Eugène Bozza

12 Caprices

To this day, Eugène Bozza (1905-1991) remains one of the most prolific composers for wind instruments, despite being a violinist himself. His 12 Caprices for Bassoon is no exception to the composer's success. During his studiesat the Paris Conservatoire, Bozza won prizes for Violin, conducting and composition, as well as the Grand Prix de Rome. He then conducted the orchestra of the Opéra-Comique and became Head of the Conservatoire in Valenciennes, whilst remaining a prominent composer. Compiled in 1968, Bozza's 12 Caprices addresses a variety of very difficult, advanced features of the Bassoon, including complex rhythms, articulation, chromaticism, variations in timesignatures, breath control, phrasing, intervals, scales and arpeggios, amongst other aspects. For all advanced Bassoon players, Bozza's 12 Caprices are essential to continue to develop technique to a high standard.