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Re: Oboes are not all equal...weights

Author: heckelmaniac
Date: 2011-11-02 02:56

The heaviest oboe I know of is the "German" model "Gordet" made by Hans Kreul, and voiced by Ben Storch. About the "darkest" sounding oboe extant.
Al the rage back in the late 1960's, this model oboe still has a loyal following
today. The key-work of the Kreul Gordet is the most overbuilt, over-engineered,
and toughest alloy of any oboe I know of. Also, players having huge hands seem to do well with this Kreul/Gordet. This model is also seen in the "Lucerne" German model, and (rarely) the "Kreul/Mirafone."
Kreul also made a "standard weight" oboe. Most (though not all) of the "Kreul/Mirafone" oboes will be the "standard weight" model. About the same weight as a late model Loree, standard model.
The "standard weight" Kreul is not nearly as "dark" sounding as the "heavy pattern" version.
On the other end of the scale, the lightest modern oboe I have ever played is the Decker Boxwood oboe. Almost seem to weigh nothing.
A joy to play. The Decker oboe has an "ethereal," lyrical," and "complex" sound.
However, the Boxwood oboe simply does not have the projection to be heard in a modern symphony orchestra.
I like the weight of the 1950s, 1960s and early 1970s Loree oboes.
Loree also made some oboes in the late 1960s (around the BV serial numbers)
that have a thicker wall diameter than usual. Heavy instruments, about the same weight as [say] a Chauvet BW series oboes, not quite as heavy as the German Kreul/Gordet. I surmise Loree made this heavier instrument in the late B series to address the [then] mania for the "darkest" sound possible.
I had a heavy German Kreul/Gordet oboe when I was young. Now, I find this sound to be simply far too dark for my taste. I think an oboe should have at least an element of "bright" to the sound.
Howarth now makes a light weight ("thin wall") model oboe called S6.
The S6 is decidedly lighter than the "standard" model S5 Howarth or the relatively heavy weight S5 XL model oboe. Though the S6 plays very well indeed, it is for sure "bright" in timbre in contrast to the other Howarth oboes, or a standard Loree oboe.

With best wishes,
Peter

Oboes.us

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