In Sergey Prokofiev’s musical children’s tale Peter and the Wolf, the bassoon represents the grandfather, both sedate and strict, which says a lot about the image of the instrument. This image, however, has changed in the intervening years – thanks not least to the efforts of Johannes Schwarz, the specialist for contemporary music and member of Ensemble Modern (since 2003) who has significantly enhanced his bassoon playing with extended techniques. Apart from Luciano Berio and Claus-Steffen Mahnkopf, the composers featured on this album have all worked “with my sound archive,” as Johannes Schwarz emphasizes. “Their works have been created within the past twelve years, in permanent exchange with me.” This exchange is marked by curiosity and a pioneering spirit – with the goal of overcoming, or rather redefining, the technical and sonic limits of the bassoon. Join Johannes Schwarz on his exploration of unheard possibilities!