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GAYLORD Re

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NICOLAS RIMSKY-KORSAKOW

PRINCIPLESOF

ORCHESTRATIONWITH MUSICAL EXAMPLES DRAWN FROM HISEDITED BY

OWN WORKS

MAXIMILIAN STEINBERGENGLISH TRANSLATION BY

EDWARD AGATE

E. F.

KALMUS ORCHESTRA209

SCORES, INC.

WEST

57th STREETN. Y.

NEW

YORK,Printed

in U. S. A.

MUSIC LIBRARYUNIVERSITY or COUi^^CTlCUT

STORRS, C0.*4N^CriCUT

rc\T

no

CONTENTSpage

Editor's Preface

VII XII1

Extract from the Author's preface (1891)Extract from the Preface to the last edition

5

T'hapter

I.

General review of orchestral groups612 21little

A. String-ed instrumentsB.

Wind instruments: Wood-windBrasssustaining power:

C. Instruments of

Plucked stringsPizzicato

26 2727

HarpPercussioninstruments

producing determinate sounds,

keyed29 30 32 32

instruments

Kettle-drums

,

,

Piano and CelestaGlockenspiel, Bells, Xylophone

Percussion instruments producing indefinite sounds

Comparison

of

resonance

in orchestral

groups, and combination

33

of different tone qualities

Chapter

II.

Melody36 39in

Melody in stringed instruments Grouping in unisonStringed instruments doublingoctaves

4044 45 45 46 474951

Melody4

in

double octavesin three

fX~"^

'^

and four octaves Melody in thirds and sixths Melody in the wood-wind Combination in unison Combination in octaves Doubling in two, three and foiir octaves Melody in thirds and sixths Thirds and sixths together Melody in the brass Brass in unison, in octaves, thirds and sixthsDoubling

52

53 53

.......

55

IVpage

Melody in different groups of instruments combined together A. Combination of wind and brass in unison B. Combination of wind and brass in octaves C. Combination of strings and wind D. Combination of strings and brass E. Combination of the three groups

.

56

5657

5861 61

Chapter

111.

Harmony63of

General observations

NumberString

Duplication harmonic parts Distribution of notes in chords

6467

harmony Wood-wind harmonyFour-part and three-part harmony

6971

72

HarmonyRemarks

in

several parts

767778

Duplication of timbres

Harmony

in the

brass

82 82

Four-part writing

Three-part writing

84

Writing in several partsDuplication in the brass

848588.

Harmony1.

in

combined groups. . .

A. Combination of wind and brassIn unison

8888

2.

Overlaying, crossing, enclosure of parts

9094

Combination of strings and wind C. Combination of the three groupsB.

95

Chapter

IV.

Composition of the orchestrawaysof orchestrating the

DifferentFull

same music

97101

Tutu windtwo and three parts

Tutti in the

103 103

Tuiti pizzicato Tutti in one,

104 104106

Soli in the strings

Limits of orchestral range

Transference of passages and phrases

107108

Chords

of different tone quality

used alternately

Amplification and elimination of tone qualitiesRepetition of phrases, imitation, echo

109

110

Sforzando-piano and piano- sforzando chords Method of emphasising certain notes and chords Crescendo and diminuendoDiverging and converging progressions

HIIll

112 113114

Tone

quality as a

harmonic force.

Harmonic basisrhythm and colour

Artificial effects

116

Use

of percussion instruments forin orchestral

....

117

Economy

colour

118

Vpage

Chapter V.

Combination of the human voice with orchestra.119 119

The Stage bandOrchestral accompaniment of solo voices

General remarks

Transparence

of

accompaniment.

Harmony

120 122125 126 128

Doubling voices in the orchestra Recitative and declamationOrchestral accompaniment of the chorus

Solo voice with chorusInstruments on the stage andin the

wings

129

Chapter VI (Supplementary)Technical termsSoloists

Voices132 133

Range andVocalisation

register

133134

VowelsFlexibility

136137

Colour and character of voicesVoicesin

137139

combination

DuetTrio, quartet etc

139 139 142 142

Chorus

A.

Range and register Melody Mixed chorusChorus, in unison

144145

145

Progression

in

octaves

145146

Voices divisi; harmonic use of the mixed chorusB. Men's chorus

and Women's chorus

148

ST0RI

Editor's Preface.Rimsky-Korsakov had long been engrossedorchestration.

in

his

treatise

on

We

havein

in

our possession a thick note book ofdating

some 200 pages

fine

hand writing,

from the yearsof acoustics,

18731874, containing a monograph on the question

a classification of wind instruments and a detailed description ofthe construction and fingering of the different kinds of flute, the

oboe, clarinet and horn.In

(1)

his

"Memoirs

of

my"1

musical

life"

(li*

edition,all

p.

120) the

following passage occurs:to the compilation ofI

had plannedtreatise

to

devote

my

energiesthis

a

full

on orchestration. To

end

made

several rough copies, jotting

the technique of different instruments. the world on this subject,of this treatise, or,to

down explanatory notes detailing What intended to present to1

was

to include everything.

The writingit

be more exact, the sketch

for

took up

most

ofof in

my

time in the years 1873 and 1874.1

After reading theto

workswork,

Tyndall and Helmholtz,

framed an introduction

my

which

I

endeavoured

to expound the laws of acoustics

as applied to the principles governing the construction of musicalinstruments.

My manual was

to

begin

with

a

detailed

list

of

instruments, classified in groups and tabulated, including a description of the various systems in use at the present day.I

had bethat

not yet thought of the second part of the book

which was

to

devotedI

to

instruments in combination.far.

But

1

soon realisedin particular,

had gone too

With wind instruments

the

different

systems were innumerable, and each manufacturer favouredpet theory.his

his

own

By

the addition of a certain

key the maker

endowed(I)

instrument with the possibility of a

new

trill,

and

This manuscriptis

was

gfiven toit

me

by Alexander Glazounov;be placed there.

if

a Rimsky-

Korsakov museum

ever founded

will

VIII

madeof

s^nic

difficult

passages more playable than on an instrument

another kind.

*to

There was no endinstrumentswith

such complications.four,

In the brass,

I

found

three,to

and

five

valves,I

the

mechanism

varying according

the make. besides,

Obviously,of

could not hope to

cover sotreatise

large

a

field;

What value would such a

be

to the

student? Such a mass of detailed description oftheir

the various systems,

advantages and drawbacks, could notNaturally heits

but

fail to

confuse the reader only too eager to learn.to

would wishthrowthe

know what

instrument to employ, the extent ofsatisfactory information

capabilities etc.,

and getting no

he wouldinterest in

my

massive work aside.

