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In this video I provide some background on the Opus 8/2 Bassoon Studies and Weissenborn.
Several years ago I recorded a performance and teaching on the 15th study; please refer
to those videos separately. Here is a link to the two videos on the 15th study:
Christian Julius Weissenborn (April 13, 1837-April 21, 1888) came from a family of musicians.
His father and brother were both bassoonists. He had a distinguished career as a principal
bassoonist in the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra. His appointment as professor at the Leipzig
Conservatory led to the composition of many teaching materials for bassoon.
The "Practical Bassoon School" and the two collections of studies in Opus 8 provide a
solid foundation for the study of bassoon. Their importance as a collection is demonstrated
by the fact that these studies are used around the world! No doubt you are watching this
video now because you have a copy of the Bassoon Studies in your hands.
The Opus 8/2 studies should be performed with Weissenborn's prior studies in mind. For instance,
Weissenborn explains the performance of grace notes, trills, other ornaments, and articulations
Opus 8/1. William Waterhouse notes that Weissenborn
originally conceived of the materials in Opus 8/2 as containing sixty studies. Decisions
made prior to publication deleted roughly 48 pages of musical text. The thematic incipits
of the ten lost studies are presented in a manuscript in a London collection. However,
the complete music to the studies has not yet been recovered.
In addition to creating studies for the bassoon, Weissenborn composed orchestral, choral, and
vocal works. Weissenborn also composed a famous work for three bassoons, which we will consider
now.
Whoever lets only the dear God reign and hopes in him at all times,
he will preserve in a marvelous way in every cross and sadness.
Whoever trusts in almighty God has not built upon sand.
This is a translation from the German poetry written by Georg Neumark. The reference to
"cross" is to Jesus' crucifixion (and the sacrifice of His followers). The reference
to "sand" comes from the lecture that Jesus gave in what is called the "Sermon on the
Mount." The text for "sand" is found in Matthew 7:24-29. These are the words that accompanied
the melody chosen by Weissenborn in the first movement of his Trio for Three Bassoons.
Georg Neumark provided evidence of his faith in God and Jesus' teachings with this poetry
and music. Many composers including J. S. Bach and Weissenborn were inspired to set
the melody composed by Neumark to music. Weissenborn quotes the melody in the "cantus
firmus" parts in the trio. The first appearance is in the third bassoon part. Also the melody
at the 4/4 tempo is related to the hymn tune. Here is a portion of the section of the trio
with the same hymn melody chosen by Weissenborn. You can listen to the entire trio by downloading
the recording from the Wikipedia article on Weissenborn.
I give the words of the melody with this portion of the recording. Those hearing this melody
during Weissenborn's lifetime would have been able to sing along.