Homage to Oboe History

Oboe history should include the origin of the word oboe, which is hautbois (a French word), meaning high wood. This instrument uses a double reed and has a range of about two and a half octaves, beginning on the Bb below middle C.

Many famous composers have written concertos for this marvelous instrument including Vivaldi and Vaughan Williams. Famous players of the past and present include Giuseppe Sammartini, Pierre Pierlot and Heinz Holliger.

Historically, Henry Purcell (1659-1695) used the oboe extensively and by the mid eighteenth century, most orchestras in Europe had two oboe players as part of their ensemble.

The cor anglais (English horn) is pitched a fifth lower than an oboe. It’s a lovely instrument that is not a horn and not English. Talk about a mismatched name! Its two and a half octave range has a beautiful tone that was used extensively by Romantic composers in the nineteenth century.

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