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Oboe and English Horn Quizzes, Trivia and Puzzles
Oboe and English Horn Quizzes, Trivia

Oboe and English Horn Trivia

Oboe and English Horn Trivia Quizzes

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6 quizzes and 50 trivia questions.
1.
Oboes Oh Boy
  Oboes, Oh Boy!    
Photo Quiz
 10 Qns
Have a go at this revamped quiz adoption, originally entitled "All About Oboes II" by author Sharker. As my username 'reedy' implies, I have a history with oboes (and bassoons, too!) Enjoy!
Average, 10 Qns, reedy, Jan 28 23
Average
reedy gold member
Jan 28 23
155 plays
2.
  Oboe Reeds for the Uninitiated    
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
What is a reed? What does it do? Why is it so important to the lives of oboists, anyhow? Step right up and find out!
Average, 10 Qns, coranglais, Sep 27 15
Average
coranglais
223 plays
3.
  Oboemania    
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
This quiz is all about the wonders of the oboe! Anyone who knows anything about oboes should try this quiz.
Average, 10 Qns, celticwoman333, May 19 19
Average
celticwoman333
May 19 19
341 plays
4.
  The Oboe    
Multiple Choice
 5 Qns
How much do you know about the wonderful instrument that is the oboe?
Average, 5 Qns, ladymacb29, Dec 02 07
Average
ladymacb29 editor
948 plays
5.
  All About Oboes III    
Multiple Choice
 10 Qns
This quiz is meant to be a bit harder than the previous two. Good Luck.
Difficult, 10 Qns, Sharker, Dec 02 07
Difficult
Sharker
548 plays
6.
  All About Oboes    
Multiple Choice
 5 Qns
This is just a quiz that anyone who likes the oboe or has ever played an oboe must take. Good luck!
Average, 5 Qns, Sharker, Sep 08 22
Average
Sharker
Sep 08 22
844 plays
trivia question Quick Question
What colour are most oboes?

From Quiz "The Oboe"





Oboe and English Horn Trivia Questions
1. What key are oboes pitched in?

From Quiz Oboemania

Answer: C

The oboe is pitched in C, but was originally made for D. Sorry if that confused anyone.

2. What key is a oboe in?

From Quiz All About Oboes

Answer: C

The oboe is in the key of C. Any concert pitch is just what we play!

3. What country 'invented' the oboe?

From Quiz The Oboe

Answer: France

It is called 'hautbois' in French, meaning 'high wood'.

4. When was the approximate "birth" of the oboe, i.e. the instrument that developed into the oboe over time?

From Quiz Oboemania

Answer: 2800 BC

The origins of the oboe date back to 2800 BC, when the shawm, a one-piece instrument made of boxwood, using a double reed of cane was invented. The oboe came into French courts around 1650, became a member of the orchestra in 1700, and has been unchanged since 1825.

5. What are most oboes made out of?

From Quiz All About Oboes

Answer: wood

Most oboes are made out of wood, however some are made out of plastic, but the normal oboe is made out of wood.

6. Oboes are what kind of instrument?

From Quiz The Oboe

Answer: Double reed

Yes, there are single reed mouthpieces for one can buy to modify oboes - but the oboe IS a double reed instrument!

7. Reeds are used with other woodwind instruments besides the oboe, such as the clarinet and saxophone. But something sets apart the reeds of the oboe (and its cousins the bassoon and English horn reeds). What is it?

From Quiz Oboe Reeds for the Uninitiated

Answer: They have two vibrating blades instead of one

This is why the oboe, bassoon, and English horn are part of the double reed family of woodwind instruments. Their reeds make up the entire sound production mechanism, whereas in single reed instruments a single flat blade of cane is affixed to a mouthpiece (made of a solid material such as dense plastic) over and against which it vibrates. As for the other options, oboe reeds are actually a good deal smaller than the reeds of most other instruments. They can indeed be removed from the rest of the instrument, but so can single reeds. And oboe reeds are without a doubt more difficult to make than just about any other type of reed.

8. There are many types of oboes. What is the more common name for cor anglais?

From Quiz All About Oboes III

Answer: English Horn

The english horn, has a very misleading name. It is not a horn, and it is not English.

9. What type of music is the oboe made for?

From Quiz All About Oboes

Answer: Classical

The oboe is a classical instrument.

