Oboe
The oboe is a unique instrument with a unique history. This page will give you insight into the oboe's beginnings and how it evolved to become what it is today along with some interesting mutations along the way.
historical timeline of the oboe
17th Century Oboe (Baroque) -
This oboe was invented by two French musicians. Unlike the Shawm it was intended to be played indoors. The bore was significantly more narrow producing a softer sound than its predecessor. By the end of the 17th century, it was the principal wind instrument of both the orchestra and military band. Notice there are very few mechanical keys on an otherwise open holed instrument. At this time there was only one key for the E-flat and another to help the player reach the lowest hole on the instrument which is unreachable with the hand. |
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19th Century Oboe (Classical) -
By the late 19th century, new advancements in silversmithing provided for more key work to be added to the oboe helping with intonation and flexibility. The early French oboe most closely resembles the oboe we know in Western music today. Early German and Austrian oboes had a much harsher tone because of their use in military bands. Germany and Austria eventually adopted the French style in the early 20th century. Shown here is a mid-19th century French oboe made by Guillaume Triébert, one of the most prominent and well respected oboe manufacturers of his time. |
Viennese Oboe -
This oboe was developed in the late 19th century in Germany. It retains the wider bore and reed of the more historical oboes of the early 17th and 18th centuries. This creates a much louder instrument built for larger ensembles. The key system varies greatly from most instruments used in modern Western music. The Vienna Philharmonic orchestra is one of the few ensembles to use this instrument at present day. |
French Conservatoire Oboe -
This is the most common oboe key system used today. Built off the early french models, there are up to forty-six moving parts if the trill and alternate keys are included. It is pitched in the key of C (not a transposing instrument) and is typically thought of as a soprano instrument. |
Other members of the Oboe family
Oboe d'amore -
Built in the 18th century, it is thought of as an alto version of the baroque oboe. Voicing a third below the oboe (key of A) it has a smoother and more tranquil tone. It was used extensively in the works of the Baroque era by J.S. Bach and Georg Philipp Telemann. Later in the 19th and 20th centuries, the oboe d'amore regained popularity and can be heard in pieces such as Ravel's Bolero and Debussy's Gigues. |