top of page

CONTEMPORARY MUSIC FOR BASSOON

The bassoon has always struck me as one of the great overlooked voices of the 20th and 21st centuries — an instrument full of wit, depth, and quiet poetry. My contemporary music for bassoon explores its lyrical warmth, agile character, and dark resonances across solo works, chamber combinations, and larger ensembles.

Contemporary Music for bassoon

Contemporary Music for Bassoon

Modern bassoon repertoire has grown significantly in recent decades, with composers expanding the instrument’s expressive and technical possibilities. My works for bassoon reflect this evolution, offering pieces that range from intimate duos to dramatic ensemble settings. The sections below present my contributions to the bassoon repertoire across solo, chamber, and theatrical contexts.

CHAMBER MUSIC

Duets with Bassoon


Bassoon Chamber Music
 

orch

​​

Ex Silentium (From the Silence)
11' ​| bassoon and piano​


Trios with Bassoon

​

Jongleurs

10' | reed trio | oboe, clarinet and bassoon ​

​​​

Slippery Trapeze

10' | ​clarinet, alto saxophone and bassoon​

 

Trio for Clarinet, Bassoon and Horn
5' | ​clarinet, bassoon and horn​

Bassoon and Orchestra
 

The Spanish Songs

for soprano, bassoon and chamber orchestra

11' | soprano solo, bassoon solo, 2 clarinets, percussion (1) harp, celesta and strings


Quartets & Quintets with Bassoon

​
Quartet for Flute, Clarinet Bassoon and Harp
27' | flute (doubles piccolo and alto flute), clarinet, bassoon and harp

 

Six Short Stories for Woodwind Quintet
12' | flute / piccolo, oboe, clarinet, horn, bassoon


Mixed Ensembles with Bassoon


Tetris
for double wind quintet
18' | 2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 2 horns, 2 bassoons

​
Three Episodes for Chamber Ensemble
for chamber ensemble
12' | flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, percussion (1), piano, violin, viola, cello and double bass

VOCAL MUSIC WITH FLUTE


Vocal Music with Bassoon
 

Bestiarius(The Book of Monsters and Creatures)

for alto/mezzo-soprano and ensemble

11' | alto / mezzo-soprano, flute / piccolo, clarinet, bassoon, violin, percussion (2), harpsichord

Stage Muic


Stage Music with Bassoon
 

Gitz & Spitz 

for actor and chamber ensemble

50' | actor; clarinet, alto saxophone, bassoon; horn; trumpet; trombone, tuba and percussion (1) 

​​

​​The Adventures of Pinocchio

for three actors and woodwind quintet / orchestra

61' | 3 actors (F,M,M), flute / piccolo, oboe / English horn, clarinet, horn, bassoon and piano

OR:

3 actors (F,M,M), flute / piccolo, oboe / English-horn, clarinet, bassoon, horn, trumpet, trombone, percussion (1), harp, piano, strings

Sheet Music for Bassoon:

About Contemporary Bassoon Repertoire

he bassoon repertoire of the 20th and 21st centuries includes a wide range of solo works, sonatas, chamber pieces, and concertos that have shaped the instrument’s modern identity. The list below highlights influential works that are frequently performed, studied, and recorded. This curated selection is offered as a resource for performers and teachers exploring contemporary bassoon music, alongside my own works for the instrument.

Key 20th–21st Century Bassoon Repertoire

  • Arnold, Malcolm – Fantasy for Bassoon, Op. 86 – 1966 (solo bassoon)

  • Berio, Luciano – Sequenza XII – 1995 (solo bassoon)

  • Bonneau, Paul – Deux Caprices en Forme de Valse – 1950 (solo bassoon or with piano)

  • Bozza, Eugène – Douze Caprices (Twelve Caprices) – 1968 (solo bassoon)

  • Brandon, Jenni – Colored Stones – 2011 (solo bassoon)

  • Bruns, Victor – Four Virtuoso Recital Pieces, Op. 93 – 1990 (solo bassoon)

  • Denisov, Edison – Sonata for Bassoon and Piano – 1982 (bassoon and piano)

  • Dutilleux, Henri – Sarabande et Cortège – 1942 (bassoon and piano)

  • Etler, Alvin – Sonata for Bassoon and Piano – 1951 (bassoon and piano)

  • Françaix, Jean – Divertissement – 1942 (bassoon and piano or string quartet)

  • Gubaidulina, Sofia – Concerto for Bassoon and Low Strings – 1975 (bassoon, four cellos, and three double basses)

  • Hindemith, Paul – Sonata for Bassoon and Piano – 1938 (bassoon and piano)

  • Jacob, Gordon – Partita – 1934 (solo bassoon)

  • Jeanjean, Paul – Prélude et Scherzo – 1911 (bassoon and piano)

  • Jolivet, André – Concerto for Bassoon, Strings, Harp, and Piano – 1954 (bassoon and orchestra)

  • Koechlin, Charles – Sonata for Bassoon and Piano, Op. 71 – 1918 (bassoon and piano)

  • Mignone, Francisco – 16 Valsas Para Fagote Solo (16 Waltzes) – 1979–1981 (solo bassoon)

  • Mignone, Francisco – Concertino for Bassoon and Orchestra – 1957 (bassoon and orchestra)

  • Mignone, Francisco – Sonatina for Bassoon and Piano – 1961 (bassoon and piano)

  • Osborne, Willson – Rhapsody – 1958 (solo bassoon)

  • Panufnik, Andrzej – Bassoon Concerto – 1985 (bassoon and small orchestra)

  • Paterson, Robert – Sonata for Bassoon and Piano – 2001 (bassoon and piano)

  • Poulenc, Francis – Trio for Oboe, Bassoon, and Piano, FP 43 – 1926 (chamber ensemble)

  • Rautavaara, Einojuhani – Bassoon Sonata – 1970 (bassoon and piano)

  • Saint-Saëns, Camille – Sonata for Bassoon and Piano, Op. 168 – 1921 (bassoon and piano)

  • Schuller, Gunther – Concerto for Bassoon and Orchestra (Eine Kleine Fagottmusik) – 1985 (bassoon and orchestra)

  • Strauss, Richard – Duet-Concertino for Clarinet and Bassoon – 1947 (clarinet, bassoon, string orchestra, and harp)

  • Šulek, Stjepan – Bassoon Concerto – 1958 (bassoon and orchestra)

  • Tansman, Alexandre – Sonatine – 1952 (bassoon and piano)

  • Tower, Joan – Red Maple – 2013 (bassoon and string orchestra)

  • Villa-Lobos, Heitor – Ciranda das Sete Notas – 1933 (bassoon and string orchestra)

  • Zwilich, Ellen Taaffe – Concerto for Bassoon and Orchestra – 1992 (bassoon and orchestra)

bottom of page