Author: joepie
Date: 2009-05-30 23:51
Hi everyone,
Thanks for all your advice last month, I've now come to the next junction in my little quest for THE oboe.
Last month I asked you whether I would be ok for me - being a beginner still - to start playing a professional grade oboe. The short recapped answer would be: yes, it's ok, but my skills and knowledge to select a good oboe would be underdeveloped at this moment. I then changed the plan into renting a second hand professional grade oboe, so I could try to play on one, but postpone the moment to buy.
The moment I wanted to involve my teacher in the plan, she had unfortunately caught a bad cold. She was replaced that week by another, very experienced teacher. After she heard me play, she said it would be ok for me to get a professional oboe. The extra weight shouldn't be a problem according to her.
The week after that things got interesting, my own teacher was back and I asked her opinion, and she was resolutely against the plan. The beginners' Fossati was more than good enough, a professional oboe would be heavy and more difficult to play on. No doubt about it, she definitely advised against it.
This ofcourse got me curious and while I'm trying to evaluate her objections, I couldn't help but go out and try one. Too heavy to hold and too heavy to play on are aspects I figured to try out for myself.
So yesterday I went to my hometown which happens to be home to one of the most reputable oboe workshops in our country. The shopowner and I spoke for almost an hour and after that he lent me an oboe for two weeks, so I could bring it before my teacher. Not coming monday, but the one after because of the holidays.
After having played on it for a couple of hours, I can say the extra weight is no problem at all, and I have no trouble playing on it either. This oboe does have some more resistance, but I find it not harder to play on. That is, I don't need to use more power to get the sound I'm used to. Initially I did feel a bit more strain on the upper part of my lungs, but that actually felt ok. After two days, I'm not even sure I can feel a real difference anymore.
I hope I didn't lose you in my long story. Here comes my question:
I now have a Marigaux automatic for two weeks. It is probably older than 30 years according to the serial number. It does sound way better than the student Fossati, even with my beginners' technique and reed. Could you please share some thoughts, opinions, comments or questions on this oboe? It being so old, I'm not sure what it is beyond my ears, now I can still return it without any financial consequence.
Thanks and sorry to bother you if you think the story is too long. It's late, I'm tired and can't seem to shorten it without cutting away too much.
Joepie
Post Edited (2009-05-31 00:45)
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