Preface
History
Teacher
Performer
About the writer

PREFACE: The present bibliography was undertaken as one of the requirements for a course in Music Bibliography at the University of Michigan. As the project progressed it became clear that the sources could be divided into three broad - and somewhat arbitrary - categories: namely, historical materials, materials appropriate for music educators and beginning-to-intermediate students, and materials appropriate for advanced students, performers and teachers. These categories, which may certainly overlap, are designated as: History, Teacher, and Performer in the bibliography. Sources consulted for this study include the following: periodicals such as The Double Reed and The

I.D.R.S. journal, Woodwind Magazine, (and its offspring), the Galpin Society journal and several databases - RILM, Art and Humanities Index, and RLIN. And consulted were: the Music Index, RILM Abstracts, New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians, various anthologies of woodwind methods, and some specialized bibliographies such as Hosek's OboenBibliographie I and Alan Skel's Woodwind, Brass and Percussion Instruments of the Orchestra: A Bibliographic Guide. Undoubtedly, I have overlooked some books and articles on the subject, especially in the historical section which does not include encyclopedias and method books - this area has been covered admirably in Kenneth Evans' thesis Instructional Materials for the Oboe. However, it is my hope that the bibliography will
be helpful to students, teachers and performers looking for information on this all-important topic. Apparently, no such comprehensive listing has been compiled. Perhaps, this will serve as a modest beginning.

Byrne, Maurice. "Reed Makers." Galpin Society Journal 37 (March 1984): 99- 101. An interesting list of 18th and 19th-century reedmakers including oboe reeds. There is a brief biography of each reedmaker with pertinent historical details. Of interest mainly to researchers or scholars. No ill.

Evans, Kenneth Gene. Instructional Materials for the Oboe. Ann Arbor, MI: University Microfilms, 1963. Has descriptions of early oboe methods, several of which contain information on reed making. A valuable addition to the oboe reed literature. Ill., notes and bibliography, (63-4734).

Haynes, Bruce. "Baroque Oboe Reed-Making. The Double Reed 2 (April 1979): 18-24. Well illustrated article on construction of reeds for the baroque oboe. Critical notes.

Haynes, Bruce. "Double Reeds, 1660-1830: A Survey of Surviving Written Evidence. " I. D. R. S. Journal 12 (September 1984): 14-33. A scholarly article, well illustrated and with ample notes and a long bibliography. Treats the early years of reed making; covers all aspects of the written record on the subject. Also has a refutation of Nora Post's theory on the Diderot oboe reed in Galpin Society Journal 35 (1982).

Loraine, Keith. A Handbook on Making Double Reeds for Early Winds. Berkeley, Calif.: Musica Sacra et Profana, 1982.

McNett, Charles. "The Chirimia: A Latin American Shawm." Galpin Society Journal 13 (July 1960): 44-51. Interesting article about the chirimia, a doublereed ancestor of the oboe found in parts of Guatemala and Mexico. Has information on dimensions, materials and construction of reeds for the instrument. No ill. but a long bibliography.

Palmer, Frederic R. "Reconstructing an 18thCentury Oboe Reed. " Galpin Society journal 35 (March 1982): 100-111. A "how-to" article on constructing a replica of an actual 18th century reed by the maker T. Ling. Well ill. but requires knowledge of reedmaking to carry out instructions.

Sadie, Stanley, ed. The New Grove Dictionary of Musical Instruments. London: MacMillan, 1984. SS.v. "Oboe," by Phillip Bate and Niall O'Loughlin. Informative article on all aspects of the oboe including ill. of reeds and discussion of historical aspects. Not a technical treatment of reed making. Ill. and bibliography.

Smith, David. "Making Renaissance Double Reeds." D.M.A. term project, Stanford University, 1979. Ill. with bibliography; 58 leaves.

