What’s In A Name?

“We all know it’s considered a nerdy instrument but we also all know why. It’s the name! So we have simply renamed it.”

These words came out of the mouth of oboist Sander Rothbarge. Weary of the stereotype, and suggesting the word “oboe” deserved a major portion of the blame, he and many of his double reed colleagues agreed that the name should be changed. “It took a number of months, a few tears, a lot of knife waving, and it even took some arm twisting and perhaps a little bribery, although I won’t confess to that,” he said, “but we finally did it! We’ve changed the name, and I know our image will change. This is an exciting time in our field. Trust me.”

It appears that these musicians worked out something that sounded more like the melancholy, plaintive instrument itself, and they are hoping that all in their double reed world will accept this new name. “After all,” he said, “it’s not like the name of our instrument is stamped on our Lorees!” The new, somewhat mellifluous sounding name is to be melanpiange. “It’s right. The minute we came up with it I was at peace,” said Mr. Rothbarge, with tears in his eyes.