01/27/06


HMU 397A Orchestration


Class Notes 07b

Scoring for Woodwinds and
Winds & Strings I

Please note: All references to "Adler Movie" and "Adler Audio" can be found on
Six Enhanced Multimedia Compact Discs for The Study of Orchestration
A copy will of this CD set will be available for checkout at the multimedia lab.

All other items can be found in zip file on index page



07a Homework due

Homework: WS 10 #1,2,3,4 (07bhomework.zip) Realize your orchestration of the Debussy WS 10# 3,4 using Garritan and your software tool of choice. Please write your orchestration in its entirety BEFORE you begin to realize it with Garritan.

About the quiz:

This quiz will focus on the woodwind instruments as both solo instruments and in combinations.   As well, key issues regarding the strings will be reiterated.     To help you best prepare for this quiz, I have provided an outline of that material I feel is critical for you to understand.   Please pay very close attention to the text this time and make sure you review the videos on both the website and on the Adler Cds.

This quiz will be, more or less the same format as the last quiz.   Expect to fill in a score layout of a string and wind orchestra.   You will be given a number of 1 st violins and a whole set of blank staves next to which you will need to put the instrument, how many people play that instrument and the most common doublings.   Know the classification of the woodwinds into families as I presented it in class and as Adler presents it in the book.

 I discussed the winds and showed a table of the string articulations and filled in the corresponding wind articulations, their respective graphic markings and an explanation of how that articulation is executed. Throughout our  demonstrations we spoke of the feasibility of each articulation in each instrument.     Make sure you know that table and how it relates to every wind instrument.   .   If I present you with a given string articulation, you will need to know what wind articulation is closest in sound, what the graphic marking for that articulation is, which instrument(s) can best produce that articulation and why.   You are well advised to recreate this entire table in your preparations for this quiz. You can click here to see a summary table

As with the string quiz, there will be pictures of the various wind instruments.   You will need to not only identify these instruments by name but you will need to give me their ranges as presented in Adler.

Know multiple stops on the strings and which ones are feasible.

There will be a "well conceived" or "unlikely" section based on the winds.    All the winds have very peculiar and idiosyncratic tendencies that we saw both live and in the text.   For example, If I give you a passage that has an oboe playing gentle and soft in its lowest register you should know its unlikely because the instrument tends to "honk" down there.   If you see a clarinet with a glissando marking you should be well aware that this wind instrument, more than any other, is capable of executing such an articulation and you should know why.   There are many idiosyncrasies in the winds that have been presented to you.   A number of them will appear on this quiz.

Throughout the semester I have been urging you to associate adjectives with various performance situations.   Adler gives very nice adjectives in the   "registral characteristics" for all the winds.   It would be wise to know all of these registral characteristics.   If I write something around the B above middle C and tell you its very "thin and intense", you should be able to tell me which instrument is most likely playing

I spent a bit of time speaking of the overtone series and its particular importance to the wind instruments.   Be prepared to demonstrate your understanding of this concept.

Like the last quiz, there will be a section of video and audio identification.   Don't forget the wind doublings I presented in class.   You know which ones they are so all you need to do is tune your ears so you can differentiate one from the other.


Good luck

Prof. Andy


Role of Winds in the Symphony Orchestra

The diversity of texture and color in the winds has historically reserved them for the following functions:

1.     Play solo passages

2.     provide a harmonic background for a string foreground

3.     provide a contrasting color to a part previously played by the strings

4.     double other instruments of the orchestra


The choice of which of the woodwind instruments to use at any given time can be one of both mechanics and taste.  We saw that the flute family is most agile and unique in their ability to  handle quick double and triple tongue passages.  We saw that the some of the clarinet family could do special glissandi and create ultra quiet subtones.  We noted the the particularly wonderful melodic quality of the oboes and the special place the bassoon family holds as the bass instrument of the wind choir.  Its important to remember the "honking" quality of double reeds in their low registers and the difficulties present in producing the lowest notes in the flute family.   However, in general, the choice of which woodwind instrument to use in a given passage will be very personal.  The oboe, clarinet and flute are all very capable of handling very similar registers.  Infact, these instruments comfortably share at least 2 common octaves.  In order to completely understand and internalize the function of the winds we must listen carefully and always remember to associate what you hear with verbal descriptions whenever possible.  You will be responsible for identifying not only the sound of each individual wind instrument but each combination of wind instruments "in 2's"

 

Using the Winds:

In 1912, 20 years of accumlated manuscripts found their way to one of the great orchestration texts: Principles of Orchestration by Rimsky  Korsakov.   Now available for free through imslp.org, the text still provides a wonderful reference for those interested in orchestration.  Alas, the irony of great music texts of the past is that they are devoid of the very subject they teach.  In 2006, a guy by the name of Gary Garritan created a virtual textbook of Korsakovs famous text.  It is now part of Make Music and is a free and excellent resource which we will use here.  You can find the Garritan Edition here. 

To provide Melody & Harmony.

1.     (Adler CD3-18) Oboe & Clarinet unison

a.     perfect range for melody in oboe

b.     PP very suitable for Clar in any register

c.     Notice how the clarinet smoothes the nasal quality of the oboe while adding a very noticeable layer of color.

2.     (Adler CD3-19) Oboe and Flute

a.     Also a good doubling but the flute is weaker in this register so the oboe stands out more

b.     Flute also rounds the sound but is more transparent.

3.      (Adler CD3-19) Clarinet and Flute

a.     Doubles fine but now we completely lose the texture of the oboe.

