Musician Demonstrates the Wide Tonal Range of a Giant Contrabassoon That Is Twice His Size

Musician David Chatterton of The Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment shares the unique sound of a contrabassoon, particularly noting its wide tonal range. The giant instrument, created by Joseph Haydn and employed by Ludwig van Beethoven, appears to be twice the size of the man playing it.

What is this big beast of the orchestra, and where did it come from? David Chatterton introduces the contrabassoon as heard in Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony and Haydn’s Creation.