Oboe d'amore
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The oboe d'amore is a woodwind instrument. It is a member of the double reed family, very similar to the oboe. Slightly larger than the oboe, it has a less assertive and more tranquil and serene tone, and is considered the mezzo-soprano or alto of the oboe family. It is a transposing instrument, sounding a minor third lower than it is notated, i.e. in A. The bell is pear-shaped, similar to that of the larger English Horn, and it uses a bocal also similar to an English Horn but shorter in length than the English Horn's bocal.
The oboe d'amore was invented in the 18th century and was first used by Christoph Graupner in Wie wunderbar ist Gottes Güt. Pieces were frequently written for the oboe d'amore by Johann Sebastian Bach, most notably in his Cantatas, and also by Telemann.
After losing popularity in the late 18th century, the oboe d'amore remained rare for about 100 years, until composers began using it once again at the end of the 19th century, such as Richard Strauss, Debussy, Ravel, Frederick Delius and others.