For these reasonsfinallyI

my

book gradually waned, and1891 Rimsky-Korsakov,

gave up the

task."

In

now an

artist of

standing, the

comof

poser of Snegourotchka,the

Mlada, and Sheherazade, a masterhad been teachinginstrumentation.

orchestral technique he

for twenty years,to

returned to his

handbook onatafter

He would seemto

have made notes

differentfirst

times from

1891of

1893, during

which period,

the

performance

Mlada, he gave upThey

composition for a while.in his

These notes,volumes

occasionally referred to

Memoirs, are

in three

of manuscript-paper.full

contain the unfinished preface of 1891, a paragraphthoughtful writing, and reprinted in this book. (1)As"

of clear,

the author

tells

us in his

Memoirs

(p.

297), the progress of

his

work was hamperedat

by certain

troublesome

events whichdraft,

were happening1894 heof his

the time.

Dissatisfied with his roughit,

he

destroyed the greater part ofIn

and once more abandoned hisChristmas Night;this

task.

composedmost

The

was

the

beginningin

fertile period.

He becamewas not

entirely engrossed

composition, making plans for a fresh opera as soon as thein

one

hand was completed.returnedto

It

until

1905his

that

his

thoughts

the

treatise

on orchestration,

musical

output remaining in abeyance through no fault of his own.

Sinceas

1891

the

plan

of

the

work had beenstill

entirely

remodelled,

proved by the rough drafts

extant.

The author had given up

the idea of describing different instruments from their technical(1)

This preface had already been published in his Notes(St.

and

Articles

on

Music

Petersburgh, 1911).

IXstandpoint,

and was more anxious

to

dwell upon

the value

of

tone qualities and their various combinations.

Amongthe

the author's papers several forms of the

book have beenAtlast, in

found, each widely differing in detail from the other.

summer

of

1905 Kimsky-Korsakov

brought his

plans to a

head, and outlined the six chapters which form the foundation ofthe present volume.

But the work suffered a further interruption,laid

and the sketches were once more

aside.

In

his

Memoirs,

Rimsky-Korsakov explains theand a andgeneralfeelingof

fact

by lack

of interest in thetreatise

workin

weariness:

"The

remained

abeyance.I

To

start with, the

form

of the

book was not a success,in

awaited the production of Kitesh,that

order to give

some

examples from

work"

(p.

360).

Then came the autumn

of

1906.

The composer experiencedThe Golden Cockerelthat winter

another rush of creative energy; his opera.

madehis

rapid strides, and kept

him busytreatise

all

and theof 1907,

following summer.

Whento

it

was

finished, in the

autumn

thoughts

revertedlittle

the

on orchestration.

But the

work madeadequacyof

progress.

The author had

his doubts as to the

of the plan

he had adopted, and,

in spite of the entreaties to

his

pupils

and

friends,

he could not bring himself

broach

the

latter

part of the

book.

Towardsin

the

end

of

1907 Rimskythis

Korsakov

wasand

constantly

ailing

health,

and

materially

affected his energy.

He

spent the greater part of his time reading

old notesset

classifying

examples.

About the

20*li

of

May he

out for his

summer

residence in Lioubensk, and having justof the lungs,its

recovered from a third severe attack of inflammation

beganfinal

to

work on the

first

chapter of the treatise infinished onnight, thefatal.

present,

form. This chapter

was

June 7/20, about 4 o'clock

in the afternoon; the

same

composer was seized with a

fourth attack

which provedfell

The honourKorsakovfor

on

meI

to

preparethat

this

last

work

of

Rimsky-

publication.in

Nowit

Principlesto

of Orchestration

has appearedto

print

think

necessary

devote a few wordslabour imposed

the

essential

features

of the

book, and

to the

upon

methe

in

my

capacity as editor.I

On

first

point

will say but

little.

The reader

will

observe

from the Contents that the work

differs

from others, not merely by

reaston of

its

musical examples, but more especially in the systematicof

arrangementgroups(the

material,

not according to orchestral division infor instance), but accord-

method adopted by Gevaert

ing to each constituent of the

musical whole, considered separately.II

Theand

orchestrationIII)

of

melodic and harmonic elements (Chapters

receives special attention, as does the question of orches-

tration in general (Chapter IV).to

The

last

two chapters are devoteda

operatic

music,

and the

sixth

takes

supplementary form,

having no direct bearing on the previous matter.

Rimsky-Korsakov altered the

title

of his

book severalI

times,

and

his final choice was never made.to

The

title

have selected seemswork, "prin-

me

to

be the one most suitable

to the contents of the

ciples" in the truest sense of the word.

Some may

expect to find

the "secrets" of the great orchestrator disclosed; but, as he himself

reminds us

in his preface, "to orchestrate is to create,

and

this is

something which cannot be taught."Yet,

as invention, in

all

art,

is

closely allied to technique, this

book may reveal muchKorsakov has often

to the student of instrumentation.

Rimsky-

repeated

the axiom that

good orchestrationof tone-colours

means proper handling of parts.andtheir

The simple use

combinationsends.

may

also be taught, but there the science of

instruction

From

these standpoints the present

book

will

furnish the pupil with nearly everything he requires.

The

author's

death prevented him

from discussing a few questions, amongstfull

which

I

would

include

polyphonic

orchestration

and

the

scoring of melodic and harmonic designs.

But these questions

can be partly solved by the principles laid

downfirst

in

Chapters

II

and

III,

and

I

have no wish

to

overcrowd the

edition of thisif

book with extra matter which can be added later,to

it

is

found

be necessary.

I

had

first

of all

to

prepare and amplify the

sketches

made by Rimsky-Korsakovit

in 1905; these

form a connectedI

summary throughoutpleted

the whole six chapters.is

Chapter

was comfive

by the author;have

published as

it

stands, save for a few

unimportant alterationsters,I

in style.

As regards the otherin the order,

chap-

tried to

keep

to the original drafts as far as possible,

and have only made a few changesindispensableadditions.

and one or twopoint

The sketches made between 1891 andto

1893 were too disconnected

be

of

much

use,

but,

in

XIoffact,

they

corresponded

very

closely

to

the

final

form

of

the work.

The musical examples aredrawnBorodinchoosing

of greater importance.

