# Appreciating a new instrument



## thejewk (Sep 13, 2020)

I've been listening to a lot of JS Bach over the last few months, and I came to the realisation over the last few days that he has made me greatly appreciate the oboe and oboe d'amore to a far greater extent than I ever have before. Very frequently in the cantatas in particular, an oboe obligato part will accompany a vocalist to such great effect that I will be singing the line for days. Currently I have the Alto Aria of BWV 12, Kruez und Krone sind verbunden in permanent residence within my head, and the tonal qualities of the instrument I find fascinating.

Have any of you had the same experience with a composer or performer?


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## SONNET CLV (May 31, 2014)

I'll add only that I agree with you on Bach's so effective use of the oboe in the Cantatas. I find that my favorites of the Cantatas remain those with prominent oboe obbligatos (or is that obbligati?).

But I'm still not sure even Bach could convince me of the merits of the accordion, bagpipes, or harp as an obbligato instrument. Or most certainly that danged fortepiano! (which, fortunately, seems not to have been known well yet in Bach's time -- either Bach had never heard of Bartolomeo Cristofori, or he knew better not to make his knowledge known. After all, he loved musical sound, which those oboe obbligatos in the Cantatas reveal. Poor Haydn and Mozart; they were stuck with the instrument. At least Beethoven had opportunities to climb beyond it in his later years).


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## aussiebushman (Apr 21, 2018)

Surely the bagpipes would be a fine obbligato instrument - preferably played completely underwater by a Scot? 

It is rarely known that the Irish gave the bagpipes to the Scots as a joke. Predictably, the Scots did not get the joke. 

Personally, I'll stick with the oboe - wonderful instrument!


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## thejewk (Sep 13, 2020)

SONNET CLV said:


> I'll add only that I agree with you on Bach's so effective use of the oboe in the Cantatas. I find that my favorites of the Cantatas remain those with prominent oboe obbligatos (or is that obbligati?).
> 
> But I'm still not sure even Bach could convince me of the merits of the accordion, bagpipes, or harp as an obbligato instrument. Or most certainly that danged fortepiano! (which, fortunately, seems not to have been known well yet in Bach's time -- either Bach had never heard of Bartolomeo Cristofori, or he knew better not to make his knowledge known. After all, he loved musical sound, which those oboe obbligatos in the Cantatas reveal. Poor Haydn and Mozart; they were stuck with the instrument. At least Beethoven had opportunities to climb beyond it in his later years).


I believe I read that an early fortepiano manufacturer asked Bach to try out one of his instruments, and Bach provided honest and somewhat negative feedback based on the heaviness of the action and some other factors, which annoyed the maker so much that he ignored Bach for a while, although he later admitted that Bach had been correct. Also, Bach is known to have played a number of different fortepianos when he encountered Frederick the Great towards the end of his life. I must admit I haven't spent a great deal of time listening to different fortepianos, but I will add it to my list of things to listen to.


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