Chapter 1
The physics of the double reed
Chapter 2
From noisy outdoor shawms to royal courts
Chapter 3
The orchestra's ultimate tuning boss
Chapter 4
Oboe secrets and pop-culture crossovers
YOUR GOAL
Master of Why the oboe runs the orchestra
Ch 2 · From noisy outdoor shawms to royal courts
maestro From Shawm to Oboe
Throw out the pirouette, shave down the wood, let the wild shawm sing indoors!
maestro Diagrams display the oboe's inner workings, orchestral position, and global double reed relatives.
BETA
maestro Place historical instruments to discover how the oboe traveled from the streets to the symphony.
Fun Fact
Royal marching band: King Louis XIV of France loved the early oboe so much that he hired twelve personal oboists to play during his daily garden walks.
Glossary
shawm (noun)
A medieval and Renaissance wind instrument with a double reed and a conical bore. French court musicians Jean Hotteterre and Michel Philidor redesigned the instrument into the baroque oboe around 1657.
A medieval and Renaissance wind instrument with a double reed and a conical bore. French court musicians Jean Hotteterre and Michel Philidor redesigned the instrument into the baroque oboe around 1657.
Quiz
What is the name of the traditional Chinese double-reed instrument known for its loud, festive sound?
Quiz
Which ancient Greek instrument featured a double reed and two separate pipes played at once?