Pedagogical Progression for Oboe
By Don Werdick, Oboe/Oboe d’amore/English horn
218.290.0103
Member: American Federation of Musicians & the International Double Reed Society
Private Lessons: $35 hour
First Year Oboe Student - Beginner
· Oboe Method Book
o Edlefsen: Student Instrumental Course-Oboe Student Level 1 and/or Level 2
o Edlefsen: Studies & Melodious Etudes Level 1 and/or Level 2
· Reading Reference
o Schuring: Oboe Art & Method
o Wefler: Principles and Techniques of Oboe Reed Adjustment
o Oboe reed adjustment reference-click this link: www.oboemn.com/reedadj
o Delibes: Lakme "Flower Song"
o Edlefsen: Tunes for Oboe Technical Level I and/or Level 2
o Hinchliffe: The Really Easy Oboe Book
o Franck: Piece V
o Strauss: Zueignung (Devotion)
o Satie: Gymnopédie No. 3
o Traditional: Greensleves/Lovely Joan
Second Year Oboe Student - Intermediate
· Oboe Method Book
o Edlefsen: Student Instrumental Course-Oboe Student Level 2 and/or Level 3
o Edlefsen: Studies & Melodious Etudes Level 2 and/or Level 3
o Niemann/Labate: Method for the Oboe or
o Option: Barret (Edited by Schuring): A Complete Method for the Oboe
· Reading Reference
o Sprenkle & Ledet: The Art of Oboe Playing
o Jay Light: The Reed Book
· Oboe Reed Making by Don Werdick – instructional
o Reed making tools/equipment
o Cane processing (cane selection, splitting cane, pre-gouging, gouging & shaping)
o Tying reeds and scraping
· Solo Repertoire
o Albinoni Oboe Concertos: Bb Major, D Major, D Minor
o Edlefsen: Tunes for Oboe Technic Level 2 and/or Level 3
o Franck: Cinq Pieces pour Harmonium, M26: V
o Grieg: Norwegian Dance
o N. Rimsky-Korsakoff: Scheherezade
o Walton: Richard III-March, Elegy & Scherzetto
Third > Year Oboe Student: Intermediate & Intermediate-Advanced
· Oboe Method Book
o Barret (Edited by Schuring): A Complete Method for the Oboe
· Reading Reference
o J. Shalita: Making Oboe Reeds
o D. Ledet: Oboe Reed Styles
o L. Goossens & E. Roxburgh: Oboe
o Repair & maintenance guides: J.M. Schaeferdiek-The Oboe Doctor; J. McFarland-Oboe Adjustment Guide
· Solo Repertoire
o Bach: Gigue from Sonata No. 1 in C major
o Bach: Sonata in G minor
o Barlow: Winters Past for Oboe & Strings
o Cimarosa: Concerto for Oboe & Strings
o Corelli: Concerto for Oboe & Strings
o Handel (Andraud Edition):
§ Concerto in G Minor for Oboe & Strings
§ Three Sonatas
§ Famous Largo
o Mozart: Oboe Quartet in f major K370
o Pepusch: Sonata in C major:
o Quantz: Trio Sonata in C minor
o Stamitz: Oboe Quartet in F major, Op. 8, No. 3
· Orchestral Excerpts
o Belinsky: Oboe & English horn Solos from the Symphonic Repertoire
o Rothwell: Difficult Passages for Oboe & English horn Vol. I, II III
Advanced
· Oboe Method Books: Three to four year study with ongoing daily routine of long tones ‚ scales ƒ broken thirds „ intervals … method book Etudes.
