In 1952, as I was about to graduate from high school in Ann Arbor, Michigan, I had the opportunity of hearing a concert by the touring Boston Symphony in Ann Arbor, Michigan - - - during the final season played by the uncle of Maurice Allard, Mr. Raymond Allard, the last solo bassoonist of a U.S. major orchestra to play only the Buffet/Crampon basson. To hear Raymond Allard perform the “Berceuse” of Igor Stravinsky’s “The Firebird Suite” was an amazing experience for me. I had never before heard this solo played on a Buffet/Crampon instrument in a “live” performance. I determined that after hearing Raymond Allard’s beautiful tone quality, I would one day learn to play the french system bassoon in addition to my german system bassoon.

A few years later, when I played solo bassoon in the Baltimore, Maryland Symphony for 10 seasons, I found a used Buffet bassoon at Linx and Long Music Store in Manhattan, New York City. I bought this instrument and began learning to play it without any teacher. Under my music director, Sergiu Comissiona, who welcomed the unusual sound of my french system bassoon, I eventually had the opportunity to play Stravinsky’s “le Sacre du Printemps” in a Carnegie Hall performance of the Baltimore Symphony. And in the same season, I had the unique pleasure of playing Maurice Ravel’s “Alborada del Gracioso” with its lovely cadenza entries, and I was invited by Mr. Comissiona to sit at the front of the stage with the violoncello section, so the audience would be more aware of the unusual french system bassoon I was playing for the solos.

When I first began learning to play my Buffet/Crampon instrument, I found certain requirements very difficult to achieve: 1. The lack of a thumb Bb key on the Buffet, requires a more complex set of 4 fingerings:

1. <LH X, X, X, whisper key (small finger left hand) / RH X, X, Bb key next to the low G key, * RT low F hole covered>
2. <LH X, X, X, whisper key/RH X, X, Bb key, Ab key * RT low F tone hole covered> This gives more resonance in loud passages.
3. <LH X, X, X, whisper key / RH X, 0, X * RT low F hole covered> In fact, there is a 4th fingering, very much similar to the “fourche” “forked” fingering just given, that is for very soft playing.
4. <LH X, X, X, whisper key * LT low D key/ RH X, 0, X, * RT low F tone hole covered>

There is also a need to transfer from the left small finger whisper key (clef du bocal), to the “bis” second touch for the left thumb every time a passage ascending or descending goes by the note C#2, on all but the latest model of the Buffet/Crampon basson, there is only one key for the C#2 and C#3, and that one is placed next to the left small finger whisper key, and then to switch back to the usual left hand small finger whisper key for the next note – every time. This practice of switching from the standard C# key to the “bis” second touch key – has for many generations of players, caused some difficulties. This was true for french players of the Buffet/Crampon basson, but when I encountered it at first, it was against all of my instincts of bassoon performance as I had only been used to playing the german system bassoon. (N.B. the latest model of the Buffet/Crampon basson has a second touch for the C#2 and C#3 played with the left thumb. This finally helps solve the old problem of switching whisper keys unusual technique.

The tendency of the forked Eb pitch to be too flat, rather than too sharp as sometimes on the german system bassoon, requires a different instinct to be followed and learned. I have adopted a fine compromise fingering for the forked Eb2 shown here:

<LH X, 0, X, whisper key/RH 0, X, X * RT closing the low F tone hole> it gives a very solid and not tending too low pitch level to this note for most passages. (When I studied french system basson with Maurice Allard in Paris in 1972, he allowed this fingering to help the same note:
<LH X, 0, X, whisper key / RH 0, 0, X, * RT close the low F tone hole>, but it is still a little too flat in pitch, with a fine reed, for me to use it regularly.

The Bb 3 on the french bassoon on the other hand, feels as comfortable to play as does open F on the german system bassoon. Because the german system bassoon requires 3 separate tone holes for the stability of the Bb 3 note, I think this has always been a tone that could be improved by makers of the german system bassoon. (The Takeda bassoon Bb3 is the most in tune and comfortable one that I have ever played on a german system bassoon; every player of the german system bassoon should play-test a Takeda just to feel how good this note feels.).

