The earliest printed account of the Bassoon occurs in Ludovico Zacconi's Prattica di Musica, first published in Venice in 1592. As this book is rare and no facsimile edition or translation has appeared, the following extract1 is of interest and contains the earliest allusion to a Bassoon of deeper pitch than the type instrument:—

Writing in an American journal some years ago on the vagaries of his instrument, an eminent horn player headed his article with the motto: “God in His wrath created the horn.” He might have added that the blue print was lost, for there is probably no orchestral instrument about whose origin and early development so few facts are known.

In these momentous days when every human being is feeling his life directly affected by the War, it is encouraging to find thinking people bestirring themselves with Charters and Plans for the future preservation of peace, and though we hear much vague talk about “post-war reconstruction,” there is a certain amount of agreement on the view that in future people must be taught the right use of leisure and that the extension of education must be one of the principal means of bringing this about.

Charles Santley (1834–1922): early days and training. Maestri Gaetano Nava (1802–75) and Manuel Garcia (1805–1906). Henry Fothergill Chorley (1808–72), music critic. Opening of Liverpool Philharmonic Hall. Giulia Grisi (1811–69), Marietta Alboni (1823–94), Pauline Viardot-Garcia (1821–1910), Mario (1810–83), Sims Reeves (1818–1900), Karl Formes (1816–89), Luigi Lablache (1794–1858), Joseph Staudigl (1807–61), Jenny Lind (1820–87), Giulia Ravogli (1860-), Italo Gardoni (1821–82), Edward Lloyd (1845–1927), Joseph Maas (1847–86), Ben Davies (1858–1943), Gervase Elwes (1866–1921), Jean de Reszke (1850–1925), Antonio Cotogni (1831–1918), Aynsley Cook (1831–94), J. L. Hatton (1809–86), John Orlando Parry (1810–79), Therese Tietjens (1831–77), Adelina Patti (1843–1919), lima di Murska (1836–89), Dame Emma Albani (1852–1930), Dame Nellie Melba (1861–1931), Louisa Pyne (1832–1904), Janet Patey (1842–94), Charlotte Sainton-Dolby (1821–85), Giorgio Ronconi (1810–90), Giuditta Pasta (1798–1860, Marie Caroline Carvalho (1827–95), Louisa Kirkby Lunn (1873–1930), John Braham (1774–1856), The Earl of Mount-Edgcumbe (1764–1839) on Recitative. Ambroise Thomas on Santley's Hamlet with Christine Nilsson (1843–1921) as Ophelia.