Double reed of double reeds for the oboe family of instruments is similar in principle: like the bassoon's reeds, they consist of two pieces of "Arundo donax" cane fastened together with an opening at the tip. However, because the oboe does not have a bocal, the cane must be fastened to a metal tube (the staple), the lower half of which is normally surrounded by a piece of cork. The staple is then inserted into the farrow at the upper end of the oboe. There are many different methods of making reeds and many variations of design have been developed. Players can
Oboe Sonata (Poulenc) Oboe Sonata (Poulenc) The Sonate pour hautbois et piano de Poulenc (Oboe Sonata) FP 185, for oboe and piano by Francis Poulenc dates from 1962. It is dedicated to the memory of Sergei Prokofiev. According to many, the last movement, "Déploration," is the last piece Poulenc wrote before he died. It sits as a kind of obituary. The Oboe Sonata is very difficult in places, especially the Scherzo. The sorrowful Déploration also requires great skill. To express his mourning for his friend Prokofiev, Poulenc uses the extremes of the oboe. For example, in one passage the player must play a