LibGuides: Woodwind Resource Guide: Oboe History and General Scholarship

Music & Performing Arts Library

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Introduction

This page collects selected resources with information on the history, construction, and notable performers of your instrument available at MPAL! For suggestions to help you do some searching on your own for related material, refer to the call number and subject heading recommendations at the bottom of the page. As always, if you have any trouble finding material in the Library or navigating the catalog, don't hesitate to ask at the service desk!

General Information on the Oboe

Oboe by Goossens, Leon and Edwin Roxburgh
Call Number: 788.707 G64O
This resource is a book written by the oboe virtuoso Leon Goossens and the contemporary composer and oboist Edwin Roxburgh that explores various topics related to the oboe such as its history and cultural heritage, the art of reed-making, the requirements for proper maintenance, and practical problems related to technique and interpretation.
Oboe and the Bassoon by Joppig, Gunther
Call Number: ML940J66 O221988
This book details the history of the oboe and the bassoon, discusses their role in orchestras and the increasing solo literature written for them. Joppig also includes an account of the changing role of the oboist and the bassoonist in society and reviews famous performers of the last 200 years.

Oboe History and Construction

The Oboe by Burgess, Geoffrey
Call Number: ML940 .B87O3 2004
The oboe, including its earlier forms the shawm and the hautboy, is an instrument with a long and rich history. In this book two distinguished oboist-musicologists trace that history from its beginnings to the present time, discussing how and why the oboe evolved, what music was written for it, and which players were prominent.
The History and Development of the Oboe, with Special Emphasis on the Art of Making Oboe Reeds by Zorn, Harvey Clary
Call Number: 788.7 Z77H
This resource is a thesis written in 1938 that examines how the modern oboe developed from the ancient instrument known as the shawm that was used by the Saracens and then found by the Crusaders in the 11th Century. Special emphasis is given on detailing and illustrating the methods of production for oboe reeds.

Oboe Performer Histories

"The Premier Oboist of Europe" by Burgess, Geoffrey
Call Number: ML419.V65 B87
This resource is a book that describes the life and achievements of the most prolific composer of oboe music in the nineteenth century. This book attempts to stimulate appreciation of Gustave Vogt (1781-1870) as musician and historical personality.
A Biographical Dictionary of European Oboists before 1900 by Krause, Robert James
Call Number: 780.92 K868B1985
This resource is a a biographical dictionary written as a doctoral dissertation that focuses on teachers and performers of the modern oboe before 1900. Each biographical entry is listed alphabetically and includes pertinent information on the life and musical activities of the performer.
The Oboe Works of Isang Yun by Fraker, Sara E.
Call Number: ML410.Y85 F73 2009
Isang Yun (1917-1995), a Korean composer who lived most of his professional life in Germany, was a musician who pursued his art in the face of political, cultural, and personal turmoil. This paper analyzes Yun's oboe works in terms of tonal language, formal construction, historical genesis, relationship to East Asian musical thought, and European contexts.

Oboe Periodicals

Note: periodicals are arranged alphabetically in MPAL.

The Double Reed
Publication Date: 1978 to Present
The Double Reed is the flagship quarterly publication for the International Double Reed Society, containing various articles, news of interest, reviews, and items related to double reed instruments. The library has all issues of the journal from its beginning in 1978 to its current publications.
The Journal of the International Double Reed Society
Publication Date: 1973 to 1998
This resource was the annual publication by the International Double Reed Society from the years 1973 to 1998 before becoming part of The Double Reed. The library has all published issues of this periodical during its run.