According

to

the original scheme, as noted on the 1891 MS., they were to be

from

the

works

of

Glinkato

and

Tschaikovsky;later.

those

of ofto

and Glazounov were

behis

added

The ideaonly

examples

solely

from

own worksforof

camebut

Rimsky-Korsakov by degrees.partly

The reasonspreface

this

decision areotherhis

explained

in

the

unfinishedIf

1905,

motives

may begive

mentioned.

Rimsky-Korsakov had chosen

examples from the works

of these four

composers, he would have

had

to

some accountof

of their individual,

and often stronglybeen adifficult

marked

peculiarities

style.

This would havetojustify the

undertaking, and then,

how

exclusion of West-Eu-

ropean composers, Richard Wagner, for example, whose orchestration

Rimsky-Korsakov so greatly admired?hardlyfail

Besides, the latterafforded

could

to

realise

that

his

own compositionsmanner

sufficient material to illustrate every conceivable

of scoring,

examples emanatingthe

frorfl

one great general principle.

This

is

notis

place to criticise his method; RimsT^y-Korsakov's "school"

here displayed, each

may examine

it

for

himself.

The

brilliant,

highly-coloured orchestration of Russian composers, and the scoringof the younger French musicians are largely

dev^opments

of the

methods

of

Rimsky-Korsakov, who,

in

turn,

looked upon Glinka

as his spiritual father.

The

table of

examples found among the author's papers was

farat

from complete; some portions were badly explained, others, notall.

The composer had not mentioned which musical quotationsto

were were

be printed

in

the second volume, and whichthefull

exampleslimitleft

to indicate the study of

score, further,

no

was

fixed to the length of quotation.editor's discretion.I

All this

wasto

therefore

to the

selected the examples only afterit

much doubtin

and

hesitation, finding

difficult tp

keep

those stipulated by the

composer, as every page

of the fnaster's

works abound

appro-

priate instances of this or thatI

method

of scoring.

was guided bythe

thethe

following

considerationsin

which agreedfirst

with

opinions

of

author himself:

the

place theto distract

examples should be as simple as possible, so as not

XII

the student's attention from the point under discussion; secondly,it

was necessary

that

one example should serve

to illustrate several

sections of the book, and lastly, the majority of quotations should be

those mentioned by the author. These amount to 214, in the second

volume; the remaining 98 were added by me. They are drawn, as

far

as possible, from Rimsky-Korsakov's dramatic music, since operaticfull-scores are less accessible than those of

symphonic works.diffe-

At the end of Vol.rent

II

I

have added three tables showingchords;all

ways

of scoring full

my

additions to the text are

marked withuse

asterisks.

I

consider that the careful study of the

examples contained

in the

second volume

will

be

of the greatest

to the student without replacing the

need

for the study of other

composers' scores.

Broadly speaking, the present work shouldoffull

be studied together with the reading

scores in general.

A

few words remain

to

be said regarding Rimsky-Korsakov's

intention to point out the faulty passages in his orchestral works,

an intention expressed

in

his

preface to the last edition.

The

composernations.

often referred to the instructional value of such examiIt

His purpose however was never achieved.

is

not for

me

to select these

examples, and

1

shall only1.

mention two which wereof

pointed out by the composer himself:22071ii

The Legend

Tsar Saltan

bar the theme233

in the (a

brass

is

not sufficiently prominenteasilyrectified);2.

the

trombones being,

tacet

mistake14,if

The

Golden Cockerel observedin

bars 10the the

the

marks

of expression are

the

brass,

counter- melody

on the violas andhardly

violoncellos

doubled

by

wood-windmyself

will

be heard.63,

Example 75 mayIn conclusion

also be mentioned, toI

which the note on pageto these

in the text, refers.I

will confine

examples.

Rimsky-Korsakovthis

work, thereby

my deep gratitude to Madame for having entrusted me with the task of editing providing me with the opportunity of performing adesire to express

duty sacred to theSt. Petersburgh,

memory

of a master, held so deeply in reverence.

December

1912.

MAXIMILIAN STEINBERG.

Extract from the Author's Preface (1891).Our epoch,Liszt,

the post-Wagnerian age,

is

the age of brilliahce

and

imaginative quality in orchestral tone colouring.

Berlioz, Glinka,

Wagner,thoseof

modernthe

french

composers

others;

new

russian

Delibes, school Borodin,to

Bizet

and

Balakirev,

Glazounov and Tschaikovskyarttoits

have

brought

this side of

musical

zenith;

they have eclipsed, as colourists, their prede-

cessors,

Weber, Meyerbeer and Mendelssohn,

whose genius,In writing

nevertheless, they are indebted for theirthis

ownof

progress.

book

my

chief

aim has been

to

provide the well-informed

reader with the fundamental principles

modern

orchestrationI

from the standpoint

of

brilliance

and imagination, and

have

devoted considerable space toorchestral combination.1

the study of tonal resonance and

have

tried toto

showtheto

the student

how

to obtain a certain quality

of tone,I

how

acquire uniformity of structure and requisite power.characterof

have specifiedpeculiar

certain

melodic

figures

andand

designs

each

instrument

or

orchestralto

group,

reduced these questions briefly and clearlyin shortI

general principles;with matter and

have endeavouredcarefully

to furnish the pupil

material asthelessI

and minutely studied asto instruct

possible.

Never-

do not claim

him asto

to

how such

information

should be put to

artistio

use,

nor

establishof

my

examples

in

their rightful place in the poetic

language

music.

For, just as

a handbook of harmony, counterpoint, or form presents the studentwith

harmonic or polyphonic matter,

principles

of

construction,

formal arrangement, and sound technical methods, but will never

endow him with

the

talent

for

composition, so a treatise on orto

chestration can demonstrate

how

produce a well-sounding chord1

of

2

distributed,

certain

tone-quality,its

uniformlysetting,

how

to

detach

a

melody from

harmonic

correct progression of parts,

and solve

all

such problems, but

will

never be ableis

to teach the

art of poetic orchestration.is

To

orchestrate

to create,

and

this

something which cannot be taught.It

is

a great mistake to say: this composer scores well,is

or, that

composition

well orchestrated, for orchestration

is

part of the

very soul of the work.orchestra,

A work

is

thought out in terms of theit

certain tone-colours being inseparable from

in

the

mind

of

its

creator and native toof

it

from the hour

of

its

birth.

Could the essencetration?

Wagner's music be divorced fromis

its

orches-

One might

as well say that a picture

well

drawn

in colours.

