A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Wotton, William Bale

WOTTON, William Bale, bassoon-player, was born at Torquay, Sept. 6, 1832. His father was corporal-major in the 1st Life Guards, and he was thus brought up among the best regimental music. His fondness for the art showed itself very early; he learnt the flute and cornet, and at the age of thirteen entered the band of the regiment. The bassoon he learned with John Hardy, an excellent player, under whom he laid the foundation of that artistic style and charm of tone which distinguish him. He studied orchestral playing at the Royal Academy under the late Mr. Charles Lucas. His first appearance as a soloist was at the Town Hall, Windsor, where he and the late William Crozier (a most admirable player, who died early in 1871, after having been for many years First Oboe at the Crystal Palace) played a duet for oboe and bassoon under the irection of Dr. (now Sir George) Elvey. On the death of Baumann he would have accepted engagements with Jullien for the Promenade Concerts, and with Alfred Mellon for the Orchestral Union, if Waddell, his bandmaster, had not peremptorily forbade it. He was then transferred from the bassoon to the saxophone, of which he was the earliest player in England. In 1886 he left the Life Guards and joined the orchestra of the Crystal Palace, in which he has played First Bassoon ever since. He is also a member of the orchestras of the Philharmonic, Albert Hall, and many others, and is Professor of the Bassoon at the Royal College of Music.

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