o 1) Barret (Edited by Schuring): A Complete Method for the Oboe
o 2) Brod: The New Brod Oboe Method
o 3) Ferling: 48 Famous Studies
· Solo Repertoire
o Bach: Double Concerto for Oboe & Violin in C minor BWV1060
o Bellini: Concerto in Eb
o Britten: Metamorphoses After Ovid
o Francaix: The Flower Clock
o Goossens: Concerto
o Haydn: Concerto in C major for Oboe & Orchestra
o Hummel: Adagio Theme & Variations
o Krommer: Concerto in F Op. 52
o Marcello: Concerto in C minor for Oboe & Strings
o Mozart: Concerto in C for Oboe & Orchestra K314
o Poulenc: Sonata for Oboe
o Strauss: Concerto for Oboe & Orchestra
o Telemann: Concerto in F major
o Telemann: Sonata in Bb major
o Vaughan Williams: Concerto for Oboe & Orchestra
o Verroust: 2nd Solo de Concert Op. 74 and 3rd Solo de Concert Op. 76
o Vivaldi: Concerto No. 9 in D minor
Resources for Sheet Music (links to other sites)
· TrevCo Music: www.trevcomusic.com
· Internet-free music: www.imslp.org/wiki/List_of_Compositions_Featuring_the_Oboe , www.imslp.org/wiki ,
www.icking-music-archive.org/ByComposer.php
· Other Music Suppliers: www.oboeinsight.com/2005/02/05/music-suppliers
Audition Repertoire (link to other site)
· Audition resource for students looking for a college or university and professional musicians.
· www.oboeinsight.com/dated-material/auditions
What’s Needed for Lessons
· Oboe: In good working condition with a left F key, a forked F resonance key, low B to C-sharp trill key, A-flat to B-flat trill mechanism, a low B flat key, plateau system, full conservatory system (modified or simplified conservatory system - Same as Full Conservatory, with the exception that certain trill keys are omitted), semi-automatic. Also useful is a low b-flat resonance key and third octave key. Recommended oboes are referenced below for intermediate & intermediate/advanced students and professional.
· Metronome: recommendation - Seiko model SQ-50.
· Tuner: recommendation - Korg CA-30 Chromatic Tuner.
· Pencil & eraser.
· Fingering chart.
· Notebook/folder: Keep a notebook in which you can write your lesson assignments, and for keeping other related information.
· Reeds: Always have at least 3. Handmade reeds are a necessity.
· Oboe Method Book designed specifically for the technical development of the oboe player: These books help address oboe-specific issues for various skill levels. After meeting with a student, I will assign specific oboe method materials, as well as a solo(s), based on how long they’ve played the oboe, their skill level, their age and their musical goals.
Lesson Preparation: Prepare your material well for each lesson. This means that assigned pieces and studies are learned to the best of your ability. Part of what you are learning is discovering how to practice efficiently so that you can learn a great deal of music on your own.
Practicing: Practice at least enough to be prepared for your lesson. This will vary between an average of 30 to 45 minutes per day, to 2 or more hours per day (ie. College music major student: 30 minutes minimum warm up for a practice regimen of 2 to 3 hours daily), depending on the difficulty of your lesson material, your own practicing efficiency, and other goals you may have for your practice time. If playing endurance is a problem for you, you may need to practice more often in smaller amounts of time while you build up your face muscles. Some may be able to practice 2 hours at a time, while others may blow out the chops in 45 minutes or less. Take a ten minute break each hour. Also, consider splitting practice time into several sessions during the day. Be aware of tension/pain in your hands and arms. It is important to avoid unnecessary tension in your body while playing. In order to develop the habit of body relaxation, practice music that is easy for you, or very familiar, while focusing your attention on any tension you find in your body and trying to release it. Find a practice regimen that works for your own mind and body. Floss and brush teeth before any playing session.
Oboe Selection Considerations: Beyond an evaluation of the workmanship and quality of wood, keys, and pads, special attention is given to the following instrument attributes:
- Tone Quality: although influenced by the type of reed used and individual technique, some oboes inherently have a fuller, deeper and more resonant tone than others.
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Relative Intonation: intonation of various registers and tones of the scale on the oboe is important. Intonation at all dynamics should be very good; in particular the tones G’, C’, C#’’, F#’’, G’’ and D’’’. Tone C’’ should have a pleasant quality. Minor corrections can be made by adjusting the height of the pad - ie. If the G is both stuffy and flat, raising the F# key may cure the difficulty. A sharp C# could be lowered by lowering its pad. If it is necessary to have a professional oboe repair person adjust the size of a tone hole, this may be sufficient grounds for rejection of the oboe.