Taylor, Kenneth, "The Baroque Oboe Reed - One Approach. " I.D.R.S. Journal 2 (May 1974): 38-42. A study which summarizes reed specifications which have been taken or inferred from historical sources and reports the dimensions and stepby-step procedures employed by Jurg Schaeftlein, oboist with the Vienna CONCENTUS MUSICUS, in preparing reeds. Notes but no ill.

Vas Dias, Harry A. "Making Reeds for the Baroque Oboe. " I. D. R. S. Journal 9 (June 1981): 48-52. Annotated and illustrated article with practical instructions on all aspects of reed making for baroque oboe.

Warner, Thomas. "Two Late Eighteenth-Century Instructions for Making Double Reeds." Galpin Society Journal 15 (March 1962): 25-33. First of the article deals with an analysis of Francois Garnier's Methode Raisonee Pour Le Hautbois (Paris: Pleyel, 1800) which was an important tutor for the oboe containing accurate illustrations of a baroque oboe, reed tools of the time, and brief instructions on how to make and adjust oboe reeds. Ill. and bibliography.

Andraud, Albert J. Practical and Progressive Oboe Method, Reed Making, Melodious and Technical Studies. San Antonio, TX: Southern Music Co., (1976). Text translated by Helen H. Andraud. 228 pages; ill.

Artley, Joe. How to Make Double Reeds. Old Greenwich, Conn.: Jack Spratt, (19-?). 38 p.

Berman, Melvin, writer. The Oboe Reed. Produced and directed by Bill Somerville. 21 min., sd., color. University of Toronto Media Centre, Toronto: Software Productions, 1973. 16 min motion picture. Shows the process of making an oboe reed, beginning with the selection of oboe tube cane, and carefully enacts the steps in the development of a finished reed. Should help the beginner make reeds by the book.

Bonar, Nancy. "Different Kinds of Reeds for Different Kinds of Oboists." The Double Reed 6 (Fall 1983): 36-7. Brief look at the vagaries of reed making and the need for a flexible approach. No ill. or bibliography.

Cantwell, Jean. " Illustrated Guide to Reed Scraping Based on Florian Mueller and Earl Clemens' Work on Reeds. " Woodwind World-Brass and Percussion 24 (March 1985): 8-9.

_____. Minimum Tools For Reed Trimming." Woodwind World-Brass and Percussion 23 (October 1984): 10-13. Nicely ill. tutor for basic tools needed to start work on oboe reeds with comments on their use.

_____. "Scraping A Blank." Woodwind World-Brass and Percussion 24 (February 1985): 6-9. Companion article to the following on tying oboe reeds. Well ill. basic guide to getting started.

_____. "Tying Oboe Reeds. " Woodwind WorldBrass and Percussion 24 (January 1985): 15-19.

_____. "Trimming Rejects." Woodwind WorldBrass and Percussion 23 (November 1984): 10-12. Nicely ill. article on reviving older oboe reeds.

Edlefsen, Blaine. Making the American Scrape Oboe Reed. 27 min., sd., col. Champaign, M.: Visual Aids Service, Univ. of Ill., (197-). 16mim motion picture. Would be of value to those who teach reed making to groups of students. Good photographic quality but the scrape demonstrated is not the "American" scrape shown in his book.

Filas, Thomas J. "What's Your Batting Average?" Woodwind World Magazine 4 (October 1951): 4. Several interesting tips on how to improve oboe reeds. U scrape shown; ill. but no bibliography.

Heard, J.M. "The Oboe Reed Versus the Weather. " Woodwind World-Brass and Percussion 16 (1977): 14-15. Hussey, George A. "Making The Long Lay Oboe Reed." In Woodwind Anthology: A Compendium of Articles From The Instrumentalist on the Woodwind Instruments, 179-182. Evanston, M.: Instrumentalist, 1972. A brief and well ill. guide to tying and scraping oboe reeds. Has some technical problems (crow of reed B-natural!), but would be a good basic introduction for educators and students. No information on supplies.

Jaeger, D. "Round Two; The Reed Battle." The School Musician 40 (December 1968): 22-.