More than onecolour

classical

and modern composer has lacked thethe

capacity to orchestrate with imagination and power; the secret of

has remained

outside

range

of

his

creative faculty.to orchesof

Doestrate?

it

follow that these composers do not

know how

Many among them have hadmerecolourist.in

-greater

knowledge

the

subject than thetration?

Was Brahmshis

ignorant of orchesfind evidence of

And

yet,

nowhere

works do we

brilliant tone or picturesque fancy.

The

truth is that his thoughtsit.

did not turn towards colour; his

mind did not exactthis secret

The powermit,

of subtle orchestration is

a secret impossible to trans-

and the composer who possesses and never debaseit

should value

it

highly,

to

the level of a

mere

collection of

formulae learned by heart.

Here

I

may mention

the case of

works scored by others fromcomposer,

the composer's rough directions.

He who undertakes such workinto the spirit of thein all their essential

should enter as deeply as hetry to realise his intentions,

may

and develop them

features.

Though

one's

ownis

personality be subordinate to that of another,

such orchestration

nevertheless creative work.

But on the otheris

hand, to score a composition never intended for the orchestra,

an undesirable

practice.it.

Many musicians have madeIn

this

mistakein-

and

persist

in

(1)

any case

this is the

lowest form of

(1)

In the

margin

of the

MS. a question mark

is

added here.(Editor's note.)

process

3

my good

strumentation, akin to colour photography, though of course the

may be

well or badly done.it

to

As regards orchestration a first-rate school, andIn

has been

fortune to belong

I

have acquired tha most varied exhave had the opportunityofSt.

perience.all

the

first

place

I

hearingPeters-

my works

performed by the excellent orchestra of theSecondly,I

burgh Opera.

having experienced

leanings

towardssizes,

different directions,

have scored for orchestras of different

beginning with simple combinations (my opera Theis

May

Night

written for natural horns

and trumpets), and ending with theI

most advanced.

In the third place,

conducted the choir of the

Military Marine for several years and

was

therefore able to studyof

wind-instruments.pupils,

Finally

I

formed an orchestra

very young

and succeededof

in teaching

them

to play, quite competently,etc.

the

works

Beethoven, Mendelssohn, Glinka,to

All

this

has

enabled

me

present this

work

to

the public as the result of

long experience.

As aI.

starling-point

I

lay

downis

the following fundamental axioms:

In the orchestra thereOrchestral

no such thing _^as ugly quality of tone.be

II.

writing should

easy

to

play;

a

composer's

work standsIII.

the best chance

when

the parts are well written. (1)

A

work should be writtenit,

for the size of orchestra that is to

performpersist

not for

some imaginary body,is

as

many composersit

in

doing,

introducing brass instruments in unusual keysimpracticable becauseis

upon which the musicin theIt

not played

key the composer intends.difficult

is

to

devise any method of learning orchestration

without

a master.

As a general

rule

it

is

best to advance by

degrees from the simplest scoring to the most complicated.

The student

will

probably pass through the following phases:faith in

1.

the

phase during which he puts his entire

percussion instru-

has well expressed the various degrees of excellence in which he divides into three classes: 1. When the orchestra sounds well, playing from sight; magnificent, after a few rehearsals. 2. When effects cannot be brought off except with the greatest care and attention on the part(1)

A. Glazounov

scoring-,

of conductor

and players.in

3.

When

the orchestra never sounds well.is

Evi-

dently the chief aim

Orchestration

to

obtain the

first of

these results.1*

(Author's note.)

branchof the orchestra

4

2.

ments, believing that beauty of sound emanates entirely from this

this is the earliest stage;it

the period

when hechord;

acquires a passion for the harp, usingthe stage during

in every possible

3.

which he adores the wood-wind and

horns, using stopped notes in conjunction with strings, muted orpizzicato;4.

the

more advancedis

period,

when he has cometryis

to

recognise that the string groupofall.

the richest and most expressiveto

Whenof

the studentfirst

works alone he must

avoid the

pitfalls

the

three phases.

The

best planin

to study full-

scores,cultto

and

listen to

an orchestra, score

hand.

But

it

is

diffi-

decide what music should be studied and heard.

Music

of

all

ages, certainly, but, principally, that

which

is fairly

modern.

Fairly

modern musicwill

will teach the student

how

to

score

classicalLiszt,

music

prove of negative value to him.

Weber, Mendelssohn,andprove his best

Meyerbeer (The Prophet), Berlioz, Glinka, Wagner,

modern French and Russian composersguides.It

these

will

is

useless for a Berlioz or a Gevaert to quote examplesof Gluck.

from the works

The musical idiomsaid of Mozart

is

too old-fashioned

and strangetoday.of

to

modern

ears;

such examples are of no further use

The same may beorchestration).

and

of

Haydn

(the father

modern

Thehis

gigantic

figure

of

Beethoven

stands

apart.

His

music

abounds

in countless

leonine leaps of orchestral imagination, butindetail,

technique,

viewed

remains much

inferior

to

his

titanic

conception.

His use of the trumpets, standing out above

the rest of the orchestra, the difficult and

unhappy

intervals

he

gives to the horns, the distinctive features of the string parts andhis

often

highly- coloured

employment

of theof

wood-wind, theseto

features will

combine causing the studentin

Beethoven

stumble

upon a thousand and one pointsIt

contradiction.

is

a mistake

to

think that the beginner will light upon no simplein

and

instructive

examples

modern music,

in that of

Wagner andto

others.

On

the contrary,

clearer,

and better examples arein

bethe

found

amongst modern composers than

what

is

called

range of classical music.

5

Extract from the Preface to the last edition.My aimmodernin

undertakingin

this

work

is

to reveal the principles of

orchestration

a

somewhat

differentI

light

than

that

usually brought to bear upon the subject.principles in orchestrating

have followed theseto

my ownor

works, and, wishingI

impart

somefrom

of

myto

ideas to

young composers,given

have quoted examplesto

my own

compositions,

referencesis

them,

en-

deavouringis

show,

in all sincerity,

what

successful and

what

not.

No one can know

except the author himself the purposeof

and motives which governed him during the compositioncertain

a

work, and the practice of explaining the intentions

of a

composer, so prevalent amongst annotators, however reverent anddiscreet,

appears

to

me

far

from

satisfactory.

They

will attributeto a plain

a too closely philosophic, or excessively poetic

meaning

and simplegood;

fact.

Sometimes the respect which great composers'will

names command

cause inferior

examples

to

be quoted as

casfco of carelessness

or ignorance, easily explained by thegive rise to whole pages of

imperfections of current technique,

laborious exposition, in defence, or even in admiration of a faulty

passage.

