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Who is A.M.R. Barret?
Apollon Marie-Rose Barret was a famous French Oboist born in 1804 who taught oboe at the Royal Academy of Music in London. In 1850 he published "A Complete Method for Oboe" which quickly become an international staple of oboe repertoire. The book features scale patterns, articulation exercises, 16 Grand Studies, 4 Sonatas, and 40 Progressive Melodies. Of all this music, perhaps the most popular and studied are the 40 Progressive Melodies.
Each short etude features both a line for oboe and a line for accompaniment. The accompaniment line, however, is written in bass clef, which the oboe cannot easily read as it is out of our range.
The Barret Book is still printed today by Boosey and Hawkes and can be purchased Here!
About the Project
Since Barret's exercises are fantastic learning opportunities for young oboists and prominent in the oboe community, I have transposed the accompaniment line into treble clef, which the oboe reads. Though most people play the oboe part of the etudes alone, they’re obviously meant to be duets. The accompaniment adds so much to the mood and musicality of the pieces, and helps students experience a genre of playing that isn’t experienced much at a younger age. I feel that since this is a book used primarily by oboists, it’s more realistic for two oboists to play an etude together than an oboe and a different instrument
My hope is that my project will serve as a learning resource, an example of integrating technology and music, and a motivator for students.
The Barret Etude Project is a finalist in Stephen F. Austin State University's 2021 Undergraduate Research Conference
Etude PDFs
On the "Music PDFs" page I have provided the bass line sheet music, transposed to treble clef, for all 40 progressive studies.
I have also added a recording of myself performing the accompaniment part you can play along with, and plan to add recordings of myself playing both parts as an educational reference.
Click on the staff to get started!
