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Oboe

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For the British bomb aiming system, seeOboe (navigation).For other uses, seeOBOE.
"Hautbois" redirects here. For the strawberry, seeMusk strawberry.
Oboe
Woodwind instrument
Classification
Hornbostel–Sachs classification422.112-71
(Double-reededaerophonewithkeys)
DevelopedMid 17th century from theshawm
Playing range
Related instruments
Oboe reeds

Theoboe(/ˈoʊboʊ/OH-boh) is a type ofdouble-reedwoodwind instrument.Oboes are usually made of wood, but may also be made of synthetic materials, such as plastic, resin, or hybrid composites.

The most common type of oboe, the soprano oboe pitched in C, measures roughly65 cm (25+1⁄2in) long and has metalkeys,a conicalboreand a flared bell. Sound is produced by blowing into thereedat a sufficient air pressure, causing it to vibrate with the air column.[1]The distinctive tone is versatile and has been described as "bright".[2]When the wordoboeis used alone, it is generally taken to mean the soprano member rather than other instruments of the family, such as thebass oboe,thecor anglais(English horn), oroboe d'amore.

Today, the oboe is commonly used as orchestral or solo instrument insymphony orchestras,concert bandsandchamberensembles. The oboe is especially used inclassical music,film music,some genres offolk music,and is occasionally heard injazz,rock,pop,andpopular music.The oboe is widely recognized as the instrument that tunes the orchestra with its distinctive 'A'.[3]

A musician who plays the oboe is called an oboist.

Sound

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In comparison to other modernwoodwind instruments,the soprano oboe is sometimes referred to as having a "bright and penetrating" voice.[4][5]The Sprightly Companion,an instruction book published byHenry Playfordin 1695, describes the oboe as "Majestical and Stately, and not much Inferior to the Trumpet".[6]In the playAngels in Americathe sound is described as like "that of a duck if the duck were a songbird".[7]The richtimbreis derived from itsconical bore(as opposed to the generallycylindrical boreofflutesandclarinets). As a result, oboes are easier to hear over other instruments in large ensembles due to its penetrating sound.[8]The highest note is a semitone lower than the nominally highest note of the B♭clarinet.Since the clarinet has a wider range, the lowest note of the B♭clarinet is significantly deeper (a minor sixth) than the lowest note of the oboe.[9]

Music for the standard oboe is written in concert pitch (i.e., it is not atransposing instrument), and the instrument has asopranorange, usually from B♭3to G6.Orchestras tune to aconcert Aplayed by the first oboe.[10]According to the League of American Orchestras, this is done because the pitch is secure and its penetrating sound makes it ideal for tuning.[11]The pitch of the oboe is affected by the way in which thereedis made. The reed has a significant effect on the sound. Variations in cane and other construction materials, the age of the reed, and differences in scrape and length all affect the pitch. German and French reeds, for instance, differ in many ways, causing the sound to vary accordingly. Weather conditions such as temperature and humidity also affect the pitch. Skilled oboists adjust theirembouchureto compensate for these factors. Subtle manipulation of embouchure and air pressure allows the oboist to express timbre and dynamics.

Reeds

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OboistAlbrecht Mayerpreparing reeds for use. Most oboists scrape their own reeds to achieve the desired tone and response.

The oboe uses a double reed, similar to that used for the bassoon.[12]Most professional oboists make their reeds to suit their individual needs. By making their reeds, oboists can precisely control factors such as tone color, intonation, and responsiveness. They can also account for individual embouchure, oral cavity, oboe angle, and air support.

Renaissance oboe (shawm), baroque oboe (Stanesby copy, maker Olivier Cottet), classical oboe early 19th century (Copy of Sand Dalton on the original by Johann Friedrich Floth), Viennese oboe early 20th century, Viennese oboe late 20th century and a modern oboe

