 The Fingering Forum
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Author: Keil
Date: 2000-03-16 22:17
i am interested in knowing which manufactureres of oboes/english horns are considered the top?
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Author: Andrea
Date: 2000-06-18 22:24
Hi, Keil! It's a pleasure to read from you on the Forum.
Let's see if I can be helpful to you. The best manufacturers
of the oboe family (oboe, oboe d'amore, cor anglais) have
always been the French. There are a few makers you can surely rely on, all of them specialized in building genuine
french-style oboes fitted with the standard conservatoire
system keywork: Rigoutat, Marigaux (Paris), and Lorée (also
in Paris). The latter is probably the oldest firm, their enterprise being handed down generation after generation since the Triébert family in the early '800 went on the development of the modern french oboe. The majority of
orchestral players in various countries still favors Lorée
instruments for their sweetness of tone and superior
playability. Being rated among the finest, they're also the
most expensive ones but, if you can afford such a purchase,
you'll own the Stradivarius of oboes.
However, more and more players here in Italy are switching
over to the ever-improving italian oboes. The chief manufacturer is without doubt Bulgheroni (Paré, near Como)
whose newest instruments, characterized by the ring-less
bell joint, received high praise in the U.S. recently. This
small artisan firm does a fairly wide export trade today.
A picture of one of their oboes appears on an oboist's
web site, although I can't recall his address.
Another excellent firm happens to be one of the first in Italy to feature the independent, double acting bell joint Bb key-and-vent on the oboe, namely Patricola (Castelnuovo
Scrivia, near Alessandria). They produce the complete oboe
family, Eb "musette" included, in all the fingering systems
employed in Europe (full conservatoire, thumbplate, and
Prestini, either with rings or finger plates, with the option for semi- or full automatic octave keys). The Patricola family is present on the web (www.patricola.it).
Their site is fairly well made, both in english and in
italian, with a short section depicting their history plus
instruments' pictures, specs and more. They are proud to
invite guest musicians and endorsers to test their products
inside the factory's workshop to encourage feedback from
them, as well as reviews and confrontation.
Renzo Grassi (Trento) makes superb oboes and is best known
among musicians living in the Northeastern side of this country. A friend of mine owns a Grassi since his graduation days and is very happy of his instrument.
Prof. Romeo Orsi (Buccinasco, southeast of Milan)is a very
long-estabilished and notable firm. Their instruments are
typically slender in appearance - their upper joint resembles that of the older french oboes - sensitive, and well tuned. Considered true workhorses (once were popular
for band and outdoor use) they could be found in the hands
of many elder players.
Should you be offered an Incagnoli (Rome) oboe by chance
while seeking for a first-rate woodwind, buy it without
thinking (provided that is in very good or mint conditions
of course)! Mr. Incagnoli himself died maybe fifteen years
ago, but a small number of his instruments managed to find
their way around the world, so keep an eye over the vintage
market. Much depends on where you live, and wether or not
you can keep in touch with private musicians willing to sell one of their instruments.
Puchner (Germany) is another make famous for having drawn a great deal of attention in orchestral circles among the few
oboists (here, at least) who learned on automatic octave
system. Of course they produce the standard conservatoire
system also.
Unfortunately nothing I know about the possible survival
or spinoffs of the two leading austrian firms, Zuleger and
Koktan, who gave rise and perfection to the other strain
of the oboe genealogy: the german oboe. Its use is confined
to some german oboist and members of the Wiener
Philarmoniker orchestra, and little is known anyway outside
their homeground.
T.W. Howarth (London, U.K.)is the chief british maker so much esteemed, while I don't know whether Boosey & Hawkes
(U.K.) as well as Conn (Elkhart, U.S.A.) still make oboes,
and what grade they might be.
Fox (New York, U.S.A.) makes very good oboes. While I am not informed about their wood instruments, the firm is famous for their synthetic resin instruments, bassoon
included (indeed, my own reed cane supplier, who happens to be a long-retired bassoonist who gave up playing to commit
himself in full-time reed manufacture, still owns a plastic Fox bassoon to test-play freshly finished reeds on. One day while shopping for cane I took a long and detailed look as he was playing it. The reedmaker claimed utterly
satisfaction in terms of reliance and homogeneity; I can surely trust him). If you are interested to their oboes look at the "G" series.
Armstrong (U.S.A.) also makes fine oboes, notably of hard
resin. I read a review on a website a month ago that rated
it positively. It might be the ultimate synthetic oboe
if fitted with full keywork, but as for this last I am not sure. Some time ago I borrowed a plastic Armstrong clarinet
to play on while repadding my blackwood one (some 35 proud years old now!) and I can but agree with the reed-making
professor: all right, nothing wrong.
Well, keep looking around. When being offered a new or used
oboe, there are quite a few things to take into account.
Wood versus synthetics is out of question if you're a
professionist (I always think "You can never tell"), but
surely of purpose if you're a beginner or a serious
amateur. Sure there are various woods to choose from.
Grenadilla is usually best chosen for the top oboes, but
violet wood and cocus are other hard, beautifully textured
timbers. Rosewood isn't much favoured in this country since
is reputed to give a rather muffled tone as compared with
African Blackwood. I disagree but I can only speak for
myself. One of my oboes (a chinese Lark M4004, painstakingly
restyled and upgraded) is made of rosewood - I didn't ever know when I first bought it because is stained black - and
indeed has a rather mushy sound, a bit less reedy and a bit more breathy than that of a grenadilla oboe, but I am pleased with it anyway).
Completeness of keywork is another matter to consider, even in these days of standardization. F resonance key is
essential. D/Eb trill (compound tone-hole 6 for r.h. ring
finger) is not associated with ring model oboes, although
the traditional austrian oboe has it. It is operated by the right Eb key instead of being linked with the left Eb touchpiece as in the french instruments. Left little finger
C# touchpiece is rather unusual, but it spares you the
awkward stretch necessary to reach the auxiliary C key (the
little banana-shaped key next to tone-hole 6) for the
low C/C# trill. Prestini system deals effectively with the trouble, but obliges the player to get accustomed to the
left thumb low B key where this note is transferred. Also,
the harmonic twelfth F"#, fingered as a low B plus the first
speaker is not feasible, for the left thumb cannot press
both keys together. And, while we're at it, on oboes with
full automatics the harmonic twelfths A", B"b, B", and C"'
cannot be sounded for they require the second speaker while
the fingering allows only the first to open.
The upper joint trill keys are fairly standard nowadays, while the third speaker key is a big help when playing in the altissimo register. Even today, not every maker fits
it by default.
Last but not least, there is no G/Bb trill on the oboe, but
mine has it! I can't surely claim for such an invention, yet
many years of experience in repairing and adjusting instruments pay for themselves...
Well, that's that for the year 2000. Urgh!
I hope to have been of some help. Bye! :-)
Andrea
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