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In its present form the bass oboe, the lowest instrument of the oboe family, was built in France already in the 19th century. Earlier bass instruments of this kind looked more like the bassoon. Timbre and register of the bass oboe are situated somewhere between the cor anglais and the bassoon. At a slightly later time in Germany the heckelphone was developed, an instrument commanding the same range but with a different timbre. Both oboe types gained entry into the late Romantic orchestral literature. The bass oboe “Gebr. Mönnig” was developed following a new concept by the Berlin instrument builder Ludwig Frank. Equipped with a bell similar to that of an oboe and made from maple, the instrument allows a larger range than traditional models. Altogether this is a welcome addition to the oboe family, commanding a large volume, a reliable intonation, and highly variable dynamic capacities.

(Ekkehard Krüger, translation by Stephanie Wollny)

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