Kaplan, J. and M. Greiner. "Coping With Commercial Oboe Reeds." Instrumentalist 38 (March 1984): 78-.

Larson, Glen. Oboe Reed Technique. Los Angeles, Calif.: Baxter-Northrup, 1983. Prepared in collaboration with Harry Baxter; 16 pages; ill.

Lehmann, Paul R. Teacher's Guide to the Oboe. Elkhart, Ind.: Selmer, 1965. Discusses care of the instrument, how to select one, and reeds. M., 35 p.

Luckey, R.A. "Pros and Cons of the Oboe Mouthpiece." School Musician 15 (November 1986): 15-.

Mayer, Robert, and Traugott Rohner. Oboe Reeds: How to Make and Adjust Them. Evanston, Ill.: Instrumentalist, 1980. 53 pages, ill.; good beginning book on reeds.

Mayer, Robert. "Making Our Own Reeds For Oboe." In Woodwind Anthology: A Compendium of Articles From The Instrumentalist on the Woodwind Instruments, 161-2. Evanston, Ill.: Instrumentalist, 1972. A brief article encouraging high-school students to make their own reeds. No technical material or ill.

____. "Reed Problems in Teaching Oboe." In Woodwind Anthology: A Compendium of Articles from the Instrumentalist on the Woodwind Instruments, 171-2. Evanston, Ill.: Instrumentalist, 1972.

McGann, D. "ne Effect of Saliva on Reeds. Instrumentalist 30 (May 1976): 43-46.

Orcutt, R.H. and W.A. Roscoe. "Reed Storage - A Simple Solution." 26 (April 72): 45-6.

Pongracz, P. "Carving Oboe Reeds in Hungary.,, Woodwind World-Brass and Percussion 19 (1980): 22-3.

Probasco, R.C. "Selecting, Soaking and Adjusting Oboe Reeds." Instrumentalist 31 (February 1977): 60-64.

Rothwell, Evelyn. The Oboist's Companion. Vol. 3. London: Oxford University Press, 1977. Provides detailed illustrations for making and scraping reeds for a do-it-yourself approach. Good ill. and index. Could be used for beginners or more advanced students.

Russel, Myron. "Single or Double Reeds for Oboe." In Woodwind Anthology: A Compendium of Articles from the Instrumentalist on the Woodwind Instruments, 170-1. Evanston, Ill.: Instrumentalist, 1972. Reports results of a tone-quality test of double versus single reeds in which judges found the tone quality superior with a "double reed of the player's own make..."

Strohm, J. E. The Oboe and its Reed and How To Master It. S. 1.: Strohm, 1922.

Timm, Everett L. The Woodwinds: Performance and Instructional Techniques. Boston: Allyn and Bacon, 1964. Chapter 17 on reed making. Good, basic ill. guide to making oboe reeds for the student or music educator. Lists equipment and has bibliography of supplies (out of date.)

Tustin, Whitney. "An Oboe Reed A Day." Woodwind World Magazine 7 (March 1951): 6. Brief article stressing need to work on reeds every day.

Waln, George E. "How to 'Raise Cane'." Instrumentalist 15 (1961): 56-60.

Weerts, Richard. Handbook for Woodwinds. Kirksville, Missouri: Simpson Printing and Publishing Co., 1966. Very basic ill. guide to making oboe reeds for music instructor. Has a list of supplies (out of date).

Weimer, Walter. "The Effects of Four Profiles of Oboe Reeds on Intonation. " Journal of Research in Music Education 18 (Fall 1970): 242. Tests showed that intonation was altered by the width of the reed.

Westphal, Frederick W. Guide to Teaching Woodwinds. 2nd ed. Dubuque, Iowa: Wm. C. Brown Company Publishers, 1974. 335 p. Well ill. treatment of the steps necessary to make and adjust oboe reeds. Aimed at woodwind teachers. Lists necessary supplies but not where to get them.

