Bassoon Etudes used by Norman Herzberg

Advanced etudes used by Norman HerzbergNorman Herzberg (a premier bassoon pedagogue of the 20th century) assigned standard bassoon etude books in a specific sequence. He had every student work through every etude—in order. He required his students to use standard fingerings on every note because, “There is no point in trying to avoid a technical difficulty by changing a fingering. After all, what do we practice scales for?”¹

IMSLP links below are public domain editions of the etudes from the International Music Score Library Project. SMP links take you to Sheet Music Plus. By making a purchase through the SMP links below, you are helping to support teachbassoon.com. Thank you.

Herzberg’s Etude Book List

  • 25 Studies in Scales and Chords, op. 24 by Ludwig Milde (Amazon-new edition, IMSLP, SMP)
  • Quatre Vingt Dix Etudes, volumes 1 & 2 by Marius Piard (SMP Vol 1, Vol 2)
  • Twenty Melodious Studies by Alberto Orefici (SMP)
  • Six Bassoon Etudes, op. 15 by Carl Jacobi (IMSLP)
  • 26 Melodious Studies, op. 15 by Eugène Jancourt (SMP)
  • 18 Studies for Bassoon by Giovanni Battista Gambaro (Forrests)
  • Bravura Studies by Alberto Orefici (SMP)
  • Twenty Etudes by Paul Pierné, (volume II of Nouvelle Technique du Basson by Gustave Dhérin and Pierné. Out of print.)
  • 12 Studies for Bassoon by Umberto Bertoni (Amazonfagotizm)
  • Vingt Etudes Pour Le Basson by Marcel Bitsch (Out of print)
  • 12 Studies for Bassoon by Pierre Max Dubois (SMP)
  • Concert Studies, Op. 26 by Ludwig Milde (SMP)

¹For detailed information on how Herzberg used these exercises with his students, see Cope-Lowe, C. (2008). Norman Herzberg: An icon of bassoon pedagogy (Order No. 3316308). Available from ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global. (304534367).

4 thoughts on “Bassoon Etudes used by Norman Herzberg

  1. Reply
    scott vigder - November 13, 2015

    thank you very much for posting the correct order! I really appreciate it very much!

    1. Reply
      Jessi Vandagriff - November 13, 2015

      I’m glad you found the information useful! Thank you for your feedback.

  2. Reply
    Annette Abrahamson - May 28, 2021

    http://www.vigderblanks.com

    Herzberg reed blanks NOW AVAILABLE

  3. Reply
    Phillip Richards - March 9, 2023

    Alphonse Leduc publishes Bitsch’s Vignt Etudes por la Basson.

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