The fingerings for the upper register are not instinctive for a player of the german system bassoon, and they must be learned anew. They are all fine acoustical solutions for the fingering of each note, but they are different in many ways from the fingerings we have learned to use on the german system bassoon.

For those players of german system bassoon who would like to learn how to play the french system instrument, I would recommend that they buy or use as new a Buffet/Crampon or Selmer basson as possible. Then, begin by playing low F1. This note has the same fingering as we use on the german system bassoon. And the tone quality and sense of right feeling is repeatable on either german or french system, when playing this and a few other notes. For the second set of notes, try low G1, A-flat 1, A natural 1, B natural 1 (this note is a little too flat with the basic fingering <LH X, X, X, whisper key/ RH X, 0, 0>. Therefore Maurice Allard gave another one, more solid and in tune as:
<LH X, X, X, whisper key/ RH X, 0, Bb key, 0 * RT close low F tone hole>, and this fingering is good from “ppp” to fff” dynamics. The next diatonic note, C2 is good ( this note sometimes feels a little low in pitch, but with a good reed, is pretty solid), then the note D2 is quite flat with:
<LH X, X, 0 whisper key/ RH 0, 0, 0,> I always add the right thumb closing of the low F tone hole. And I sometimes even use this fingering to make this note more solid:
<LH X, X, 0, whisper key /RH 0, X, X, low F key> This is a fingering borrowed from Cecil James, the great English player of the french system bassoon.

The next note to learn that is very different is the F#2: We use 3 different fingerings for this note:

1. <LH 0, 0, 0, whisper key / RH X, X, X, low F key>
2. <LH 0, 0, X, whisper key / RH X, X, X, low F key>
3. <LH 0, f/f# trill key, X, whisper key/RH X, X, X, low F key> This last fingering is used for pianissimo dynamics.

It takes a few months of slow practice for a player of the german system bassoon to learn the right “feel” for this note. An excellently balanced reed will sound best with any of these fingerings, once the player is accustomed to the tone quality being a little more nasal than many other notes on the instrument. The one fingered E2 of german system fingering is only altered a little. We add the right thumb closing of the low F tone hole. Open F on the french system bassoon feels exactly as fine as it does on a german system bassoon. As one ascends the compass of the Buffet/Crampon, the G2 has a slight tendency to sharpness and can be lowered by using the left thumb low E-flat key, often only half-depressed. The A-flat 2 feels very familiar to a player brought up on a Heckel, and I usually half-open the left thumb low E-flat key for this note, as well. The fingering for A2 is very like the one we use on a german system bassoon, the only difference being the holding open of the high a’ key (left thumb) throughout the full length of the note. This venting technique, used by Vienna Heckel bassoonists does require the holding open of a vent key for all these notes: A2, B-flat2, B natural 2, and C3. Maurice Allard, whose technique was absolutely astounding, told us that no matter how rapid the tempo, there was always time for the inclusion of the thumb vent key for the correct playing of these 4 notes. The note B-flat3 is my favorite note on the french bassoon. It feels exactly as comfortable as the open F natural on either french or german system bassoons. It is so stable that it is a revelation for any trained player of the german system bassoon. On these instruments, I always feel a little instability while playing B-flat3. For the Buffet, it is fingered exactly as the principal fingering for B-flat2, one octave lower, with the addition of opening the left thumb high a’ key:
<LH X, X, X, whisper key * LT high a’ key / RH X, X, B-flat key, 0 * RT close the low F thumb hole.> The fourche fingering is like the one for B-flat2 plus the opening of the left thumb high a’ key. With the fine tone quality of the forked B-flat 2 and 3 on a french system bassoon, there is no need for an A-flat/B-flat trill key. For this trill, we finger the A-flat in either octave and trill with right hand middle finger.

