Dynamics: the optical center

[OCTO]

WHO WANTS TO HEAR A CLARINET ANYWAY?

It is the bassoon.
I know you are kidding.

BTW, do you know how sounds bassoon pppp in the low register?
ssssss-BUUUUUU!

[RMK]

Actually it's a bassoon, although generally played on bass clarinet.

[David Ward]

Verdi added a ppppppp in red crayon heavily circled to a vocal score to apply to a tenor's top B flat, but probably just to stop it from being the usual showy ff.

More oddly, Puccini (I've just checked and found these in both Tosca and Bohème) sometimes marks the harp pppp, and I'm fairly sure that on occasion it's marked ppppp, although I can't find that while just quickly turning the pages of the scores.