Happy Chamber Music Month!
Recently at a Third Wheel performance at Mt. San Antonio College we performed a program we call “Locally Grown Chamber Music.” It features music from local composers and highlights the fact that our music and process is hand crafted and locally sourced. It’s a patchwork festival of sorts for modern chamber music!
After our performance someone asked me a few questions about my bassoon such as, “Why are there color variations on the finish?” and “How old is your bassoon?”
The bassoon I play is a Heckel series 10162. To find out some more specific information I looked up the serial number on this website: http://www.heckelbassoons.info/bassoons.html. I found out that Julio (the bassoon) is celebrating its 56th birthday and was made in 1957.
Julio has a distinctive color variation on the wood because the Heckel has an oil varnish with color added to the finish. As the instrument is used the color and finish fade in a smooth and blended pattern.
A Heckel bassoon made in 1957 is an antique and the wear of the finish is part of the value of the instrument. Some Heckel owners are also reluctant to refinish a bassoon because the instrument is perceived to play better because of the softer more flexible oil varnish.
Here is a photo showing the color variations of Julio.
To read more about refinishing a bassoon check out “Refinishing: To do or not to do—That is the question!” by Chip Owen.
In the spirit of Chamber Music Month I want to promote a CD by Third Wheel fan, guitarist Tony Ybarra called “Fiesta”. This CD features the bassoon is some unexpected ways!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9EZBQcG_tBA