For B natural 2, the player may use either the left thumb high a’ key to vent this note, or sometimes the left thumb high c” key. The middle C3 on the french system bassoon is a bit too low. There are two good ways to produce the best tone and tuning for this note:

1. Expression fingering: <LH X, X, X, whisper key * LT high c” key/ RH 0, 0, B-flat key, 0.>
2. Technical fingering: <LH X, X, X, whisper key * LT high c” key/ RH 0, 0, 0, A-flat key>

For the next chromatic higher note, C#3, we no longer need to hold open a vent key. The principal fingering is . The technical fingering is a forked fingering:
<LH X, X, 0, whisper key / RH X, 0, 0, >

Maurice Allard named the next note, D3, “la note plus faible de le basson”, and we know this D3 to be a weak note on the german system bassoon for the same acoustical reason: it is the last note in our scale that we can overblow using the fingering of the note one octave below. After this note, playing either system bassoon, we need to use cross-fingerings to produce strong upper notes. A slight advantage for players of the french system bassoon is the use of the one finger LH to play a technical E3, and to use the fingering: “all open” for a technical F3, in legato. These two notes have a bit more resonance than their counterparts used on the german system bassoon.

There are 3 ways that I finger the D3:

1. Standard: <LH X, X, 0 /RH 0, 0, 0, A-flat key> (a little stronger-sounding variant for this fingering is played by adding the LT low E-flat key).
2. A special fingering taught me by my friend Michio Wakabayashi, basson principal in “l’Orchestre des Alpes Maritimes” in Cannes, France. I use this fingering for long sustained, perfectly-in-tune D3s:
   <LH X, X, 0, * LT low C# key / RH 0, 0, 0. A-flat key * RT low F# key>.
3. Special use fingering: <LH X, X, 0 / RH 0, X, X, low F key> I use this fingering for very soft playing of this note, well in tune.

For the note E-flat 3, we finger it exactly as on the german system bassoon: <LH X, X, 0 / RH X, X, X>. As with the german system bassoon, we lift the right hand index fingering for acoustical long slurs to and from this note. (In the famous painting of Edgar Degas, “l’Orchestre”, we can observe the bassoonist Désirée Dihau, playing an E-flat 3 on his Buffet/Crampon basson. ).

The note E 3 is fingered very differently on the french system basson: <LH X, X, 0 / RH X, X, X, A-flat key>.
For the note F3, another unusual fingering, but giving a marvelous sound for this note: <LH X, 0, 0, * LT low E-flat key / RH X, X, X, A-flat key>.
A good variant for F 3, used often by Maurice Allard is as follows:
<LH X, 0, 0, C# key / X, X, X, A-flat key> either of these fingerings, and "all open" for very fast technical passages give many options of excellence during performance.

There is another F3 that I use when slurring (as we frequently play in the keys of B-flat major or E-flat major) E-flat3 to F3, as a combination. This is: <LH X, X, 0, / RH X, X, X> raise LH 2 and RH 3 to slur up to the F3 note. The F3 may be played successfully with the second of these 2 fingerings: <LH X, 0, 0 / RH X, X, 0>, but I don’t use this fingering except for the Eb3 to F3 combination.

F# 3 is a great note on the Buffet/Crampon basson:

1. Expression <LH 0, X, 0, whisper key /RH X, X, 0, low F key>
2. Liaison (acoustical improvement for long slurs) <LH 0, X, 0, whisper key/RH X, X, 0, *RT close the low F tone hole>
3. A personal F# 3 fingering that I enjoy using has a german-system bassoonist instinct for me): <LH 0, X, X, whisper key /RH X, X, 0 * RT close the low F tone hole> (this fingering is similar to the “speed fingering F# 3 that I use on the german system bassoon: <LH 0, X, X, /RH X, X, 0, *RT Bb thumb key>

G natural 3 is very much like playing this note on a german system bassoon: <LH 1/2X, X, X, whisper key, low E-flat key / RH X, 0, 0, Low F key>.

High G# 3 is a bit different and sensitive (also this note is sensitive to attacks on the german system bassoon): <LH 3/4X, X, X, whisper key, low D key /RH 0, X, X, *RT close low F tone hole>.

1. Expression - <LH X, X, 0, C# key * LT high a’ key (held for duration of note)/RH 0, 0, X>.
2. Technique - <LH X, X, 0 * LT high a’ key/RH 0, 0, 0, >
3. My personal most steady and sure high A3 fingering: <LH X, X, 0 * LT high a’ key/RH 0, X, X, *RT close low F tone hole>
4. High B-flat 4 <LH X, X, X, whisper key, C# key *LT low E-flat key/RH X, X, X, low F key>.
5. Liaison fingering (long slurs) <LH X, X, X, C# key / 0, X, X, * RT close low F tone hole> .

