The 21st International Music Competition sponsored by the Broadcasting Corporations of the Federal Republic of Germany was held in Munich from September 19 to October 6, 1972. The official program lists 54 oboists competing, including 7 from the United States. Other countries represented included West Germany, France, England, the Netherlands, Czechoslovakia, Rumania, Bulgaria, Poland, Switzerland, Italy, Belgium, Denmark, Yugoslavia, Luxemberg, Japan, South Korea, and Australia. The jury included Maurice Bourgue (France), Manfred Clement (Germany), Leon Goossens (England), Frantisek Hantak (Czechoslovakia), Werner Herbers (Netherlands), and Pierre Pierlot (France). Professor A. Jensen of the Mozarteum in Salzburg also served on the jury.
Required of each competitor were the Mozart C major Concerto and the Britten Metamorphoses after Ond. In addition, each competitor was to choose one work from each of four groups: the first, a list of baroque sonatas, including C.P.E. Bach, Kirnberger, Telemann, etc. (with the stipulation that ornaments worked out by the competitors would be considered in the marking). The second group, a list of concerti, included works of J.C. Bach, Krommer, Leclair, and Vivaldi. The third group consisted of the FortnerAulodie and concerti of Martinu, Milhaud, and Strauss. The fourth group included the most significant contemporary works: those of Huber, Castiglioni, Dutilleux, Milhaud, Seiber, Shinohara, etc.
While no first prize was awarded to an oboist, the second prize was won by Hansjorg Schellenberger of Munich; Radu Emil Chisu of Bucharest, Rumania was awarded the third prize. Professor Jensen, in a comment on the generally disappointing performances by US entrants, suggests that something be done to encourage highly capable young Americans to participate in these competitions via a national (US) competition as a kind of screening. The prize could be paid transportation to international competitions. Perhaps this could be a project of the IDRS.
An interesting sidelight to the competition was an exhibit of the collection of l9th century oboes owned by Karl Ventzke of Duren. Makers represented in this collection include Boehm, Brod, Heckel, Mahillon, and Triebert. Mr. Ventzke is the author of a fascinating book on the Boehm oboe (which will be reviewed in a future issue). I am indebted to Renate Ronnefeld (of the competition secretariat) for supplying much helpful information.