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Certain oboe techniques and ensemble pedagogy in selected woodwind chamber music of Heitor Villa-Lobos
by Munger-MacKay, Ailene Annette, D.M.A., The Ohio State University, 1993, 115 pages; AAT 9325440
Abstract (Summary)

Modern oboists are faced with many challenges in teaching, coaching, and performing woodwind chamber music on college, university, community, and professional levels. This study seeks to provide a systematic approach to potential problems faced by the oboist as musician, performer, and teacher and offers some solutions to these problems using the music of Heitor Villa-Lobos as the illustrative medium.

Specific problems that this study examines are divided into two major categories, technical and pedagogical. Technical problems include nontraditional meters and rhythmic accuracy, nontraditional melodic patterns, patterns of extreme tessitura and problems of endurance. Pedagogical problems include how to arrive at a group consensus regarding the portrayal of differing musical styles that best reflect the intentions of the composer and the musicality of the composition; how to choose a leader based upon the musical considerations; choice of tempi; and proper blend, balance, intonation and clarity within the ensemble. The discussion of technical problems for the oboist will be limited to five of Villa-Lobos' woodwind chamber composition.

The woodwind chamber works were selected for this study on the basis of the following criteria: Prominent use of the oboe in all works, a representation of the various sizes and mediums of chamber music ensembles available to woodwind performers and teachers, works composed by Villa-Lobos, works that can be rehearsed and performed without a conductor, the current availability of published music. The following representative works met all of the above criteria: Sextour Mystique, Trio, Quartor, Quintet in Form of a Choros, Duo.

The musical value of Villa-Lobos' woodwind chamber compositions is of such a high caliber and importance to twentieth century chamber music that it should not be regarded as inaccessible to any musician studying the performing woodwind chamber music.

The experience of performing these works will encourage musical growth and aesthetic sensitivity in the musicians who study these compositions. The collaborative effort between the oboist and the other chamber musicians, will reflect to the listener the musical intentions of the composer through an aesthetic musical experience which the ensemble creates during a performance.