High B 4 <LH X, X, 0, C# key * LT high a’ key / RH X, X, B-flat key, low F key>.

High C 4 <LH X, X, d/e-flat trill key, C# key /RH X, X, B-flat key, 0, low F key * RT close low F tone hole>.

High C# 4 <LH X, 0, 0, C# key, *LT high c” key /RH X, 0, 0, >.

1. Expression<LH 0, 0, X, C#key,* LT high d” key /RH 0, 0, X, A-flat key>.
2. Technique: <LH 0, 0, 0, * LT low E-flat key /RH 0, 0, 0, * RT low F# key>
3. Technique special: <LH 0, 0, 0, * LT high d” key, low B-flat key /RH 0, 0, 0, > This one, that was a favorite of Maurice Allard, gives a “trumpet like” sound to a penetrating high D4 note.

High D#4 (high E-flat 4): <LH 0, f/f# trill key /RH 0, 0, 0, low A-flat key>.

High E natural 4: <LH 0, X, X, C# key / RH X, X, 0, *RT low F# key>

High F natural 4: <LH 0, X, X, C# key / X, 0, X, A-flat key, * RT low F# key>.

Now, that I have given all of the fingerings from low F to F4 on the french system basson, I will now explain the lowest register of the instrument.

Low E 1: <LH X, X, X, whisper key, half opening the low E-flat key / RH X, X, X, low F key, * RT close the low E tone hole>

Low E-flat 1: <LH X, X, X, whisper key, low E-flat key, low D key /RH X, X, X, low F key * RT close the low F tone hole>

Low D 1: <LH X, X, X, whisper key, low D key/RH X, X, X, low F key/RH X, X, X, low F key * RT close the low F tone hole>.

Low C#1: <LH X, X, X, whisper key, low C# key (pressed with the back of the left thumb --- a very ergonomically good design of the left thumb keys). Low C key, (the low D, will close automatically when you depress the round-shaped low C thumb touch)/ RH X, X, X, low F key * RT close the low F tone hole>.

Low C 1: <LH X,X,X,whisper key,* LT low C key / RH X, X, X, low F key, * RT close low F key>

Low B 1: <LH X, X, X, whisper key, * LT low B-flat key and low C key, together (this gives the correct tone hole opening for emitting the low B tone)/RH X, X, X, low F key * RT close the low F tone hole>.

Low B-flat 1: <LH X, X, X, whisper key, * LT low B-flat key (all by itself, no other left thumb key is needed; depressing the low B-flat key by itself automatically closes the low C and low D keys)/RH X, X, X, low F key * RT close the low F tone hole>.

    You will be pleased to discover that the low notes from low D 1 chromatically down to low B-flat 1 are all lower in pitch than the same notes on most german system bassoons. This has to do with the design of the bore of the french system basson, partially. But because of the “short bore” change of the Heckel bassoon at the time of raising the official orchestral tuning note of an orchestra from A=435 to A=440, Heckel reduced the length of the long joint of his bassoons to accomplish the pitch difference. It did make the super low notes of the german system bassoon a bit too sharp, but it also had an excellent side benefit: the tenor register notes all became more resonant and full-sounding in solo playing, contributing to the great reputation of the Heckel bassoon in the world’s orchestras. It is a great feeling, nevertheless, to play the low notes of a Buffet/Crampon basson and not have to consider lipping any of these notes downwards.

    For further development of complete control of the french system bassoon, I recommend a pedagogical method of M. Henri Boucher, who was a fine player of the Buffet/Crampon basson and an excellent teacher in Genève, Switzerland: Mr. Boucher had made a recording of his own playing on a fine reed of every note on the instrument plus one octave higher, perfectly in tune. Each student of Mr. Boucher would play along with Boucher’s recording and match his tone quality, resonance and tuning, specifically. This is a fine way to learn how to play beautifully in tune using this method. I will add a recording of my Buffet/Crampon basson here * so that players wanting to follow Henri Boucher’s fine method of learning to play every note “just right” will be able to play along with the computer sound of all the notes on my Buffet/Crampon instrument.