Principles of Orchestration - Part 14
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Part 14

" [[288]]--Vns I + II + 'Cellos + Eng. horn (cf. Ex. 17).

No. 80. _The May Night_, Act III [[Bb]]--Violas + Cl.

No. 81. _Sadko_ [[311]]--Vns + Ob.

No. 82. " [[77]]--Violas + Eng. horn.

No. 83. " [[123]]--Violas + Eng. horn.

_Servilia_ [[59]]--Vns _G_ string + Fl.

_Tsar Saltan_ [[30]]--Vns I + II + 2 Cl.

No. 84. _Tsar Saltan_ [[30]], 10th bar.--'Cellos + Violas + 3 Cl. + f.a.g.

_Tsar Saltan_ [[156-159]]--Vns detached + Fl. _legato_.

_The Tsar's Bride_ [[10]] Violas + 'Cellos + f.a.g.

_Antar_, 4th movement [[63]]--'Cellos + 2 f.a.g.

_Sheherazade_, 3rd movement [[H]]--Violas + Ob. + Eng. horn.

_Parts doubled in octaves._

Examples of strings in octaves doubled by wood-wind also in octaves are numerous, and do not require special description; they are used according to the rules already laid down. The following are examples of melody distributed over 1, 2, 3 and 4 octaves:

_Examples:_

No. 85. _Ivan the Terrible_, beginning of Overture--Vns I + II + 2 Cl./Violas + 'Cellos + 2 f.a.g.] 8.

No. 86. _Sadko_ [[3]]--'Cellos + Ba.s.s cl./D. ba.s.ses + C-f.a.g.] 8.

_Sadko_ [[166]]--'Cellos + f.a.g./D. ba.s.ses + C-f.a.g.] 8.

" [[235]]--Violas + 2 Cl./'Cellos + D. ba.s.ses + 2 f.a.g.] 8.

_The Tsar's Bride_ [[14]]--'Cellos + f.a.g./D. ba.s.ses + f.a.g.] 8.

_The Tsar's Bride_ [[81]]--Vns I/Vns II div. + Fl./+ Ob.] 8.

" " " [[166]]--Vns I + Fl./Vns II + Ob.] 8 (cf. Ex. 22).

In three and four octaves:

_Servilia_ [[93]]--Vns + 3 Fl./Violas + 2 Ob./'Cellos + 2 f.a.g.]

8/8.

No. 87. _Kashtche_ [[105]]--Vns I + Picc./Vns II + Fl. + Ob./Violas + 'Cellos + 2 Cl. + Eng. horn + f.a.g.] 8/8.

_Sheherazade_, 3rd movement [[M]]--Vns I + Fl./Vns II + Ob./'Cellos + Engl. horn] 8/8.

_Examples of melody in thirds and sixths:_

_Servilia_ [[44]]--Fl. + Ob. + Cl. + Vns/Fl. + Ob. + Cl. + Vns div.] 3.

No. 88. _Servilia_ [[111]]--Strings and wood-wind in thirds.

No. 89. " [[125]]--same combination, in thirds and sixths.

_Kashtche_ [[90]]--The same.

It is necessary to pay more attention to cases where, of the two parts in octaves, only one is doubled. When this method is applied to a melody in the soprano register it is better to allow the wood-wind to progress in octaves, the lower part only being doubled by one of the string groups; Picc./Fl. + Vns] 8. Fl./Ob. (Cl.) + Vns] 8.

_Examples:_

_Tsar Saltan_ [[102]]--2 Fl. + Picc./Vns I + II + Ob.] 8 (cf. Ex.

133).

* No. 90. _Sheherazade_, 4th movement [[U]]--2 Cl./'Cellos + 2 Horns] 8.

In the case of a melody in the low register demanding a sweet soft tone, the violoncellos and double ba.s.ses should be made to progress in octaves, the former doubled by a ba.s.soon, the latter not doubled at all: 'Cellos + f.a.g./D. ba.s.ses] 8. Sometimes a composer is obliged to use this method on account of the very low register of the double ba.s.s, especially if a double ba.s.soon is not included in his orchestral scheme.[14]

[Footnote 14: The process of doubling strings and wood-wind in octaves: Fl./Vns] 8, Ob./'Cellos] 8, etc. often used by the cla.s.sics to obtain balance of tone, is not to be recommended, as the tone quality of the two groups is so widely different. As a result of the ever-increasing tendency to profusion of colour, this method has recently come into fas.h.i.+on again, notably among the younger French composers. (Editor's note.)]

_Example:_

No. 91. _Tsar Saltan_ [[92]]--Violas + f.a.g./'Cellos + f.a.g./D. ba.s.ses]

8/8.

D. Combination of strings and bra.s.s.

Owing to the dissimilarity between the quality of string and bra.s.s tone, the combination of these two groups in unison can never yield such a perfect blend as that produced by the union of strings and wood-wind. When a bra.s.s and a stringed instrument progress in unison, each can be heard separately, but the instruments in each group which can be combined with the greatest amount of success are those whose respective registers correspond the most nearly; Violin + Trumpet; Viola + Horn; 'Cellos/D. ba.s.ses + Trombones/Tuba (for heavy ma.s.sive effects).

The combination of horns and 'cellos, frequently employed, produces a beautifully blended, soft quality of tone.

_Examples:_

_Tsar Saltan_ [[29]]--Vns I + II + Horn.

* No. 92. _The Golden c.o.c.kerel_ [[98]]--Violas _con sord._ + Horn.

E. Combination of the three groups.