bassoonists who faced many if not most of the reed problems all reed players face today.