oboe

a tube-shaped musical instrument that is played by blowing through two reeds (= thin pieces of wood), or this type of instrument generally; a woodwind. (Definition of oboe from the Cambridge Academic Content Dictionary © Cambridge University Press)

It is the job of the principal oboist to tune the orchestra to an A at the beginning of each concert. The other key role of the oboe is that it usually carries the melody with its lyrical and mournful color, often heard as the solo instrument in the most emotional sections of music.

Examples from the Collins Corpus He played the oboe and piano and sang in choirs.

The French term for the oboe, hautbois, means wood of high-pitched or loud sound. The English and Italian term oboe, the German terms Oboe and Hoboe, and other words in other languages have the French word as their origins. A two-key oboe, c. 1680.

The oboe is one of the most beautiful and versatile instruments in the orchestra. Its sound is distinctive, with auditory warmth, in addition, penetrating sound, which is able to carry the melody and be an important element in the orchestral texture.

These upper harmonics contribute to the oboe's nasal sound as well as the “density” of sound and how the oboe can cut through a lot of noise so easily. This is also a good visual for why trumpet and oboe pair together so well.

Clear, bright, penetrating, acerbic, keen, biting, rasping, reedy, powerful, robust, full, insistent. The sound quality of the oboe is very versatile and ranges from the thick notes in the low register to the thin and piercing high notes.

Clear, bright, penetrating, acerbic, keen, biting, rasping, reedy, powerful, robust, full, insistent. The sound quality of the oboe is very versatile and ranges from the thick notes in the low register to the thin and piercing high notes.

Curiosities about the oboe that will interest you.

• The oboe belongs to the woodwind family of instruments:
• The oboe plays an important role in concerts:
• There are usually between 2 and 3 oboes in an orchestra:
• The oboe reed is key:
• The oboe needs careful maintenance:

It is one of the highest pitched members of the woodwind family, which means that it has one of the highest tessituras (than, for example, the bassoon). In addition, its timbre is very characteristic thanks to its “double reed”, which gives it its distinctive sound and its ability to project over the orchestra.

Fun Facts: The oboe is made out of wood and metal and gets bigger at the lower end, where it flares into the bell! The oboe plays a tuning note at the beginning of orchestra concerts. The English Horn, a sister to the oboe, is longer than an oboe, so it sounds lower. Its bell is shaped like a pear!

It has a warm, reedy, almost squawking sound. The pitch of the oboe is easily "lipped" higher or lower by the player, and a well-trained oboist is able to play long passages and long notes in a single breath due to the nature of the instrument.