Beginner to Advanced Oboe Playing (Includes Parts)

Author: Wei Weidong
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-11-01
Features: The oboe is a woodwind instrument. Modern oboes have a distinctive tone color and a range of two and a half octaves. The oboe is often used for solo performances or rhythmic staccato playing. Like the clarinet, it produces sound using reeds, but its reeds are made of cane and are double-layered, whereas the clarinet's reeds are single-layered. The oboe has a conical body and a slightly expanded bell, with two reeds at the end of the mouthpiece; it is primarily made of wood. Its predecessor was a folk instrument called the shawm, which was developed around 1650 by the French instrument maker Jean Hotteterre. It was originally named "haute-contre" and has undergone continuous research and improvement since then. The standard oboe is not a transposing instrument, and the only other widely used member of its family is the English horn (or bass oboe), which has a lower range and a main tone in F. During the Baroque period, many concertos and chamber music pieces were written for the oboe. This tradition has continued to this day, with the oboe concerto by Richard Strauss being particularly famous. The oboe is made up of three sections: the top joint, the lower joint, and the bell, and is approximately 61 cm long, with the reeds placed at the top. The oboe is an ancient and widely spread instrument. Ancient Egypt, Greece, Rome, and nearly all Asian countries had such instruments. The oboe has several predecessors, and the modern oboe was improved from the shawm, which was commonly used in military bands and outdoor music. The modern three-jointed oboe was invented by the French in the 17th century and has remained largely unchanged with minor modifications. The French called it "hautbois" (meaning "pipe"), and the English name "oboe" may have originated from a phonetic translation of the French term. The oboe has a wide range of tones and, in an orchestra, is equivalent to the soprano section of a choir. The low tones have a mournful quality, the mid-range tones are sorrowful, and the high tones convey a sense of resignation. The oboe d'amour and the cor anglais are members of the same family as the oboe but are larger, have a deeper sound, and a softer tone color. In modern orchestras, two oboes are typically used to play different parts, though sometimes they may play the same part. In large orchestral works, there may sometimes be a third oboe, which may also double on the cor anglais when needed. The oboe has a unique piercing tone, which can easily cut through an orchestra or take the lead with string accompaniment. From Vivaldi and Albinoni to Richard Strauss, and even more modern composers like Vaughan Williams, the oboe has shown remarkable diversity. This book introduces the origins and evolution, construction, range, family overview, and maintenance of the oboe. The beginner section covers instrument assembly, playing posture, tone production, fingerings, and basic exercises, as well as legato practice. The advanced section includes scales and arpeggio exercises, daily practice routines, and a selection of pieces with melody lines provided.