Instrument of the month: oboe

The instrument comes from France, is sometimes made of rosewood, and has a variant called oboe d’amore – it’s a perfect choice for February, the month of lovers, isn’t it?

The oboe is a woodwind instrument with a double reed. Invented in the 17^th century, its predecessor was the medieval pipe called a shawm. Regular tuning is extremely important for this aerophone. Outstanding oboists include H.C. Fisher, J.S. Bach and C.Ph.E. Bach – in a nutshell.

You may find detailed information about oboists in our Online Encyclopaedia of Music. Sheet music for the oboe can be found in Notes. And if you are interested in what the oboe looked like in the first half of the 19^th century, be sure to visit Pictures.