Oboe as ITM instrument?

jim stone · Post by **jim stone** » Tue Feb 24, 2004 10:43 am

I like very well the sound of oboe,
and it occurs to me that it might do very
well with ITM. Of course I don't know this,
never having even touched one;
don't know how it would ornament,
etc. But, well, mightn't it?

And I wonder about other instruments,
e.g. bassoon. Any opinions? Info?

I figured I'd be eaten if I posted this
on the ITM board....Best

glauber · Post by **glauber** » Tue Feb 24, 2004 10:46 am

Tuba is very good, especially for fast reels.

Well, you can say that the U.P. chanter is derived from the Baroque oboe, so there you go!

g

peeplj · Post by **peeplj** » Tue Feb 24, 2004 10:48 am

Somewhere I have a recording of an English Horn played in ITM. It worked.

--James

glauber · Post by **glauber** » Tue Feb 24, 2004 11:03 am

English horn is the lower pitched oboe, right?

peeplj · Post by **peeplj** » Tue Feb 24, 2004 11:09 am

Yeah, it's like an "alto oboe."

You usually hear them called English Horn...the actual orchestra name is Cor Anglaise.

They are a neat instrument, nice sound almost like a really mellow bagpipe chanter, a softer lower buzz than an oboe.

I have only once heard one played in person but thoroughly enjoyed it.

--James

glauber · Post by **glauber** » Tue Feb 24, 2004 11:17 am

The theory about that name, BTW, is that "corn anglais" is supposed to mean "angled horn" (because unlike the oboe it has a bend in it to make it easier to hold), but the name English horn stuck.

U2 · Post by U2 » Tue Feb 24, 2004 12:03 pm

Jim - You should be eaten.

glauber · Post by **glauber** » Tue Feb 24, 2004 12:20 pm

But not on a tuesday!

jim stone · Post by **jim stone** » Tue Feb 24, 2004 12:47 pm

Well, the oboe has a lovely bell-like tone,
and there are these extraordinary Albioni
oboe concertos where the oboe has
extraordinary agility and fluency.
So, why not? I wonder what ornamentation
sounds like on an oboe. Must find out.
Thanks. Glad at least some of you
aren't cannibals. Best

Jayhawk · Post by **Jayhawk** » Tue Feb 24, 2004 1:26 pm

Jim - I do hope you mean that you're going to find a good oboe player to "find out" how it will sound for ITM and not planning on picking up the oboe yourself. I once suffered through a year of my sister learning to play oboe way back when I was in high school - prior to that experience I, too, liked their sound...I personally feel this is not an instrument to pick-up and casually tootle on.

Eric

(Founding Member - Church of the Reformed Cannibals)

Post by **Nanohedron** » Tue Feb 24, 2004 1:34 pm

Let's see...garlic: check. Bay leaves: check. Roma tomatoes: check. Boning knife: check.

U2 · Post by U2 » Tue Feb 24, 2004 1:43 pm

Heh heh. Scuse me for not taking this seriously.

Post by **Nanohedron** » Tue Feb 24, 2004 1:50 pm

OK, seriously, then. *licks chops*

Albums are one thing; TRAD (note caps) sessions are another, IMHO. I recall a Lúnasa CD, Otherworld, I think it was, where there were some fluglehorns or the like going on in one track. Even a friend totally unfamiliar with ITM wondered at that, even though the musicianship was stellar.

That being said, if you don't try, you'll never know. I'm not so adventurous, I suppose.

glauber · Post by **glauber** » Tue Feb 24, 2004 2:16 pm

Different styles of music have naturally evolved on different instruments, and crossing over is not always easy. For example, clarinet is a staple of klezmer, which is also fast and heavily ornamented (and also a Lunasa favourite!). But the kind of ornamentation used in klezmer is highly optimized for the clarinet, just like the kind of ornamentation we use is highly optimized for the pipes/whistle/flutes. And klezmer is mostly on the minor flat keys like Dm, while IrTrad is mostly on the sharp major keys, like D, G and A.

That said, there's nothing that prevents any particular instrument from being used. The sax used to be popular in ceili bands in the 1940's and 1950's but has all but disappeared. It's probably overdue for a comeback (Conal O'Grada plays sax, by the way). So is the piccolo (i play piccolo a lot these days, in sessions). Piano is slowly slowly making an appearance as melody instrument, and it sounds wonderful. Brendan Powers showed that the harmonica compares very well with the button box.

The main thing with oboe/corn anglais/bassoon is, like someone else already said, they're not just instruments, they're cults, they're a way of life; you can't just pick up the oboe casually.

I also usually warn that you shouldn't take up 2 burdens at the same time: learning Irish Traditional music and learning how to play it in a non-traditional instrument. Learn a traditional instrument first, then branch out.

g

peeplj · Post by **peeplj** » Tue Feb 24, 2004 2:28 pm

Glauber, that was a well-written, infomative post.

I especially agree with your warning on learning IrTrad first, before trying to play it with new tools.

--James