The Oboe

The Oboe is a double-reed wind instrument with a wood body and narrow conical bore. The oboe was invented in the 17th century by Jean Hotteterre and Michel Philidor. By 1700, most orchestras included a pair of oboes. Early oboes had seven finger-holes and two keys; by the 1700s four-keyed models were also in use. In the 1800s additional keys were added, reaching 15 or more, and the bore and sound holes were redesigned. The range of the modern oboe extends two and one-half octaves upward from the B below middle C. Composers of solo works for the oboe include George Frideric Handel, Joseph Haydn, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Ludwig van Beethoven, Robert Schumann, and Carl Nielsen.

Return to the Music Page

Return Home

This page and all pages in the OnLine Music Encyclopedia were created solely by the