Daily Scale Exercises - BSN

Daily Scale Exercises
for bassoon
by Richard Svoboda - American bassoonist - Principal with the Boston Symphony Orchestra

This book of daily scale exercises is intended for the advanced bassoonist to be used during the course of a normal warm-up routine. It can also be used as a means to improve technical proficiency, broaden range, and become more comfortable playing in difficult key signatures. It is my hope that these exercises will provide an enjoyable way to routinely play through the major, minor, and chromatic scales, throughout the practical range of the bassoon, in a relatively concise manner. 

This book is organized in two main sections. Each section consists of identical material with the exception that, while the first part ascends to high C, part two extends the upper range of the exercises and includes more difficult key signatures. Being relatively gentler, the first part works more ideally as a warm-up exercise. Part two is useful for improving and making more routine the facility in the upper high register, but the increased technical demands make it feel much more like a workout than a warm-up.

The tempi given are intended for the advanced bassoonist who knows these exercises well. One can also use slower tempi, if desired or necessary, and faster tempi in order to develop better facility. 

Finally, you will find that the major-mode exercises in this book are easily memorized. Doing so will allow you to have a well-organized warm-up at your disposal at any time, even if this book happens to be elsewhere. 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Richard Svoboda has been the principal bassoonist of the Boston Symphony Orchestra and a member of the Boston Symphony Chamber Players since 1989.  He is currently on the faculties of the New England Conservatory of Music and the Tanglewood Music Center, taught for many years at the Sarasota Music Festival, and has given master classes throughout the world.  Prior to his appointment to the BSO he performed for ten seasons as principal bassoonist of the Jacksonville Symphony.

Mr. Svoboda is an active chamber music collaborator, orchestral soloist, and recitalist, and has to his credit over thirty recordings with the Boston Symphony Orchestra and Boston Symphony Chamber Players, as well as the soundtracks to Schindler’s List and Saving Private Ryan.  Among his solo appearances with the Boston Symphony Orchestra have been performances of John Williams’ bassoon concerto Five Sacred Trees with the composer conducting, and the Weber Concerto for Bassoon under the baton of Seiji Ozawa.  In October of 2007 he premiered Michael Gandolfi’s Concerto for Bassoon, and in March of 2011, along with his eldest daughter, clarinetist Erin Svoboda, premiered Mr. Gandolfi’s Concerto for Clarinet and Bassoon, both times collaborating with Yoichi Udagawa and the Melrose Symphony Orchestra.  In November of 2013 Richard Svoboda premiered Marc Neikrug's Concerto for Bassoon and Orchestra with conductor Rafael Frühbeck de Burgos and the Boston Symphony Orchestra.

Richard Svoboda's recording of Mr. Gandolfi’s Concerto for Bassoon with Gil Rose and the Boston Modern Orchestra Project was a May 2013 release, and a CD of solo bassoon repertoire, Le Phénix, 18th-Century French Music for Bassoon was released in November of 2013. Another CD of early 20th-century European music is awaiting editing.