Baines, Anthony. Woodwind Instruments and Their History. New York: Norton, 1957. An important text for anyone interested in oboe reed construction and history. Scholarly presentation with many ill. and notes.

Barbirolli, Evelyn. "Artificial and Treated Cane." To The World's Oboists 3 (April 1975): 5. Brief article on the subject of artificial cane, its problems and drawbacks, and the author's unsuccessful experiments with varnishes and silicone in treating oboe cane.

Barret, A.M.R. A Complete Method for the Oboe... London, New York: Boosey & Hawkes, (19-?). The standard oboe method has instructions for making reeds and choosing cane (..."brilliant yellow color"), now somewhat out of date but interesting from an historical point of view. Ill. with tools of the trade.

Bate, Phillip. The Oboe. 3rd ed. New York: Norton, 1975. Historical account of the oboe reed with notes and ill. In chapter two. Has a good, bibliography.

Belinsky, Isal. The Complete Oboist. New York: S.n., s.d. 44 pages. Good discussion of the "American", long-scrape reed by a veteran performer and teacher.

Bhosys, Waldemar. "Characteristic Oboe Reed Scrapes. " Woodwind World Magazine 6 (October 1953): 4-5. Good article on the traditional reed scrapes (short V, Short U, long V) and the Tabuteau style used in the United States now. No ill. or bibliography.

_____. "Double Reed Troubles." Woodwind World Magazine 4 (February 1952): 5. Short article focusing on how climate effects oboe reed and necessary adjustments to gouge of the cane to compensate for this factor.

_____. "Double Reed Troubles, Part Il." Woodwind World Magazine 4 (March 1952): 9. Continues the discussion of climate and the oboe reed, but extends it to include the shape of the reed and the relation of tube cane diameter to shape and opening. No ill.

_____. "The Gouge and Shape to Suit Each Scrape." Woodwind World Magazine 6 (January 1954): 4. Ill. guide to the scraping of various styles of reeds including the W scrape and Dutch scrape with relation to gouge of the cane and tube diameter. Ill.

Brody, James. The Oboe. S.I.: s.m., 1985. 114 pages. (From Art Index database).

Busch, David L. A Technical Comparison of An 1807, A 1916, And A 1968 Oboe and Related Reedmaking and Performance Problems. Ann Arbor, MI: University Microfilms. 1976. 63 leaves; ill. and a bibliography. D.M.A. diss. at Louisiana State Univ. in 1972.

De Lerma, Dominique-Rene. "Request For A Scholarly Study of Reedmaking. " Woodwind World 7 (September 1967): 4. Interesting article on reed fundamentals and a call for more research on the subject by a former pupil of Tabuteau.

Douglas, Ernie. "Random Thoughts While Making Oboe Reeds. " The Double Reed 8 (Spring 1985): 23. Humorous article on reedmaking.

Duste, Eleanor B. "The American Style Oboe Reed. " The Double Reed 7 (Winter 1984): 9-11. Well illustrated guide to the American scrape reed. Brief bibliography.

Gassman, Bert. "The Oboist and the Reed." Woodwind World 2 (September 1958): 9. Brief general article on variations in reeds due to the performance setting and the climate. No bibliography.

Girard, A. Das Schilfrohr Singt: Eine Anleitung Zur Herstellung Von Oboen-Rohren. Basel: Musik Akademie der Stadt, 1983.

Gomberg, Harold. "On Oboe Cane." Woodwind World 2 (February 1958): 9. Brief article on testing oboe cane by a master.

Goossens, Leon and Edwin Roxburgh. Oboe. New York: Schirmer Books 1977. Part Two titled: "The Reed and The Oboist" consists of two chapters on the oboe reed (short scrape).

Hedrick, Peter. "Henri Brod on the Making of Oboe Reeds." I. D. R. S. Journal 6 (June 1978): 7-12. A translation of the French original: Methode Pour Le Hautbois, an important 19th century oboe method. Shows Brod's illustrations of oboe tools and discusses their use.

