So … what is a Dulzian anyway?

The short answer is that the Dulzian is the precursor to the Bassoon.

Of course, the next question is ‘what is a Bassoon’?

As a Bassoonist since the age of 12, I can assure you most folks have no idea what the Bassoon is, or they confuse it with an Oboe. The Bassoon is a double-reed (like the Oboe, hence the confusion), and the bass of the woodwind family. There was, at one point, a complete family of Bassoons, from soprano to contrabass, the most common today being the Tenor Bassoon (or just Bassoon).

It has been called the Clown of the Orchestra, the Burping Bedpost, a bundle of sticks, and many other less-than-complementary names.

My poor instrument. Totally unloved.

It opens the ‘Rite of Spring’ by Stravinsky, is the Grandfather in ‘Peter and the Wolf’ by Prokofiev, and is in ‘Tears of a Clown’ by Smokey Robinson. It is a fantastic instrument with a wide range and a rich color spectrum. It can fit into any musical group and adds a very unique sound.

Needless to say, I adore the thing.

That doesn’t explain Dulzian, though.

The Dulzian (or Dulcian is more common) is the direct precursor to the modern-day Bassoon. Towards the end of the Baroque, both instruments were in active use, but the Bassoon had more power and range, so it became the dominant instrument for the bass line. The Dulzian has a sweeter, woodier sound than the Bassoon, which worked really well for Basso Continuo, but not so well for larger ensembles. As the symphony was developing in the Early Classic period, the Dulzian faded into history.

When I was naming my business, I wanted to honor my musical background. Working ‘Bassoon’ into the name just wasn’t effective, and the German name, Fagott, has some … not good connotations in English. So I reached back into my history studies. After a year of living in Germany studying the history of the Bassoon and poking through all the various collections of instruments, Dulzian seemed like a good choice.

I also have a rather annoying affection for alliteration.