 The Oboe BBoard
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Author: Kai
Date: 2006-11-22 11:24
If you are refering to composers like Beethoven, Brahms and Mendelssohn, they correspond to the classical-romantic period in Western Music History. It was a time for self-expression, a time where composers were elevated to 'artist' status, a time where the structure of a piece of music was continually being challenged. At the time, the oboe was simply not an adequate instrument that could not (I hate to say this!)compare with the violin and piano in terms of dramatic expression.
In addition, the Symphony became an established form, composers were also looking at programmatic music, they collaborated with poets, writers and came the emergence of the Lied, as a uniting and cohesive device or unit for expression emerged the importance of the string quartet. Much of wind music was relegated to chamber music and many fine chamber music featuring winds came from this time.
It was also a time of the rising virtuoso pianist / violinist(as fine as the oboists may be at that time, they could not compare to the brilliant and dazzling skills of the pianists and violinists of the day) and like cjwright has mentioned, many of the so-called great piano, cello, violin concertos came from these guys at this time. No coincidence there.
I am not sure about the next point. Oboes as all wind instruments during that time were rather simple in design and keywork. Perhaps its limited projection meant that it was not a first choice for a concerto soloist against an orchestra that had been growing in size since Haydn's time. (of course, they could written for a chamber orchestra accompaniment). However, an oboe as a soloist with an orchestra during Bach's time would have been perfect. Case in point, JS Bach's Brandenburg Concerto No 2 features the trumpet, Oboe, flute (or recorder) as soloists. In today's terms, the oboe can easily drown out the recorder and the trumpet could do the same to the other 2 but in Bach's time, the 'softish' baroque oboe & trumpet would have sounded as wonderful chamber partners!
In case you are interested, there is a Beethoven Oboe Concerto. I can' t remember the story but somebody did find some notes on a proposed Oboe Concerto. Sketches remain and of course, it was duely completed and orchestrated. I think Alexei Ogrintchouk (of the Concertgebouw) has recorded the one movement under BIS.
This is another theory of mine: that wind music began to really take up with the composers after the World War. It was partly as a reaction against all things romantic and traditional and lush and what have you before the war. There was also much more development in the instruments and of course, better and betterplayers. Furthermore, composers wanted to find new sounds and new expression and what better way than to utilize all those neglected instruments. (eg Poulenc admitted that he could never write for string instruments but was always thinking that, 'hmm.. this will sound better for the oboe, that could work on the bassoon, etc'.
I hope this adds on to the earlier posts. My poor summary of a possible answer.
Kai
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Baron |
2006-11-22 02:31 |
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cjwright |
2006-11-22 03:17 |
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Kai |
2006-11-22 11:24 |
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Thomas. |
2006-11-23 03:05 |
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