The oboe is a great instrument in its own right and well suited to orchestral music - baroque, classical, and romantic music that foppish aristocrats and nouveau riche like to prance around to and feel tellibly tellibly clevuh, smashing, absolutely spiffing pip pip stiff upper lip
I’m not saying it can’t be used well in other applications. It would take a tremendous amount of skill and sensitivity to make it work in a studio or stage performance for a “chamber folk”, neo-trad or fusion band. Most aren’t up to the challenge.
If you think whistle is hard…stay the hell away from double reeds. And don’t even think of trying the farting bedpost (bassoon).
If I’m not mistaken, it’s a primitive oboe stuck in a bag, to which drones and a few other primitive oboes (regs) have been added.
Insofar as a UP chanter is just an oboe, why not! Oboes are hard enough to play . . . talk about finicky reeds and stuff.
There are Chieftains recordings with oboe, I believe (at least the Celtic Wedding one, didn’t Derek Bell play oboe?). Also, there’s a lot of Breton Celtic music with shawm that’s sometimes played with oboe for a more chamber-like feel.
I have a Spanish shawm that’s fun to play IrTrad on. LOUD IrTrad, mind you.
There are similarities between the UP chanter and early oboes. Yes the UP is a tricky beast to play and maintain. Trickier than the oboe? I doubt it. Once you have good reeds in your set, you can use them for years. Oboeists have to make new reeds all the time. They also need their keywork adjusted more often.
Six of one, half dozen the other. They both take a commitment that many people aren’t willing to make when it gets down to it.
You control an oboe reed with a combination of embouchure, breath support, and (sometimes) circular breathing. Way hard.
You control an uilleann chanter reed by squeezing the bag, which is difficult at first.
Reproducing both reed designs takes a while to master. The materials used to make the reeds in either case are the same, except oboe reeds are cut from narrower tubes of harder cane - hard cane reeds last longer in contact with breath moisture. UP reeds are longer and wider, and cut from wider tubes of dense, medium soft cane to medium hard cane.
Six of one…
Wet/dry isn’t the issue. The issue is the fact that you’re dealing with a finicky reed instrument. Don’t get involved unless you really, really, really want to do it and are willing to work harder at it than just about anything you’ve ever done in your life.
Skillful, but not for me. I imagine that this would have been similar to the ceili sound of the 1940s in the US, but the clips reminded me more of klezmer music than ITM. It’s just not the same animal.
Would oboe have a similar effect? Dunno. Bassoon would be hilarious, though.
However: at least when I was playing classical flute in wind bands/orchestras, the oboes (sitting directly behind us) were known as “The Ill Woodwind That No-One Blows Good”.
Learning any woodwind is a challenge. Judging from the few oboe players I’ve known personally, I would say oboe represents a lot of bang for the buck for anyone who loves really intense challenges.
A well-played oboe will just about bring tears to your eyes.
Is the problem with oboe reeds any more of a problem than with sax reeds or clarinet reeds? Sax players need at least two or three good reeds per sax that are playable at any given period in time. You need to dry out reeds after use before using them again which is why one won’t do if you play a lot. Out of the box, very few reeds are good straight off; they need cutting, filing and shaving to get them sweet. They also wear out relatively quickly.
At first, this fussing is a right pain. After a while it gets to be habitual, just like brushing your teeth.
I would say oboe reeds are worse than sax reeds - I played alto sax in my school days and the problems you cite were common. At least you could expect that a few reeds out of a box would turn out OK.
Oboe reeds are and other types of double reeds (including UP reeds) are much more complex in design and harder to make. They consist of two pieces of gouged, scraped cane bound to a flared copper tube called a staple. The length of the cane blades, the shape and length of the scrape, the inner dimensions of the staple, and the internal volume of the entire system are essential to controlling intonation and playability.
You can buy oboe or bassoon reeds at a shop, but because they are more labor intensive they are more expensive. Most store-bought oboe reeds that work leave lot to be desired in terms of tone and tuning, so you’re better off buying the tools and supplies and making them yourself.
Yes it would get to be habitual after a while. A very steep learning curve nonetheless. It’s worth doing well; it’s not worth doing half-assed.
I still stand by my statement that it’s not for dabblers. If you just like to play a half hour or so every 2-3 days, and have no time for a more serious level of commitment, then don’t bother.
Oboists and Bassooners are the most neurotic musicians in orchestras. 'Struth.
No one has mentioned Tomas O’Cainnan’s Slow Airs of Ireland book and cassette, now it’s CD, which has various “unconvential” instruments playing some of the tunes - I think there’s oboe in there. I know one gee plays a soprano sax. “Ladies and Gentlemen, playing Taimse mo Chodlah, Kenny G!”
Sax is a lovely instrument. Try saying that about the banjo with a straight face! Some 78’s had the sax going, one Paddy Killoran record had a solo. Cool! Blow, daddy! A few saxers are around, Leo Schott of Philadelphia for instance.
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