THE BASSOON REED 'My System'

Mordechai Rechtman’s bassoon playing is legendary. His take on reeds is simple: the reed should respond as easily to the breath as if one were playing a recorder or blowing a whistle. This allows the player to shape notes and to fully express nuances with inflections and decays, and to explore all the possible subtleties of phrasing.
The Bassoon Reed—My System encapsulates this approach. It’s a step-by-step guide to reed adjustment that is accessible to players of any age or level.
I was 19 when I first heard Rechtman play, and it blew my mind. From the back of the hall, I could hear everything. Never had I heard a bassoon played with so much projection and with such a dynamic and expressive range.
I am now 66, and I can say that what Mordechai taught me about music, the bassoon and reed adjustment changed my playing dramatically. He showed me how to shape sound with the same natural ease as any good singer or string player and gave me the tools I needed to achieve a whole new level of control. In doing so, I was able to fully express myself musically during my 12-year tenure as principal bassoon of the Montreal Symphony and still to this day.
For anyone curious about what lies beyond good sound, pitch, rhythm and musicality, and who wants to benefit from Mordechai’s singular artistry and experience, The Bassoon Reed—My System is for you. I wholeheartedly recommend it.