This book

is

written for those

who havetreatise,

already studied instru-

mentation from Gevaert's excellent

or any other well-knownof a

manual, andtralI

who have some knowledge

number

of orches-

scores.shall therefore only just touch

on such technical questions asetc.

fingering, range, emission of

sound

(1)

The present work deals with

the combination of instruments in

separate groups and in the entire orchestral scheme; the different

means

of

producing strength of tone and unity of structure; the

sub-division of parts; variety of colour and expression in scoring,

the(1)

whole, principally from the standpoint of dramatic music.

A

short review of these various questions forms the

first

chapter of the

book.

(Editor's note.)

Chapter

1.

GENERAL REVIEW OF ORCHESTRAL GROUPS.

A. Stringed Instruments.The following is the formation of the number of players required in present daytheatre or concert-room.string

quartet

and the

orchestras, either in the

Whenever a grouppartsof

7

is

strings

written

for

more than

five

without

taking double notes or chords fnto consideration

these parts

may be

increased by dividing each one into two, three

and four

sections, or evenis

more

(divisi).

Generally, one or

more

of the principal parts

split up, the first

or second violins, violas1,

or violoncellos. The players are then divided by desks, numbers3, 5 etc. playing the upper part,

and

2, 4,

6

etc.,

the lower; or

else the musicianline,

on the right-handleft

of

each desk plays the topDividing by threesis is

the

one on the

the bottom line.of playersin

less

easy, as the

number

one group

not always

divisible

by

three,

and hence the

difficulty

of obtaining proper

balance.

Nevertheless there are cases where the composer should

not hesitate to employ this method of dividing the strings, leavingit

to

thetoI,

conductor to ensure equality of tone.

It

is

always asthe score;

well

mark howmoreparts

the

passagediv.

is

to

be divided

in

Vnias

1, 2,

3 desks, 6 'Cellosis

a 3, and so on.

Division into

four andit

rare, but

may be

used

in

piano passages,of strings.parts are very

greatly reducesIn

volume

of tone in the

group

Note.

small orchestras passages sub-divided into

many

hard

to realise,

and the

effect obtained is

never the one required.

String parts

may be.

divided thus:div.

^

rVni I I Vni II

div.div.

(VnillI

/Violas

div.

'Cellos div. f'Ce

^

Violas div.

^ I 'Cellos div.

^

I

D. basses

div.

Possible combinations less frequently used are:

fVn^I^I

div.'

rVnillI

div.

f

Violas div.

Violas div.It

'Cellos div.

^ I D. basses div.Still

Note.isis

is

evident that the tone quality in b and e will be similar.

b

preferable since the

number

of

Vni

II

(14

10

practically the same, the respective r61es of

8 and Violas (12 4) the two groups are more closely6)

allied,

and from thefirst,

fact that

second

violins generally sit nearer to the violas

than the

thereby guaranteeing greater unity in power and execution.will

The readerto the

findII.

all

manner

of

divisions

in

the musical

examples given

in Vol.

Where

necessary,

some

explanation asI

method

of dividing strings will follow inin order to

due course.

dwell

on the subject hereof the string quartet

show how

the usual composition

may be

altered.

Stringed instruments possess

8

of

more ways

producing sound thanbetter than

any other orchestral group.being of an

They can pass,

other

instruments from one shade of expression to another, the varietiesinfinite

number.

Species of bowing such as legato,

detached, staccato, spiccato, portamento, martellato, light staccato,saltando, attack at the nut

and

at the point,

nn Hall this

and V V V (downbelongsto the

bow and up

bow), in every degree of tone, fortissimo, pianissimo,

crescendo, diminuendo, sforzando,

morendo

natural realm of the string quartet.

The

fact

that thesefull

instruments are capable of playing double

notes and

chords across three and four stringsparts

to

say nothing

of sub-division of

renders(1).

them not only melodic but alsoandthe violin

harmonic

in

characterpointof

Fromcome

the

view of

activity

flexibility

takes pride of place

among

stringed instruments, then, in order,In jyactice the notes of

the viola, 'cello

and double bass.

extreme

limit in the string quartet

should be fixed as follows:

for violins:

(fe

,

for violas:

^^

u.

for 'cellos:

V'

,

for

double basses:

Higher notes giventhatis

in

Table A, should only be used with caution,

to

say

whenin

they are of long value, in tremolando, slow,

flowing

melodies,

not

too

rapid sequence of scales,

and

in

passages of repeated notes.Note.In

Skips should always be avoided.

quick passages for stringed instruments long chromatic figures

are never suitable; they are difficult to play and sound indistinct and muddled.

Such passages are better

allotted to the

wood-wind.

A

limit

should be set to the use of a high note on any one of

the three lower strings

on

violins,

violas

and

'cellos.

This note

should be the one

in

the fourth position, either the octave note

or the ninth of the open string.

(1) To give a list of easy three and four-note chords, or to explain the different methods of bowing does not come within the scope of the present book.

Nobility,

warmth, and equality

of

tone from one end of the scale tostringed instruments, and renderFurther,

the other are qualities

common

to all

themeachin

essentially superior to instruments of other groups.

string has a distinctive character of its

own,

difficult to define

words. The top string on the violin (E)

is brilliant in

character,

that of the viola

(A)

is

more

biting in quality

and

slightly nasal;

the highest string on the 'cello

(A)

is

bright and

possesses

a

"chest-voice" timbre.

Thethe

A

and

D

strings

on the

violin

and the

D

stringin

on the violas andtone

'cellos

are

somewhat sweeter andare rather harsh. Speak-

weakerviolin

than

others.

Covered strings (G)y on the'cello

(G and C), on the viola andthe

ing generally,

double bass

is

equally

resonant throughout,

slightly duller on the two lower strings (E and A), and more

penetrating on the upper onesNote.

(D and G).

Except

in the

case of pedal notes, the double bass rarely plays anmoving- in octaves or in unison with the 'cellos, or elseis

independentheard by

part, usually

doubling the bassoons. The quality of the double bass toneitself

therefore seldom

and the character

of its different strings is not so noticeable.

The

rare ability to connect sounds, or a series of sounds, theof

vibrationqualities

stopped strings

combined withof

their

above-namedthis

warmth"limits

and

nobility

tone

renderse. g.

group ofof

instruments far and away the best orchestralexpression.

medium

melodic

At the same time, that portion of their range situatedof

beyond thehigher than

the

human

voice,

notes on the violin

the

extreme top note of the soprano voice, from

upwards, and notes on the double bass below the range of thebass voice, descending from(written sound)

lose in expression

and warmth

of tone.

