Oboe d'amore

The oboe d' amore (skin bois d' amour / Liebesoboe ) belongs to the family of oboes instruments. The term " d' amore " is a remnant of the Renaissance, in the other instruments have received this nickname because of their warm and lovely sound (eg, viola d' amore ).

Design and sound

It is tuned in a, that is a minor third lower than the oboe, and is therefore in the mezzo- soprano range. The range extends from a sounding as up to three e -coated Their structure is similar to the oboe, but the instrument with a total length of 72 cm by 7 cm is longer. As with the English horn, the mouthpiece ( double reed, called by oboist short " tube " ) on the so-called S- arc, metal, curved tapered joint between the body and tube placed. The S curve has a strong influence on the sound character and intonation.

The foot piece is referred to as " Liebesfuß ". It 's not like the oboe shaped as a bell, but at the bottom similar to the shape of a pear narrows again. Some modern models also have a funnel-shaped bottom piece.

The tone color is generally softer than that of the oboe, especially in the low register it strongly resembles the English horn, but is similar with increasing height of the oboe. The instrument presented the oboe d' amore long been a major challenge and was considered in the various registers as unbalanced, with strong weaknesses in intonation, and was in the game thus very uncomfortable. The reasons were mainly found in rare use, mostly just for Christmas and Lent, and there were built and played some instruments accordingly. Modern designs have largely eliminated these problems, the instrument can be played easily on the peculiarities now after appropriate habituation.

The oboe d' amore enjoyed in Baroque still quite popular, but then disappeared in the classical period, mainly due to the increasing popularity of horn and clarinet, and completely forgotten. Mid-19th century learned Bach's music the then zeitgeist again increasing interest, but since there were no playable instruments more, the funds earmarked for the oboe d' amore sites were transposed for either oboe or English horn. Until 1874 again an oboe d' amore by Victor -Charles Mahillon was developed and built. Currently, manufacturers offer such as Gebr Mönnig - Oscar Adler & Co., Marigaux, Lorée and Bulgheroni of instruments.

Use in the music

In general, the oboe d' amore found primarily in the Protestant church music for the Baroque period use. Johann Sebastian Bach was the oboe d'amore solo parts with distinct melodic lines, such as Quia respexit ( Magnificat ), and used them as polyphonic ensemble voice, such as in Qui sedes ad dexteram Patris (h- Moll - Messe ). In the Christmas Oratorio play two oboes d' amore, mostly in place of Oboe and often in pairs - mainly when the key seem to require it. It is, for example, as a top voice in parody aria Erleucht used my gloomy senses ( F sharp minor ).

In the modern symphony orchestra, the oboe d' amore is comparatively rarely used, such as the Sinfonia domestica by Richard Strauss and Ravel 's Bolero in. Gustav Mahler composed an oboe d'amore voice in one of his Rückert songs at midnight, which provides a Glissandoeffekt, but this is not feasible on the oboe d' amore.

As a soloist, oboe d'amore was used mainly in the Baroque. Here, especially the works of Georg Philipp Telemann were highlighted: the Concerto in G major for oboe d' amore, strings and basso continuo ( TWV 51: G3 ) and the Concerto in A major for Oboe d' amore, Strings and Continuo ( TWV 51: A2). Johann Sebastian Bach, the Concerto in A major for Oboe d' amore, Strings and Continuo comes (Basso continuo) ( BWV 1055R ) and the Concerto in D major for oboe d' amore, Steicher and Bc ( BWV 1053R ) that exists in this form in E or F major for oboe. Both concerts are so-called reconstruction, that is, it can not be said with certainty whether these works were actually originally composed for the oboe d' amore or oboe, but let guide the solo instrument and compositional peculiarities such as Tonumfangsbegrenzungen close it. A concert in A Major for Oboe d' amore, Strings and Continuo Antonio Lotti is attributed. Two more concerts are from Carl Ditter von Dittersdorf.

In chamber music Concerto for flute, oboe d' amore and viola d' amore in E major ( TWV 53: E1) by Georg Philipp Telemann mentioned.

In the later to current literature has identified almost exclusively transcriptions by suitable pieces that were originally written for violin, cello or clarinet, are transposed according to, for example, Robert Schumann Three Fantasies, Op 73