Novice oboists rarely make their own reeds, as the process is difficult and time-consuming, and frequently purchase reeds from a music store instead. Commercially available cane reeds are available in several degrees of hardness; a medium reed is very popular, and most beginners use medium-soft reeds. These reeds, like clarinet, saxophone, and bassoon reeds, are made fromArundo donax.As oboists gain more experience, they may start making their own reeds after the model of their teacher or buying handmade reeds (usually from a professional oboist) and using special tools includinggougers,pre-gougers, guillotines, shaper tips, knives, and other tools to make and adjust reeds to their liking.[13]The reed is considered the part of oboe that makes the instrument so difficult because the individual nature of each reed means that it is hard to achieve a consistent sound. Slight variations in temperature, humidity, altitude, weather, and climate can also have an effect on the sound of the reed, as well as minute changes in the physique of the reed.[14]

Oboists often prepare several reeds to achieve a consistent sound, as well as to prepare for environmental factors such as chipping of a reed or other hazards. Oboists may have different preferred methods for soaking their reeds to produce optimal sounds; the most preferred method tends to be to soak the oboe reed in water before playing.[15]

Plastic oboe reeds are rarely used, and are less readily available than plastic reeds for other instruments, such as the clarinet. However, they do exist, and are produced by brands such as Legere.[16]

History

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In English, prior to 1770, the standard instrument was called ahautbois,hoboy,orFrench hoboy(/ˈhoʊbɔɪ/HOH-boy). This was borrowed from theFrenchname,hautbois[obwɑ],which is a compound word made up ofhaut( "high", "loud" ) andbois( "wood", "woodwind" ).[17]The French word means 'high-pitched woodwind' in English. The spelling ofoboewas adopted into Englishc. 1770from the Italianoboè,a transliteration of the 17th-century pronunciation of the French name.

The regular oboe first appeared in the mid-17th century, when it was called ahautbois.This name was also used for its predecessor, theshawm,from which the basic form of thehautboiswas derived.[18]Major differences between the two instruments include the division of thehautboisinto three sections, or joints (which allowed for more precise manufacture), and the elimination of thepirouette,the wooden ledge below the reed which allowed players to rest their lips.

The exact date and location of origin of thehautboisare obscure, as are the inventors. Circumstantial evidence, such as the statement by the flautist composerMichel de la Barrein hisMemoire,points to members of thePhilidor(Filidor) andHotteterrefamilies. The instrument may in fact have had multiple inventors.[19]Thehautboisquickly spread throughout Europe, including Great Britain, where it was calledhautboy,hoboy,hautboit,howboye,and similar variants of the French name.[20]It was the main melody instrument in early military bands, until it was succeeded by theclarinet.[21]

The standard Baroque oboe is generally made ofboxwoodand has threekeys:a "great" key and two side keys (the side key is often doubled to facilitate use of either the right or left hand on the bottom holes). In order to produce higher pitches, the player has to "overblow",or increase the air stream to reach the next harmonic. Notable oboe-makers of the period are the GermansJacob Dennerand J.H. Eichentopf, and the English Thomas Stanesby (died 1734) and his son Thomas Jr (died 1754). The range for the Baroque oboe comfortably extends fromC4to D6.In the mid-20th century, with the resurgence of interest inearly music,a few makers began producing copies to specifications taken from surviving historical instruments.

Classical

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TheClassicalperiod brought a regular oboe whose bore was gradually narrowed, and the instrument became outfitted with several keys, among them those for the notes D♯,F, and G♯.A key similar to the modern octave key was also added called the "slur key", though it was at first used more like the "flick" keys on the modern Germanbassoon.[22]Only later did French instrument makers redesign the octave key to be used in the manner of the modern key (i.e. held open for the upper register, closed for the lower). The narrower bore allows the higher notes to be more easily played, and composers began to use the oboe's upper register more often in their works. Because of this, the oboe'stessiturain the Classical era was somewhat broader than that found in Baroque works. The range for the Classical oboe extends from C4to F6(using thescientific pitch notationsystem), though some German and Austrian oboes are capable of playing one half-step lower.

Several Classical-era composers wrote concertos for oboe.Mozartcomposed both the solo concerto in C major K. 314/285d and the lost original of Sinfonia Concertante in E♭major K. 297b, as well as a fragment of F major concerto K. 417f.Haydnwrote both the Sinfonia Concertante in B♭Hob. I:105 and the spurious concerto in C major Hob. VIIg:C1.Beethovenwrote the F major concerto, Hess 12, of which only sketches survive, though the second movement was reconstructed in the late 20th century). Numerous other composers includingJohann Christian Bach,Johann Christian Fischer,Jan Antonín Koželuh,andLudwig August Lebrunalso composed pieces for the oboe. Many solos exist for the regular oboe in chamber, symphonic, and operatic compositions from the Classical era.

