Author: jamesoboe
Date: 2008-06-20 11:39
Hi Alphons
I always find it best to take a step back, when I'm trying to assess other styles of oboe playing. It can be hard to see what's great about a player when they play in such a different style. But Tabuteau began his career over a century ago, and he surely was right at the forefront of great players at that time. Things have moved on so much since then, and we can easily forget how we arrived at this point, in the present. I'm from the UK, and one of our most famous players, from the 1930's onward, was Leon Goossens. I love that, for want of a better word, old-fashioned playing. His way of using constant vibrato at that time, especially when it was frowned upon, was quite ground-breaking. Yet from a modern perspective it's very easy to find fault with him. But make no mistake, he was one of the best around in Britain, at that time. There is definite greatness there, and the same is true of Tabuteau. Regarding Thomas' sound gallery - it's only contains those clips that people sent in, and does not necessarily represent the very best of those players, at all. I've been a huge fan of Holliger's all my life, but there many instances of his playing that do leave me cold. But, equally, there are plenty that I so admire. Everything is context at the end of the day, and there is no definitive right way. Especially where oboe is concerned. It would be interesting to know which oboists do interest you. James
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