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8.578178 classical oboe music Outstanding Oboe Best loved classical oboe music 17 Enticing oboe repertoire featuring some of the best-loved , quartets and Saint-Saëns: Oboe in D major, string colleagues in that premiere were of Bach, Handel, Mozart, Albinoni and others. Op. 166 – III. Molto allegro drawn from the Elector’s as Like his compatriot Poulenc, Camille well.Ramm’s lyricism and tonal beauty 1 (1685–1750) 9 Allegro non molto 3:32 for and Oboe, 4:38 10 Larghetto 3:25 Saint-Saëns composed an oboe were spurs to Mozart. In this work he BWV 1060 – I. Allegro 11 Allegro 2:43 sonata toward the very end of his creates a rich tapestry of the subtlest of Christian Hommel • Lisa Stewart chamber interplay. After the perfectly (1684–1750) life. It was a time of rapidly changing Cologne Chamber Orchestra musical styles to which Saint-Saëns calibrated Classical first movement, Helmut Müller-Brühl (8.554602) in D minor 11:21 Stefan Schilli • Cologne Chamber Orchestra responded with a series of three and before the high spirits of the (1671–1751) Helmut Müller-Brühl (8.551077) sonatas. The Oboe Sonata in D major Rondo finale, comes the exquisitely Oboe Concerto in D minor, Op. 9, No. 2 12:58 12 Andante e spiccato 3:28 is marked by its spare, almost austere poised slow movement. Time seems to Anthony Camden • London Virtuosi 13 Adagio 4:08 neo-Classicism, its third movement stand still here, though the movement John Georgiadis (8.550739) 14 Presto 3:42 2 Allegro e non presto 4:30 full of refinement and clarity. is not in itself particularly long. But 15 3 Adagio 5:21 Alessandro BESOZZI (1702–1775) there is such a rapt intensity to the Oboe Concerto No. 1 in C major – 7:53 4 Allegro 3:03 18 Mozart: Oboe Quartet oboe’s , and the supporting strings III. Allegretto 5 (1756–1791) Anthony Camden • City of London in F major, K. 370 – II. Adagio provide so consoling and warm a Oboe Concerto in C major, K. 314 – 6:00 Nicholas Ward (8.554772) It was, once again, Friedrich Ramm cushion, that it seems far longer than III. Allegro its mere 37 bars’ length. It is a miracle 16 Domenico CIMAROSA (1749–1801) who – as in the case of the oboe Martin Gabriel • Vienna Mozart Academy concerto – provided the virtuosity of compression, a miracle of beauty. Johannes Wildner (8.550345) arr. Arthur BENJAMIN (1893–1960) Oboe Concerto in C minor – III. Siciliana 3:00 and musicality to premiere Mozart’s 6 (1899–1963) Anthony Camden • City of London Sinfonia Oboe Quartet. It was written in 19 Rimsky-Korsakov: Oboe Sonata, FP 185 – 5:03 Nicholas Ward (8.553991) 1781 in , where Mozart had Flight of the Bumble-bee I. Élégie: Paisiblement 17 (1835–1921) This famous showpiece comes from the Olivier Doise • Alexandre Tharaud (8.553611) Camille SAINT-SAËNS gone to put the finishing touches Oboe Sonata in D major, Op. 166 – 2:23 to his Idomeneo. Ramm had opera The Tale of Tsar Saltan where it 7 (1685–1759) III. Molto allegro been a prestigious member of the forms a short interlude in the third act Oboe Concerto No. 3 in G minor, 2:03 Charles Hamann HWV 287 – IV. Allegro Stéphane Lemelin (8.570964) Mannheim orchestra which was, in which various orchestral sections Anthony Camden • City of London Sinfonia in the words of one awed visitor, contribute. However it has been 18 Wolfgang Amadeus MOZART Nicholas Ward (8.553430) the English music historian Charles arranged for a variety of instruments, Oboe Quartet in F major, K. 370 – 3:18 8 Robert SCHUMANN (1810–1856) II. Adagio Burney, ‘an army of generals’.Now in which a performer can demonstrate 3 Romanzen, Op. 94 – No. 3, 4:17 Max Artved • Elise Batnes Ramm was in Munich, performing as the considerable virtuosity necessary to Nicht schnell Dimitri Golovanov • Lars Holm Johansen principal oboist in the orchestra of the surmount its dazzlingly fast intricacies. József Kiss • Jeno˝ Jandó (8.550599) (8.557361) Elector of the Palatinate, and it seems (1678–1741) 19 Nikolay RIMSKY-KORSAKOV overwhelmingly probable that his Jonathan Woolf Oboe Concerto in A minor, RV 461 9:40 (1844–1908) © Naxos Rights (Europe) Ltd Stefan Schilli Flight of the Bumble-bee 1:26 Budapest Failoni Chamber Orchestra Ivan Paisov Pier Giorgio Morandi (8.550860) Natalia Shcherbakova (8.570596) 8.578178 Total Timing: 74:43 2 11 8.578178 was Bach by this Oboe Concerto 16 Cimarosa, arr. Benjamin: Outstanding Oboe in D minor, published in 1717 (and Oboe Concerto in C minor – Best loved classical oboe music over the years sometimes mistakenly III. Siciliana attributed to Alessandro’s brother, Attributions, misattributions, If you’ve ever blown through blades of grass competition. Older instrument makers and their Benedetto) that he transcribed it for and simple mistakes you will have some idea of the sensation now suddenly old fashioned