20. April 2008 · 5 comments · Categories: Ramble

So … how many of you play the C# up in the stratosphere? (Well, that’s where it is as far as I’m concerned.) I think it’s called C#6.

Well, according to the Wikipedia entry (thank you, TD!) we play that high.

So … I ask again … how many of you play up there?

And how many enjoy it?

5 Comments

  1. uh oh… now amateur composers are going to be checking wikipedia for their orchestration skills and writing oboe parts that high! Maybe it should say up to G or G sharp and include the others as a footnote about extended technique or something…
    (no I do not play up there– G is the highest I usually have reason to go)

  2. I recently had to play a piece that included high Gs, but even those seem rather rare to me, Emily. What is the highest you’ve had to play? I’m trying to remember if I’ve ever had a high A. Seems like I have, but now I can’t remember what work it was that required it, so it obviously isn’t something I’ve played recently. (Or else I’m really losing it … to block out the high high A … can’t imagine doing that!)

  3. Dorati, Cinq Pieces has a high A. You can also manipulate that A with the Ab and C keys to make it a Bb. But I’ve never heard of an oboe playing a C#. And high A kind of makes your head want to explode. Usually I stick to playing G and lower 🙂

  4. I can play up to a G, but I’m not sure I’ve had to play above F# except maybe in an etude.

    My teacher plays A’s, but I don’t think I’ve ever heard an oboe playing above that!

  5. I say give anything above a G to the flutes.

    I had to laugh when I saw high G’s in the musical Evita. C’mon … you frequently get some “interesting” players in musical theatre … HIGH G? I doubt it!