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Doublereed Archive - Posting 000005.txt from 2003/09

From: Jennifer Paull <jennifer.paull@-----.com>
Subj: [DR-L] Re: Oboe Reeds Strength
Date: Mon, 1 Sep 2003 09:17:36 -0400

On Monday, September 1, 2003, at 02:08 pm, Rhondda May wrote:

> Listen to as much music as you can, so you get
> an idea of what you'd like your own sound to be

Absolutely!!

Don't restrict yourself to listening to oboists. I think one "sings"
the oboe.
if I had to choose, I'd say that somewhere between Peter Pears and
Dietrich Fischer-Dskau is how I want to sound, with a sparkling of
Cathy Berberian and Cecilia Bartoli for good measure, technique
and imagination.

Music is about listening. Those of us who make it, often forget that.

Comfort matters, as Rhondda so rightly says. It's hard to know what
suits one's self until one has tried and tried to succeed and has failed
many times in the process. Elimination of the wrong approach is a
personal success in finding what you need for your own special
needs/sound/embouchure/etc.

The perfect reed doesn't last forever. One must learn to sound the
way one wants to sound, without counting on its support.

"If only this reed had more ease in the lower register as my last one
did."

Well, in finding that it didn't, remember the measurements you used to
make
the previous one better.

I would only add one thing to Rhondda excellent advice. Buy a
micrometer.

Good luck! If it doesn't work - "mafi hoof" - I seem to remember was the
expression. The next one will!

Jennifer