Eric Arbiter: The Way of Cane

Introducing ‘The Way of Cane’ by Eric Arbiter to Howarth of London.

Bassoonists have enjoyed several prescriptive ‘how to’ guides over the years from various established reed makers, but other than the classic  Popkin and Glickman bassoon reed making book, there has been little in the way of extensive studies published on the subject, especially when compared to the oboe! This book offers an up to date appraisal of reed making and the technology available to assist in the process.

Eric Arbiter is vastly experienced bassoonist and reed maker having played with the Houston Symphony for 45 years. The differences between American and European reeds are not so pronounced for the bassoon and Eric’s text is valuable reading for players in the UK and beyond. The text does not seek to promote to a fixed method (although the author has a preferred process) but explores the how’s and why’s of reed making and discusses how different approaches affect the reed.

Fully illustrated, the text flows well and this is an engaging read for even the most casual reed maker. This book fills an important gap in the bassoon’s academic work and should be received keenly by all bassoonists. This work will become a standard text and a must have for your reference library!

Find on our website: https://www.howarth.uk.com/textsearch.aspx?what=Way+of+Cane+Reedmaking

Ben Couldwell, Bassoon Specialist and General Manager – Howarth of London