In the 18th century, the oboe was most magnificently employed as a soloist instrument. Numerous masterful oboists appeared on the scene at this time. Because most of them were also composers, many solo pieces for the oboe were written. The instrument itself has continued to be improved since the 19th century, and this has led to the appearance of new types of performers. However, even today there are only a few oboe concertos that are part of standard repertoires.