_____. "Notes on Cane Growing From the South of France." Woodwind World 13 (February 1974): 15. A good article on the author's trip through France in search of oboe cane with useful commentary on the subject. Ill., no bibliography.

_____. Oboe Reed Making. Oneonta, New York: Swift-Dorr, 1972. 31 pages: ill.

Henderson, Richard.. "Measuring Oboe Reeds." To The World's Oboists 1 (Winter 1972-73): 6. Short article on how to measure reed thickness at key points for consistency in reed making. Ill., no bibliography.

Lakin, James E. "A Treatment Process for Oboe Cane. " I. D. R. S. journal 3 (June 1975): 9-17. Summary of author's diss. on the treatment of oboe cane with Polyethylene Glycol (PEG), and the effect on tone, smoothness, scrape and response characteristics of finished reeds. Though no conclusive results were achieved, this was an interesting experiment in an important area of reed making - the cane itself. Tables and statistics.

Ledet, David A. Oboe Reed Styles: Theory and Practice. Bloomington, Ind.: Indiana University Press. 1981. A very important book for preserving the history of the oboe reeds used in the 20th century by performers. It contains 168 photographs of oboe reeds from a sample of 82 selected artists in 14 countries with a detailed analysis of key measurements. A ground-breaking work for the study of the oboe reed. Ill. and a bibliography.

Lehrer, Charles. "A Report From Academia. Reeds for Solo Recitals. " The Double Reed 2 (April 1980): 8-10. The author's personal schedule for systematizing the reed making process. No ill., short bibliography.

Lehrfeld, Robert. "Diet and the Oboe Reed." The Double Reed 8 (Spring 1985): 39. Humorous article for a break from scraping reeds.

Leonard Jr., Nels. "A Scraping Procedure for Making Oboe Reeds." Woodwind World 7 (December 1966): 5. A brief step by step oboe reed scraping method. No ill. or bibliography.

Light, Jay. "Common Criteria for Evaluating All Double Reeds, or 'Cosi Fan Tutti' (Reeds)." To The World's Oboists 2 (March 1974): 4. Short discussion of five criteria for all types of reeds: response, pitch, stability, dynamic range and tone quality and the importance of each. No ill. or bibliography.

_____. The Oboe Reed Book: A Straight Talking Guide to Making and Understanding Oboe Reeds. Des Moines, Iowa: S.n., 1983. 117 pages, ill.

Locker, B.K. et al. "Polymer Impregnation for Stabilization and Protection of Oboe Reeds." Instrumentalist 35 (February 1981): 3.

Mack, John. "Effective Guidance For The Young Oboist." I.D.R.S. journal 2 (May 1974): 25-37. A long article with a section on reed making by one of the masters. No ill. or bibliography.

Perdue, Robert E. Jr. "Arundo donax - Source of Musical Reeds and Industrial Cellulose. Economic Botany 2 (1958): 368-404.

Probasco, Robert. "The Suitable Reed. " To The World's Oboists 5 (May 1977): 5. A humorous spoof on the effects of oboe thread color and famous oboe solos.

Prodan, James C. "The Effect of the Intonation of the Crow of the Oboe Reed on the Tone Quality of the Oboe. " I.D. R. S. Journal 5 (June 1977): 38-56. Excerpts from the author's D.M.A. thesis in which he concludes: "...the weight of the evidence indicates that the pitch of the crow of the reed does effect the tone quality, and that a reed that crows a C natural will deliver the best tone quality. " An interesting study and well documented. Includes a chapter on reed basics as well. Notes and ill.

Rath, Richard. "Oboe Reeds, Styles and Shapes. Woodwind World-Brass and Percussion 23 (January 1984): 11-13. Illustrated guide to many facets of reed making, gouge, etc.

Reid, John W. "Cane Selectivity From the Field to the Gouger." I.D.R.S. journal 11 (November 1983): 17-19. Good article on oboe cane, where it grows, how to plant it in the United States or elsewhere. No ill. or bibliography.