- Response Uniformity: uniformity with which the oboe responds throughout its range. A new oboe should not have too little resistance and equally important is that it does not have more resistance than the player can handle. Slurred leaps between E’’ – A’, F’’ – Ab’, E’’ – G’ and G’’ – A’ must work perfectly. Sometimes an oboe may have several weak, unresponsive notes - unless this, and the slurred leaps, can be traced to faulty adjustment or leaky pads, it should be sufficient grounds for rejection.
- Uniformity: check for tones that are weak, dull or unstable - if it sags or gurgles on some notes, the oboe should be rejected. Tone F’’ (fingered with the F-key) should not wobble when played with a forte attack or a crescendo. Low notes from G’ down should not sag (not become flatter when a diminuendo is played). Defects in the dimensions of the bore can cause low notes to be so unstable that it is almost impossible to produce a controlled pianissimo – if this is true of notes above the low C#, reject the oboe.
- Play A.M.R. Barret’s “Twelve Articulation Exercises”. This will provide an overall feel for the oboe’s uniformity, relative intonation, pitch levels and tone quality while encompassing most all fingerings, notes, accidentals, registers, etc.
New Oboe Break-in Period
To minimize conditions that could cause cracking in the wood of a new oboe (moiture as well as variances in temperture between the inner and outer layers of the wood can cause tension to crack the wood), play no longer than ten minutes at a time at first. Dry the bore using a string type silk swab and let the instrument rest for at least an hour before playing again for another ten minutes - this can be repeated throughout the day. This can be increased by five minutes per day after two day intervals etc. still allowing an hour break between playing. Background for this precaution is that wood should be allowed to absorb moisture gradually. Too rapid absorption causes outward pressure which can cause cracking. For this reason, an instrument that hasn't been played recently should be gradually broken in again although not as strictly as a new one.
Check your new oboe daily during the first few months for cracking. Most cracks occur in the top joint - usually above the half hole key (B). Also, in the small area between the C-D and C#-D trill keys (just above the half hole key) and a crack can extend through the hole covered by the 3rd octave key, or through the B and C tone hole as these points gather the most moisture. Most cracks open up when playing and close up when not playing. If a crack is not pinned by a professional oboe repair person, the crack will continue to open up when played - have it repaired as soon as possible to bring it under control and prevent its spreading.
Oboe Recommendations (beginning/intermediate/advanced models)
Listed in alphabetical order
Note regarding pricing: typically the list price is not what is paid – best to ignore and don’t be impressed by vendors who offer big discounts from list price. Include your oboe instructor and/or professional oboe player in the selection and purchase process - deal with specialists in double reed instruments.
Cabart: Paris France. Exceptional intermediate oboe produced by Lorée since 1974, an excellent choice for advancing students. Made of grenadilla wood, has silver-plated keys and a full conservatory system, including all trill keys, left hand F, F & Bb resonance keys, low Bb, 3rd octave key, banana key, articulated B-C# mechanism, and metal reinforced tenons, no split D ring. Avg. Retail 2010: (beginner-intermediate) $4,660, (semi-pro) $5,310.
