"Oboe, nominal pitch: C"

Oboe, nominal pitch: C | Unknown maker | Circa 1710

The oboe was developed from the earlier shawm. Oboes are longer with smaller finger holes and a different way of holding the reed in the mouth. This means more notes are available and players have better control over the sound. These oboes have the typical ‘onion and cotton reel’ shape at the top and show some of the different materials which were used, such as boxwood, rosewood and ivory.Early in the 18th century it became standard for the left hand to be at the top of the instrument and makers no longer needed to duplicate the lower key. The beautiful and elaborate inlay on this instrument is in ivory. Sadly, an attempt has been made to raise the pitch at which the instrument plays by enlarging the tone-holes - this makes it difficult to establish how it originally played.

Oboe

Instrument Data

Instrument Information

Title

Oboe, nominal pitch: C

Accession Number

1033

Collection

MIMEd; Object Lessons; C.H. Brackenbury Memorial Collection

Date Information

Date Made

Circa 1710

Period

18th century; 1700s; 1710s

Gallery Information

Gallery

Wolfson Gallery

Case

Woodwind case 2

Maker Information

No information recorded.

Made In

No information recorded.

Description

Technical Description

This three silver-keyed rosewood (?) instrument, with elaborate ivory inlay, was probably made in France. There is an onion-shaped baluster at the top of the instrument and a fish-tail touchpiece on the low C key. The overall size is 561 mm. Technical description: Possibly rosewood with silver keys. There is elaborate ivory inlay: four vertical bands (width c 10mm) run the whole length of the instrument broadening towards the bell; there are wide (width c 20mm) rings at the sockets and the reed well, also a bell ring (width c 10mm), there are also many narrow inlaid ivory rings. There is an onion shaped baluster at the top of the instrument. The low C key has a fish-tail touchpiece despite the lack of a third key. There are two vent-holes in the bell. There is an inward flange at the base of the bell. 2 keys Keyhead type: flat, round. Keymount type: raised rings: SATB. There is a crack in the ivory ring just below the onion on the upper section. The corking of the tenons is not original. The holes appear to have been enlarged with workmanship of a considerably lower standard than that of the original maker; this may have been intended to raise the pitch of the instrument. Usable pitch: A₄ = 425 Hz. Performance characteristics: Penetrating, bright tone quality with generally a very precise response although there are a few dull or sluggish notes. Intonation is awkward supporting the theory that an attempt has been made to raise the pitch of the instrument. Specific literature references: G.S. (1968) No. 81. Illustration references: Vol. 1 p.78; Bate 1956, Plate III No 1; G.S. (1968) Plate V(1); workshop drawing by Dick Earle published by the Collection, 1988. Previous ownership: Purchased by H.I. Brackenbury in London for £5/0/0. Current ownership: Government allocation to the University, 1991. Technical drawing available from the Friends of St Cecilia's Hall. Please see http://www.stceciliasfriends.org.uk/

Provenance

Purchased by H.I.|Brackenbury in London for £5/0/0.; Government allocation to the University, 1991.

Classification

Specific Type

Baroque Oboe