Royal Concertgebouw Bassoon Master Class with Simon van Holen: Mozart's Bassoon Concerto, K.191

Bassoonist with the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra Simon van Holen coaches Joshua Elmore on an excerpt from Mozart’s Bassoon Concerto in B-Flat Major, K.191.
To watch more master class videos visit bit.ly/2k6zGVr
To complement their performances in Stern Auditorium at Carnegie Hall, select members of the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra led master classes on January 16, 2018. Participating young artists, alums of Carnegie Hall’s youth orchestra program, NYO-USA, had the opportunity to perform and work with these world-renowned musicians in a one-on-one setting in Carnegie Hall’s Resnick Education Wing. To learn more about Workshops and Master Classes at Carnegie Hall visit www.carnegiehall.org/Education/Workshops-and-Master-Classes.

[@cmw12]

It always makes me happy when the masters jump in to play the accompaniment and it turns into a duet for a bit.

[@amber1579]

That is one beautiful bassoon!

[@princessbootsie]

The student's tone is gorgeous - I bet he sings beautifully. He just needs to have some aggression and spit with those forte phrases.

[@Hairmetallurgist]

Beautiful vibrato on the student's part! Bravo!

[@stickom]

19:35 to 20:35 the key of dynamics and it is the same for all winds, ( i am an amateur horn player, but getting the dynamics range is the "Di" most difficult practice on instrument, and imagine Mozart made four concertos and one concert rondo for horn...it is sooo hard...but i love it!!)

[@quimiorlando]

That boy is really good.

[@stoley_]

Wow, sounds great!

[@ricardoleite1482]

Muito Top, quantas horas de estudo por dia, seria o ideal, mesmo sem professor ao seu lado, para orientação estudando o método weissenborny!!!

[@zacharycoronado6749]

Student is on a Heckel and the pro is on a Fox (pretty sure, looks like possibly a Puchner as well) how interesting is that. It’s sounds much better than anything I’ve done with the concerto

[@shawnseguin5998]

Zachary Coronado Simon van Holen plays on a newer Heckel.

[@TurboBinch]

They probably got confused because he's a Fox artist (on contrabassoon), although I know he also has a Heckel contrabassoon.

[@christopherchung7814]

Josh plays a 7k Heckel, Van Holen is on a 15k Heckel.

[@mongyang8840]

Van holen on the benson bell bassoon

[@TurboBinch]

Mong Yang no, he's not.

[@dtbrookes]

I wonder if he's not getting the dynamic range because his reed is too soft?

[@dtbrookes]

@@ashtonlyons2139 is that a consequence of thinner walls?

[@jamesparlevliet8840]

A soft reed would actually make him go flat. Thinner walls at the tip would make the reed speak easier. When we as bassoonists make reeds and shave them down, we want the upper fifth of the reed to look like a v, and the edges should be as thin as a piece of paper. The lack of dynamic range is because even though he has good air pressure, which should always remain constant , the force of the air changes. He has to work on the force of the air.

[@tommilano2000]

That student has the best tone quality on bassoon I've ever heard.

[@fernie51296]

d34dbro productionz just wish he played with a slightly wider vibrato to really hear his reedy tone quality.

[@joaopereira-rd5wg]

the bassoon is very good obviasly the sound will be better..

[@fagocista1980]

I confirm 👍🙂

[@fleosflanacek]

Isn’t that an exaggeration mate??

[@dudeforcaster8630]

Compared to Simon van Holen his tone is small, thin, reedy, and lacks resonance, but other than that, yes, it is the best tone quality on bassoon you've ever heard.

[@jc1125]

Good job!

[@ronaldthomas74]

Very nice work !!

[@eddiec1841]

I lived in Orlando, Florida. Can anybody knows where I can learn this instrument? Thanks

[@deanwilliams2353]

Check with the bassoonist of any local orchestra or the bassoon professor of any local university music school. Often they are the same person. they can point you in the right direction.

[@jwd0808]

van Holen kept stressing the need for more of a dynamic range, but Elmore didn't budge very much. Nice bassoon, nice tone, but lacking in some of the basics... Hey but he is still young...

[@-nar6624]

jwd0808 so true

[@LawrenceRhodes]

Simon seems to be another advocate of the naked reed. I form my tube by making an even number of scores and crushing the tube. Then wrap with heavy string tightly then snug down the wires. Cyanoacrylate the instant variety is then applied second wire to butt after the heavy string is removed. The result is a rock hard tube which can then be easily reamed to fit your bocal. This technique prevents slipping blades.

[@Anischevici_Roman]

Do all students in America play the Heckel bassoons?

[@danielbazin242]

We play on the German system, if that’s what you mean. In terms of Heckel the brand, that’s way above what a lot of students/schools are willing to pay for.

[@Anischevici_Roman]

@@danielbazin242 I'm talking about over 95% of students in the world who can't afford to buy a Heckel bassoon. A masterclass with a student with an intermediate level of bassoon playing (old Moennig) would be closer to our reality.

[@jamesparlevliet8840]

I actually still play on a Mirafone bassoon that my parents bought me almost 30 years ago. Mirafone bassoons are based on the Schreiber key system. Ive played internationally with top level recording artists and they cant tell. I will probably have the instrument until I die.

[@matheoantoniobotello9504]

Does anyone know what concerto simon is talkong about on about 3:40?

[@DFdezdeMarticorenaGallego]

Yes! It’s Mozart’s Violin Concerto n3 in G major. Beautiful to listen, specially the version of Hillary Hann, conducted by Gustavo Dudamel ;)

[@curtishertel3516]

Daniel Fernández it’s actually the JC bach concerto for Bassoon in Eb

[@Ichioku]

@@DFdezdeMarticorenaGallego Try to find the version by Gwydion Brooke played on bassoon

[@EhungLoh]

Just another bassoonist

[@matthewwhitehouse301]

‘That’s not very Mozart’ hmm it seems that even the ‘professionals’ don’t even understand the importance of embellishments in Mozart. To add decorations and leads into trills/cadences is most definitely typical and integral to Mozart and generally the 18th century aesthetic.

[@twd339]

Lol Simon's reed doesn't have a turban on it.

[@hunteralexander9791]

This allows the reed to vibrate more and allows for more control over tone, dynamics, and a few other things. The only point of a turban on a reed is to give it weight on the opposite side of the tip in case you drop it so that your reed doesn’t split.

@@hunteralexander9791 yeah and also so the reed doesn't fall apart, with a turban it is more difficult for students to break the reed when putting it on the bocal etc.