www.loree-paris.com/engl/pages/instruments/etude.html
Tiery: Paris France. Student line oboe produced by Fossati. Model Tiery E30 intermediate oboe is made of grenadilla wood, has silver-plated keys and a full conservatory system, including G#-A trill key (It doesn't have a Bb-B trill), Left hand F, forked F resonance, Low Bb, 3rd octave key, split ring D key, banana key, articulated B-C# mechanism, and metal reinforced tenons. Avg. Retail 2010: $3,200. Model Tiery J10 The modified conservatory system lacks only the low C to C-sharp trill key (banana key) and the split-E key. These mechanisms are so rarely needed as to be irrelevant. Avg. Retail 2010: $2,700. www.fossati-paris.com
Howarth: T.W. Howarth & Co. of London. Excellent maker, beautiful instruments in every respect. Howarth S50C Oboe: Intermediate oboe, advanced student, with full conservatory system, designed to be lightweight and comfortable to hold. Made of African grenadilla, has silver-plated keywork, and a full conservatoire system including semi-automatic octaves, C-D trill keys, C-C# trill key, F resonance key, left F, low Bb vent key, 3rd octave key, extra trill mechanisms (Ab-Bb, Ab-A, E-Eb), Banana Key - low C-C# trill, articulated C#, additional adjusting screws, split D ring. Avg. Retail 2010: $4,500. Howarth S20C Oboe: Intermediate model, designed for the keen student player. Made of grenadilla, has silver-plated keywork, and a modified conservatoire system including semi-automatic octaves, C-D trill keys, C-C# trill key, F resonance key, left F, low Bb vent key, 3rd octave key (no split D ring) Avg. Retail 2010: $2,900. Howarth S40C Oboe: Graduate model, designed for the diploma level player. Made of grenadilla, has silver-plated keywork, and a modified conservatoire system including semi-automatic octaves, C-D trill keys, C-C# trill key, F resonance key, left F, low Bb vent key, 3rd octave key, extra trill mechanisms (Ab, Bb, Ab-A), Banana Key - low C-C# trill, additional adjusting screws (no split D ring). Avg. Retail 2010: $3,350. www.howarth.uk.com/oboes.htlm
School Owned Oboe Recommendation
Because wood oboes require higher maintenance, a propensity towards cracking, multiple users over the years and that student instruments are a stepping stone to a professional wood model, oboes made of quality plastic resin (not molded plastic but high quality plastic resin that is machined using cutting and drilling tools - these instruments are handmade by experienced craftsmen) can be considered. Fox Renard: Model 330 - made of high quality plastic resin and has 18% nickel silver keys with silver plating. It has a modified conservatory system which includes left hand F key and F resonance, low Bb, C#-B and Bb-B trills. No split ring D. Avg. retail $3,000.
Oboe Recommendations (advanced-professional models)
Listed in alphabetical order
Fossati: Paris, France. Model “Soliste Traditionnel” Oboe. Full Conservatory System (all trills), Philadelphia high D, Single-hole trill key system (unique to Fossati), Third octave key, Silver with Platinum-plated keywork (resistant to tarnishing), Gold posts and accents, Double tenon rings (increases stability at the joints), Second octave key stop, Separate adjustment for low B-flat, "Aera" tenon cap (holds single-hole trill key system and B-flat and C keys open while oboe is in case to allow water to evaporate, Gold-plated keywork available on special order (no extra cost), Grenadilla body. Avg. Retail 2010: $5,500.
Howarth: T.W. Howarth & Co. of London. Model “S5” or “S5XL” The S5 oboe is a professional model made of grenadilla. It has silver-plated keywork, and a full convervatoire system including left F, low Bb, Bb vent, D#-E trill, forked-F resonance, articulated B-C# mechanism, G#-A trill, banana key, Bb-B trill, and third octave key. Differences between S5 and S5XL models: The S5 oboes are made primarily for the purpose of orchestral playing, while the S5XL oboes have more of a soloistic tone quality. Both have relatively thick bore walls, but the S5XL's are a bit thicker. The S5XL model also comes with a few additional mechanism adjustments for fine tuning, metal-sleeved tenons with lined sockets, and an adjustable thumbrest. Avg. Retail- 2010-S5: $6,800; 2010-XL: $8,000.
Lorée: Paris, France. Model “CR+3 Royal” Oboe. This oboe is the 'elite' professional model made by Lorée. Only the finest pieces of African granadilla wood are used to make Royal models. The walls of the bore are a bit thicker than the standard Lorée, and there are some minor mechanism adjustments. It has heavy silver-plated keywork and a full conservatory system that includes low Bb, left F, third octave key, Bb vent resonance key, forked-F resonance, split ring D#-E trill, G#-A trill, articulated B-C# mechanism, banana key, and Bb-B trill. Metal-lined tenons and an adjustable thumbrest are standard. These oboes have a very refined tone and excellent response. Avg. Retail 2010: $8,680.