and crudely made solo . The work is suffused have been rife in the history of produced and the sound that emerges – a instruments looked very amateur; the more with harmony and gracefulness, a some of these works, as we have magical buzzing that vibrates on the lips. It’s elegant sounding oboe was now the natural beautiful balance that allows, in the seen, and the same is true for this not at all dissimilar to the theory of playing instrument to be taken into . central Adagio, the solo oboe to spin one. For many years this work was the oboe, and in fact it may have inspired the This period coincided with the rise of the so seductive and beautiful an aria that known as ‘Cimarosa’s oboe concerto, Ancient Greeks in their use of the instrument oboe as a solo instrument. It’s unclear precisely the oboe soars and spirals into the sky arranged by Arthur Benjamin’ as if called the aulos, which we now think was an how the shawm became the oboe of its own song. After this the finale Benjamin had edited the work for early oboe, with what is called a double-reed. but it was in France that the transformation releases cheerfulness and high spirits performance from an existing work. The Romans had their own type of oboe as became complete. Here the ‘hautbois’ (in in an effortless and joyful way. It is In fact the ‘Oboe Concerto on themes well, called the tibia. Developments throughout English, ‘high wood’) properly emerged. The surely no coincidence that the city that of Cimarosa’, to give it the correct the centuries led to a wide variety of reed English pronunciation of the word was ‘hoboy’ built the first opera house should have name, was brought to life in 1942 instruments but in the Baroque era, a number and around 1770 it became known formally produced so many composers who by the eminent Australian-born became obsolete. The old shawm, which was as an ‘oboe’. used instrumental forces in so sincere composer as an of some often identified as an oboe, lost its place. A Though it rose to prominence in France, and vocal a way as this. of Cimarosa’s harpsichord pieces. Benjamin preferred to imbue the work poem of the time celebrates the oboe because Italy proved the finishing school for the oboe. 15 Besozzi: Oboe Concerto No. 1 with a Baroque ethos, even though ‘it can be played in church, at home and had the first opera houses, and it on the battlefield – everywhere that matters‘ was Venetian composers who first sought to in C major – III. Allegretto Cimarosa had been born in 1749 and The Besozzi family had an illustrious so post-dated the style (in fact he died – whilst the shawm was a ‘rural’ instrument provide the oboe with a suitable stage. Some, musical pedigree and was famous a few years after Mozart).However only fit to be played in a village. In fact like Vivaldi, tended to see the oboe as a reed throughout Italy and beyond. Carlo one views this, Benjamin has crafted certain technical advances in construction had version of the violin, and despite his beautiful Besozzi was an oboist and composer a lovely work, full of high spirits, great meant that the oboe could be used indoors, writing there was nothing automatically and his Concerto No. 1 in C major is warmth, with a grave Introduction unlike the shawm which retained its rustic, different about the oboe concertos he wrote a fine example of his Classical style, prefacing a faster movement and folk-like outdoors role. The distinction came – different from his violin concertos, that is. In its Allegretto finale revealing richly then the wondrous Siciliana third about because makers of instruments had now fact he sometimes designated both concertos contrasted themes, a glamorous movement, a distillation of the slow become specialists. Like Italian violin makers in for the same work. Albinoni was different. He cadenza, and plenty of opportunities dance, which the oboe projects with Cremona, there were oboe-making specialists responded to the effortless-sounding, aria-like for agile virtuosity. quiet dignity and eloquence. in Nuremburg, London and Amsterdam. quality of the oboe ‘in flight’; he used his Greater professionalism and specialism led to operatic background to fashion ravishing