Wiener oboe

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Main article:Wiener oboe

TheWiener oboe(Viennese oboe) is a type of modern oboe that retains the essential bore and tonal characteristics of the historical oboe. The Akademiemodel Wiener Oboe, first developed in the late 19th century by Josef Hajek from earlier instruments by C. T. Golde of Dresden (1803–73), is now made by several makers such as André Constantinides, Karl Rado,Guntram Wolf,Christian Rauch and Yamaha. It has a wider internal bore, a shorter and broader reed and the fingering-system is very different from the conservatoire oboe.[23]InThe Oboe,Geoffrey Burgess and Bruce Haynes write "The differences are most clearly marked in the middle register, which is reedier and more pungent, and the upper register, which is richer in harmonics on the Viennese oboe".[24]Guntram Wolf describes them: "From the concept of the bore, the Viennese oboe is the last representative of the historical oboes, adapted for the louder, larger orchestra, and fitted with an extensive mechanism. Its great advantage is the ease of speaking, even in the lowest register. It can be played very expressively and blends well with other instruments."[25]The Viennese oboe is, along with the Vienna horn, perhaps the most distinctive member of theWiener Philharmonikerinstrumentarium.

Conservatoire oboe

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This oboe was developed further in the 19th century by theTriébert familyof Paris. Using theBoehm fluteas a source of ideas for key work, Guillaume Triébert and his sons, Charles and Frederic, devised a series of increasingly complex yet functional key systems. A variant form using large tone holes, the Boehm system oboe, was never in common use, though it was used in some military bands in Europe into the 20th century.F. Loréeof Paris made further developments to the modern instrument. Minor improvements to the bore and key work have continued through the 20th century, but there has been no fundamental change to the general characteristics of the instrument for several decades.[26]

Modern oboe

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The modern standard oboe is most commonly made fromgrenadilla,also known as African blackwood, although some manufacturers also make oboes out of other species of the genusDalbergia,which includescocobolo,rosewood,and violetwood (also known askingwood).Ebony(genusDiospyros) has also been used. Student model oboes are often made from plastic resin to make the instrument cheaper and more durable.

The oboe has an extremely narrowconical bore.It is played with a double reed consisting of two thin blades of cane tied together on a small-diameter metal tube (staple) which is inserted into the reed socket at the top of the instrument. The commonly accepted range for the oboe extends from B♭3to about G6,over two and a half octaves, though its commontessituralies from C4to E♭6.Some student oboes do not have a B♭key and only extend down to B3.

A modern oboe with the "full conservatoire" ( "conservatory" in the US) or Gillet key system has 45 pieces of keywork, with the possible additions of a third-octave key and alternate (left little finger) F- or C-key. The keys are usually made ofnickel silver,and aresilver- or occasionallygold-plated. Besides the full conservatoire system, oboes are also made using the British thumbplate system. Most have "semi-automatic" octave keys, in which the second-octave action closes the first, and some have a fully automatic octave key system, as used onsaxophones.Some full-conservatory oboes have finger holes covered with rings rather than plates ( "open-holed" ), and most of the professional models have at least the right-hand third key open-holed. Professional oboes used in the UK andIcelandfrequently feature conservatoire system combined with a thumb plate. Releasing the thumb plate has the same effect as pressing down the right-hand index-finger key. This produces alternate options which eliminate the necessity for most of the common cross-intervals (intervals where two or more keys need to be released and pressed down simultaneously), as cross-intervals are much more difficult to execute in such a way that the sound remains clear and continuous throughout the frequency change (a quality also calledlegatoand often called for in the oboe repertoire).

