Author: huboboe
Date: 2010-09-17 05:49
I first started study of the oboe in the early 1950s. At that time there was a very distinct difference between oboists in European and American orchestras most easily describes as 'bright' for Europeans and 'dark' for Americans.
It was explained to me at the time that the 'American Sound' originated with Tabuteau in Philadelphia Orchestra, because Stokowski wanted his orchestra to blend their sound like a pipe organ rather than have contrasting choirs of sounds. This caused Tabuteau to struggle to achieve a non-aggressive sound and in the process develop the 'American scrape' reed.
Many of Tabuteau's students (who populated most of the major U.S. orchestras in the following years) played with an even darker sound than he did. (Think of the Gomberg brothers, Al Genovese and Marc Lifschey.)
The American sound was once described to me as "A bright star in the center, surrounded by a halo of junk." The scale of brightness to darkness is a balance of the purity of the bright star (Hollinger) to the junk, with Ralph Gomberg being, perhaps, the owner of that end of the spectrum.
Go to http://www.oboistgallery.8m.net/ to hear comparisons of many player's sounds. If you can, contribute...
There was quite a difference in European regional sounds then, as well. The French tended to own the bright end of the spectrum, while the Germans were darker, but didn't have as much of the central bright star as the Americans, who were sort of in the middle.
Most of the Eastern European orchestras were also quite bright. Listen to period recordings of the Czech Philharmonic. And the Viennese had their own oboe bore and sound which they retain to this day. Each major orchestra on both continents had its own distinctive personality and, as speaking voices differ considerably among individuals, choirs and orchestras developed their own personalities. Except for Period Music groups, this difference is disappearing as orchestras strive to provide 'perfect' performances and individual styles fall victim to the need to avoid retakes in the recording studio. Technique over music...
Another interesting development over the last 50 or 60 years is the recording industry's distribution of recordings of orchestras from everywhere. Not to diverge from my main point, but the result of this has been to 'homogenize' the differences between styles to the degree that it is not now as easy to identify the orchestra (or oboist) by geographic location as it once was.
I don't really know if I have a point beyond noticing the changes over the years, but I have to say that, although I hear the bright/dark differences in other instruments (Gallway on the bright side, Kincaid on the dark side, its a Flute, for gosh-sakes), I only apply my judgments to oboists, and the players that match my prejudices are the ones I admire.
I used to pay no attention to the players not from the 'Philadelphia school'. I like to think I'm more tolerant these days. I think Albrecht Mayer is the most exciting oboist I've heard in a long time.
Mike, I think your research is a positive move in the direction of quantifying the unquantifiable. Continue to make your results available and it will all hopefully come together someday...
Robert Hubbard
WestwindDoubleReed.com
1-888-579-6020
bob@westwinddoublereed.com
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