Principles of Orchestration Part 9

_Examples:_

_The Legend of Kitesh_ [[150]] (_allargando_).

* _Sheherazade_, 4th movement, commencing at the 10th bar.

Vns I ]

Vns II ]

Violas + 'Cellos ] 8.

D. ba.s.ses ]

Melody in thirds and sixths.

In confiding a melody in thirds to the strings it is frequently necessary to use the same quality of tone in both parts, but in the case of a melody in sixths different timbres may be employed. In writing thirds doubled in octaves, the first and second violins should be used. In spite of the difference in the quant.i.ty of players, the thirds will not sound unequal. The same arrangement may obtain in the viola and 'cello groups, but it is useless in the case of melody in sixths.

_Examples:_

* No. 34. _Legend of Kitesh_ [[34]]--Vns I _div._) 3/Vns II _div._) 3] 8.

* _Legend of Kitesh_ [[39]]--Vns I/Violas] 6.

Cf. also _Legend of Kitesh_ [[223]]: Vns I/Vns II} 3/Vns I/Vns II} 3] 8 (Ex. 31).

Distribution in octaves, thirds, and sixths is usually regulated by the normal register of the respective instruments, so as to avoid any suggestion of mannerism resulting from the disturbance of balance. But such a departure from the recognised order may be permitted in special cases. For instance, in the following example of writing in sixths the upper part is allotted to the 'cellos, the lower part to the violins on the _G_ string; this arrangement produces a quality of tone distinctly original in character.

_Example:_

No. 35. _Spanish Capriccio_ [[D]]--'Cellos/Vns I + II] 6.

Melody in the wood-wind.

* The choice of instruments for characteristic and expressive melody is based on their distinctive qualities, discussed minutely in the foregoing chapter. To a large extent the question is left to the orchestrator's own personal taste. Only the best methods of using the wood-wind in unison or octaves, and distributing a melody in thirds, sixths and mixed intervals, from the standpoint of resonance and tone quality will be indicated in this section of the work. Examples of the use of solo wood-wind are to be found in any score; the following are typical instances:

_Examples of solo wood-wind:_

1. _Piccolo: Serbian Fantasia_ [[C]]; No. 36. _Tsar Saltan_ [[216]]; _Snegourotchka_ [[54]].

2. _Flute: Antar_ [[4]]; _Servilia_ [[80]]; _Snegourotchka_ [[79]], [[183]]; _A Fairy Tale_ [[L]]; _The Christmas Night_ [[163]]; No. 37.

_Sheherazade_, 4th movement, before [[A]] (_Fl. a 2_ in the low register).

_Flute_ (double tonguing): _Pan Voyevoda_ [[72]]; _Sheherazade_, 4th movement, after [[V]]; No. 38. _Ivan the Terrible_, Act III, after [[10]].

3. _Ba.s.s flute_: No. 39. _Legend of Kitesh_ [[44]].

4. _Oboe_: No. 40. _Sheherazade_, 2nd movement [[A]]; _The May Night_, Act III [[Kk]]; No. 41. _Snegourotchka_ [[50]]; _Snegourotchka_ [[112]], [[239]]; _The Tsar's Bride_ [[108]] (cf. Ex.

284), No. 42 and 43. _The Golden c.o.c.kerel_ [[57]] and [[97]].

5. _Eng. horn: Snegourotchka_ [[97]], [[283]] (cf. Ex. 26); No. 44.

_Spanish Capriccio_ [[E]]; No. 45. _The Golden c.o.c.kerel_ [[61]].

6. _Small Clarinet_: No. 46. _Mlada_, Act II [[33]]; _Mlada_, Act III [[37]].

7. _Clarinet: Serbian Fantasia_ [[G]]; _Spanish Capriccio_ [[A]]; _Snegourotchka_ [[90]], [[99]], [[224]], [[227]], [[231]] (cf. Ex. 8); _The May Night_, Act I, before [[X]]; _Sheherazade_, 3rd movement [[D]]; _A Fairy Tale_ [[M]]; _The Tsar's Bride_ [[50]], [[203]]; _The Golden c.o.c.kerel_ [[97]] (lowest register, cf. Ex. 43).

8. _Ba.s.s clarinet_: No. 47 and 48. _Snegourotchka_ [[243]] and [[246-247]].

9. _Ba.s.soon: Antar_ [[59]]; No. 49. _Vera Scheloga_ [[36]]; _Sheherazade_, 2nd movement, beginning (cf. Ex. 40); No. 50. _The Golden c.o.c.kerel_ [[249]]; No. 51. _Mlada_, Act III, after [[29]]; cf.

also Ex. 78.

