I was most surprised to find the manuscript score of an oboe concerto in the Öttingen-Wallerstein collection by Abbé Vogler (1749-1814). One thinks of him primarily as a music theorist and teacher, as an organist, and as composer of liturgical music.

The cleric was constantly on the go, traveling throughout Europe, and moving from court appointment to court appointment, establishing three conservatoires for the teaching of musical composition along the way in Mannheim, Stockholm, and Darmstadt. Due to his fame, he must have received a request to compose such a work for the oboe, even though keyboard was clearly his main performing medium: there are twelve concertos for fortepiano and one for organ listed in The New Groves.

The first movement of the Oboe Concerto in C Major is set out in Ritornello-Sonata Form. It is extraordinarily homophonic, the first violin carrying the bulk of the line in the ritornelli, and the solo oboe doing the same in the episodes. The pairs of flutes and horns are used primarily for harmonic support within the ritornelli; the violas also act in a similar way, often doubling the bass line at the octave. During the episodes, one finds the oboe accompanied by a string trio consisting of two violins and cello. There is much thematic material within this movement: ritornellos and episodes are allotted separate music. Episode III acts as a recapitulation not only for Episode I but also for the contrasting lyric theme of Ritornello I. Melodically and harmonically, this movement sounds much like Mozart. As in the sonata-ritornello forms of that great master, the movement is well thought out, and quite difficult for the soloist to execute.

The second movement is modeled on one style of operatic aria current in the 1790's. The initial ritornello is quite short, a mere twelve measures, but it is packed with thematic ideas and beautiful harmonies. The structure continues with two episodes separated by a ritornello which conceal a simple rounded binary form: A||BA. The conclusion of the movement consists of a recitativo, followed by a coda which ends on the dominant seventh of C major, the tonic of the finale. To oboist's part of the recitativo should be improvised or composed by the soloist. The pairs of flutes and horns are silent in this movement; and the bass line often splits into separate parts for cello and bass, giving the oboe the support of a string quintet.

The finale is a rondeau composed of three energetic couplets surrounded by four repetitions of an unforgettable refrain. Again, the oboe is accompanied by a string trio during the episodes [couplets], but also at each initiation of the refrain. At measure 220 in Couplet III there is a low B! Perhaps this is an oversight on the part of the good Abbé; but maybe the oboist for whom this work was composed had actually acquired this extension. There are some wonderful harmonies in this movement, ones that would not become common currency until Felix Mendelssohn came on the scene in the Early Romantic Era.

This is a sensational concerto. One would hope that the greatest masters of the 21st century oboe would take it into their repertories. It's certainly time for Abbé Vogler to be recognized for his contribution to our art.