8.578178 10 3 8.578178 for the oboe to ‘sing’ in slow movements. What Today, more often than not, granadilla is controlled, with an especially lovely 9 – 11 Vivaldi: Oboe Concerto in A minor, he did bears out Charles Burney’s comments used, also called African Blackwood, though slow movement. The RV 461 on hearing the great Italian oboists Alessandro rosewood is also used. Holding the instrument finale is a delightful dance, with the This may well be the last of Vivaldi’s and Paolo Besozzi; ‘So much expression! toward an audience however meant that oboe leading, and picking up on the oboe concertos, and it’s certainly Such delicacy!’ What we respond to most the sound carried well. It also had quite a orchestra’s hints with infectious verve. one of the most popular. There have in Baroque oboe concertos is, of course, powerful sound. In a book published in 1695, been many arrangements over the the sprightly fast movements, the intricate The Sprightly Companion, the instrument was 8 Schumann: 3 Romanzen, Op. 94 – years for other instruments. Those technical challenges, the interplay of strings praised for being ‘Majestical and Stately, and No. 3, Nicht schnell for violin, clarinet and even soprano with oboe. The tunes are often graceful and not much inferior to the Trumpet.’ Given the In a move that seemed to hearken saxophone are the most well known, majestic. But above all it is the slow movements disparity in volume between a brass instrument back to older practice (but which and attest to the charm, melodic where the oboe most shines. Here, it sounds and a woodwind, this was high praise, and was also eminently practical), Robert inspiration and warmth of the work. released, able to spin an unending stream of evidence of how far, and how quickly, the Schumann authorised that his three The outer movements are driving exquisite song. Those composers who thought oboe had impressed itself on composers and Romanzen could be played by oboe and exciting and frame a central and piano – the primary inspiration – of the oboe in terms of the human voice, still listeners alike. There are always variables to slow movement that sees the oboe or alternatively violin, or clarinet, and arch its lyrical lines over a simple make the greatest appeal to listeners today. It consider, of course, in the oboe’s sound. It’s piano. The set was written in 1849, orchestral accompaniment. Like must have been a remarkable sight for early largely to do with the reed and how it performs, an important year in Schumann’s Albinoni, Vivaldi was a skilled listeners, seeing – and hearing – an instrument which is why oboists are so punctilious about development. Here the oboe takes operatic composer and one can hear that was once thought of as a rustic plaything their reeds. Humidity, with rises and falls on an almost ‘legendary’ quality, how aria-like his melodies were. now being employed as a refined, songful in temperature, will affect the clarity of the which would not be surprising as The soloist’s elegant pirouetting in medium for some of the richest and most sound and the pitch, so oboists need to apply the composer was immersing himself the faster music does suggest why beautiful melodies of the day, in some cases considerable care to their instrument. at the time in the world of myth. Vivaldi sanctioned the use of the comparable to the loveliest arias to be heard Oboists are the mechanics who service This, allied to Schumann’s huge violin in so many of his concertos. in contemporary opera. their own instruments. They are also creators interest in expanding the sense of When Venetian composers began writing of their own personalised reeds – which colour available to him, gives the 12 – 14 Marcello: Oboe Concerto in D minor for the oboe they looked on it as a new and they scrape and fashion into the ‘ideal’ one three pieces a suggestive power. The Yet another of the amazing roster of exciting voice. It had a clear and penetrating to produce a beautiful tone. If you meet an composer was a famously literary man Venetian composers was Alessandro sound, and was capable of considerable oboist going about his or her professional and it’s certainly quite possible in the Marcello (1684–1750). In addition virtuosity. It seems to be the case that the oboe business you will be amazed to see the kinds third of the set to imagine a rich scene to his great musical accomplishments at this period was not quite as penetrating as of portable gadgets they carry with them; setting – the oboe here seems to speak he was also a fine mathematician today’s instrument, with a softer quality, and knives, obviously, to trim, but also sharpening in a gravely antique way, and the and philosopher. He was born the that tonally things were very much influenced equipment such as stones, and a cutting block central passage seems to be forlorn. year before the illustrious Johann by the use of boxwood to make . on which to cut the reed tip. There’s also the Sebastian Bach and, indeed, so taken