Open

strings are clearer

and more powerful but

less expressive than stopped strings.

Comparing the rangethe

of

each stringed instrument with that ofassign: to the violin, the soprano

human

voice,

we may

and

contralto voice plus atralto

10

higher register; to the'cello,

much

higher range; to the viola, the con-

and tenor voice plus a

much

the tenor and bass voices plus a higher register; to the doublebass, the bass voice plus a lower range.

The use

of

harmonics, the mute, and some special devices indifference in the resonance

bowing produce great

and tone

quality

of all these instruments.

Harmonics, frequently used

to day, alter the

timbre of a stringedin

instrument to a very appreciable extent.softlittle

Cold and transparent

passages, cold and brilliant in loud ones, and offering but

chance

for expression, they

form no fundamental part of orfor

chestral writing,their

and are used simply

ornament.

Owing

to

lack of resonant

power they should be used

sparingly, and,

when employed, should never be overpowered byAs aorrule

other instruments.

harmonics are employed on sustained notes, tremolando.,

here

and there

for brilliant

effects;

they are rarely used in

extremely simple melodies.the flute they

Owing

to a certain tonal affinity

with

may be

said to form a kind of link between string

and wood-wind instruments.Another radical changeis

effected

by the use

of mutes.

Whensoft

muted, the clear, singing tone of the strings becomes dull in

passages, turns to a slight hiss or whistle in loud ones, and the

volume

of tone is

always greatly reduced.

Theof

position of the

bow on

the string will affect the resonance

an instrument.

Playing with the

bow

close to the bridge (sul

ponticello),

chiefly used

tremolando, producer a metallic sound;dull,

playing on the finger-board (sul tasto, flautando) creates aveiled effect.Note.or

wood

Another absolutely different sound results from playing with the back of the bow {col legno). This produces a sound like a xylophone orIt

a hollow pizzicato.sustaining power.

is

discussed under the heading of instruments of

little

Theplusof

five

setsfairly

of

strings with

numberof

of players givenIf

above

produce a

evenit

balance

tone.

thereof

is

any surviolins,

strength

must

be

on

the

side

theof

first

as

they

must be heard

distinctly

on account

thethis,

important

part they play in the

harmonic scheme.inall

Besides

an extra

desk of

first

violins is usual

orchestras,

and as a general

11

rule

12

violins.

theylatter,

possess

a

more powerful tone than seconda

Thestand

with the violas, play soprominently.

secondary

part,

and do not

out

The

'cellos

and double basses areform the bass

heard morein octaves. In

distinctly,

and

in the majority of cases

conclusion

it-

may be

said that the group of strings, as aall

ipelodic element,

is

able to perform

manner

of passages, rapid

and interrupted phrasesin

of every description, diatonic or chromaticdifficulty,

character.

Capable of sustaining notes withoutto

of

playing

chords of three and four notes; adapted

the infinite

variety of shades of expression,

and

easily divisible into

numerousconsidered

sundry parts, the string group

in

an orchestra

may be

as an harmonic element particularly rich in resource.

B.

Wind'

instruments.

Wood-wind.constituent parts remains constant, satisfull

Apart from the varying number of players, the formation of thestring group, withits five

fying

the

demandsof

of

any orchestral

score.

On

the other

hand the group

number

of parts

wood-wind instruments varies both as regards and the volume of tone at its command, and hereat will.

the composer

may choose

The group may be divided13).

into

three general classes:

wood-wind instrumentson page

in pair's, in three's

and

in four's, (see table

Arabic numerals denote the number of players on each instru-

ment; roman figures, the parts

(isl,

2^

etc.).

Instruments which

do not require additional

players, but are taken over

by one or theand

other executant in place of his usual instrument, are enclosed inbrackets.

As a

rule the first flute, first oboe,

first

clarinet

first

bassoon never change instruments; considering the importance oftheir partsto another.it

is

not advisable for them to turn from one mouthpieceparts written for piccolo, bassflute,

The

English horn,

small clarinet, bass clarinet and double bassoon are taken by the

second andto

third players in

each group,

who

are

more accustomed

using these instruments of a special nature.

Wood-wind

13

strings;differentIn

14

they lack the vitality and power, and are less capable of

shade

of expression.I

each wind instrumentthat is to

have defined the scope of

greatestis

expression,

say the range in which the instrument

best qualified to achieve the various grades of tone, {forte, piano,cresc,of

dim., sforzando, morendo, etc.) the registerplaying,in

which admitsfor richness

the most expressive

the truest sense of the word.is

Outside this range, a wind instrumentof

more notable

colour than for expression.

I

am

probably the originator ofIt

the term "scope of greatest expression".

does not apply

to the

piccolo and double bassoon which represent the two extremes ofthe orchestral compass.

They do not possess such a

register

and

belongments.

to

the

bodyof

of highly-coloured but non-expressive

instru-

The four kindsbassoons

wind instruments:

flutes,

oboes, clarinets and

may beba^s

generally considered to be of equal power.

The

same cannot bepiccolo,

said of instruments

which

fulfil

a special purpose:

flute,

Eng. horn, small

clarinet,

bass clarinet and

double bassoon.

Each

of these instruments

has four registers: low,is

middle, high and extremely high, each of which

characteriseddefine

by certain differences of quality and power.together and the passage from one to another

It

is difficult to

the exact limits of each register; adjacent registers almost blendis

scarcely noticeable.

But

when

the

instrument jumps from one register to another the

difference in

power andfamiliesa)

quality of tone is very striking.

The

four

of

wind

instruments

may be

divided

into

two classes:

instruments of nasal quality and dark resonancein-

oboes and bassoons (Eng. horn and double bassoon); and b)strumentsof

"chest-voice"

quality

and bright tone and resonance

flutes

andin

clarinets (piccolo, bass flute, small clarinet, bass clarinet).

These characteristicsthe middle and

of

colour

expressed

too simple and rudimentary a form

are

specially noticeable inregister of the

upperthickis

registers.

The lowerstill

oboes

and bassoons

is

and rough, yetshrill,

nasal in quality; the

very high compassof the flutes

hard and dry.

