With The Revolutionary Oboe, oboist Christopher Palameta and the Notturna ensemble have created a captivating album that brings to light a repertoire as brilliant as it is underappreciated. At the crossroads of history and rediscovery, this recording immerses the listener in the musical effervescence of the late 18th century, a time when the oboe underwent a true metamorphosis. Featuring works by Mozart, Kreutzer, Boccherini, Gluck, and Grétry, the album explores a fascinating phenomenon: the emergence of the oboe in chamber music, where it becomes an expressive solo voice, capable of competing with the strings and conveying a musical discourse of newfound intensity.

This repertoire, once prized in Parisian salons, regains its full vitality here, brought to life by a historically informed and deeply vibrant performance.

At the heart of this project lies an exceptional instrument: an original oboe crafted around 1785 by the Parisian instrument maker Christophe Delusse. Its luminous tone and virtuosic potential embody this “revolution” in the oboe, whose technical advancements profoundly transformed the musical composition of the era. Several works presented here are being recorded for the first time, revealing an entire facet of French music that had fallen into obscurity and is now being brought back into the spotlight.

A leading figure in the field of historical oboe, Christopher Palameta has enjoyed a remarkable international career. A professor at major European institutions, he has recorded over ninety albums and is distinguished by his commitment to rare repertoires. With Notturna, which he founded in 2006, he is dedicated to reviving unpublished works with rigor, curiosity, and passion.