Today’s compositions have been arranged for oboe d’amore and piano. Most were composed for other instruments, but Debussy designated oboe d’amore (on the top staff of the score!) in his orchestration of “Gigues” for Images for Orchestra.
The modern oboe d’amore is a slightly larger and lower-pitched version of the modern oboe, with a globular bell. These differences from the standard oboe lend it a mellower, less edgy tone that blends nicely with other instruments and with the human voice. Its native pitch of “A” below middle “C” places it in the sweet spot among melody instruments.
1 “Andante sostenuto” (originally for solo piano) from Songs Without Words
by Felix Mendelssohn (Germany, 1809-1847)
2 “Adagio” (originally for solo piano) from Songs Without Words
3 “Salut d’Amour” by Edward Elgar (England, 1857-1934) (originally for violin
and piano)
4 “Arietta” by S. M. Maykapar (Ukraine, 1867-1938) (originally for solo piano)
5 “Gigues” from Images by Claude Debussy (France, 1862-1918) (originally for
oboe d’amore and orchestra,)
#1-2 were arranged by David Walter and published by Billaudot.
#3-5 were arranged by Robert Rainford and published by Forton Music