Valparaiso, Indiana

Posts Tagged ‘beginning oboe’

Folk Song # 2 from Grieg      Arranged by Erickson

Published by Belwin-Mills Publishing Corp.

This piece is part of a collection of oboe solos titled CLASSIC FESTIVAL SOLOS FOR OBOE

# 1

This is an exciting piece in the key of “Bb”. The tempo is moderato; however, practicing this melody at a slower tempo in the early days of practice is a good idea.  Practice the melody two measures at a time and then stop.  Repeat the two-measure patterns that are challenging until you can play them without stopping and finally without making a mistake.  Be sure to use a forked “F” fingering from the beginning to letter B.  From letter B to the end use the regular “F” fingering.

# 2

The rhythms in this melody include quarter notes, eighth notes, and sixteenth notes.  The long phrase markings are not articulation markings indicating correct tongue and slur patterns.  The piece sounds best by tonguing all the quarter notes and eighth notes while slurring the sixteenth not patterns.  Play the rhythms slower than moderato with an even tempo and then gradually increase the tempo to moderato as you are more comfortable with the fingerings and rhythms.

# 3

The dynamic marking is piano or soft at the beginning, letter A and letter B.  Play with a full sound in your first days of practice and gradually reduce your dynamic to a softer dynamic but with a good projected sound.  Be sure the opening at the tip of your reed is not too open.  Always play at the tip of the reed for your best sound.  You should be able to constantly buzz  the note “G”.  Play a low “G” on your oboe, take off your reed and match the same pitch with just the buzzing of your reed.  Often the reed buzzes a higher pitch. Adjust the opening  of your so it is not too closed or too open.

# 4

Letter C is the most important part of the composition as it is the ending of the piece.    Note the next to last measure has an “E” natural.  Be sure to check your fingering chart for the correct fingering.    The last measure is slowing down with a ritardando (rit.) marking with a fermata (hold) on the last note.  Hold the fermata for at least four slow beats.  Again, from letter B to the end of the piece it is best to use the regular “F” fingering-not forked “F”.

# 5

Practice the beginning to letter A slowly and gradually increase the tempo always keeping a steady beat and playing all the correct fingerings and rhythms.  Do the same at letter A, letter B, and letter C.  Then combine two sections (beginning and letter A and letter B and letter C).  Finally, perform the entire piece slowly and with each performance gradually increase the tempo of each until you can perform the entire piece with out any mistakes at a  moderato  tempo as indicated.

# 6

Breathing is most important with this piece.  Breathe with the long phrase lines above the notes.  Be sure to exhale first and inhale second when breathing.  Always exhale more air than you inhale.  This can be a very short “catch breath” moving their air outward first and inward second.  This requires some practice.  However, the goal is to increase your endurance and keep you comfortable with your breathing at all times.

# 7

Perform for friends at home and classmates at school.  Give yourself two months to perfect this piece.  Ask your music director to help you find a good piano accompanist to perform with you.  Perform this piece at school, on a recital, or at the local solo and ensemble contest where a professional oboist will judge your performance.

# 8

There is a video recording of the above via YouTube.  Simply, go to our home page and on the right side click on BEGINNER OBOE.  Find video # 14 and listen to the information and oboe performance.  Good luck with all your practicing and performances.