4.     (Adler CD3-19)  Oboe and Bassoon

a.     Since bassoon cant double at pitch it must play an octave lower

b.     Since they are of the same family the two double reeds in octaves make them sound like siblings and present a very special relation that should be noted of all family members separated by the octave. 

5.     (Adler CD3-19)  Flute, Clar, & Bassoon

a.     A very popular combination we have now exploited the octaves and risk losing impact of registral changes later in the piece.

 

To provide accompaniment

 

1.     (Adler CD3-20) Ex. 8-6 Violas & Clars 8va.  PP in Clars ensures not too much weight.

2.     (Adler CD3-20) Ex 8-6   Notice change of texture when bassoon replaces viola

 

Orchestral Treatments

 

Unison Doubling (Adler CD3-21) Ex. 8-7 See Garritan-Korsakov

            It is very important to understand the difference between a figure played by a single instrument and that same figured played by two or even three of the same instruments.

1.     Single instrument will always present the individual character better

2.     Single instrument can  always play the softest passages softer

3.     a Unison double or triple can  always play the loudest passages louder.

4.     At any intermediary dynamic a unison double or triple thickens the sound

5.     a unison double or triple will often strengthen an articulation but may also make that same articulation more ambiguous.

 

Octave Doubling  (Adler CD3-22) Ex. 8-8 See Garritan-Korsakov

1.     Often a better and more clear alternative to unison doublings.

2.     adds the additional character of the registral shift

3.     May be exempt from compositional registral conflicts as it can be construed as a single instrument in a similar manner as the octave stops on an organ.


  

solo presentation then 3:52 Ob.& Clarinet unison:  4:25 Unison Ob. Eng. Hrn & Viola with response in piccolo & flute at the octave doubling


 

Color characterization

The great diversity of color in the wind choir allows us to call on the instruments in a highly effective motivic manner.

 

1.     (Adler CD3-24) Ex 8-10 Eng. Horn reserved for only this phrase at the beginning and end.

2.     (Adler CD3-25) similarly groups of unique colors can be used motivically

 

Harmonic Treatment

1.     (Adler CD3-26+27) Ex 8-13 As a pedal (sustained important tone) to provide stability

2.     (Adler CD3-30) As a harmonic filler. 

a.     Bassons complete the D Major chord

b.     Flutes punctuate rhythm with rich chordal harmonies.

 

Homophonic Treatment

When various woodwinds sound simultaneously as chords it is important to understand the role and function of each of the instruments in that chord.  The nature of the chord in general will dictate, to some degree the choice of instrument "voicings".  That is,  the desired subtlty, shading, color and texture of a chordal wind passage will require the individual winds to appear in specific places within the whole. Similar to their role as a melodic and harmonic instrument, the decision how to "voice" a woodwind chord will be as much personal as it is mechanical.  The registral characteristics of each instrument within the chord should be considered very carefully.  If an instrument is to appear in a melodic function within the chord, it must be in a relatively strong register compared to the others.  Various voicings will determine if that instruments are heard as individual units of the whole or as one single entity. 

 

1.     Four ways to voice winds (in 2's) (Adler CD4-1) Ex 8-18-20

a.     Juxtaposed. (Adler CD4-1) Each instrument group is segregated from the others. Provides the most distinct presentation of each instrument

b.     Interlocked.  Each note from one group is placed between the notes of the other groups such that no group occupies two consecutive enclosed voicings.

                                                              i.     (Adler CD4-2) notice the importance of the register placement

c.     Enclosed.  At least one group is entirely contained within the voicing of another group

                                                              i.       (Adler CD4-3) I would say different not better or worse.

d.     Overlapped.  At least one note from a group is shared with the same note from another group. Provides the least distinct presentation of each instrument

voicing

Adler correctly states that woodwind chordal spacing is very personal.  Two things that should be noted that he doesn't mention are:

 

2.     Chordal Spacing is very personal

a.     The wider the spacing the more subject you are to volatile the voicing

(Adler CD4-7 2nd chord.)

b.     An instrument that is segregated by a large interval will sound prominently in almost any situation  (Adler CD4-7 2nd chord.)

 

Create piano reductions of 8-28 & 8-29 in class discuss prominence of melody and strength of registers as well as relative segregation

As a Contrasting Color

The wind choir can be used to provide a contrasting color to the string and/or brass sections. 

1.     (Adler CD4-17) Schumann alternates between strings and winds.

2.  (Adler CD 4-18) Beethoven Symphony "Throws the ball around"

To Double other Instruments

The wind choir can be used to provide a doubling of other instruments either at pitch, in octaves or coupling

1.     (Adler CD4-20) Note how Brahms doubles the weak 1st violin melody with a bassoon an octave lower.

2.  (Adler CD 4-21) Take speacial note of how each of the winds doubles each of the strings in the Dvorak Carnival Overture.

New Wind Articulations

 

Pulsating Unisons (Adler CD4-24)

            It is very important to understand the difference between a figure played by a single instrument and that same figured played by two or even three of the same instruments.

Combined and Contrasting Articulations (Adler CD4-25)

            Similar to Pizz strings occuring with arco strings, winds can combine articulations.  Note that although its not shown in adler the effect is more prominant when done between two different woodwinds.

Special Effects (Adler CD4-26-28)

            1.  Quarter tones are possible via manipulation of embourchure.
            2.  Asking for very highest pitch playable.
            3.  Mouth piece only
            4.  Key Clicks

As with moth effects. its wise to consult with the player before the performance.