Rothwell, Evelyn. "The Roving Oboist." Woodwind World Magazine 5 (September 1952): 12. Brief column on visits to French cane growers in the Var district and their viewpoints on processing oboe cane.

Russel, Myron E. Oboe Reed Making and Problems of the Oboe. 4th ed. Old Grenwich, Conn.: Spratt Music, 1971. 56 pages; ill. original issued 1940.

Schellenberg, Stephen J. "Air Pressure and Rate of Flow For Double Reeds. " The Double Reed 5 (Spring 1982): 5-7. Interesting analysis of pressure and air flow and its relation to tone quality in oboe and bassoon reeds. Ill. and notes.

Shanis, Julien. "The Cane Fields of California." Woodwind World 2 (October 1958): 3. Article on arundo donax which was imported from south France and replanted in California where it was discovered by San Francisco Symphony players.

Snitkin, Harvey R. The Effects of Oboe Reed Type and Player on the Listener's Ability to Discriminate Differences in Oboe Tone Quality. Ann Arbor: University Microfilms, 1976. The author's Ph.D. diss. at the University of Conn. in 1975. 88 leaves, ill., has bibliography.

Snow, Lora Lynn. "Extending Your Reed Life." Vie Double Reed 7 (Spring 1984): 12-13. Brief article on cleaning reeds via ultrasonic sound waves of more than 16,000 cycles. Process seems to prolong the life of the reed and improve tone quality. See following citation. No bibliography or ill.

_____."Extending Your Reed Life." The Double Reed 8 (Fall 1985): 46-48. Continues the article in DR 7 on ultrasonic reed cleaning with ill. and address of where to obtain the ultrasonic apparatus.

Sprenkle, Robert and David Ledet. The Art of Oboe Playing. Evanston, Ill.: Summy-Birchard, 1961. A standard book for the oboe player. The section on reed making was prepared by David Ledet who later wrote Oboe Reed Styles. Excellent ill. of the tools and process of reed making. No bibliography.

Stanton, Robert E. The Oboe Player's Encyclopedia. Lawrence, Kansas: Swift-Dorr Publications, 1972. Mostly a music bibliography but it has a very useful, if somewhat out of date, list of double reed suppliers with addresses as well as tool makers and their addresses.

Steins, Karl. Rohrbau Fur Oboen.. Berlin: Bote un Bach, 1964.

Stolper, Daniel. "A Conversation With Joseph Robinson." The Double Reed 4 (March 1981): 16-26.

Robinson talks about reeds, measurements and sources of cane - also his relationships with John Mack and Tabuteau.

Storch, Ben. "Exploding The Oboe Myth." Woodwind Magazine 3 (September 1950): 10-11. Storch expounds on various myths about cane, woods, etc.

Ventzke, Karl. "Die Oboe - A German Periodical Appearing Between 1928 and 1931." I.D.R.S. Journal 4 (June 1976): 73-74. An interesting account of the journal Die Oboe and list of articles it contained. Of interest would be one entitled: "The Oboe Reed - Soul of the Oboist" by W. Heinze in issue no. I of January 1928. Article translated by Renate Rosenblatt.

Veselack, Marilyn S. "Arundo Donax: The Source of Natural Woodwind Reed. " The Double Reed 2 (April 1978): 25-27. Detailed study of oboe cane with a microphotograph of a cross section showing the cell structure. M. with bibliography.

Zohn, Harvey. "The History & Development of the Oboe With Specific Emphasis on the Art of Making Oboe Reeds." Masters thesis, University of Illinois, 1946.

About the writer..

David Bourns has been principal oboe of the Puerto Rico Symphony Orchestra since 1969 as well as Professor of Oboe at the Puerto Rico Conservatory of Music where he is a member of Camerata Caribe and an active recitalist on the oboe. He also holds the post of principal oboe of the Festival Casals Orchestra. Currently on a one year leave of absence, he is pursuing a Masters degree in music librarianship at the University of Michigan.

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