 The Oboe BBoard
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Author: Joop
Date: 2021-02-09 01:49
another one!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yDT4bceRyes
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Author: Hotboy
Date: 2021-02-09 09:03
Amazing technical skills like no other, but I never liked his sound. I wonder who makes his reeds now, cuz he never made his own throughout his career.
I attended a master class in the late 70's at which he took a dry reed off the demo piano, tweeted it a couple times, and proceeded to rip some licks from something like the Corigliano concerto, which had some of the fastest tonguing I'd ever heard that surely had to be double tonguing.
He blew away the audience with his casual technical brilliance.
Then later in the Q&A session, somebody asked "what's the best way to double tongue," to which he replied "Oh, I never double tongue."
uh-huh, right...LOL
Dane
Bay Area, California
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Author: oboist2
Date: 2021-02-10 00:21
A legend, who has done an amazing amount to further oboe music, both earlier music and contemporary. Like many others, I did not always care for his sound, but for virtuosity and musicianship, he has few equals. There are recordings though, where his sound is ravishing. I admire the fact that he can still play to such a high standard at his age. The oboe world owes Mr Holliger an enormous debt, not just for his performances, but in exploring largely forgotten repertoire, writing and commissioning new music, and in his teaching.
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2021-02-11 04:20
I don't understand why Americans especially are that critical of his tone as he blows all American players out the water, even at a fantastic age of 81. Open your ears as there's loads more to oboe playing that's found outside the US border wall.
He is and will always be my biggest influence and I owe him a massive debt of gratitude.
Clickable links (to make them clickable, surround the link like this: <link>):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J8SS2xhCP54
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yDT4bceRyes
I bet they're having a meltdown over on the IDRS Facebook page because he's not wearing one of those stupid masks with a hole in it or a bell cover.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
Post Edited (2021-02-11 13:02)
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Author: Hotboy
Date: 2021-02-12 08:04
"he blows all American players out the water"
Well, I guess that says it all. You are a fan of the nasal strident sound. Others obviously are not.
Dane
Bay Area, California
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Author: Joop
Date: 2021-02-17 02:32
I (european) am also always very inspired by his playing and was never bothered by his sound.
Moreover, the light reeds allow for virtuosity but also a flexible tone and change in character, while many that play on heavy reeds are only concerned about tone but always have a much more limited range in character in their playing, in my opinion.
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Author: EaubeauHorn
Date: 2021-02-28 21:23
I have always loved his sound and think it is the best out there. The American sound, to me, is lacking in character. So, everyone likes what they like.
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Author: NewKidontheBlock
Date: 2021-03-07 12:03
It is simple, Holliger at 81 is able to play with the same energy and singing quality as he were a teenager while american oboe playing sounds old, flat and bland no matter the age of the player. Keep on counting numbers for phrasing...
At the end, Holliger technique proved to be the right pad, allows him to be still playing and making music at 81 while others, at 61 or younger, are not able to make a single C major scale in tune.
Music rules, music is life, Holliger is plenty of both. Doesn't matter if you like or not the voice, the message the voice spread is wonderful.
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Author: Hotboy
Date: 2021-03-09 10:23
LOL...it's easy to see your bias.
"Holliger at 81 is able to play with the same energy and singing quality as he were a teenager while american oboe playing sounds old, flat and bland no matter the age of the player."
Dane
Bay Area, California
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Author: NewKidontheBlock
Date: 2021-03-10 21:56
As easy as see yours.
Hotboy wrote:
> LOL...it's easy to see your bias.
>
> "Holliger at 81 is able to play with the same energy and
> singing quality as he were a teenager while american oboe
> playing sounds old, flat and bland no matter the age of the
> player."
>
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Author: oboist2
Date: 2021-03-10 23:59
Pointless slanging at other styles than one's own is pointless and adds nothing to the discussion. Unfortunately these days, we are not treated with the same sound palate that used to be available to oboists, and many of the wonderful artists of yesteryear would not get a position these days because their sound would be outside what is considered the acceptable norm. I won't comment as to whether that is a good thing or not, but I am saddened that the world has become so standardised or polarised in so many things. As far as oboe playing is concerned, I like to hear playing and styles that are outside what we expect to hear. One of the best oboe sections I ever heard was the Israel Philharmonic in the late 60s and early 70s.... All the oboists came from different parts of the world, when national schools of playing were much more pronounced than they are today, and the oboes were of a variety of different makers, yet when they played, the teamwork was exemplary and they played as one.
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2021-03-11 21:54
If you listen to some recordings by L'Orchestre de la Suisse Romande from the '50s through to the '70s and probably beyond, you'll hear the oboists have that Holliger/Bourgue-esque sound.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: EaubeauHorn
Date: 2021-05-07 04:58
Not about oboes but horns (which is my principal instrument.) There is a recording of Grand Canyon Suite by the Cincinnati Orchestra in which there is a clear difference in sound between the 1st and 2nd horn as they trade parts of the melody, and I love it. You can actually tell two people are playing and each has a lovely, but different sound. Why do we all want to sound alike? I want to hear different people play, not the same sound coming out of different bodies.
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2021-05-07 16:10
I was told by a horn player that horn players were chosen according to their tone - 1st and 3rd horn players having the brighter tone and in contrast, 2nd and 4th having the darker tone. Although that depends on what the conductor wants to hear.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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The Clarinet Pages
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