The oboe is a double reed musical instrument (pitched in the key of C) of the woodwind family. Its wooden tube is distinguished by an extremely narrow, conical bore expanding at the end into a flaring bell. The oboe 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 English word "oboe" comes from the Italian translation of the word hautbois; the name of the instrument in French (literal meaning, "high wood"). The Italian name displaced the older English name "hautboy" or "hoboy" in the 18th century. The modern oboe's range extends from the B-flat below middle C (B3-flat) to the A nearly three octaves higher (A6). Careful manipulation of embouchure and air pressure allows the player to express a large timbral and dynamic range.
In comparison to other modern woodwind instruments, the oboe has a very clear and somewhat piercing tone. Its uniquely penetrating timbre gives it the ability to be audible over other instruments in large ensembles, making it easily heard for tuning. Orchestras will usually tune by listening to the oboe play a concert A. Adjusting the pitch of the oboe is achieved by changing the position of the reed in the instrument, or by permanently altering the scrape, removing cane from the reed. Subtle changes in pitch are also possible by adjusting the embouchure.
The selected recordings on this page currently include:
Le Tombeau de Couperin - Prélude; Maurice Ravel (performed by Emily Pailthorpe)
Le Tombeau de Couperin - Minuet; Maurice Ravel (performed by Emily Pailthorpe)
Le Tombeau de Couperin - Rigaudon; Maurice Ravel (performed by Emily Pailthorpe)
Quartet for Oboe and Strings, K. 370 - Allegro; Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (performed by Lothar Koch)
Oboe Concerto in D major - Marcia Funigre; Rudolf Haken (performed by Nancy Ambrose King)
Chinese Folk Song (performed by Peter Cooper)
Any requests for other oboe pieces are welcome.
Enjoy!
