oboe

oboe

oboe (ōˈbō, ōˈboi) [Ital., from Fr. hautbois] or hautboy (ōˈboi, hōˈ–), woodwind instrument of conical bore, its mouthpiece having a double reed. The instruments possessing these general characteristics may be referred to as the oboe family, which includes the English horn, the bassoon, and the contrabassoon or double bassoon. The oboe was developed in the mid-17th cent. in France from various older double-reed instruments, which the oboe, with its greater expressive and dynamic range, largely displaced by the 18th cent. It was soon used in the orchestra, possibly as early as 1657, and was the principal orchestral woodwind throughout most of the 18th cent., the flute and clarinet gaining an equal footing only late in the century. It was also a favorite solo instrument, and it has an extensive solo and chamber-music literature from the baroque and early classical periods. In the 19th cent., although retaining its importance in the orchestra, it was rarely employed for solo purposes. In the 20th cent. its solo use increased. It was gradually improved mechanically, notably in the 19th cent., and the Conservatory model, developed in France, is most used now. The oboe d'amore, pitched a minor third lower than the oboe, was much used in the baroque era, especially by J. S. Bach. It fell into disuse thereafter, but was revived in the 20th cent. Its tone is less brilliant than that of the oboe. The oboe da caccia is an early version of the English horn, pitched a fifth lower than the oboe and therefore a transposing instrument. Oboes of this size were known by 1665, and Purcell scored for one in his Dioclesian (1691). A curved form, often with the present instrument's characteristic bulbous bell, appeared in the 18th cent. and was employed occasionally by Bach, Haydn, and Mozart. See also shawm.

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The following article is from The Great Soviet Encyclopedia (1979). It might be outdated or ideologically biased.

Oboe

 

a reed woodwind musical instrument. It originated in France in the second half of the 17th century from an instrument of the Middle Ages, the shawm (Schalmei).

The modern oboe is a straight wooden pipe consisting of a top joint, a middle joint, and a bell. It has 25 holes, of which 22-24 are covered by keys. The instrument uses a double reed made from a special type of cane. Two systems of oboes exist—German and French. The oboe of the French system, which has a better key construction and is distinguished by the purity of its intonation, is widespread; its sound is piercing, with a nasal timbre. The oboe occupies an important place among the woodwind instruments used in symphonic and operatic orchestras. It is also used as a solo and ensemble instrument. Types of oboes include the tenor oboe, or English horn; and the alto oboe, or oboe d’amore.

S. IA. LEVIN

The Great Soviet Encyclopedia, 3rd Edition (1970-1979). © 2010 The Gale Group, Inc. All rights reserved.

Oboe

[′ō‚bō]

(navigation)

An electronic navigation system utilizing a single-path round-trip system for determination of transmission times and distance; used for bombing in World War II.

McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Scientific & Technical Terms, 6E, Copyright © 2003 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

oboe

a woodwind instrument of the family that includes the bassoon and cor anglais, consisting of a conical tube fitted with a mouthpiece having a double reed. It has a penetrating nasal tone. Range: about two octaves plus a sixth upwards from B flat below middle C

Collins Discovery Encyclopedia, 1st edition © HarperCollins Publishers 2005