Scherer, Johannes and Georg Henrich Bassoons

The Hichwa-Rachor database contains five original bassoons of either Johannes Scherer (junior) (1664-1722) or Georg Henrich Scherer (son of Johannes Scherer) (1703-1778) and two copies based on Scherer bassoons in the Hichwa-Rachor database. These five original Scherer bassoons are the only known Scherer bassoons, and it is difficult to attribute them to either the father or the son. According to Phillip Young in his 1986 article “The Scherers of Butzbach,” a number 1 or 2 on the Scherer stamps, in some cases, can determine whether the father (#1) or the son (#2) made the bassoon. The workshop flourished in Butzbach (approximately 59km north of Frankfurt) from a1711 through p1778.

Scherer Literature [Revised 1 February 2025]

Dart, Mathew. The Baroque Bassoon: Form, Construction, Acoustics, and Playing Qualities, 219-224, 506-509. PhD thesis, London Metropolitan University, 2011.

Dullat, Günter. Verzeichnis der Holz- und Metallblasinstrumentenmacher auf Deutschsprachigem Gebiet von 1500 bis Mitte des 20. Jahrhunderts. Tutzing: Scheider, 2010.

Jansen, Will. The Bassoon: Its History, Construction, Makers, Players and Music, Vol. 1, 478. Buren: Frits Knuf, 1978.

Waterhouse, William. The New Langwill Index. London: Tony Bingham, 1993.

Young, Phillip. 4900 Historical Woodwind Instruments. London: Tony Bingham, 1993.

Young, Phillip. Loan Exhibition of Historic Double Reed Instruments, 53. Victoria, Canada: University of Victoria, August 1988.

Phillip Young. “The Scherers of Butzbach.” The Galpin Society Journal 39 (September 1986): 112-124.