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Solo Oboe
Oboe with Keyboard Instrument
Oboe with Orchestra or
Band
Oboe with Chamber Ensemble
Additional Oboe Compositions
Classified Listing of Norwegian Compositions Listed by Performance
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Addresses of Norwegian Music
Resources Consulted (see bottom of page)
COMPOSER: ANDRESEN, Erik
COMPOSITION: Tre Stykker for Oboe og Strykekvartett (Three
Pieces for Oboe and String Quartet)
MEDIA: oboe with string quartet
DATE: May 11, 1981
AVAILABILITY: Available in manuscript from Norsk Musikkinformasjon.
LENGTH: approximately 11 minutes
RANGE: d1 - f111
COMMENTS: Tre Stykker for Oboe og Strykekvartett is a three-movement, tonal composition. The first movement is an allegro moderato in which the oboe and first violin exchange musical dialogue.
The second movement is a larghetto in 3/4 meter. The smooth oboe lines are highly embellished with thirty-second notes.
The third movement is an allegro in 6/8 meter. It exchanges lively phrases between the oboe and strings.
Tre Stykker for Obo og Strykekvartett is technically
accessible for the oboist. The melodic weight of the composition
is in the oboe and first violin parts. All of the parts have some
fast, technical passages. There are plenty of rests, so breathing
is not difficult for the oboist. The oboe part is generally above
the staff. The dynamics and articulations are clearly marked and
bowings are provided for the strings.
COMPOSER: BRUSTAD, Karsten
COMPOSITION: Austerity
MEDIA: flute, oboe and English horn
DATE: February 1, 1987
AVAILABILITY: Available in manuscript from Norsk Musikkinformasjon.
LENGTH: approximately 14 minutes
RANGE: Flute: c-sharp1 - f111
Oboe: c1 - c111
English horn: b - b11
COMMENTS: Austerity is a tonal composition with two movement which are performed without pause. The composition begins with a slow, homorhythmic introduction and the initial theme is presented by the oboe. This theme is developed and expanded by the flute and English horn.
Austerity is very contrapuntal, and uses augmentation
and imitation. The second half of this composition is an exact
inversion of the first half. A variety of rhythms differentiate
the sections of this composition. Austerity is written
well for the flute, oboe, and English horn. It is an excellent
study of three-part counterpoint.
COMPOSER: EVENSEN, Bernt Kasberg
COMPOSITION: Petite Suite
MEDIA: 2 oboes and English horn
DATE: April 22, 1988
AVAILABILITY: Available in manuscript from Norsk Musikkinformasjon.
LENGTH: approximately 3 minutes
RANGE: Oboe 1: e-flat1 - e-flat111
Oboe 2: d-flat1 - e-flat111
English horn: b-f111
COMMENTS: Petite Suite is a short, tonal composition.
It has five movements in traditional notation. The order of the
movements is as follows:
1. -Entre"; This movement is allegretto in 7/8 meter.
2. "Chanson triste"; This movement is lento in 6/8 meter.
3. "Scherzino giocoso"; This movement is in 2/4 meter.
4. "Chanson sans paroles"; This movement is lento in
mixed meter.
5. "Sortie"; This movement is allegretto in 7/8 meter.
Petite Suite is a good composition for an encore to
an oboe trio recital. The longest movement is approximately thirty
seconds in duration. The short movements are technically accessible.
The composition is very syncopated, has a large dynamic range,
and is very enjoyable.
COMPOSER: FONGAARD, Björn
COMPOSITION: Duo for floyte og oboe, Op. 127, #1
Duo for obo og klarinet, Op. 127, #4
Duos for obo og fagott, Op. 127, #5-6
MEDIA: oboe with flute, A-clarinet, or bassoon
DATE: 1974
AVAILABILITY: Available in manuscript from Norsk Musikkinformasjon.
LENGTH: Each duet is approximately 7 minutes
RANGE: The oboe range for these duets is between
d-flat1 - c11.
COMMENTS: These Duos, Opus 127, Numbers I and 4-6 are
listed together because of their common characteristics in compositional
style. Each duet is a single movement, atonal, unmetered, and
is in nontraditional notation. Fongaard indicated that approximately
one centimeter of the staff is equal to one second of sound. The
notes that receive more emphasis are indicated by highlighting
in the score. The dynamics are clearly marked.
COMPOSER: FONGAARD, Björn
COMPOSITION: Serenade, Opus 70, Number 2
MEDIA: oboe and bassoon
DATE: unavailable
AVAILABILITY: Available in manuscript from Norsk Musikkinformasjon.
LENGTH: approximately 7 minutes
RANGE: Oboe: b - f111
Bassoon: c11 (highest range)
COMMENTS: Seranade, Opus 70, Number 2 is a three-movement, atonal composition that is rhythmically intricate. The first movement is an allegro in 7/8 meter with the quarter note indicated at M.M. = 58. The rhythms of the flowing, melodic lines are often subdivided and there is much dynamic contrast.
