OBOE
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Author : Aurel Marc
The oboe is a woodwind instrument, with double reed, made of a conical wood tube with side holes covered by keys which are operated by complex mechanisms.
Range B3 – C6
History
The oboe, a descendant of the Aulos, along its historical-structural alterations, kept until nowadays its expressive power.
The oboe in Mozart’s era
The earliest definitive shape of oboe (according to how the oboe is defined) already existed for about 70 years when Mozart was born, while the modern Lorée type has reached over 150 years of existence. The rhythm of changes is evidently more rapid in the 18th century.
The mechanization of the instrument – a necessity in the composing-performing relation
The progressive mechanization appeared as a necessity in order to facilitate the task of the player in relation with the artistic writing. This mechanization was manifest in the addition of new keys. The main purpose of the new keys was not to promote a pure technique, but to adapt the instruments to the new musical requests at the beginning of the 19th century. The most appreciated German luthiers at the beginning of the 18th century were Jacob Grundmann (1727-1800), Johann Friedrich Floth (1761-1807) and the two Grensers, August (1720-1807) and Heinrich.
1. Characteristics of classical oboe
The classic oboe usually had only two keys, while the Baroque oboe had three keys. The double key E-flat in the Baroque oboe, in order to be played with the right or left hand, was removed in the classic oboe, indicating thus that the position of the left hand above the right one, usual nowadays, had become standard. The classic oboe on the other hand, is innovative and experimental as fortepiano; few periods in the history of the oboe have known so radical changes over such a short period of time. This way, from the classic instrument, and not from the Baroque one, derives the type of oboe employed nowadays in the symphonic orchestra.
Views regarding the influence of mechanization on the timbre and instrumental technique
Along the history of the development of the woodwind instruments, a category which includes the oboe, the ’innate’ technical problems which burdened their fingerboard systems raised ample and continuous preoccupations on the part of the luthiers, in tight collaboration with the instrumentalists. An intensely debated issue was if these problems could have been solved only by adding additional keys.
The mechanization of the instrument and its uses in playing the oboe
The time frame between 1790 - 1830 ties the oboes of the 18th century with the Brod-Triébert type, which leads directly to the Lorée oboe which was developed after 1830, a model still used nowadays in the symphonic orchestra. Although the oboe continued its development, there grew in importance the questions on the technical improvements and of the key systems. These are nonetheless only surface issues, since the character and the specificity of playing the oboe is not given by the number of keys, but resides in:
• the dimensions, proportions, position and size of the holes;
• shape and dimensions of the tube;
• the type of wood used in making the instrument;
• the personality of the instrumentalist and the spirit of the era.
The pitch in Mozart’s time
The issue of the pitch in the time of Mozart has not yet been systematically explored. Haydn relates in one of his letters that these were several pitches. Apparently the pitch in Vienna was a recognized standard and was considered relatively high. One thing is for certain: there is no "classic pitch"; in different places there existed different pitching standards.
Evolution of the musical literature for solo oboe – until 1800
From the time in which the oboe came into development and until the Industrial Revolution, when it was endowed with a system of keys, the oboe fulfilled its place in music through a sustained evolution. So to speak, the oboe began from a ’starting point’ and reached its ’golden era’ already in the third generation, when its solo literature reached a high peak, both in quantity, as well as in the diversity of the forms and instrumentations.
In the 18th century, the literature for solo oboe was divided into four main categories:
1. Solo sonatas with continuo;
2. Concertos and other solo pieces with orchestra;
3. Solo obligati for oboe, singer and continuo or orchestra;
4. Quartets and Quintets with oboe.
Baroque oboe
The Baroque period is one of the most important and glorious periods of art in the entire history of the world. If we compare its temperament with the one of the preceding period, the Renaissance, we discover that the latter was more sagacious, more sensible, more sophisticated in its manifestations. The Baroque is irrational, frivolous, governed by laws of its own, displaying innate and independent values. The Renaissance was strongly influenced by grace, shape, splendour and order, which accompanied classic Antiquity. These qualities did not last in time as did the ones of the Baroque.
The beginning of the Baroque in Germany brings about new types of instruments such as: Sordune, Schryari, Kartholt, Bassanelli Crumhorn.
"Oboe" may become a convenient term to associate a definite group of heterogeneous instruments selected for a specific purpose. ’Oboe’ as the term was used in the title of the present article, includes those open forms which would have been used in the respective period. In this respect, for a better understanding, the term ’oboe’ will refer to the oboe in C, the oboe in B-flat, the bass oboe in A, oboe d’amore, the oboe da caccia and taille.
The oboe d’amore is an instrument pitched at a minor third below, in the mezzo-soprano register. It has a globular bell, resembling the shape of a pear, like the modern English horn. Its natural scale is B Major and is used exclusively in sharp scales.
The oboe da caccia (hunting oboe) is considered more related to the bassoon, pitched a fourth above, than an oboe pitched a fifth below the oboe. With this earlier model, there is a straight tube with a detachable bell. Already in the time of Bach, the oboe da caccia was given the curved shape associated with this instrument.
The taille is an instrument with a simple structure. Its body is divided only in the middle, and therefore the bell is not detachable. Generally, all the holes are simple and possess two metal keys. The shape of the instrument was subjected to many changes in time.
The practice of playing Baroque music
The books which contain valuable information on the performing and technical practices started to appear at the end of the 17th century. The oboe seems to be the first of the modern woodwind instruments which will receive a systematized technique. The English are the first ones to document the musical practices of the oboe and present a considerable interest towards the woodwind instruments. Eric Halfpenny noted a number of course books, methods of the 17th century, recently examined at the British Museum.
The sound of the oboe in the time of Bach and Haendel is certainly different than the one we know at present. The modern American concept is to play a refined, dark, thin sound. On the contrary, the sound in the Baroque was probably fuller and lighter. The sound of the German Baroque oboe at present still preserves the characteristics of the old instrument, and is less agreeable to hear, different, but not necessarily more qualitative.
The respiration, as nowadays, had a direct effect on the intonation. The Baroque oboist was the only one responsible in finding the approximately precise intonation.
The modern professional oboe has a system of keys and mechanisms which present numerous improvements compared to the types mentioned above. A modern instrumentalist has a key in F on the left, a resonance hole in F, as well as extension mechanisms which help in having a comfortable position of the hands and fingers. The oboes also include a key for C, one for C#, two or three for the octaves. Despite the improvements, there are passages in the sacred music of the Baroque which are impossible to play easily. Still, the oboist of the 18th century was able to achieve good results with only seven side holes and two keys.
The sacred music in the Baroque era was governed by a concept of a shorter phrase and alternated more distinctly the accented with the unaccented beats. This intention of accenting – unaccenting, or long note- short note, is found and developed along the entire Baroque era.