10. An oboe reed cannot simply be pulled out of its case and played. What must be done to it before every use?

From Quiz Oboe Reeds for the Uninitiated

Answer: It must be soaked in water

Without soaking, whether directly in water, dipped in and let to set, or (in a pinch) wetted in the mouth, the cane is not pliable enough to vibrate properly. Sometimes, an oboist may also find it helpful to scrape a bit of cane off or pinch the blades a bit to narrow the opening, but these actions are highly dependent upon the particular reed and situation. Prayers to the reed gods may sometimes FEEL necessary, but it has never been proven that they do any good!

11. On a beginner oboe, how many keys are there with holes on them, not just under?

From Quiz Oboemania

Answer: 4

Trill keys are often found between major keys on oboes.

12. In what key is the treble oboe pitched in?

From Quiz All About Oboes III

Answer: C

The treble and the soprano oboe are both pitched in C, and have a range from B flat to A.

13. What key do many oboes not come with?

From Quiz All About Oboes

Answer: Low B flat

People who are starting out on oboe normally start out missing the low Bb key.

14. What colour are most oboes?

From Quiz The Oboe

Answer: Black

Depending on the wood, you can also have brown or red oboes. However, I have seen a couple 'silver' oboes that were made of metal. These oboes are generally played in marching bands or outside in places where a wood oboe would not be a good idea.

15. Where did the oboe d'amore originate in?

From Quiz All About Oboes III

Answer: Germany

The oboe d'amore is an alto member of the oboe family.

16. What are the parts of the reed?

From Quiz All About Oboes

Answer: Staple, blades

The reed has a staple which is just like a tube with cork on it. On the staple are two blades. There are many, many parts to those blades.

17. What note will most oboes play if you do not hold down any keys?

From Quiz The Oboe

Answer: C sharp

This is sometimes used as an alternate fingering (but very rarely!)

18. Once the oboe reed is ready to be played, it must be attached to the rest of the instrument. How is this accomplished?

From Quiz Oboe Reeds for the Uninitiated

Answer: By fitting the cork end of the reed into the well at the top of the upper joint

On the oboe, the reed is freestanding and fits directly into the top of the instrument. It needs no mouthpiece, unlike the clarinet; indeed one could say that the reed is the mouthpiece. Neither does it use a bocal (the long curved tube that connects the body of the instrument to the reed on the bassoon and English horn). Finally, in contrast to the bagpipes, the reed is played directly with the mouth and so is not placed in the interior of the instrument.

19. Playing with just your right index finger plays a slightly off (sharper) version of what note?

From Quiz Oboemania

Answer: C sharp

Playing with only your right index finger brings out a more nasal version of the note C sharp, or D flat.

20. How many octaves does the English Horn cover?

From Quiz All About Oboes III

Answer: Two and a half

21. How many octaves can oboes play?

From Quiz Oboemania

Answer: a little over 3 (3 with a few notes left over)

Most fingering charts show oboes only going a little over two octaves, but they can for certain play a little over three, maximum three and a half.

22. When did the baritone oboe originate?

From Quiz All About Oboes III

Answer: 17th or early 18th century

The baritone oboe is based in C and is one octave lower than the soprano oboe.

23. What is an oboe's lowest note?

From Quiz Oboemania

Answer: B flat

The lowest note on an oboe is B flat, but most beginning oboes are unequipped with the B flat key, so the lowest they can go is B without covering the hole in the bell with their knees. Some conservatory key stystem oboes can go down to an A, but they are rare.

24. An oboe said to be based in C was really made in what key?

From Quiz All About Oboes III

Answer: D

The oboe is reconized as in C, but was really made for D.

25. Which type of music is most written for oboes?

From Quiz Oboemania

Answer: classical

Oboe music is mostly classical, excluding school band pieces.

26. How many joints does the oboe have?

From Quiz All About Oboes III

Answer: 3

The oboe has three joints made of grenadilla, rose or cocus wood.

27. Finally, the French word for oboe, "hautbois," means what?

From Quiz Oboemania

Answer: high wood

Hautbois (pronounced aut-bwa) literally means, "high wood."

28. In the first twenty years of the 19th century the number of keys increased to what?

From Quiz All About Oboes III

Answer: 8

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Last Updated Dec 21 2024 5:51 AM
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