The second movement is an adagio in 11/8 meter with the eighth note indicated at M.M. = 46. The syncopated phrases require rhythmic integrity.
The third movement is marked allegro vivace and is in 5/8 meter.
The quarter note is indicated at M.M. = 120. This movement consists
of steady eighth notes which are contrasted with a slow, melodic
middle section.
COMPOSER: HELLAN, Arne
COMPOSITION: Hymner (Hymns)
MEDIA: English horn with string quartet
DATE: unavailable
AVAILABILITY: Available in manuscript from Norsk Musikkinformasjon.
LENGTH: approximately 10 minutes
RANGE: b - e111
COMMENTS: Hymner is a single-movement composition which is tonal, with areas of extreme dissonance. It is in mixed meter with the eighth note remaining constant. The majority of the melodic weight is in the English horn and violin parts. The English horn phrases are long, slurred, and embellished with grace notes. The score is very detailed and even suggests the rhythm of the English horn vibrato. The English horn line is rhythmically complex and requires harmonic fingerings. The composition is written well for the English horn and there are many rests for breathing.
COMPOSER: HOVLAND, Egil
COMPOSITION: Cantus VIII, Opus 129
MEDIA: oboe with string quartet
DATE: 1985/1986
AVAILABILITY: Available in manuscript from Norsk Musikkinformasjon.
LENGTH: approximately 13 minutes
RANGE: c-sharp1 - e-flat111
COMMENTS: Cantus VIII, Opus 129 is a three-movement composition which is tonal, with areas of extreme dissonance. The first movement is in 4/4 meter and the quarter note is indicated at M.M. = 72. The oboe begins with short, slurred phrases that become more technical as the movement progresses. The rhythms in all of the parts are complex near the end of the movement.
In the second movement the quarter note is indicated at M.M. = 112. This movement alternates between 4/4 and 3/4 meter. All of the parts are rhythmically and technically demanding. There is much syncopation and hemiola.
The third movement, entitled "Koral," is based on the Norwegian folk tune "Aa, at jeg kunne min Jesus prise" (Ah, that I could praise my Jesus). The oboe has this folk tune accompanied by ostinato patterns in the strings. The melodic line is simple and plaintive.
Cantus VIII, Opus 129 is a challenging, but effective
composition. Each of the parts requires advanced performers. The
dynamics and articulations are clearly marked, and some bowings
are provided.
COMPOSER: HVOSLEF, Ketil
COMPOSITION: Trio for Obo, Viola, og Percussion
MEDIA: oboe, viola and percussion (5 woodblocks, 3 suspended cymbals,
2 bongos,
I tambourine, 3 tom-toms, 1 bass drum)
DATE: 1978/ revision 1981
AVAILABILITY: Available in manuscript from Norsk Musikkinformasjon.
LENGTH: approximately 11 minutes
RANGE: b - e111
COMMENTS: Trio for Obo, Viola, og Percussion is a single-movement
composition with interesting timbres and nuance. Advanced musicians
are necessary to perform this composition. The rhythms are complex
and the constant imitation between the players requires exact
precision. The oboe lines contain fast, staccato passages with
large intervals. The dynamic range is extreme. The score is carefully
marked by the composer. This composition is challenging to perform
and very exciting to hear.
COMPOSER: KRUSE, Björn
COMPOSITION: Quartetto Buffo
MEDIA: oboe, violin, viola, violoncello
DATE: December, 1985
AVAILABILITY: Available in manuscript from Norsk Musikkinformasjon.
LENGTH: approximately 9 minutes
(The score states "depending on state of mind... and health
in general.")
RANGE: c1 - f111
COMMENTS: Quartetto Buffo is a one-movement composition in both traditional and nontraditional notation. It requires advanced musicians with knowledge of contemporary techniques. The oboe lines have accelerating staccato passages and bent pitches in the rubato introduction.
This introduction accelerates to an allegro where the quarter note is indicated at M.M. = 120. The allegro has syncopated oboe phrases which are accompanied by ostinato patterns. This section must be carefully synchronized between the players. The oboe has very few extensive passages in Quartetto Buffo, but the part requires fast tonguing and technical facility. The dynamics and articulations are carefully marked in each part. The string parts have glissandi.
COMPOSER: LERSTAD, Terje Björn
COMPOSITION: Divertimento for obo og klarinett, Op. 50
MEDIA: oboe and B-flat clarinet
DATE: April 1974
AVAILABILITY: Available in manuscript from Norsk Musikkinformasjon.
