How many oboes are in an orchestra section and why?
If a composer writes for an orchestral oboe section, he or she includes two oboes and an English horn, occasionally three oboes and an English horn. The principal part is the soprano line, while the second often supports with harmony in the lower range of the instrument. The English horn is the tenor voice, and it offers depth to the sound of the two oboes. The principal oboe and English horn are both solo voices within the section. Q: What other instruments are in the oboe family? A: The oboe is the soprano or mezzo-soprano member, the oboe damore (pitched in A) is the alto, the English horn (pitched in F) is the tenor, and the bass oboe is the lowest member (pitched in C, an octave below the oboe). There is such a thing as a soprano oboe (or musette), but it is hardly ever used. Ive only seen one in my career and have never actually played one. The oboe damore can be heard in many of Bachs works, including the B Minor Mass. The bass oboe can be heard in Saturn from Holsts The Planets