Other members of the oboe family

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The members of the oboe family from top:heckelphone,bass oboe,cor anglais,oboe d'amore,oboe, andpiccolo oboe

The standard oboe has several siblings of various sizes and playing ranges. The most widely known and used today is thecor anglais(English horn) the tenor (or alto) member of the family. Atransposing instrument;it is pitched in F, a perfect fifth lower than the oboe. Theoboe d'amore,the alto (or mezzo-soprano) member of the family, is pitched in A, a minor third lower than the oboe.J.S. Bachmade extensive use of both the oboe d'amore as well as thetailleandoboe da caccia,Baroque antecedents of the cor anglais.

Less common is thebass oboe(also called baritone oboe), which sounds one octave lower than the oboe.Delius,Strauss andHolstscored for the instrument.[27]

Similar to the bass oboe is the more powerfulheckelphone,which has a wider bore and larger tone than the baritone oboe. Only 165 heckelphones have ever been made. Competent heckelphone players are difficult to find due to the extreme rarity of this particular instrument.[28]

The least common of all are themusette(also called oboe musette or piccolo oboe), the sopranino member of the family (it is usually pitched in E♭or F above the oboe), and thecontrabass oboe(typically pitched in C, two octaves deeper than the standard oboe).

Folk versions of the oboe, sometimes equipped with extensive keywork, are found throughout Europe. These include the musette (France) and thepiston oboeandbombarde(Brittany), thepifferoand ciaramella (Italy), and the xirimia (also spelledchirimia) (Spain). Many of these are played in tandem with local forms ofbagpipe,particularly with the Italianmüsaandzampognaor Bretonbiniou.

Notable classical works featuring the oboe

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See also:Oboe concerto
Franz Wilhelm Ferling,Oboe Study No. 28, played by Aaron Hill

Unaccompanied pieces

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Use in non-classical music

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Jazz

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The oboe remains uncommon injazzmusic, but there have been notable uses of the instrument. Some early bands in the 1920s and '30s, most notably that ofPaul Whiteman,included it for coloristic purposes. Most often in this era it was used for dance band music, but occasionally oboists may be heard used in a similar manner to a saxophone for solos. Most of the time these oboists were already playing with the band or orchestra on a different woodwind instrument. The multi-instrumentalistGarvin Bushell(1902–1991) played the oboe in jazz bands as early as 1924 and used the instrument throughout his career, eventually recording withJohn Coltranein 1961.[31]Gil Evansfeatured oboe in sections of his famousSketches of Spaincollaboration with trumpeterMiles Davis.Though primarily atenor saxophoneandfluteplayer,Yusef Lateefwas among the first (in 1961) to use the oboe as a solo instrument in modern jazz performances and recordings. Composer and double bassistCharles Mingusgave the oboe a brief but prominent role (played byDick Hafer) in his composition "I.X. Love" on the 1963 albumMingus Mingus Mingus Mingus Mingus.

With the birth ofjazz fusionin the late 1960s, and its continuous development through thefollowing decade,the oboe became somewhat more prominent, replacing on some occasions thesaxophoneas the focal point. The oboe was used with great success by theWelshmulti-instrumentalistKarl Jenkinsin his work with the groupsNucleusandSoft Machine,and by the AmericanwoodwindplayerPaul McCandless,co-founder of thePaul Winter Consortand laterOregon.

The 1980s saw an increasing number of oboists try their hand at non-classical work, and many players of note have recorded and performed alternative music on oboe. Some present-day jazz groups influenced by classical music, such as theMaria SchneiderOrchestra, feature the oboe.[32]

Rock and pop

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Indie singer-songwriter and composerSufjan Stevens,having studied the instrument in school, often includes the instrument in his arrangements and compositions, most frequently in his geographic tone-poemsIllinois,Michigan.[33]Peter Gabrielplayed the oboe while he was a member ofGenesis,most prominently on "The Musical Box".[34]Andy MackayofRoxy Musicplays oboe, sometimes with aWah-Wahpedal.

Film music

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The oboe is frequently featured in film music, often to underscore a particularly poignant or emotional scene. An example is the 1989 filmBorn on the Fourth of July.One of the most prominent uses of the oboe in a film score isEnnio Morricone's "Gabriel's Oboe"theme from the 1986 filmThe Mission.

