What are some notable classical bassoon solos aside from The Rite of Spring?
Q: The movement would be helpful as well as title and composer. Thanks!
A: I'm a bassoonist, so this is "rite" up my alley.
"Big" orchestral solos:
Stravinsky: Rite of Spring (Opening)
--Everyone knows this one.
Stravinsky: Firebird (Berceuse)
--A true gem!
Beethoven: Ninth Symphony (Fourth movement)
--The famous countermelody to the Ode to Joy theme
Bartok: Concerto for Orchestra (Second movement)
--This quirky one is for three bassoons!
Rimsky-Korsakov: Scheherazade (Second movement)
--This movement has two big bassoon solos.
Berlioz: Symphonie Fantastique (Fourth and fifth movements)
--This piece has some tough material in it!
Ravel: Piano Concerto in G Major (First and third movements)
--The first movement has a very high, and pretty solo.
--The third movement has one of the most technically difficult excerpts in the orchestral repertoire.
Shostakovich: Symphony No. 9 (Fourth movement)
--The entire movement is a wonderful largo bassoon solo. Another gem.
Donizetti: L'elisir d'amore (Aria: Una furtiva lagrima)
--One of the great opera orchestra solos, from an aria sung by Nemorino.
Ravel: Bolero
--Speaks for itself.
Mozart: The Marriage of Figaro(overture)
--Most people are probably familiar with this solo.
And of course...
Prokofiev: Peter and the Wolf
--The grandfather
As far as solo works are concerned, the "biggest" works would probably include:
Mozart: Bassoon Concerto in B-flat, K191
Weber: Concerto in F
Hummel: Grand Concerto in F
Vivaldi: An assload of concertos (37 total)












so I'll be the first.
If I remember correctly, the bassoon is the grampaw in Peter and the Wolf.
I like the bassoon solo in the last movement of the Beethoven violin concerto.
PS I notice Maestro only joined yesterday.
At the time I'm writing this, he has written only 7 replies, but some of them are sure to et checked as Best Answers.
Betcha he will become our next Top Contributor.
There are also the old standard exerpts,
Mozart's Overture to "The Marriage of Figaro"
Ravel's "Bolero"
Rimsky-Korsakov's Scheherazade
and
Stravinsky's "Pulcinela"