The dulcian is a Renaissance woodwind instrument that has a double reed and a curved cone shape. It is also known by other names in different languages: English (curtal), German (Dulzian), French (douçaine), Dutch (dulciaan), Italian (dulciana), Spanish (bajón), and Portuguese (baixão).

This instrument was an early version of the modern bassoon. It was most popular between 1550 and 1700, though it may have been created even earlier. By the end of this time, it was used alongside the baroque bassoon before being replaced by it. The dulcian was played in both religious and non-religious settings across northern and western Europe, as well as in the New World.

Construction

The dulcian is usually made from one piece of maple. First, the inside is drilled and shaped, and then the outside is smoothed to form the instrument's shape. A reed is attached to a metal part called a bocal, which is inserted into the top of the small hole. Unlike the bassoon, the dulcian often has a bell that flares out, sometimes made from a separate piece of wood. This bell can sometimes be covered with a mute, which may be removed or permanently attached. The instrument's surface can also be wrapped in leather, similar to the cornett.

The most common size is the bass in F, but dulcians come in other sizes, such as tenor (in C), alto (in F or G), and soprano (in C). There are also larger versions, like the "quart bass" in C and the contrabass in F. Each dulcian covers a range of two and a half octaves, matching the range of a specific singing voice. For example, the bass dulcian can play from C2 (two octaves below middle C) to G4 (the G above middle C).

Evolution

The reed on the dulcian is completely visible, letting the player adjust the sound and pitch by how they use their mouth. When the dulcian first appeared, other double reed instruments either had reeds that were fully covered, like the crumhorn or the bagpipe, or had reeds that were partly covered by a part called a pirouette, like the shawm. Some people believe the dulcian replaced the bass shawm because it was easier to handle, while others think both instruments were used together and appeared around the same time.

The dulcian became widely used by the middle of the 1500s. A collection of dulcians in different sizes found in Brussels has a maker's mark labeled "Melchor" and is believed to be from Spain. Another famous example is a dulcian from Linz, made slightly later, which has leather covering and a built-in mute. A well-known later version, made by Denner around 1700, also includes a built-in mute. Modern copies of the Linz dulcian produce a smoother sound and reach higher notes more easily. This is even more true for modern copies of the Denner dulcian.

Function and repertoire

The dulcian is a versatile instrument that can play very loudly for outdoor bands, very softly for chamber music, and with rich expression to perform with choirs. It was used for playing dance music alongside shawms and sackbuts used by city watch musicians, for chamber music, and for large choir music from Venice and Germany, including works by famous composers like Giovanni Gabrieli and Heinrich Schütz. The dulcian has clear parts written for it in sonatas by Dario Castello.