It is featured as a solo instrument in the theme "Across the Stars" from theJohn Williamsscore to the 2002 filmStar Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones.[35]

The oboe is also featured as a solo instrument in the "Love Theme" inNino Rota's score toThe Godfather(1972).[36]

Notable oboists

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Main article:List of oboists

Oboe manufacturers

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Notes

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  1. ^Fletcher & Rossing 1998,401–403.
  2. ^"Sound Characteristics of the Oboe".Vienna Symphonic Library.Retrieved9 September2012.
  3. ^"Why do orchestras tune to an 'A'?".Classic FM.Retrieved2019-11-02.
  4. ^"The Amazing Instruments of the Orchestra".
  5. ^"Difference Between a Clarinet and an Oboe".22 July 2022.
  6. ^J.B. (1695).The Spritely Companion.London: printed by J. Heptinstall for Henry Playford. p. 2.Retrieved19 May2022.
  7. ^Kushner 1993,167: "The oboe: official instrument of the International Order of Travel Agents. If the duck was a songbird it would sing like this. Nasal, desolate, the call of migratory things."
  8. ^American Symphony Orchestra League.Oxford Music Online. Oxford University Press. 2001.doi:10.1093/gmo/9781561592630.article.00790.
  9. ^"ifCompare".ifCompare.de.Archived fromthe originalon 4 March 2016.Retrieved19 April2021.
  10. ^Thomas, Julia."Executive Director of the Rockford Symphony Orchestra".Rockford Symphony Orchestra.Rockford Symphony Orchestra. Archived fromthe originalon June 5, 2020.RetrievedOctober 20,2014.
  11. ^"About the Orchestra"American League of Orchestras, (accessed January 1, 2009).
  12. ^"Oboe vs. Bassoon: Similarities and Differences".
  13. ^Joppig 1988,208–209.
  14. ^"Reed Styles and Reed Testing".Oboehelp.2017-08-11.Retrieved2020-01-10.
  15. ^"How to Play the Oboe: The most attention is paid to the reeds - Musical Instrument Guide - Yamaha Corporation".Yamaha.Retrieved19 April2021.
  16. ^legereadmin."Oboe Reeds".Légère Reeds.Retrieved2021-06-24.
  17. ^Marcuse 1975,371.
  18. ^Burgess & Haynes 2004,27.
  19. ^Burgess & Haynes 2004,28 ff.
  20. ^Carse 1965,120.
  21. ^Burgess & Haynes 2004,102.
  22. ^Haynes & Burgess 2016.
  23. ^Haynes & Burgess 2016,176.
  24. ^Burgess & Haynes 2004,212.
  25. ^"Modern Woodwind Instruments".Guntram Wolf. Archived fromthe originalon August 3, 2008.Retrieved27 November2012.
  26. ^Howe 2003.
  27. ^Hurd, Peter."Heckelphone / Bass Oboe Repertoire".oboes.us.Retrieved14 December2020.
  28. ^Howe & Hurd 2004.
  29. ^"Zelenka".Jdzelenka.net.
  30. ^Hinayana,John Palmer
  31. ^Coltrane DiscographyArchived2009-01-02 at theWayback MachineDave Wild
  32. ^"Maria Schneider: Concert in the Garden Reviews/Credits".mariaschneider.Maria Schneider.Retrieved4 December2019.
  33. ^Album Credits for Sufjan StevensAllmusic
  34. ^"Gabriel".Spin.September 1986. p. 53.
  35. ^Rascón, Eduardo García (2017-09-01)."The music of Star Wars analyzed: Across the Stars (Love Theme from Episode II)".Medium.Retrieved2020-01-13.
  36. ^Fitzgerald, Liam (August 18, 2015)."The Godfather Film Music Analysis by Liam Fitzgerald".Press.RetrievedNovember 20,2020.
  37. ^"A. Laubin, Inc. – Oboes and English Horns".Alaubin.
  38. ^"Leblanc Clarinets - Never Look Back".Archived fromthe originalon 2009-03-26.Retrieved2009-03-28.
  39. ^"Linton Woodwinds Bassoons and Oboes".Archived fromthe originalon 2009-02-25.Retrieved2009-03-01.
  40. ^"Lorée – Paris".loree-paris.
  41. ^"Nora Post Home".Norapost.Retrieved19 April2021.
  42. ^"Home - Oboe Marigaux".Marigaux.
  43. ^"Gebr. Mönnig".Archived fromthe originalon 2002-05-12.Retrieved2005-06-05.
  44. ^"Musical Instruments UK For Sale | Woodwind & Brass | John Packer".Johnpacker.co.uk.Retrieved19 April2021.
  45. ^"Patricola".Patricola.Retrieved19 April2021.
  46. ^"Quality is the first word at Püchner | J.Püchner Spezial-Holzblasinstrumentebau GmbH".Puchner.Retrieved19 April2021.
  47. ^"Wiener Instrumente".Wienerinstrumente.at.Retrieved19 April2021.
  48. ^"Rigoutat".Archived fromthe originalon 2006-02-17.Retrieved2005-07-26.
  49. ^"Sand N. Dalton Baroque and Classical Oboes".Baroqueoboes.Retrieved19 April2021.
  50. ^"Tom Sparkes Oboes » Musical Instrument Repair, Service and Sales".Tomsparkesoboes.au.Retrieved19 April2021.
  51. ^"Guntram Wolf".Archived fromthe originalon 2009-06-16.Retrieved2009-03-28.

