bassoon
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Double-reed woodwind instrument in C. It is the bass of the oboe family and lowest sounding of the four main orchestral woodwinds (the flute, clarinet, oboe, and bassoon). It doubles back on itself in a conical tube about 2.5 m/7.5 ft long and has a rich, deep tone. The bassoon concert repertoire extends from the early Baroque via Antonio Vivaldi, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, and Paul Dukas, to Karlheinz Stockhausen.
The bassoon was developed from the Renaissance curtal about 1660 as a continuo instrument to provide bassline support. Further development in the 18th century led to the double bassoon or contrabassoon, an octave lower. Both instruments have an unexpected agility considering their low pitch range and rich, glowing tone. They are also capable of dignified solos at high register, a famous example for bassoon being the eerie opening bars of Igor Stravinsky's ballet The Rite of Spring (1913).
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