Virtuosic commissioning : the creation of a canonized oboe repertoire

This paper explores the role that commissioning plays in creating a canonized repertoire of virtuosic oboe music. In particular, it examines three works: the Sonata for Oboe and Piano by Henri Dutilleux, the Quartet in F Major by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, and the Concertino in Bb Major by Ignaz Lachner. The Sonata was commissioned to select the student most worthy of a diploma from the Paris Conservatory. The Quartet was written to highlight the unique skills of a specific oboe virtuoso. The Concertino was chosen to select the most talented virtuoso in the Gillet Fox competition. Each of these pieces significantly expanded the limits of what was expected of the player, both in terms of technical aptitude and in the use of the extreme upper range of the instrument. Although the purposes for which they were composed varied greatly, they serve as benchmarks of virtuosity for oboe players and often as obstacles in competitions.School of MusicThesis (M.M.