Trivia
The Wiener oboe that survived an existential crisis

It is said that only around 200 players and students around the world play the Wiener oboe. Performers in the areas surrounding Vienna had inherited the instrument's tones, but the local instrument makers had not produced any successors, and so the instrument faced an existential crisis around the 1970s. There would be a problem if there was nobody to make the instruments, even if there were players. Thus, Yamaha accepted a request and commenced research and development. At first, it started by copying instruments tattered from use, but making instruments that were exactly the same as this could not produce anything better. After considerable trial-and-error, a model of instrument now used throughout the professional world was completed, and Yamaha was conferred with a local letter of thanks commending it for its successes, including this one and those in the area of brass instruments. Yamaha's Wiener oboe is on display at the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra's New Year's Concert, so definitely look for it if you ever have the chance to attend.