The Oboe Sets the Tone
: A Lecture
- Tuesday, June 30, 12:30 p.m.
- Caisse d'Épargne, Espace Dérodé, Reims
The oboe plays the A
Christian Merlin, music critic and musicologist
The orchestra tunes to its pitch before playing. As the leader of the woodwind section, the oboe is a key figure in the orchestra. But the instrument to which Prokofiev assigned the role of the duck in Peter and the Wolf has more than just a clear, direct tone: Romantic composers were captivated by its sweet, singing quality, which can be rustic as well as delightfully nostalgic.