The

clear resonancein the

and

clarinets acquiresin

something nasal and darkit

lower compass;piercing.

the very high register

becomes somewhat

Note to Table B.In the following

Table

B

the top note in each register serves as the bottom note

The note and bassoons. In the very high compass those notes are only given which can really be used; anything higher and not printed as actual notes are either too difficult to produce or of no artistic value. The number of sounds obtainable in the highest compass is indefinite, and depends, partly on the quality of the instrument itself, partly on theposition and application of the lips. The signs r== =:: are not to be mistaken for crescendo and diminuendo; they indicate how the resonance of an instrument increases or diminishes in relation to the characteristic quality of its timbre. The scope of greatest expression for each typical instrument is marked thus, under the notes the range is the same in each instrument of the same type.in the next, as the limits to

each register are not defined absolutely.

G

fixes the register of flutes

and oboes, C

for the clarinets

I

1

;

3 Oc

GO

18

Note. It is a difficult matter to define tone quality in words; we must encroach upon the domain of sight, feeling, and even taste. Though borrowed from these senses, I have no doubt as to the appropriateness of my comparisons, but, as a general rule definitions drawn from other sources are too elementaryto to

be applied

to music.

No condemnatory meaning however should be attached

my

descriptions, for in using the terms thick, piercing, shrill, dry, etc.is

my

object

to

express artistic fitness

in

words, rather than material exactitude.

Instrumental sounds which have no musical meaning are classed by me in the category of useless sounds, and I refer Jo them as such, giving my reasons. With the exception of these, the reader is advised to consider all other orchestral

timbres beautiful from antimes, to put

artistic point of

view, although

it

is

necessary, at

them

to other uses.is

Further on, a table of wind instruments

limit of range, defining different qualities of

appended, outlining the approximate tone and indicating the scope of

greatest expression (the piccolo and double bassoon excepted).

Flutes and clarinets are the(theinflutes

most

flexible

wood-wind instruments

in

particular),

but for expressivetfiis

power and

subtlety

nuances the clarinet supersedes them;of toneto

instrument can reduce

volumeby

a mereless

breath.

The nasal instruments, oboethisis

and bassoon, aretheir

mobile and supple;having

accounted for

double

reed, but,

to effect all sorts of scales

and

rapid

passages in

and bassoonsIn very quick

common with the flutes and clarinets, oboes may be considered melodic instruments in the realmorecantabile and peaceful character.flutes, clarinets

sense of the word, only of a

passages they often double thefamilies are

or strings.

Theplaying

four

equally

capableto

of

legato

and staccato

and

changing from one

the other in different ways,

but distinct and penetrating staccato passages are better suited to the

oboes and bassoons, while thesustainedlegato

flutes

and

clarinets excel in well-

phrases.

Composite

legato

passagesstacca'.o

should be

allotted to the firstto

two instruments, composite

passages

the latter

pair, but these general directions should not deter

the orchestrator from adopting the opposite plan.In

comparing the technical

indivitualities of the

wood-wind the

following fundamental differences should be noted:a)n*in'

The rapidto all

repetition of a single note by single tonguingrepitition of a single noteflute,

is

com-

wind instruments;is

by means

double tonguingb)

only possible on the

a reedless instrument.is

On

account of

its

construction the clarinetto

not well adapted

to

sudden leaps from one octave

another;

these

skips

are

easier

on

flutes,

oboes and bassoons.

c)

19

on oboes and bassoons.care must beto time.

Arpeggios and rapid alternation of two intervals legato sound

well on flutes

and

clarinets, but not

Wood-windpassages,

players

cannot manage extremely long sustained

as

they

are

compelled

to

take breath;rest

taken therefore to give them ais

little

from time

This

unnecessary in the case of string players.In the

endeavour

to characterise the

timbre of each instrumentI

typical of the

four families, from a psychological point of view,

do not

hesitate to

make

the following general remarks which apply

generally to the middle and upper registers of each instrument:a) Flute.

Coldoflight

in quality, specially suitable, in the

major key,

to to

melodies

and graceful character;

in

the minor key,

slight touches of transient sorrow.

b)

Oboe.

Artless

and gay

in

the major, pathetic and sad in

the minor.c) Clarinet.

Pliable

and expressive,

suitable, in the major, toto outbursts of

melodies of a joyful or contemplative character, ormirth; in the minor, to sad

and

reflective

melodies or impassioned

and dramatic passages.d) Bassoon.

In

the major, an atmosphere of senile mockery;

a sad, ailing quality in the minor.In the

extreme registers these instruments convey the following

impressions to

my

mind:

Lowa)

register

Very high

register

Flute

Dull, cold

Brilliant

b)c)

OboeClarinetRinging,

WildthreateningSinister

Hard, dryPiercingTense.

d)

BassoonIt

no mood or frame of mind, whether it be joyful or sadj mocking or distressed can be aroused by one single isolated timbre; it dep^ds more upon the general melodic line, the harmony, rhythm, and dynamic shades of expression, upon the whole formation of a given piece of music. The choice of instruments and timbre to be adopted depends on the position which m< lody and harmony occupy in the seven-octave scale of the orchestra; for example, a melody of light character in the tenor register could not be given to the flutes, or a sad, plaintive phrase in the high soprano register confided to the bassoons. But the ease with which tone colour can be adapted to expression must not be forgotten, and in the first of these two cases it may be conceded that the mocking character of the bassoon could easily and quite naturally assume a light-hearted aspect, andNote.is

true that

meditative or

lively,

careless or reflective,

2*

20

in the second case, that the slightly melancholy timbre of the flute is somewhat related to the feeling of sorrow and distress with which the passage is The case of a melody coinciding in character with the into be permeated. strument on which it is played is of special importance, as the effect produced There are also moments when a composer's cannot fail to be successful. artistic feeling prompts him to employ instruments, the character of which is at variance with the written melody (for eccentric, grotesque effects, etc.).

The following remarks illustrate the employment of special instruments:The dutyregister.

characteristics, timbre,

and

of

theof

piccolo and sm^ll clarinetthe ordinary flute and

is,

principally, toin

extend the range

clarinet

the highits

Theis

whistling, piercing quality of the piccolo in

highestitself

compass

extraordinarily powerful,

but does not lend

to

more moderate shades of expression. The small clarinet in its highest register is more penetrating than the ordinary clarinetThe low and middle rangebut the toneregions.is

of

the

piccolo

and smallflute

clarinetclarinet,

correspond to the same registerso

in the

normal

and

much weakerregister.still

that

it

is of little

service in those

Tlie double bassoonin the

extends the range of the ordinary

bassoon

low

The

characteristics of the bassoon'sin

low compass arerangeof the

further accentuated

the corresponding

double bassoon, but the middle and upper registers

of the latter are

by no means so

useful.

