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Re: The real practical range (compass) of the Oboe

Author: Barry Vincent
Date: 2018-03-11 03:29

Hi Geoff. Thank you for responding to my comments. We seem to be the only ones at this time that are using the Oboe Bulletin Board.
The one thing that I've never had any problem with is double and even triple tonguing on the Oboe. Just speaking for myself, compared to the Clarinet it's reasonable easy. Getting the extreme high notes however is not and I suspect that these notes (from high G upwards) are really not practical unless you add another (fiddly) octave key which only adds to an already over mechanised and weighty instrument. Therefore the practical written range (compass) of the Oboe is up to high F / F# The same written range of the Saxophone.
It's very telling to look at the scores of modern composers of the twentieth century when they wrote for Oboe. For example. Vaughan Williams Oboe Concerto (1944) and written for Leon Goossens. I haven't got the notation for this but by listening to it, seems to go no higher than the top F. It does ramble on a bit but enjoyable to listen to.
Then there's Richard Strauss. Oboe Concerto (1945) which only goes up to D and it's interesting when this piece modulates to D major that there's not even one high F#. Like the V. Williams work it rambles on a bit.
Carl Nielsen's Romanze for Oboe and Fantasy Pieces for Oboe (1889) No extreme high notes here either even though it's not in the twentieth century.
Samuel Barber. Canzonetta for Oboe and string orchestral. No extreme high notes which is surprising considering what he wrote for the Clarinet Concerto. And there is of course his beautiful Oboe solo in his Violin Concerto.
Saint Saens. His wonderful Oboe Sonata in D. The third movement (Molto Allegro) has high F#s and Gs that has two Ossias with those notes written an octave lower. And that movement can only be played by advanced Oboists.
But the real treasure is the Carillons for Oboe and Orchestra by Grace Mary Williams. (1965 r. 1973) A modern work that is actually very enjoyable to listen to. Check it out on Utube. I have it on a Lyrita CD. No extreme high F#s or Gs here either.
In my opinion the early 1900s where the last time composers wrote works for the Oboe that had real beauty and are very enjoyable to listen to. The same cannot be said for most Oboe pieces more recently than this, but there has been some lovely passengers in modern movie sound tracks which is where the better modern composers works are to be found these days.

Skyfacer

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