8.578178 4 9 8.578178 5 Mozart: Oboe Concerto in C major, 6 Poulenc: Oboe Sonata, FP 185 – scraping plaque, a tiny steel plate to use when steady tone in a way that was both beautiful K. 314 – III. Allegro I. Élégie: Paisiblement scraping, a trusty mandrel – which is a steel and astonishing. During the Classical period, Like Bach’s Concerto for Violin and A ‘born composer’ in the words of rod to hold the reed – and many more gadgets the upper register was more and more used Oboe, Mozart’s Oboe Concerto has his friend Arthur Honegger, Francis and essentials, such as pliers, scissors, thread, by composers. When Mozart heard Carlo an interesting if confusing history, as Poulenc died unexpectedly having rulers, and canes. They all fit in portable cases. Besozzi, a famous player of the instrument and it’s also well known in the version for just completed his Oboe Sonata. And yet, of course, no matter how they craft a descendent of the Besozzi brothers Charles transverse . The oboe part was Dedicated to the memory of Prokofiev the reed, and how similar the actual oboe Burney had heard, he wrote; ‘Words fail me rediscovered in 1920 in Salzburg this late work shows Poulenc’s itself, it is impossible for any two oboists to to describe his precision and the extremely and it became clear that, despite powers of sophisticated simplicity in sound the same. pure tone he preserves in the most rapid runs the habit of transposing works from which the oboe’s melancholic voice It’s true, however, that the oboe has and jumps.’ It is clear from this that Besozzi one instrument to another when they perfectly fits the opening movement’s suffered for its perceived difficulty. When was a technician of the highest quality and he were composed, the oboe version peaceful elegy. musical instruments are being handed around ensured that his lip control, or embouchure, was the original. That, at least, was in school classrooms the oboe is certainly was in perfect working order. But there was one theory. Others have wondered 7 Handel: Oboe Concerto No. 3 not the first to be claimed; guitars, , more to him than this. What all great oboists whether there might not be other in G minor, HWV 287 – IV. Allegro recorders and get the prize there. possess is the ability to spin lines seamlessly, explanations, given that the flute Handel’s prodigious gifts embraced Partly it’s because it takes quite a lot of study as if possessed of an unending supply of air. and oboe versions are somewhat most forms of composition. The best to gain control over the embouchure – how to It makes them seem superhuman sometimes. different. It was written for Friedrich known of his concertos are those for Ramm, a famous player of the time, organ. Indeed his hold the instrument in the mouth. Also, like all Mozart noticed that Besozzi could ‘sustain in the Spring or Summer of 1777, in G minor, Op. 4, No. 3 sports a instruments, initial sounds are not promising. his notes and his power to increase and which was Mozart’s ‘mid period’, particularly delicious melody that he But with good study and dedication, excellent decrease their volume, without introducing and it is full of lovely tunes and a himself had recycled more than once results can be achieved, and oboists are even the slightest quiver into his very pure great deal of charm, even if the slow throughout his career. It made its first in demand in quite a few areas of music tone.’ The phenomenon he described is one movement calls for real skill because appearance as the finale of the Oboe making, from chamber ensembles, to studio of the things that makes the instrument so of Mozart’s use of a high register. Concerto in G minor. It’s a work that, bands, and even having a place in some special – the ability of the player to produce, Abdominal muscles need to be in when published (as late as 1863), was jazz performances. under considerable facial pressure, a steady, peak condition. The Allegro finale dated to around 1703, though there What composers soon grew to appreciate unbroken stream of unwavering tone. offers the most high spirited and seems to be no other confirmation of was that the increasingly narrow bore of the The sound of the oboe is melodic and infectious fun and it’s no wonder that this assertion. But if this is so, it would oboe allowed the player, and especially the expressive, and it has a supremely human, Ramm liked the concerto and played find Handel in Hamburg, writing a virtuosos among them, to play much higher speaking quality. It’s essentially sweet. Its it so often that Mozart referred to the hybrid work, mostly Italian in style than before. If they were able to maintain cousin, the somewhat larger (and lower in work as ‘Ramm’s warhorse’. but still with French movement names. breath control and ensure that pitch didn’t pitch) cor anglais, or English – though It’s a compact work, assured and sag, then they were able to play with a as the old joke goes, it’s neither English nor

