A double-reed mouthpiece, and a relatively narrow bore, give the oboe a focused tone that is an essential part of the woodwind section’s blend. Not as blessed with concertos as, say, the clarinet, the oboe does have some gems written for it by a host of Baroque composers, as well as absolute masterpieces by Mozart and Richard Strauss. As an orchestral instrument, it makes some star appearances: famously in Dvořák’s New World Symphony and Mahler’s Das Lied von der Erde.