The Oboe Should be in the Marching Band? - Zeke's Oboe Podcast #2
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 5 ต.ค. 2024
- Enjoy Episode 2 of my Podcast Series. Comment below other topics you want me to cover. Don't forget to check out this cool app called Danetkas: danetkas.com/
Listen to a Sarrusophone:
• Bass Sarrusophone by M...
Sources:
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windbandhistor....
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www.contrabass....
thekeep.eiu.ed... (Thesis)
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Being definitely not a woodwind guy, this was pretty interesting. I always assumed that either the Oboe was considered redundant, or the reed was the problem. The Sarrusophone's history offers an interesting point to bounce off of, though. It had that late burst of popularity because it was a low reed instrument capable of marching capacity without being gigantic like the low Saxophones. My understanding is that it waned in popularity because it wasn't as well developed an instrument as the Saxophones, and for whatever reason, no one bothered to improve it -- a victim of the patent troll era. So maybe a double reed isn't such a big problem in marching...or maybe it is and players abandoned the Sarrusophone because of the reed, and not the under-developed fingering system. In my worthless opinion, the Sarrusophone is the best of all the obsolete instruments. I'd love if it could make a comeback.
In the brass world, marching had a much bigger impact in development than for woodwinds. Or to be more specific, mounted bands had a really big impact on what brasswind designs survived the development era. Pretty much the only designs still common that cannot be used on horseback are SARV Trumpets (and similar) and the French Horn. Notably, the French Horn is a very highly demanded instrument, but you need to be very brave to play anything with a French Horn mouthpiece on the back of a horse, so that's a kind of special case.
I’m glad you have an appreciation for the Sarrusophone! It’s such an underrated instrument!
Music history , multi instrumentalist, history nerd here. Your question, where did the oboe go? Well, if you mean specifically in the US, it was around but dedicated to classical venues. After the civil war, municipal brass bands became quite popular. Generally the instrumentation was brasses in Bb and Eb, plus ONE Eb clarinet. Later the Db piccolo was added. Fife and drum bands were also rather popular. In Europe, the typical German band still consisted of pairs of oboes, bassoons, clarinets, horns, and (possibly) a bass. Flutes weren't added until later. Wind ensemble works abound in France and Germany from the late 19th C into the 20th.
In the US, brass bands eventually evolved into full concert bands, expanding their instrumentation. By the 1890s, Sousa included almost all the instruments we would recognize in a full modern concert band including oboes and bassoons. Saurusaphones just didn't blend well. It was buzzy, a curious addition to harmony, but really didn't carry as well as the saxophones. Speaking of which, the sax-horn, quite popular in the civil war era, eventually faded into obscurity too, or evolved into more recognizable forms. As a conical instrument, their mellow harmony was replaced by brighter instruments such as the trumpet (previously only used in wind bands for effect; the main treble brass instrument being the cornet) and the baritone. (Not to be confused with the euphonium, which is basically a Wagner tuba. More on that later, there will be a quiz on Friday)
To go back to your original thesis: Why isn't the oboe in the marching band? Although not documented well as you found out, likely it was, but not often. A special part in C would have had to have been created just for the oboe. Remember, in the US, all printed parts were in Bb or Eb for most of the 19th C. I think most oboe players were rather expected to be playing in orchestra and not in band. Woodwind players were still expected to be able to double on other instruments well into the 19th C. As you touched on, oboe is not easy to play while marching, plus the instrument itself wasn't as robust as the clarinet. Marching with a bassoon is possible - but not common in America. For an example look to the coronation of Charles III.
In conclusion, consider oboe as an orchestra instrument after the mid 1860s.
Not touched on in this reply: pitch standards in the 19th C were all over the place, but specifically band pitch was usually around A=457. Orchestra pitch was A=435.
Next podcast, please explain the advantages of doubling, and which instruments would you play, and why. You cannot pick English Horn.
Wow, what a wealth of information! Thank you for sharing! This makes a lot more sense and fills some of my gaps. I might have to consult with you for my next research podcast video haha. Thanks for your recommendation on a future topic too!
I'm in an Oboist in British military band and I play Oboe on the march. It's certainly an acquired skill but I do enjoy it. 😊
That’s great to hear!
As an oboist who played clarinet in marching band, the cost of reeds would kill me. They are delicate enough in a concert setting, marching would be murder on the reed. Plus, there's no way in hell I'd bring my loree out on the field in crap weather
Interesting question dude, i had no idea why this was recommended to me but i was curious. I usually watch historical type videos, so this ended up fitting pretty well.
We still havent gotten to the bottom of oboe removal.
The natural wood idea seems most plausible, especially since plastic and plastic oboes are a modern invention. Oboes vanished well before alternatives existed.
That leads us to why they arent in marching bands today, the other commenter made great points. I'm curious if classical instrument bands and institutions are very traditional? You mentioned the sarrusophone being around for 80 years and still vanishing from perhaps being too new and different.
As @dishavirdi said, it cant be that hard to figure out work arounds for the oboes issues today and with modern technology. Perhaps its like you say at the end, today its a social/cultural issue. People in platos cave believing oboes cant be used in marching band.
Fascinating topic either way, i agree you would have to delve to find out more but man now i want to know why the oboe vanished!
Thank you for sharing your thoughts and enjoying my video! Yeah, there’s a lot more to this oboe removal than I originally thought. I was even thinking to myself “this could be a thesis paper topic too”. I might have to make a part two in the future so stay tuned.
I’ve actually seen some marching oboists, but this was because they didn’t have a secondary instrument. They would be given the flute part.
I think one of the issues was, especially in a high school setting, would be that you can’t exactly attach a lyre and flip folder to an oboe and not all high school marching bands expect students to memorize music. But this strikes more questions, like flautists have flip folders that go around their arm, there must be some way to do something similar for oboe. Or why no oboes in college marching band when all students need to memorize music?
I don’t think it’s oboes being loud enough or the reed, because there’s a work around to that. As someone who has marched with saxophone, I personally just use my regular cane reeds but ive had friends use synthetic reeds for marching band. Although I have my own thoughts on plastic reeds, especially plastic oboe reeds, they might work for marching band.
They’re loud and less risk of damage. Double reeds are a lot scarier than single reeds,. But plastic reeds for marching band could potentially solve the reed problem.
Then theres the fact oboes are temperamental. With my experience with marching band, its either always way too hot or freezing cold. Oboes, being made from natural wood, are highly sensitive to temperature and humidity changes. This could cause the instrument to crack or go out of adjustment which is no fun. Im not so sure id feel comfortable playing my oboe outdoors because of this, UNLESS I had a synthetic/plastic oboe primarily for outdoor purposes.
Wow, I’ve never marching oboes before. I didn’t think about the memorizing of music being an issue, but you’re right in college everyone has their music memorized. These great points and I think we would have to use a plastic oboe if we were to play outside nowadays. Thanks for sharing!
The oboe isn't a useless instrument!! It's the most beautiful, fabulous instrument ever!! I took it up this last May, renting one from a music shop fairly local to us for six months' trial, and I absolutely love playing!! I will soon be buying an oboe of my very own which is well exciting!! I can't understand why oboes would be left out of a marching band, I find that very strange!! We have oboes in concert bands and orchestras, so why not marching bands?? I would love to play my oboe in a concert band, that would be a dream come true for me!! 🥰