Great Solo Repertoire for Intermediate & Advanced Bassoonists
My favorite recommendations for solo repertoire for intermediate and advanced bassoonists. Many of these solo pieces are considered standard repertoire for the bassoon and would make a great choice for a solo competition or recital program.
Some of the features of intermediate and advanced bassoon solos may include:
a wider range of notes, especially high notes, and the use of tenor clef
complex rhythms and time signatures
challenging tempos and articulations
lyrical sections requiring vibrato, excellent intonation, and breath control
a variety of key signatures, including multiple sharps or flats
I would recommend choosing a solo that is just barely more challenging than your usual repertoire. Selecting a solo that is too difficult can result in frustration, bad playing habits, and inconsistent performances.
Most of these solos are available for purchase at trevcomusic.com which I highly recommend. They are a small double reed business with a huge selection of music, fast shipping and great service. Some solos are also available on Amazon. If you’re looking for other places to buy bassoon music, check out my recommended shops.
Check out the solos below, along with the video recordings, and hopefully, you will find something you enjoy performing! If these solos seem a little too difficult, I have a list of my favorite bassoon solos for beginners too.
📚Bassoon Solo Repertoire Books
If you’re looking for a collection of solos, check out these books. I’ve used all of these personally and in lessons and find that they have a great selection of repertoire. Most of these books also come with copies of the piano accompaniment and some even come with recordings you can play along with. The great thing about buying a collection is that it gives you a wide variety of pieces to choose from and can be re-used year after year.
Solos for the Bassoon Player (Edited - Sol Schoenbach)
By far my favorite solo book for intermediate bassoonists! Features a great range of solos based on famous classical pieces and bassoon orchestral excerpts, all edited by the incredible bassoonist and teacher, Sol Schoenbach. The variety of pieces is fantastic and all are arranged to be played with piano accompaniment. I particularly love the arrangement of Sorcerer’s Apprentice.
Solos for the Bassoon Player (Music Minus One Bassoon)
This collection of classic pieces, scored for solo bassoon with piano accompaniment, covers a huge span of time and musical styles, from Bach (Bourree I and II) to Dukas's Sorcerer's Apprentice. Includes selections from Carmen, L'Elisir d'amore, Pictures at an Exhibition , and many, many more! In addition, this book comes with audio recordings of the bassoon and piano parts so you can play along. Any of these pieces would make a great addition to a bassoon recital program.
Festival and Contest Solos: for Bassoon & Piano (Music Minus One Basson)
12 festival and contest solos for bassoon and piano along with audio recordings for each. This book is an excellent overview of some of the staple pieces in the bassoon repertoire including Capriccio (Weissenborn/Dherin), Concertino, op. 12 (David/Voxman), Romance, op. 62 (Elgar), and Sonata in E minor (Marcello/Sharrow). A great selection of repertoire that is particularly well suited to solo competitions.
Classic Festival Solos (Bassoon) Vol. 1
The solos in this book are progressive, starting off fairly easy and ending more advanced. Some of my favorite pieces in this collection are The Happy Farmer and In the Hall of the Mountain King. This is a great book for someone looking to work through repertoire gradually starting with fun, easy pieces and progressing to complex, intermediate solos.
Master Solos Intermediate Level - Bassoon
This collection for bassoon was personally selected and performed by world-famous performing artist and educator, Leonard Sharrow. On the accompanying audio, the first track features the solo performance with piano accompaniment and the second track is the piano accompaniment only. This book includes some of my favorite pieces to teach intermediate students such as the Galliard Sonata No. 5, Romanze by Siennicki, and Arioso & Humoresque by Weissenborn.
For Texas Bassoonists: Solos are listed with their corresponding grade level from the Texas UIL Prescibed Music List. You can access the complete Texas UIL Prescribed Music List online. Please review the requirements carefully, as they may request specific movements or arrangements. Most schools require you to have a copy for yourself and an original, clean score for the judge.
🔥Intermediate Bassoon Solos
J. Weissenborn - Arioso & Humoresque
Texas UIL PML: Grade 2 (play both) Grade 3 (play Arioso OR Humoresque)
Buy from Trevco
Buy from Amazon
J. S. Bach - Bouree I & II from Suite No. 3
Texas UIL PML: Grade 1 (play 2 contrasting movements from Suite No. 3 with ornamentation on the repeats)
Buy from Trevco
Buy from Amazon
🔥🔥Intermediate-Early Advanced Bassoon Solos
These pieces are a little more complex than the intermediate pieces listed above. They include a more extended range, some tenor clef reading, and more intricate rhythms and musical demands.
J. Weissenborn - Nocturne in E-flat, Op. 9, No. 4 for Bassoon & Piano
Texas UIL PML: Grade 1
Buy from Trevco
Buy from Amazon
Telemann - F minor Sonata for Bassoon
Texas UIL PML: Grade 1 (play mvts 1 & 2 or 3 & 4)
Buy from Trevco
Buy from Amazon
🔥🔥🔥Advanced Bassoon Solos
These pieces are ideal for advanced bassoonists. In order to play these pieces successfully, students should have a solid grasp of all of the notes on the bassoon, excellent tenor clef reading skills, and a very strong understanding of complex rhythms and bassoon techniques. Some of these pieces are not as challenging technically but require a very nuanced sense of musicality, vibrato, intonation, and air control to perform well.
Mozart - Concerto K191 in B-flat
Texas UIL PML: Grade 1 (play mvt 2 or 3 -no cadenzas) or NMR:(play all)
Buy from Trevco
Buy from Amazon
Weber - Concerto Op. 75 in F major
Texas UIL PML: Grade 1 (play one mvt) or (NMR - play 1 & 2 OR 2 & 3)
Buy from Trevco
Buy from Amazon
Saint Saens - Sonata for Bassoon & Piano
Texas UIL PML: Grade 1 (play all) or (NMR - play 1 & 2 OR 2 & 3)
Buy from Trevco
Buy from Amazon
Looking for more fun, short melodies for bassoon? Check out the Blue Moon Bassoon Songbook featuring 100+ lines of familiar folk and classical tunes including a variety of orchestral excerpts!
