# Oboe



## Nox

I'm a huge oboe fan. My daughter started flute, but I suggested she also play the oboe. It's a very difficult instrument, tonally...it's been a struggle to get her to the point where it's not sounding like a goose calling contest...and she's still off/on...

Her instructor is wonderful too...part of the reason we're both so enthused about the instrument...looking forward to lessons again this fall (I enjoy sitting in...even if that's considered a bad thing...to have a parent sit in on lessons)...

I'll stick with my strings at this point in the game...but if I was going to pick up a woodwind...it would be the oboe...hands down...


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## Daniel

> * (I enjoy sitting in...even if that's considered a bad thing...to have a parent sit in on lessons)...*


LOL


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## 009

The oboe produces really beautiful sound...I'll love to learn it too if I have the time. 
So yr daughter play flute now, and also oboe?
Give her the clarinet and bassoon also and she'd have the whole woodwind section. 
But technnically speaking it's hard for woodwind players to switch between woodwind instruments, unlike string players ( violin to viola etc.)... 
Because each woodwind instrument requires different mouth/lip structure. I think so... Is is so , Baroque Flute?


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## Nox

Yes, she started piano at age 4...(and recently completed her Grade 4 RCM exam)...then for band back when she was in Grade 4 in school she picked flute...and I egged her on to start oboe in Grade 5(why? There were 30 kazillion flautists...and the only oboist was graduating from high school...all that in addition to my loving the sound of the instrument - BTW I like the flute very much too...but a band or ensemble sounds richer I think, with a variety of instruments....

I think there are particular difficulties associated with the embouchare (sp?) of double reeded instruments...


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## Nox

...oh yeah..the bassoon was next on my 'short list'...heh heh heh...

...I was thinking of trying to coax my 9 year old son into trying it...but he wants to play the trombone...and I think he'll do better with brass...

...unfortunately I lost the battle to keep my 14 year old son in the band program (Tenor Sax). He loved it when he started in Grade 5, but the past two years with the new band instructor have been brutal...he doesn't like her and I gave up the fight to keep him in it...


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## 009

> *...unfortunately I lost the battle to keep my 14 year old son in the band program (Tenor Sax). He loved it when he started in Grade 5, but the past two years with the new band instructor have been brutal...he doesn't like her and I gave up the fight to keep him in it...*


I hate to read about accounts of Brutal, bad band instructors..They always make me really angry! To think that decent kids with good enough playing hates music and lose self-confidence because of 'angry' machines like them! If u don't have the heart to share , then please don't go into teaching. Angry, abusive people are not suitable for that job. You only make yrself and people suffer.
Right? I hate to walk past music romms, only to hear instructors yelling at band members. It's really disheartening even to a by-passer like me. :angry:


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## Nox

With this instructor it was/is more a matter of her not being able to make the program 'fun' (I've heard this from most of the parents and kids). On a one-one level, I quite like her...and I understand that the kids need to practice and be organized to make the band sound good...otherwise it's discouraging for all of them when they perform...

...but how many young kids (ages 10-14) are so into music that they'll practice and do well if it's not fun? Only a handful of diehards...but then you don't have enough other players to fully round out the band and again, I think the performance suffers.

You need your good players (and they move up to first chair) but you also need your more mediocre player to fill up the spaces. My son is in the mediocre category...but he was so discouraged this last year he stopped practicing too...which made the situation worse of course...

All you don't need are the really really bad players...but even they can improve if the desire is there...with some private lessons and personal interest shown them...


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## 009

> *With this instructor it was/is more a matter of her not being able to make the program 'fun' (I've heard this from most of the parents and kids). *


Ok, I understand now.
It's hard enough to try to teach kids, but teaching in groups is wow!
I've had choir combined session with 200 over kids, they drive me crazy all the time.
But it's always rewarding if the lesson is to remain fun and upbeat. 
The children will love to come for practice and really put in every ounce of effort....and as an instructor, I'll look foward to the next practice and so on...( no matter how pissed I am at the end of the day.)
So, good class 'atmosphere' is of utmost importance when teaching group lesson. If not, every seconds will feel like painful hours, and in the end, u'll hardly get anything done. :angry: 
But it's not easy to maintain or even create that level of engagement in class...u need years of good experience as a group teacher of some sort to accomplish that.


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## Nox

You're bang on! I think it's mostly inexperience mixed in with her personality. If every kid were self-driven I think she'd be great, but she doesn't seem to have what it takes to inspire the masses...


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## baroque flute

I can see why you would like the oboe so much. It was Handel's personal favorite, too, BTW. Did you know that he called for 24 oboes in his "music for the Royal Fireworks"?!!! :lol: About playing several woodwinds, I don't know. I regularly put down my recorder and pick up my flute with no problem at all, but I've never played on a reed instrument. 

It's really too bad when an instructor fails to motivate a student. But it does especially happen when they are teaching lots of students at once.


