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A decedent of the oboe is the shawm, which was used at the earliest in the 12th century, Saracen Sicily. The shawm had a loud and nasally noise, it had the body of a recorder and the reed of an oboe. It was often used in compositions that included trumpets and and percussion accompaniments. The instrument was often used in street music and military bands.
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As the want for more expressive music increased, the shawm was pushed out of popularity. The shawm was adapted into the smaller and more delicate oboe which allowed for dynamics and a more controlled tone.
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In the mid 17th century the first baroque oboe called Hautbois (high wood) was created In France. It quickly gained popularity and was used to entertain the French court.
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The Oboe da Caccia or the haunting oboe (most similar to the present day English Horn) was developed around the same time the Hautbois oboe was created. The haunting oboe had a curved body and was noted for it's appearances in many of Bach's cantatas and masses.
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RUYDkAvs-Ko] -
The revival of the oboe was much accredited to the work of composer Richard Strauss in the early 19th century (after the work of Ludwig Van Beethoven).
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By 1839 the number of keys on the French oboe had increased to 10.
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Guillaume Triébert and his son Frédéric created an instrument very close to the French oboe but with a few important changes such the perforated plates placed of the previously open holes.
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The first modern oboe was produced by François Lorée and Georges Gillet. This model is now commonly used in both France and the United States.
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Germany and Austria adopted the French oboe in 1925, while Russia continued to use the German version of the instrument.
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The modern Oboe officially debuted in France on St. David's Day in 1967 although the composition played was originally written in 1965. The oboe was showcased with a composition written by Grace Williams, called Carillons, a light weight movement.
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T_a75bZKLc8]