Don Werdick background: Freelance professional Oboe, Oboe d’amore & English horn artist. He owns and operates the international double reed cane processing business Supérieure Cane Processing™, is an oboe Instructor, music copyist/engraver and arrangwe, member of the American Federation of Musicians and the International Double Reed Society. He studied with Rhadames Angelucci, Principal Oboe, Minnesota Orchestra; Ita Loe-Vellek, Chicago Symphony; Ruben Haugen, McPhail School of Music; and is a graduate of the University of Minnesota. Recent performances as principal oboe include the North Shore Philharmonic Orchestra, Mesabi Orchestra, Chamber Ensemble of Minnesota and the Northern Lights Festival Orchestra. Prior to moving to northeastern Minnesota he performed in the Twin Cities with the Minnetonka Symphony, Bloomington Symphony and the Metropolitan Wind Ensemble. His signature pieces include Marcello’s Concerto in C minor for Oboe and Strings; Haydn’s Concerto in C for Oboe and Orchestra; Handel’s Concerto in G minor for Oboe and Strings; Telemann's Sonata in B flat major for Oboe and Cello; Bach’s Concerto in A for Oboe d’amore and Strings. He is a retired financial institution CEO and past U.S. Army Band Director & Commissioned officer.
Definitions:
· Full Conservatory: As opposed to the ring-key Thumb-plate system (open-holes), the conservatory system is the prevalent system in the US. It features the covered keys and numerous trill keys - has all the "bells and whistles".
· Modified or Simplified Conservatory: Same as Full Conservatory, with the exception that certain trill keys are omitted.
· Full Automatic: There is only one octave key, because the octave mechanism is automatic. These oboes don't have the side octave key.
· Semi Automatic: These oboes have the side octave key. This type of system is the preferred system in the United States.
· Left Hand F Key: This is an alternate F key, allowing the player to go back and forth between F and Eb, D, Db, or low C without getting the E in between.
· Low Bb Key: Allows the oboe to play the Bb below the treble clef staff.
· Low Bb Vent/Resonance Key: An extra pad on the bell of the oboe which allows the low Bb to speak with better tone and intonation.
· F# Key Tab: A small, uplifted tab on the bottom of the F# key (first finger on the right hand). Some manufacturers have positioned the tone hole for the F# higher on the instrument to improve intonation, so they added the key tab so the player wouldn't have to stretch the first finger of the right hand to reach the key.
· Philadelphia D Key: So-called because it was invented in Philadelphia. Its primary function is to improve the response of the high D. The key closes the ring side the key that covers the E tone hole.
· Thumb-plate (open-hole) system: The largest indicator of this type of oboe is one that has open holes, like a clarinet. This type of oboe is used mostly in England, but for the most part it is not used in the US. You should be aware that it uses slightly different fingerings than the conservatory oboe, so unless you want to confuse your player, don't get this kind.
· Third Octave Key: Most oboes have two octave keys -- the thumb octave key and the side octave key. Some of the more advanced oboes now come with a third octave key which sits above and on top of the thumb octave key. This octave key assists extremely high notes (F above the staff and higher) speak more easily and more in tune. Some oboists use it, some don't. There is an adjustment screw on it that allows you to disable it.
· Metal Lined Tenon Sockets: This means that the opening at the end of the joint that the cork from the other joint fits into is lined with metal. This protects against cracks and helps add strength to the joint.
· Split D Ring: The "D" key (third finger of the right hand) is actually two separate keys - one on the inside which is surrounded by the other. When the player plays a D#-to-E trill, the inside part of the key stays down to stabilize intonation. Not an essential mechanism, but is desirable to have.
· Alternate C (banana) Key: The banana key is located to the third finger key of the right hand and is used as an alternate to the little finger for C to avoid sliding the little finger. Not an essential mechanism - rarely used.
o Option: Barret (Edited by Schuring): A Complete Method for the Oboe