Oboe repertoire - recommendations?

[petite joueuse]

Can any of the oboists recommend some decent books/methods/repertoire for my husband to tackle?

He's been playing oboe for a few years (as an adult beginner); has worked through the whole of the Wastall book; is now playing through Time Pieces for Oboe.
He's probably about a Grade 3 sort of standard, but he feels like he's not making much progress....

Any suggestions?

[kerioboe]

It's a bit late here and my music is downstairs so this is not going to be very precise.

What does your husband like/want to play? I have been playing for about three and a half years (also as an adult beginner).

I whizzed through the Wastall book in a couple of months and then moved on to "proper" music - I have never seen Time Pieces for Oboe and have no idea what is in it. The first things I played after Wastall were all published in expensive French editions: Robert Planel "Chanson Romantique" Frank "Pièce." The Frank piece is easy to play as far as notes and rhythm go but hard to bring off musically. The Chanson Romantique has triplets - if he is happy with these, it is not too difficult.

After that, I think I played a Cimarossa sonata which is quite easy (not the famous one which is on loads of oboe CDs) and also a Telemann sonata (without looking at the music I can't remember which key either of them are in but I can check tomorrow if you like).

If he wants more technical things. Hinke is not musically very interesting but it does cover most basic technical issues and it is obvious what each study is aimed at improving. Brod 24 etudes et six sonates (I think that's the right title) are quite nice to play. If he wants to improve finger co-ordination he could try Selmer (again I can't remember which volume) but this is really soul-destroyingly boring.

Evelyn Rothwell wrote a two-part teach yourself oboe method (the first volume is red, the second blue, again I can't remember the exact title). I have found these helpful (there are some wonderful photos in it of how you shouldn't stand/sit when playing the oboe) but they are out of print and quite hard to get hold of.

Don't know if this is any help. I will go and have a look on my shelves tomorrow.

[petite joueuse]

keri, that's really helpful. Thanks!
He's got Hinke (but finds it a bit boring), and I think he's got the Brod as well.

He LOVES baroque - Telemann, Bach, Charpentier, Loeillet etc. Its just difficult to find pieces that are musically enjoyable, but not technically beyond him.

However, I may make some purchases at the BDRS event tomorrow!

[kerioboe]

Have finally finished marking 800 exam papers and gone to have a look on my music shelves.

The first Baroque pieces I learned were Cimarossa Concerto in G major and Loiellet Sonata in C major. I played all the movements in both of these.

He could also try the first movement of any of the Handel sonatas.
Possibly the Geminiani sonata in E minor and the Bach Adagio (Cantata N° 156). The latter two are on Grade 6 syllabuses but I didn't find them that hard.

Did your husband play an instrument before? I have played a lot of things that aren't on any of the exams syllabuses but of the things I have played which are, I found that I could play quite happily up to grade 6 within about a year of playing and that there was a huge gap between grades 6 and 7. If he is happy reading music, he could probably try anything on the first 6 grade lists.

As far as buying music is concerned, I have found that Howarth's have a brilliant mail-order service. It arrives in France in less than a week and postage costs are minimum.

[petite joueuse]

Thanks for the suggestions, Keri.
I wouldn't put him at Grade 6 just yet. Oboe is really his first instrument, though he does also play treble recorder (and grew up in France with a healthy diet of solfege!!).
I'll see if I can get hold of the Loeillet and the Cimarossa - they are the sort of composers he likes and WANTS to play.....

He really does love the sound of the oboe - that's why he wants to play it!

[anacrusis]

Can't answer on the broader range of oboe music, sorry, except to say that I also remember loving Handel; and my second oboe teacher put some Albinoni in front of me too. Even if a whole sonata might be beyond his range just now, it's worth getting some baroque ones which would at least have movements within his reach - he could then go back to learn the others as his technique improves. I know I've suggested recorder music for my pupil with much the same thoughts in mind...

Another thing I was surprised to find myself enjoying playing...Satie's Gymnopedies (too tired to go and find the accent tonight, due apologies to you francophones....