Instrumental Thinking — Part II

Model 10b is the starting point of this lesson. Duo and trio combinations are inspired on the trumpet variation from Benjamin Britten's A Young Person Guide to the Orchestra as well.

he starting point is model 11b, the instrumental variation of the melody with frequent natural tones as in the Trio of the Scherzo of Beethoven's Eroica. In this version, the entire tessitura is addressed so the filling in of a second instrument will be obvious. Usually, it will join in imitation with parallel natural tones and the consonances will be limited to open fifths, octaves and thirds. The objective of ta version for three horns lay in preserving the natural tones as much as possible and making the triad complete. It becomes a completely different story if we utilize four horns. The previous model as a basis is not so suitable for this, hardly anything could be changed or added. Therefore, I have aimed to transform the melody to highlight more of its dramatic and harmonic side, an example of homophonic thinking thus relative to the melody.

Both versions, one for three trombones and the second with tuba explore homophonic textures combining wide and narrow chord spacings due to horizontal writing. An excerpt from the Finale of Brahms' First Symphony illustrates chorale playing as well.

Model 17c is intended for a percussion ensemble of 5 instruments of definite pitch. Its realization took place in stages: the basis of this version is the marimba part of model 17b. In model 18c, the timpani are combined with 7 different instruments, the timpani part being the base. I opted for triangle, a high-sounding instrument, castanets and then two instruments that permeate strongly in a tutti of the orchestra: the claves and the temple blocks. Then further two more traditional drum instruments: the snare drum and the bass drum or Grosse Caisse in French, Gran Cassa in Italian. Again, each part was conceived as an additive part, compensating for the stoppage in the timpani part.

The string section offers many possibilities and therefore is an extended lecture in two parts. In this part we start with the combination of violins with viola, from tehre we add the bass parts in pizzicato. Next, the third model is an exampel of homophonic treatment in the upper parts. Then, we illustrate and explain a divisi score with six-part homophony in octaves. This model will serve for the last version where the celli get a counterpart in this setting.

Part II discussing orchestral possibilities with strings continues with two models here: first, violins playing tremolo divided in three parts, where the melody is played unison by violas and celli, the double bass plays pizzicato combined with an added harp part. Secondly, we provide a model where all strings play tremolo as an expression dramatic means of expression as well.

In this last lecture about strings we you a previous model that we elaborate with percussion, brass and woodwinds. The very last example is an attractive version of the same folksong composed and orchestrated now for the full string orchestra playing pizzicato. The score of the extended version has been added for further study.

In the epilogue, dr. Swerts makes general conclusions towards the previous lectures and the orchestral principles we have discovered and examined.