LENGTH: approximately 11 minutes
RANGE: Oboe: c1 - ell'
Clarinet: e - g111
COMMENTS: Divertimento for obo og klarinet, Opus 50 is a four-movement, tonal composition in traditional notation. The formal structure, embellishments, and harmonic progressions classify this composition as neoclassical in style. The order of the movements is as follows:
1. "Allegro"; This movement is in F major and 4/4
meter.
2. "Intermezzo"; This movement is in F major and 3/4
meter.
3. "Menuett"; This movement is in C major and 3/4 meter.
4. "Rondo"; This movement is in F major and 2/4 meter.
Each of these movements requires a developed understanding
of composition during the Classical period. The oboe has delicate
phrases that are constantly inter changed with the clarinet. These
phrases are diatonic and arpeggiated. Divertimento for obo
og klarinet, Opus 50 is an excellent example of neoclassicism.
With the exception of a few difficult passages, the composition
is technically accessible. The phrases are extensive with very
few rests.
COMPOSER: LUNDE, Jr., Ivar
COMPOSITION: A l'école (At School)
MEDIA: oboe and B-flat clarinet
DATE: 1978
AVAILABILITY: Published by Shawnee Press,
Inc., 1978. All rights reserved.
LENGTH: approximately 6 minutes
RANGE: Oboe: c1 - e111
Clarinet: f-sharp - d111
COMMENTS: This is a six-movement, programmatic composition. Lunde makes the following comments about A l'école in the score:
A l'école depicts a typical day in the life of a student at
school. Each movement illustrates a different classroom subject the student will study during the six hour period. The first movement, "Song Lesson," is a simple oboe melody which is briefly restated by the clarinet. The second movement, "Mathematics Lesson," is a fast movement which exhibits polyphonic processes such as canons and mirroring. The third movement, "History Lesson," is an oboe melody accompanied by ostinato patterns in the clarinet. The fourth movement, "Gymnastics Lesson," is very rapid with fast, staccato passages. The fifth movement, "English Lesson," is a brief exchange of musical dialogue between the oboe and clarinet. This movement has an extreme dynamic range. The final movement, "French Lesson " six
lyrical oboe melody accompanied by perpetual is, six- teenth notes in the clarinet. This movement is the most technically demanding.
A l'école is a very enjoyable composition that
is technically accessible. The dynamics and articulations are
clearly marked. Careful rehearsal is necessary for ensemble and
balance, and rehearsal suggestions are provided in the score.
COMPOSER: LUNDE, Jr., Ivar
COMPOSITION: Quartet for Oboe, Violin, Viola and Violoncello,
Opus 19, Number 2
MEDIA: oboe, violin, viola, violoncello
DATE: 1964. Copyright 1971
AVAILABILITY: Available in manuscript from Norsk Musikkinformasjon.
LENGTH: approximately 12 minutes
RANGE: c1 - f-sharp111
COMMENTS: Quartet for Oboe, Violin, Viola and Violoncello, Opus 19, Number 2 is a three-movement, atonal composition in traditional notation. The first movement is marked maestoso and is in mixed meter. The movement is very syncopated with hemiola. The oboe lines combine long, melodic phrases and short, syncopated interjections, and have some large intervals.
The second movement, entitled "Aria," is a very slow
movement. The oboe lines are long phrases accompanied by contrapuntal
strings. A short fughetta concludes the movement.
The third movement is marked allegro molto and is in 2/4 meter.
This movement is very syncopated and uses hemiola. The players
constantly exchange the melodic phrases. The oboe part has fast,
staccato passages with large intervals.
Quartet for Oboe, Violin, Viola, and Violoncello, Opus
19, Number 2 requires advanced musicians with rhythmic stability.
The score is carefully marked.
COMPOSER: RONNES, Robert
COMPOSITION: Deuxième Lyrisme
MEDIA: English horn and bassoon
DATE: June 25, 1982
AVAILABILITY: Available in manuscript from Norsk Musikkinformasjon.
LENGTH: approximately 2 minutes
RANGE: English horn: c1 - g111
Bassoon: e-flat11 (highest range)
COMMENTS: Deuxième Lyrisme is a short, tonal
composition that is rhythmically intricate. The composition actually
has no thematic quality, but serves as a demonstration of instrumental
combination and nuance. The English horn and bassoon must carefully
synchronize the complex rhythmic structure. The English horn lines
are often in the altissimo register, but alternative low pitches
are provided in the score. The phrases in general are slurred
and the dynamics are carefully notated. There are no rests throughout
the entire composition and breathing may be difficult.
COMPOSER: SMAKOPF, Kjell
COMPOSITION: Duo for Obo og Klarinett
MEDIA: oboe and B-flat clarinet
DATE: 1984
AVAILABILITY: Available in manuscript from Norsk Musikkinfonnasjon.
