el fagot by Sarah Albertson

the bassoon is a very beautiful instrument. very long and tall. it is made of a soft, dark maroon
colored wood. mine has shiny, silver keys, weathered from years of fingers touching and playing
the same notes as me. the bassoon has a sense of familiarity. it is able to make high, screeching
sounds, but can also make vibratingly low sounds. i am not the best at playing, and prefer
mid-range notes, the inky dots noted on the staff. My favorite note to play is low G, the note
sitting on the bottom-most stair, waiting to be noticed by your eyes like passersby on the
sidewalk
1
2
thumb 3
4
5
6
i love the way my right ring finger feels on that 6th key. the key is smooth and weathered, and
just the right shape for my finger to rest upon for that brief moment. the note is a beautiful
demonstration of the bassoon’s timbre. it is resonant and low, saying all the things that i cannot.