Abstract:
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.
