Collection and Comparisons of Measurement Data of Historical Small-Sized Bassoons

Each measured value consists of two components: L, the depth (or distance) measured between the reference point R (end of instrument where measuring tool is inserted); and D, the diameter (Ø) at that point. L and D are perpendicular (Figure 8).

L minimum (Depth min.) and L maximum (Depth max.) are recorded for each fixed-diameter interval. (Woodwind bores tend to shrink over the years, resulting in cross sections having some degree of ovality.) [3] It is not required to find the maximum and minimum diameter at each point, but it is necessary to turn the instrument bore with extreme care while inserting the tool.

The diameter progression inside the bore reflects these diameters steps as shown in Table 1.

The wing, long and butt big bore joints are measured from the smallest to largest diameter. Everts’ measuring tool is inserted into the bore from its largest diameter.

Values display an increasing series of diameters corresponding to a decreasing series of depths (see Table 1).

If it is not possible to uncork butt joint, the small bore cannot be measured with this tool; the series of rods cannot pass through the beginning of the bore, as the bore starts with its smallest diameter and expands down to the septum and cork space.

How can one measure the small bore in the butt joint?
In case uncorking is not possible, a tool inspired by David Rachor (Figure 9) has been made which enables measurements of the small bore of the butt joint to be taken. This tool is very similar to Everts’, the difference being that a tilted caliper can enter the bore, attached to the ruled stick with a flexible wire. When the bottom of the bore in the butt joint is reached, the wire is pulled so that the caliper leaves its tilted position and takes a perpendicular position on the ruler stick. Depths of diameter can thus be recorded. Using this tool, values will display in a decreasing series of diameters and a corresponding decreasing series of depths.

If it is possible to remove the butt joint cork, then Everts’ measuring tool can be used to measure the small bore and data collected by inserting the tool through the cork space (south). Values will display the usual series of increasing diameters corresponding to a decreasing series of depths.

The bell is measured with Everts’ tool, starting from the southern part. The bell’s smallest diameter is usually found at the end of the northern part. If bells having an almost or very cylindrical bore are measured, two series of value sets can be offered: one measured from south to north and one measured from north to south, often with an irregular series of depths with big steps. Shrinking and/or ovality are more evident in these cases.

Some bells have an internal bell chamber right before its northern end. To measure this, the tilting caliper stick is employed by inserting it from north into the bell; value collection goes from south to north, that is: from the beginning of bell chamber to its end; values will display a decreasing series of depths and an irregular series of diameters (first increasing, then decreasing).

Diameters of tone holes

A set of cylinders are used to record the approximate diameter of tone holes. Cylinders are inserted into tone holes and the one fitting “snugly” is recorded as the approximate diameter. On the long joint, a digital caliper is often used instead of cylinders, especially for the D, C, and Bb tone holes.

Angles of tone holes

A special tool was designed for this purpose, as shown in Figure 10.

The following tables offer an overall picture of some of the most important measurements of the examined instruments. This data can be compared on different levels, for example according to a chronological order and/or a geographical scheme. Some sizes of instruments can thus easily be compared to instruments made by the same builder, or to instruments made by their contemporaries.

Standing lengths, chronologically ordered and smallest to largest

A chronological display of instrument types, standing lengths, total external lengths and inner bore lengths is an important guideline to compare how many of these major measurements differ over the decades (Table 2). The list shows the popularity of instrument types from ca. 1700–1900. The last two columns offer an overview of the total bore lengths, from the smallest to the largest. It is therefore evident that there is a constant measurement range in which the category of fagottini can be found, and the same can be said for tenoroons in G and F.

Details

• Fagottini have a total internal bore length between ca. 971 mm (FT12 Castlas) and ca. 1227.3 mm (FT39 Scherer). The range of the external length is ca. 972 mm–1220 mm. The “fagottino median” calculated within all available bore total lengths (without any geographical or chronological ranking) is ca. 1098.7 mm. This value corresponds to the total bore length of FT28 Scherer 1.
  
