The oboe (or hautboy) and the bassoon, likewise, belong to a large group of double-reed instruments known from the earliest times. In the 16th and 17th centuries various kinds were common, such as the schalmey, chalumeau or shawm, the bombarde or pommer, etc., all with a conical bore, about 8 finger-holes, and made in sets or families of different sizes. The bassoon proper or fagotto dates from the 17th century; it, too, was made in graded sets. The krummhorn or cromorne differed from these in having a cylindrical bore and hence a lower pitch. All these were gradually consolidated in the 18th century into a single family with three chief representatives, the oboe (treble), the cor anglais or English horn (tenor), and the bassoon (bass). The older instruments had broad, thick reeds, and gave a loud and rather coarse tone, but, as solo use became greater, the reeds were made more delicate and the tone sweeter and more refined, so that ultimately the oboe achieved artistic importance, especially regarded for its pungency, its expressiveness and its adaptation to pastoral or idyllic themes.
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Fig. 81.—Serpent—a wood-wind instrument allied to the sink or wooden cornet, sounded by a cup-shaped mouthpiece. In use from the early 17th century.
133. The Rise of the Virtuoso.—Better instruments imply better players. In the 18th century the instrumental virtuoso or concert-expert became for the first time conspicuous. Exceptional performers on any instrument had always commanded attention and often good positions in courtly or private establishments. But they could hardly become a fully distinct class among musicians until several steps were taken in the public use of the art. First of these was the full recognition by composers of the value of purely instrumental writing, such as came to pass in the later 17th century. Another was the development of the orchestra as a special agency for accompaniments, as in the progress of the opera. Still another was the free use
