Author: oboi
Date: 2012-05-24 11:45
Haha, Robin, your comment made me think of my pet peeve that the oboist is always ignored in videorecordings of performances. It's always the strings sawing away or the shiny brass. Many an instance when I watch an entire show and every single instrumentalist is filmed, except for the oboist, hiding in the middle with a boring black stick and an unaesthetic facial expression. Oboe solo, camera pan to violin. Wha???
I think it mostly has to do with purpose. Flutes are supposed to be doing all those frilly bits because it sounds nice when they do that. I joke sometimes that I wish I played bassoon, when I am confronted with an insanely fast passage. When you think about it, it probably would sound absurd if the bassoon always tried to do those acrobatics like a flute. It might be possible on the bassoon, who knows, but if everyone in the orchestra played like a flute, that'd be some wacky piece. The oboe I agree it's known for tone colour, and so acrobatics wouldn't be the best way to show it. Slower and simpler note-wise, perhaps, but equally difficult. Just like Mozart. The notes are soooo easy, but to play it well.... ack! Speed or many notes are not the only criteria for difficulty, although a common misconception.
I suppose difficulty can be a factor. Do flutes and clarinets train to be more florid? That I do not know. But (some) composers do know the limitations of each instrument. I wonder if there are statistics (e.g., the fastest possible scale, ease to produce a note). I know French horns have a heck of a time sounding notes, so obviously they wouldn't be able to play very quickly, but certainly their music is no easier, is it? The larger instruments, again, it is more difficult to get around, no? That given, however, doesn't mean one can't be up to the challenge. If there is more challenging music written, there will be people who work to do it.
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