• Tenoroons in G have a total internal bore length range between ca. 1294.5 mm (FT22 Proff) and ca. 1476.6 mm (FT11 Cahusac). The range of the external length is ca. 1279 mm–1478 mm. The “tenoroon median in G” calculated using all the available bore total lengths (without any geographical or chronological ranking) is ca. 1359.6 mm.
  
• Tenoroons in F are those instruments with a total internal bore length within a range between ca. 1506.9 mm (FT9 Blockley) and ca. 1682.1 (FT34 Tuerlinckx). The external length range is ca. 1467 mm–1658 mm. The “tenoroon median in F” calculated using all the available bore total lengths (without any geographical or chronological ranking) is ca. 1602.2 mm. This value corresponds the total bore length of FT45 Stehle.

According to studies made by Giovanni Battista Graziadio, total bore lengths in fagottini generally correspond to roughly half of the total bore length of the full-size bassoon made by the same maker; tenoroons in G generally have slightly less than 3/4 of the total bore length of the full-size bassoon made by the same maker; tenoroons in F, generally slightly more than 3/4 of the total bore length of the full-size bassoon made by the same maker.

Table 3 gives rough information about how conicity is different or similar when considering bore diameters of joints of different instruments having similar lengths, approximating bores to regular conic sections and ignoring how the diameter progressions along the bores can vary. Using the values given in Table 3, more conjectures can be made if the instruments come from same region and/or period.

The volume of air put into vibration is what is significant for pitch/tone with instruments having similar bore lengths. This volume of each joint (and of the whole instrument) is directly proportional to the length of each joint, but it is even more proportional to the diameters of beginnings and ends of each bore. In any case, for more profound information of the design of bores, please consult our bore measurement collection in the instrument datasets on our project website.

A large range of bocal dimensions is displayed of those located with the examined small-sized bassoons in Table 4. It is impossible to confirm if all bocals have remained with the instruments they were built for (the only real test would be by playing), but of the three bocals located with Scherer fagottini, two are similar: FT44 (244 mm) and FT30 (258.3 mm). These kinds of comparisons can also be made with Savary Jeune bocals and others. An interesting investigation can be done by calculating the median of bocals located with different types of instruments.

Bocal and reed dimensions are complementary, influencing overall pitch, tuning, response, and tone quality. Reeds are generally chosen according to the individual player’s requirements and can therefore vary substantially. We have not located any original reeds for small-sized bassoons.

Fagottino: The shortest fagottino bocal belongs to FT29 Scherer (130 mm); the longest, to FT30 Scherer (258.3 mm). The “fagottino bocal median” calculated from all available fagottino bocal lengths (without any geographical or chronological ranking) is ca. 198 mm.

G tenoroon: There are only three bocals listed for G tenoroons: FT11 (182 mm), FT18 (203 mm), FT6 (225 mm). The “G tenoroon bocal median” calculated from all the available G tenoroon bocal lengths (without any geographical or chronological ranking) is ca. 203.333… mm, which can be approximated to the FT18 bocal length.

F tenoroon: The shortest F tenoroon bocal belongs to FT45 Stehle (173 mm); the longest, to FT27 Savary Jeune (339 mm). The “F tenoroon bocal median” calculated from all the available F tenoroon bocal lengths (without any geographical or chronological ranking) is ca. 252 mm.

Bocal Diameters

Fagottino: The median of the diameters at the beginning is 3.57 mm; the smallest diameter is 3 mm in FT30 Scherer, and largest is 4.35 mm in FT7. The median of the diameters at the tenon is 7.4 mm; the smallest is 6.95 mm (FT43 Leiberz) and largest is 7.95 mm (FT44 Scherer).

G tenoroon: The median of the diameters at the beginning 3.7 mm; the smallest diameter is 3.45 mm (FT18 Kraus) and largest is 3.9 mm (FT6 Anonymous). The median of the diameters at the tenon is 8.3 mm and is the same value (8.35 mm) for FT18 Kraus and FT11 Cahusac.

F tenoroon: The median of the diameters at the beginning is 3.93 mm; the smallest is 3.6 mm (FT2 Adler) and largest is 4.55 mm (FT47 Riva). The median of the diameters at the tenon is 8 mm; the smallest is 6.8 mm (FT2 Adler) and the largest is 10.4 mm (FT27 Savary Jeune).