LENGTH: approximately 8 minutes
RANGE: Oboe: c-sharp1 - e111
Clarinet: f-sharp - a11
COMMENTS: Duo for Obo og Klarinett is a onemovement
composition in free and strict meter. Samkopf 's introductory
comments about the composition are as follows:
Duo for Obo og Klarinett is comprised of four elements:
1. A punctual element. The performance of the [notes] must be as accurate as at all possible concerning both tone length and tone strength. The notes are performed with the quarter note equal to 60 (or one second of time). Note placement is partly given in "reactional-notational" form and partly by the pause between the notes, which is indicated by distance from the end of one note to the beginning of the next.
2. A rhythmic element, where the rhythmic figures must be played with metronomical precision. In number 5 and 13 the rhythmic element underlies the melody, which must not be played too rubato.
3. A [relaxed] element, which must be played onehundred percent relaxed and free. The note's length is approximately given with lines after the note (not in number 1). Dynamics are ad. lib.
4. A melodic element, which should be played very rubato and expressive (however, not in numbers 5 and 13... see above).The sections should be played attacca and without any unnecessary breaks. The oboe part is notated on the top staff, and the clarinet part on the second. (Translated by the author from the composer's score).
Duo for Obo og Klarinett is a serial composition. It is very
sectional and rhythmically complex. The oboe and clarinet lines
have large intervals, a large dynamic range, and various articulations.
The performers must have technical and rhythmic facility.
COMPOSER: SÖNSTEVOLD, Gunnar
COMPOSITION: Duett for Floyte og Obo
MEDIA: flute and oboe
DATE: 1957
AVAILABILITY: Available in manuscript from Norsk Musikkinformasjon.
LENGTH: approximately 13 minutes
RANGE: Flute: c1 - c-sharp111
Oboe: c1 - f111
COMMENTS: Duett for Floyte og Obo is a five-movement, tonal composition in traditional notation. The first movement is marked andantino-allegro. The melodic lines are slurred with occasional large intervals. The second movement is a canonic march in 4/4 meter. This movement has some awkward technical passages for the oboe.
The third movement is an andante in 4/4 meter. This movement begins with a long, melodic oboe solo which is followed by a long flute solo. The oboe lines are simple with a few large intervals, but the flute part is very technically demanding.
The fourth movement is an allegro in 4/4 meter. The oboe part has dotted rhythms that must be synchronized with the flute's continuous sixteenth-note passages. The movement's legato middle section has some awkward large intervals. The fifth movement is marked moderato and is very similar to the first movement.
The performance of Duett for Floyte og Obo requires
advanced musicians. The writing for the flute and oboe is good,
and there are plenty of rests for breathing.
COMPOSER: WALDIER, Erik
COMPOSITION: Trio du Nord
MEDIA: 2 oboes and English horn
DATE: 1987
AVAILABILITY: Available in manuscript from Norsk Musikkinformasjon
or the composer
LENGTH: approximately 15 minutes
RANGE: Oboe 1: c1 - g-flat111
Oboe 2: b - d-flat111
English horn: c-sharp1 - e111
COMMENTS: Trio ou Nord is a three-movement, tonal composition that uses Nordic folktunes. The first movement, "Introduction og Allegro," begins with unison scoring for all three players. The first oboe and English horn interchange passages that accelerate to an allegro in 2/4 meter. In the allegro the oboes have technical passages accompanied by an ostinato pattern in the English horn.
The second movement, "Three Folksongs," is based on Nordic folktunes. The movement begins with an extensive solo by the second oboe. This leads to the Norwegian folktune Her er minheim (Here is my home). After a brief cadenza, the first oboe has the Danish folktune Dei haver saa nyligen regnet (The seas recently saw the rain). Finally, the English horn has the Swedish folktune Det stod en lind (There stood a linden tree). A brief variation on this folktune concludes the movement.
The third movement is marked allegro energico and is in mixed meter. A gradual acceleration to a presto concludes the movement.
Trio ou Nord is written well for this medium. There
are several awkward technical passages in the oboe parts, but
this trio is technically accessible. The composition is very sectional
and the changes in tempo require extensive rehearsals. There is
much unison scoring throughout the composition that requires good
intonation.
COMPOSER: WARING, Rob
COMPOSITION: After Completion
MEDIA: oboe, guitar, vibraphone
DATE: March, 1985
AVAILABILITY: Available in manuscript from
Norsk Musikkinformasjon.
LENGTH: approximately 4 minutes
RANGE: el - f-sharp111
COMMENTS: After Completion is a short, onemovement composition based on altered minor scales.
The oboe line is simple and the fastest rhythmic value is the quarter note. The guitar and vibraphone parts are primarily arpeggiated chords.
After Completion explores the combination of the oboe,
guitar and vibraphone. There are sections of improvisation that
only notate the chordal structure. This is a good composition
for teaching improvisation and is effective as a short recital
piece.