8.578178 8 5 8.578178 a horn – makes a more obviously melancholy And they are not the kind of thing you will the violin and oboe work a copy, violin concertos. Indeed he sometimes sound, more plangent and sad. It’s an irony think of when you hear an oboe played in it is now strongly believed that the specified the instrumentation of such that often the first time people hear an oboe performance, either as a solo, chamber or harpsichord version is actually an works to be played on violin or oboe. is when an orchestra is tuning up, because it’s orchestral instrument. The greatest composers adaptation of the violin and oboe It was left to Tomaso Albinoni, an the oboist’s responsibility to sound the ‘A’ and always give the oboe space to breathe, and original. Bach stresses exchange, almost exact Venetian contemporary then the orchestra tunes to it. An example of its plaintive sound emerges over the orchestra’s intertwining and conversation over of Vivaldi (though there’s no indication an oboist’s nightmare occurs in the (possibly supportive cushion of sound like a song. In sheer dexterity, allowing the two the two men knew each other) to take apocryphal) story of the conductor who asked Beethoven’s opera Fidelio, for instance, there voices to float through and around the evolution of the oboe concerto one the oboist to sound his A on a particularly is a beautiful consolatory solo. Schubert wrote each other in a display of the utmost important stage further. For Albinoni, cold morning. The poor man quacked his an exquisite solo for oboe in the slow movement beauty and security. In this first the oboe was a truly independent note and then his pitch wobbled through his of his Ninth Symphony. Maybe one of the movement one notices how carefully instrument, one capable of all the entire range, like a duck skating on ice. The most beautiful of all solos for the instrument Bach has established the echo effects beauty and allure of the human voice, conductor turned to his players with a shrug comes in the slow movement of Brahms’ Violin between the two instruments, and and his concertos became almost how subtly they are deployed to operatic in their lyricism. Significantly, and said; ‘Take your pick!’ Concerto which offers a summation of all that increase the sense of dialogue. There his wife was a singer. His concertos Of course there are differences between is glorious about the instrument: the individual, is also the way Bach allows the two were the first of their kind to be oboe makers, and national characteristics plangent tone, an ability to spin seemingly voices to emerge from the orchestral published by an Italian composer and apply. There is a Viennese oboe, for instance, endless lines, a likeness to the human voice, sound world. It’s almost as if he his Op. 9 set followed in 1722. Those that is very reedy in the middle register its songful, aria-like quality, and innate ability were allowing the two to emerge for oboe are even more magnificent and more powerful than many others. Its to move listeners, and its strength to rise above from the orchestra’s texture and then than the earlier set, and of them particular characteristics are probably related the orchestra whilst retaining a struggle-free gently returning them. This ability to No. 2 is the most deservedly popular. to circumstances; it needed to be louder to serenity and sweetness of sound. In all these blend the solo roles with that of the It is everything a great concerto should compete in the larger symphony orchestras. ways the oboe is a joy, and an inspiration. supporting orchestral forces gives the be: in the now standard fast–slow–fast Much of the fascination with this remarkable work a supreme sense of depth. formula, the first movement is full of instrument is that the smallest differences can 1 J.S. Bach: Concerto for Violin charm and excitement, and the last has create a widely differing sound. The more you and Oboe, BWV 1060 – I. Allegro 2 – 4 Albinoni: Oboe Concerto plenty of room for echo or imitation scrape away at the reed, the more different the There are few finer examples of the in D minor, Op. 9, No. 2 effects and . But it’s the slow sound will be. If you scrape in a ‘V’ fashion vocalised interplay of the oboe and Despite its origins in France, the oboe movement that is the most astonishing the sound will differ from a ‘U’ shaped scrape. another solo instrument than in this was to flourish most spectacularly – over simple accompaniment the In the first case you will get a more woody concerto for violin and oboe. Though in Italy and nowhere more so than oboe soars, singing its song like an sound, in the second a sweeter one. These the work now exists only in a version in Venice. Vivaldi, the Red Priest, operatic soprano. One is even tempted specifics are a long, long way from the days for two , and it was long wrote concertos for oboe but they to think of a text – love, loss, longing – of the pastoral shepherd and his rustic shawm! thought that this was the original and were largely little different from his so perfect is it.

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