Enzo Muccetti
Encyclopedia
Enzo Muccetti was a great Italian classical
bassoonist and pedagogue. He studied at the Giuseppe Verdi
Conservatory in Turin, originally with the intention of learning the cello
but shifting to the bassoon
which was more suited to his small hands. Although he started out with the Buffet system, he switched to the German system. His work improving the mechanics of the bassoon was readily accepted by Heckel
, which eventually designed and dedicated a special model of bassoon to him, "Model 41, Special E.M." Heckel built bassoons with three different styles of bells, one of which, the Muccetti bell (also known as the Italian bell), was named after him. He served as principal bassoonist at La Scala
from 1947 to 1971. After conducting a La Scala concert, Paul Hindemith
wrote in his programme "if all bassoonists were so marvelous, life, and especially writing for the bassoon, would be more of a joy than it usually is." Similarly, Herbert von Karajan
wrote after a series of concerts at La Scala, "I'm pleased to have found a bassoonist of such stature that in almost all European orchestras there is no one to be compared with you." Muccetti was a professor at the Parma Conservatory, where his students included Evando Dall'Oca (his eventual successor at La Scala), Romano Santi, Michael Chapman
and Wendy Philips.
Classical music
Classical music is the art music produced in, or rooted in, the traditions of Western liturgical and secular music, encompassing a broad period from roughly the 11th century to present times...
bassoonist and pedagogue. He studied at the Giuseppe Verdi
Giuseppe Verdi
Giuseppe Fortunino Francesco Verdi was an Italian Romantic composer, mainly of opera. He was one of the most influential composers of the 19th century...
Conservatory in Turin, originally with the intention of learning the cello
Cello
The cello is a bowed string instrument with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is a member of the violin family of musical instruments, which also includes the violin, viola, and double bass. Old forms of the instrument in the Baroque era are baryton and viol .A person who plays a cello is...
but shifting to the bassoon
Bassoon
The bassoon is a woodwind instrument in the double reed family that typically plays music written in the bass and tenor registers, and occasionally higher. Appearing in its modern form in the 19th century, the bassoon figures prominently in orchestral, concert band and chamber music literature...
which was more suited to his small hands. Although he started out with the Buffet system, he switched to the German system. His work improving the mechanics of the bassoon was readily accepted by Heckel
Wilhelm Heckel
Wilhelm Heckel GmbH is a manufacturer of woodwind instruments based in Wiesbaden, Germany. It is best known for its bassoons, which are considered some of the finest available....
, which eventually designed and dedicated a special model of bassoon to him, "Model 41, Special E.M." Heckel built bassoons with three different styles of bells, one of which, the Muccetti bell (also known as the Italian bell), was named after him. He served as principal bassoonist at La Scala
La Scala
La Scala , is a world renowned opera house in Milan, Italy. The theatre was inaugurated on 3 August 1778 and was originally known as the New Royal-Ducal Theatre at La Scala...
from 1947 to 1971. After conducting a La Scala concert, Paul Hindemith
Paul Hindemith
Paul Hindemith was a German composer, violist, violinist, teacher, music theorist and conductor.- Biography :Born in Hanau, near Frankfurt, Hindemith was taught the violin as a child...
wrote in his programme "if all bassoonists were so marvelous, life, and especially writing for the bassoon, would be more of a joy than it usually is." Similarly, Herbert von Karajan
Herbert von Karajan
Herbert von Karajan was an Austrian orchestra and opera conductor. To the wider world he was perhaps most famously associated with the Berlin Philharmonic, of which he was principal conductor for 35 years...
wrote after a series of concerts at La Scala, "I'm pleased to have found a bassoonist of such stature that in almost all European orchestras there is no one to be compared with you." Muccetti was a professor at the Parma Conservatory, where his students included Evando Dall'Oca (his eventual successor at La Scala), Romano Santi, Michael Chapman
Michael Chapman (bassoonist)
Michael Chapman was a British classical bassoonist and reed-maker.His playing, characterized by an ability to weave long, sustained, singing lines and deliver powerful utterances, has influenced subsequent generations of British bassoonists, including Rex Liu and Joseph Niesyto...
and Wendy Philips.