Cadenza VII is a virtuoso solo piece for english horn (or oboe) by Belgian composer Obe Vermeulen.
 
In cooperation with his selected soloists, Obe Vermeulen explores the extreme boundaries of each instrument and that of their performers. “I believe that any ambitious player will enjoy taking on the challenge I am offering in these pieces,” he says.
The concept behind the 14 solo pieces’ is to go beyond the usual style of playing. The composer entered into an in-depth study of both the traditional and extended techniques of his selected instruments. The result is a complex but musically consistent whole that is much more than just an inventory of effects. These cadenzas, for that’s what in essence they are, breathe a certain degree of abstraction. However, each soloist is given the necessary musical content to allow them to revel in its theatricality while creating their own unique performance space.
All this is made possible because Obe Vermeulen was inspired to develop them from the typical internal dialogue between these instruments within their usual orchestral setting and then elaborated them further, into works of art in their own right.