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Guide To The Orchestra

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Classical Music

Guide to the Orchestra

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oboe title image

The oboe is made of wood (or plastic) with metal keys, and played by blowing a double reed (two pieces of reed joined together).
Descended from an ancient instrument called a shawm, the oboe makes a beautiful sound.
When an orchestra tunes up, the oboe acts as the guide for the other instruments.

oboe

Listen to the oboe

listen to Instrument range Listen to it played from its lowest to highest note

listen to Special Effects Double tongue / Flutter tongue / multiphonics

listen to Hear it in action Hear the oboe play in Tchaikovsky's 4th Symphony

The oboe player is sometimes asked to play the cor anglais (literally: "English horn").
 

cor anglais
 
Cor anglais - very similar to the oboe but lower and mellower.

bbc Listen to the cor anglais play in Dvorák's New World Symphony
 
 

  
  

David Cowley
  
Meet the Orchestra!
David Cowley plays the oboe with the BBC National Orchestra of Wales. Read about him below.
  

  
David Cowley, Oboe
How old were you when you first started playing?
I was eleven.
Why did you choose this instrument?
My grandfather was an amateur oboist and I love the sound.
Do you play any other instruments?
I play the other members of the oboe family - the cor anglais and the oboe d'amore.
What do you like most about playing in an orchestra?
The amazing music written for orchestras and being part of the team that performs it. It can be great fun, it can also be boring and is often quite scary!
Do you play any other kind of music?
I can play any kind of music that is written down.
What is your favourite music?
20th century orchestral music. I also enjoy jazz.
Do you have any other hobbies?
I love skiing.
  
  
  
  
  
  
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Woodwind
 

Brass
 
Flute
Trumpet
Oboe
French Horn
Clarinet
Trombone
Bassoon
Tuba
 
 

Strings

Percussion
Violin
Tuned
Viola
Untuned
Cello
Timpani
Double Bass
 
Harp
 

Keyboards

Conductor

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