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## Nox

Aha! I knew I'd have a lot in common with at least one famous composer!!! 

Double reeds are a whole science to themselves! Who woulda thunk it would be so complicated to produce a little reed opening to blow through???


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## Thomas

I love oboe also. 
Its amazing when the oboe comes in with the melody in the middle of an orchestral section...with all instruments playing pp ... It's like a revealing transition or something. 
Very simple but magical sounding.
The Cor Anglais is not really an English horn right? It's an alto oboe, issit?


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## Daniel

It is an English horn, but belongs to oboe family.


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## Thomas

Ah...ha...I'm confused. If it's a horn , why does it belong to the oboe family? Is it the sound production that makes it belong to the same family, I mean, technically speaking.


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## Daniel

The name is confusing yes, cor=horn (in name, but actually it isn't a horn, but an alto oboe) 
It's a double-reed woodwind instrument with lower pitch than oboe.
http://www.enchantedlearning.com/language/...s/answers.shtml


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## Thomas

> *double-reed woodwind instrument *


  Another double-reed!
It's so hard to get a decent sound out of them.


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## Daniel

maybe, i haven't tried it yet  But i love this "nosely" tone of the oboe....wonderful


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## 009

> *But i love this "nosely" tone of the oboe....wonderful *


Hee hee hee...U mean Nasal? :lol:


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## Daniel

Yes, *blushes*


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## becky

I love a well-played oboe. I'd be perfectly happy if one of my (future) kids takes it up as an intrument!

BTW, next time I talk to my friend who just finished her master's in English I'm going to work in nosely! It'll drive her nuts!


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## Daniel

If you need some other mixed up words, just let me know :lol:


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## oistrach13

who is everybody's favourite oboist?

apparently, the GOD of the oboe is the late Leon Goossens (brother of the famous conductor). 

does anybody now any good modern ones?


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## Nox

My favourite is my daughter's instructor...she's wonderful...but I won't post her name, because I don't know whether she'd appreciate it or not...


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## oistrach13

lol.. that's nice


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## Bassoonist Student

Hi

I have a Bossey Hawkes Oboe here I love it, the sound is soooooooo nice of course . cost £ 250 I think.

Martin


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## Nox

I was thinking of Greenline oboes (down the road). They're a bit pricey, but I've heard very good things about them.


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## godzillaviolist

*Oboe Oboe Oboe*

hello,
The double reeds are my favorite woodwinds! I actually hated the clarinet and ( especially ) the flute when I first started listening to classical music, but I've always loved double reeds. I love all the woodwinds now, but double reeds are still my favorite.  
As for Leon Gossens, he was good, but he's not as great as he is made out to be. His high notes are beautifull, but his middle and lower ranges are somewhat poor. I've heard several modern players who ecxeed him in beauty of tone and virtuosity.
My favorite oboe peice is Vaughan William's oboe concerto- a stunning peice! 
I think my favorite instrument of the family is the english horn; it's tone seems so moving to me. Havergal brian puts a lovely solo for it in his symphony number 9 in A minor. Also Havergal Brian uses the oboe d'amore to wonderfull effect in his Gothic symphony.
The heckelphone has delightfull sound, but is infrequently used  .
godzilla


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## Josef Haydn

DW said:


> But technnically speaking it's hard for woodwind players to switch between woodwind instruments,QUOTE]
> 
> i play bassoon and i tried clarinet once, and i couldn't get 1 note! I felt incredibly stupid; even more when the clarinetist could play my bassoon. I have only tried clarinet (except for a recorder) However, my teacher can play every w/w instrument except the oboe so, i dunno.
> 
> The embrochure for a clarinet must be hugely different from a bassoon because i spent minutes trying to get a normal note from this clarinet (normal as in not some freak of music squeak which clarinetists still class as a note)


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## Saturnus

My favorite oboe pieces are definately the six Trio sonatas (for 2 oboes and basso continuo, composed by J. D. Zelenka), the Poulenc sonata and Beethoven's oboe trio (although not popular today, it was one of his most played pieces while alive, so it is also interesting for Beethoven fans  ).

I haven't heard many oboists on record, but Heinz Holliger has recorded a big part of the oboe reperoire rather nicely.


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## 4/4player

lol, Josef!
That must be really weird...As a clarinet player..I have never tried playing the other woodwinds...though I really want to learn how to play the oboe(But the price tag would kill me for a beginner model)..seeing as I want to be a conductor or band director..I might have to learn all the instruments,hehe.


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## Harmonie

Oboe is amazing. I especially love the oboe in Baroque music.

I almost played it over the bassoon, but I couldn't do it. XD I went for the bassoon instead.

Although I still kind of want to play it, I think I play way to many instruments now and it'd be stupid for me to add on another. 

However, I think the oboe is the best sounding of any instrument when played right. It's so beautiful! ^_^


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