10. _Double ba.s.soon: Legend of Kitesh_, before [[84]], [[289]]; cf.

also Ex. 10 (D. ba.s.soon + D. ba.s.s solo).

The normal order of wood-wind instruments and that which produces the most natural resonance is the following: _Flutes_, _Oboes_, _Clarinets_, _Ba.s.soons_ (the order used in orchestral full scores).

Departure from this natural order, e.g. placing ba.s.soons above clarinets and oboes, or flutes below oboes and clarinets, and especially below the ba.s.soons, creates a far-fetched, unnatural tone, useful, however, in certain cases to attain certain special effects. I do not advise the student to make too free a use of this proceeding.

Combination in unison.

The combination of two different wood-wind instruments in unison yields the following tone qualities:

a) _Flute + Oboe._ A quality fuller than that of the flute, sweeter than that of the oboe. Played softly, the flute will predominate in the low, the oboe in the upper register. Example: No. 52.

_Snegourotchka_ [[113]].

b) _Flute + Clarinet._ A quality fuller than that of the flute, duller than that of the clarinet. The flute will predominate in the lower, the clarinet in the higher register. Examples: No. 53. _Legend of Kitesh_ [[330]]; also [[339]] and [[342]].

c) _Oboe + Clarinet._ A fuller quality than that of either instrument heard separately. The dark, nasal tone of the oboe will prevail in the low register, the bright, "chest" quality of the clarinet in the high compa.s.s. Examples: _Snegourotchka_ [[19]]; No. 54. _Snegourotchka_ [[115]]. Cf. also _Legend of Kitesh_ [[68]], [[70]], [[84]]--2 Ob. + 3 Cl. (Ex. 199-201).

d) _Flute + Oboe + Clarinet._ Very full in quality. The flute predominates in the low register, the oboe in the middle, and the clarinet in the high compa.s.s. Examples: _Mlada_, Act I [[1]]; *

_Sadko_ [[58]] (2 Fl. + 2 Ob. + Small Cl.).

e) _Ba.s.soon + Clarinet._ Very full quality. The gloomy character of the clarinet prevails in the lower register, the sickly quality of the ba.s.soon in the higher. Example: _Mlada_, Act II, after [[49]].

f) _Ba.s.soon + Oboe_, and

g) _Ba.s.soon + Flute._

The combinations _f_ and _g_, as well as _Ba.s.soon + Clarinet + Oboe_, and _Ba.s.soon + Clarinet + Flute_ are very seldom found except in certain orchestral _tutti_, where they produce increased resonance without creating a fresh atmosphere. But in such combinations, the range of which is practically restricted to the limits of the third octave, the low notes of the flute will predominate in the lower third of this register, and the high notes of the ba.s.soon in the middle third. The clarinet, weak in the middle compa.s.s will not stand out prominently in this particular combination.

h) _Ba.s.soon + Clarinet + Oboe + Flute._ This combination is equally rare. The colour is rich, and difficult to define in words. The tone of each instrument will be separated from the others more or less in the manner detailed above. Examples: _Russian Easter Fete_, the beginning; No. 55. _Snegourotchka_ [[301]]; _The May Night_, Act III [[Qqq]].

The process of combining two or more qualities of tone in unison, while endowing the music with greater resonance, sweetness and power, possesses the disadvantage of restricting the variety of colour and expression. Individual timbres lose their characteristics when a.s.sociated with others. Hence such combinations should be handled with extreme care. Phrases or melodies demanding diversity of expression alone should be entrusted to solo instruments of simple timbres. The same applies to the coupling of two instruments of the same kind, such as 2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 2 ba.s.soons. The quality of tone will lose nothing of its individuality, and will gain in power, but its capacity for expression will be diminished accordingly. An instrument enjoys greater independence and freedom when used as a solo than when it is doubled. The use of doubling and mixed timbres is naturally more frequent in loud pa.s.sages than in soft ones, also where expression and colour is broad rather than individual or intimate in character.

I cannot refrain from mentioning how greatly I dislike the method of duplicating all the wood-wind, in order to balance a group of strings, reinforced out of all reason, to suit the ever-growing dimensions of concert halls. I am convinced that, artistically speaking, a limit should be set to the size of both concert room and orchestra. The music performed at these super-concerts must be specially composed on a plan of its own--a subject which cannot be considered here.

Combination in octaves.