There are about one hundred classical oboe concertos, most of which were composed by oboists hoping to promote appreciation of their own skills. Following in their footsteps, the Latvian oboist Andrius Puskunigis has compiled a recording of four concertos for oboe and oboe d’amore that represent the classic Viennese style. From around 1750, the oboe, an instrument hitherto largely used in chamber and church music, began to make its way into concert halls, and to be played by virtuoso soloists. The instrument’s construction was evolving to increase the penetration of its hi register, making it more suitable both as an orchestral and a concertante instrument. Even so, the oboe of Mozart’s day could still only play two keys, thus restricting its technical range of available music and expression. Mozart overcame those limitations most wholly successfully, as one might imagine, but none of the other works here is negligible. His friend Carl Ditters van Dittersdorf composed four concertos for the instrument and its close but obsolescent relative, the sweeter and gentler oboe d’amore, which is heard here in the A major concerto.
Works:
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Dittersdorf: Concerto for Oboe D'Amore in A Major, L.43b
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Ferlendis: Concerto for Oboe No. 1 in F major
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Hofmann, L: Oboe Concerto in C major (Badley C2)
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Mozart: Oboe Concerto In C major, K314
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Mozart: Oboe Concerto in C, K285d