W. A. Mozart’s Oboe Quartet in F Major, K. 370 (368b)
Carroll County Arts Council
5/14/22
General Comments
Overall, I was pleased with this performance of the Mozart oboe quartet. I performed it about as well as I could have at the time. Although a couple of mid-register notes didn’t speak cleanly, I was extremely pleased that I didn’t frack any low notes. The reed I choose to perform on had flaws (a bit sharp, sound slightly thin and edgy, and would’ve preferred a wider dynamic range), but it was a good reed with good response. I was comfortable playing it because I had practiced on it a fair amount the week before thinking I wouldn’t use it for the concert. Although it’s hard to judge dynamics in a recording because the recording tends to even them out, I was pleased overall with my dynamic phrasing. The phrasing in some spots even popped in the recording better than I expected; however, I’m still not satisfied with the contrast in most of the f to p echo sections.
There are three difficult technical passages, mm. 33-4 in the first movement, mm. 98-109 in the third movement, and mm. 152-7 in the third movement. See the comments for the two slight mistakes I made in those first two sections. I could’ve used more dynamic contrast in the third but was pleased with it technically. I find it awkward to play that fast on a modern oboe, and it drove me crazy up until the concert, especially executing it in the context of performing the entire piece. I began this performance cold and ticked off as they had really cranked up the AC between my warm-up onstage and the concert. I would’ve worn my jacket if I’d realized it. That’s the coldest I’ve ever been on an indoor stage.
Next Steps
Ideally, I would record each movement 4-6 weeks ahead of time. I had to switch my focus to an orchestra audition that popped up suddenly. I never recorded it, and recording 4-6 weeks ahead of time would’ve helped further solidify my musical ideas sooner. That way I could’ve focused even more on performance execution in the last 3-4 weeks. I started working on the quartet in late January when it looked like it would be the piece I’d play on this concert. Mm. 152-7 in the 3rd movement took more work than I thought. I ran the entire quartet 4 times in a row the day before the performance. I ran it twice in rehearsal 2 the day before that and once per day for the previous 3 days or so. I “performed” it approximately 10 times before the concert, and that number needs to be at least doubled. Below are my specific comments for each movement along with the videos. Click here for a reference score: https://imslp.org/wiki/Oboe_Quartet_in_F_major%2C_K.370%2F368b_(Mozart%2C_Wolfgang_Amadeus).
I. Allegro
M. 1, b. 2: Pushed F a bit sharp and did a weird crescendo (0.04)
Opposite of what I wanted to do
M. 25, b. 2: Sharp high C, next 2 were still a bit high but better than b. 2 (0.54)
M. 62, b. 2.5: Trill/turn not clean (2.10)
M. 1R: Better on repeat, trying to hit it too hard? Should be sweeter rather than harder (2.16)
Pickup C was a bit sharp also
M. 8, b. 2R: Release of F should’ve been more active (2.31)
M. 25, b. 2.5R: Sharp high C (3.05)
M. 34, b. 1.5R: Missed G# (3.24)
M. 40, b. 2.5-3R: Connection between G and B a bit messy (3.37)
Too much crescendo between those 2 notes?
M. 75, b. 1: Landed on D too hard, set up better (4.52)
Not terrible but could’ve been more elegant
M. 78, b. 4: Rushed 1st 2 16ths and had to hold last to land downbeat on time (5.00)
M. 81, b. 4: B to C# could’ve been cleaner, slow to lift half-hole (5.06)
M. 97, b. 4.5: Fracked the G, may have leaked half-hole (5.45)
M. 103, b. 1: Whacked G too hard (5.56)
II. Adagio
M. 25, b. 2-3: G a bit sharp, also F in m. 26 (1.52-5)
III. Rondo: Allegro
M. 1: Pickup C was sharp and didn’t speak cleanly (0.02)
M. 23, b. 1: F was sharp (0.34)
M. 32, b. 1: C is sharp (0.48)
M. 49, b. 5-6: Rushed 16ths and didn’t coordinate between fingers and tongue (1.15)
M. 107, b. 1: Fingers got ahead of ears and bobbled 16ths (2.44)
More obvious to me during performance than listening to recording
M. 109, b. 4.5: Fracked E, didn’t release side octave key soon enough (2.48)
Mm. 139 and 141, b. 1: Something sounded odd, sharp A? (3.35, 3.38)
Could’ve used more dynamic contrast between them
M. 160, b. 5: Fracked F, either spit in octave or didn’t press it soon enough (4.08)