Welcome to Orchestration II. In this class we will shift our focus from the mechanics of the symphony orchestra to the aesthetics of the symphony orchestra. To do so, we will continue to use the Adler text but will now draw utilize one of the all time classic orchestration books: The Principles of Orchestration by Rimsky Korsakov.
The objective of this class is two fold. In addition to mastering the implementation of the mechanical aspects of orchestration you learned in Orchestration I, we will now begin to develop your vocabulary of orchestral colors and textures. In the olden days, an orchestration student had to sift through volumes of recordings to locate 8 or 16 measures relevant to the study of a particular orchestral devise. To learn the the beautiful 3 dimensional, hollow and silky sound of clarinets doubling violas, one would have to search though various scores to find such a passage and then locate a recording of that score to train the ear to that sound. This process was extremely time consuming, laborius and, with current technology, inefficient. As such we will be using an on-line version of one of the Rimsky Korsakov text. Every example in the text is accompanied by an audio example that not only, plays the example, but scrolls the music as it plays.
However, no matter how good the text, the best way to learn to orchestrate is to actually do it. Again, in the olden days, this meant hours and hours spent at a desk trying to imagine what all those colors and textures one committed to paper would sound like by a live orchestra. In most cases, the imagination was the only venue for a students work. In this class, you will have your own copy of Garritan Personal Orchestra. Every homework you submit will be due in written form in the following class and will be due in sequenced form in the class after that.
It is absolutely imperitive that you DO NOT use the orchestra sounds in Garritan until AFTER you have submitted your written version. You may use a piano sound and only a piano sound regardless of the instrument(s) for which you are writing. This may mean that at times, especially at the beginning, you will be writing orchestrations not because you hear the color or texture in your head, but rather because it is the only thing you can think of that will mechanically work. THIS IS NORMAL AND OK. It takes years and years to develop the ability to hear, in your minds ear, exactly the colors and textrues you desire and know how to set that forth on paper. In those cases where you write from a purely mechanical perspective, the realization of your orchestration with Garritan (AFTER you have submitted the written version) will teach your mind to connect the sound to the concept. Its a beautiful thing.
You may submitt your written work in Finale, Sibelius, Overture (included with Garritan) or hand written. If you write it by hand you will need to scan it as all written assignments must be submitted as PDF files. Once you have submitted your written assignment, you will sequence that orchestration using Garritan and submitt the mp3 of that sequence by the following class. All files should be submitted to me via email: orchestration2@stevens.edu.
In many cases we will be orchestrating excerpts from Ravels Mother Goose Suite. We will then compare and discuss your orchestrations to his.
So, to begin, here is your first assignment. The written version is due next class.
Homework: Orchestrate the first movement of Ravels: Mother Goose Suite.
All necessary files can be found here: Ravel_1
1. Installation of Garritan Personal Orchestra on each students personal Laptop.
Please Note: Someone from the IT department will be on hand to assist the installation.
Please Note: You must return your authorization for this installation before the end of the semester.
Please ensure that you have a fully functional copy of GPO including the Garritan Personal Orchestra and the following extras:
The Ambience Reverb
Overture
MP3 Demos
MIDI File Translator
Documentation
GPO Studio
Harp Packets
AUDITION
Letter to Northern Sounds
2 INTRODUCTION TO INTERACTIVE PRINCIPLES OF ORCHESTRATION
3. Lesson 1 - GENERAL REVIEW - Strings & Woodwinds
4. Lesson 2 - GENERAL REVIEW - Brass, Percussion & Other Instruments
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