References

[edit]
  • Burgess, Geoffrey; Haynes, Bruce (2004).The Oboe.The Yale Musical Instrument Series. New Haven, Connecticut and London: Yale University Press.ISBN0-300-09317-9.
  • Carse, Adam (1965).Musical Wind Instruments: A History of the Wind Instruments Used in European Orchestras and Wind-Bands from the Later Middle Ages up to the Present Time.New York: Da Capo Press.ISBN0-306-80005-5.
  • Fletcher, Neville H.; Rossing, Thomas D. (1998).The Physics of Musical Instruments(second ed.). New York, Berlin, Heidelberg: Springer-Verlag.ISBN978-1-4419-3120-7.
  • Haynes, Bruce; Burgess, Geoffrey (2016-05-01).The Pathetick Musician.Oxford University Press.doi:10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199373734.001.0001.ISBN978-0-19-937373-4.
  • Howe, Robert (2003). "The Boehm System Oboe and Its Role in the Development of the Modern Oboe".Galpin Society Journal(56): 27–60 +plates on 190–192.
  • Howe, Robert; Hurd, Peter (2004). "The Heckelphone at 100".Journal of the American Musical Instrument Society(30): 98–165.
  • Joppig, Gunther (1988).The Oboe and the Bassoon.Translated by Alfred Clayton. Portland: Amadeus Press.ISBN0-931340-12-8.
  • Kushner, Tony(1993).Angels in America: A Gay Fantasia on National Themes(single-volume edition). New York: Theatre Communications Group.ISBN1-55936-107-7.
  • Marcuse, Sybil (1975).Musical Instruments: A Comprehensive Dictionary(Revised ed.). New York: W. W. Norton.ISBN0-393-00758-8.

Further reading

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  • Baines, Anthony: 1967,Woodwind Instruments and Their History,third edition, with a foreword by Sir Adrian Boult. London: Faber and Faber.
  • Beckett, Morgan Hughes: 2008, "The Sensuous Oboe". Orange, California: Scuffin University Press.ISBN0-456-00432-7.
  • Gioielli, Mauro: 1999. "La 'calamaula' di Eutichiano".Utriculus8, no. 4 (32) (October–December): 44–45.
  • Harris-Warrick, Rebecca: 1990, "A Few Thoughts on Lully's Hautbois"Early Music18, no. 1 (February, "The Baroque Stage II" ): 97-98+101-102+105-106.
  • Haynes, Bruce: 1985,Music for Oboe, 1650–1800: A Bibliography.Fallen Leaf Reference Books in Music, 8755-268X; no. 4. Berkeley, California: Fallen Leaf Press.ISBN0-914913-03-4.
  • Haynes, Bruce: 1988, "Lully and the Rise of the Oboe as Seen in Works of Art".Early Music16, no. 3 (August): 324–38.
  • Haynes, Bruce: 2001,The Eloquent Oboe: A History of the Hautboy 1640–1760.Oxford Early Music Series. Oxford and New York: Oxford University Press.ISBN0-19-816646-X.
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