A Conversation for Oboes

Hautbois & shawms

Post 1

Gilgamesh of Uruk

The "haut" of the hautbois (pronounced "ohboy") doesn't mean "high". In this context it means "loud". The "haut" music of shawms, trumpets etc. was played out of doors, the "basse" music, mostly strings and flutes, was much more suited to playing indoors. You can still see (and definitely HEAR) Catalan shawm bands in Barcelona, the tiple and tenora being the principal types, and the Breton bombarde, played with the biniou or bagpipe, is undergoing something of a revival.


Hautbois & shawms

Post 2

Gnomon - time to move on

That makes sense!


Hautbois & shawms

Post 3

Recumbentman

This information surely merits a footnote to sentence 3 of the Entry?


Hautbois & shawms

Post 4

Recumbentman

Grove (article by Philip Bate) says 'The French word 'hautbois' (high-, strong-, loud- or principal-wood) in its various spellings was applied to the smaller members of the SHAWM family, both in France and England, long before the emergence of the special type that now bears the name; these instruments had an important place in the 'loud music' of the Middle Ages.'


Hautbois & shawms

Post 5

Gnomon - time to move on

I've changed "high wood" to "loud wood". I've also replaced the link to Leon Goossens as the other was dead.


Hautbois & shawms

Post 6

Recumbentman

Grand.


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