The very deepand densein

notes ofquality,

the double bassoon

are remarkably thick

very powerful in piano passages.Note.

Nowadays, when theto

limits of the orchestral scale are considerably

extended (upsimilarly,

the high

C

of the 7*h octave,

and downis

to

the low C, 16

ft.

contra octave), the piccolo forms an indispensable constituent of the wind-group;it

is

recognised that the double bassoon

capable of supplyingfor colour

valuable assistance.effects.

The small

clarinet is rarely

employed and only

The English horn, orto

alto

oboe (oboelow

in

F)

is

similar in toneits

the

ordinary oboe,

the listless,In the

dreamy

quality ofit

timbre pene-

being sweettrating.

in the extreme. clarinet,

register

is

fairly

The bassis

though strongly resembling the ordinary

clarinet,

of

darker colour in the low register and lacks thein

silveiy

quality

the upper notes;flute is

it

is

incapable of joyful ex-

pression.it

The bassthe

an instrument seldom used even today;butit

possesses

same

features as the flute,

is

colder in

colour,

21

Thesetheir

and

crystalline

in

the middle and high regions.

three particular instruments, apart from extending the low registersof the instruments to

which they belong, haveand are

own

distinctive

peculiarities of timbre,

often used in the orchestra, as solo

instruments, clearly exposed.Note.

Of the

six

special instruments referred to above, the piccolo and

double bassoon were the first to be used in the orchestra; the latter, however, was neglected after Beethoven's death and did not reappear until towards the

The Eng. horn and bass clarinet were employed initially the same century by Berlioz, Meyerbeer, and others, and for some time retained their position as extras, to become, later on, permanent orchestral factors, first in the theatre, then in the concert room. Very few attempts have been made to introduce the small clarinet into theendof the 191!l century.first

during the

half of

orchestra (Berlioz etc.); this instrument together with the bass flute is used in my opera-ballet Mlada (1892), and also in my most recent compositions.

The Christmas Night, and Sadko; the bass flute will also be found in The Legend of the Invisible City of Kitesh, and in the revised version of "Ivan theTerrible".

Of

late years the habit ofis

muting the wood-wind has come

into

fashion. This

done by

inserting a soft pad, or a piece of roUed-

up cloth into the bell of the instrument.

Mutes deaden the toneit is

of

oboes, Eng. horns, and bassoons to such an extent thatfor

possible

these instruments

to

attain

the

extreme limit

of

pianissimo

playing.

The muting

of clarinets isartificial

unnecessary, as they can play

quite softly

enough without

means.

Is

has not yet been

discoveredgreat

how

to

mute the

flutes;

such a discovery would render

service to

the piccolo.

The lowest note on the bassoon.

and on the oboe and Eng. horn

are impossibleeffect in the

when

the instruments are muted.

Mutes have no

highest register of wind instruments.

Brass.The formation of the group of brass instruments, like that of the wood-wind is not absolutely uniform, and varies ih different scores.The brass group may be dividedpondingfour's).

into three general classes corres(in

to

those of

the

wood-wind

pair's,

in three's,

and

in

22

Group corresponding to the wood- windin pair's

passages,the

23

sameforce;

strength; cornets have not quite the

horns, in fortethey havesoftly.

are

about one

half

as

strong,

but piano,

same weight as

other brass

instruments played

To

obtain an equal balance, therefore, the

marks

of expression in the

horns should be one degree stronger thanif

in the rest of the brass;

the

trumpetsp.

and trombones play pp,the

the

horns should be

markedforte

On

other hand,

to

obtain a proper balance into

passages,

two horns are needed

one trumpet or one

trombone.

Brass instruments are so similar in range and timbre that theis

discussion of register

unnecessary.

As a generalis

rule quality

becomes morevice versa,

brilliant as the

higher register

approached, and

with a decrease in tone.is

sweet; played // the tone

hard and "crackling".for swelling

Played pp the resonance is Brass instru-

ments possess a remarkable capacityto fortissimo,

from pianissimo

and reducing the tone

inversely, the sf

= p

effect

being excellent.

The following remarks asbe added:a)1.

to

character and tone quality

mayin

Trumpets (B\>tone,stirring

A).

Clearinfull

andforte

fairly

penetratingin

and rousing

passages;silvery, the

piano

phrases the high notes are

and

low notes

troubled, as though threatening danger.2.

Alto trumpetfirst

(in F).

Aninto

instrument of

my ownit

invention,In

used

by

me

the opera

ballet

Mlada.

the

deep register (notes 2afuller,

3

in the

trumpet scale)

possesses

clearer,alto

and

finer tone.

Two

ordinary trumpets

with

an

trumpet produce greater smoothness andSatis-

equality in resonance than three ordinary trumpets.fied withI

the beauty and usefulness of the alto trumpet,it

have consistently written for

in

my

later

works, com-

bined with wood-wind

in three's.alto

Note. To obviate the difficulty of using: the and some concert rooms, I have not broughtits

trumpet

in

ordinary theatres

into play the last four notes of

lowest register or their neighbouring chromatics; by this

means

the alto

trumpet part3.

may be

played by an ordinary trumpet in Bl> or A.(in

Small trumpetfor

E\>D).in

Invented byto

me

and usedvery

the

first

time

Mlada

realise

the

high

trumpet notes withoutthe instrumenttary band.Note.is

24

In

difficulty.

tonality

and range

similar to the soprano cornet in a mili-

The small trumpet, {B\^

A)

sounding an octave higher than the

ordinary trumpet has not yet appeared in musical literature.

b)

Cornets (m B\>to

A).

Possessing a quality of tone similarIt

the trumpet, but softer and weaker.rarely

is

a beautifultheatre or

instrument thoughconcert room.

employed today

in

Expert players can imitate the cornet tonevice versa. of this instrument is soft, poetical,

on the trumpet, andc)

Hornand

(in F).

The toneInfull

full

of beauty.

the lower registerin the upper.

it

is

dark and

brilliant;

round and

The middle notes

resemble those of the bassoon and the two instrumentsblend well together.

The horn,

therefore, serves as a linkIn spite of

between the brass and wood-wind.the horn has butlittle

valvesto pro-

mobility and would

seem

duced)

its

tone in a languid and lazy manner.

Trombone.brilliantis

Dark and threateningin the

in the deepest register,

and triumphant

high compass.

The piano

full

but somewhat heavy, the forte powerful and sono-

rous.

Valve trombones are more mobile than slide trombut thelatter

bones,

are

certainly

to

be preferred as

regards nobility and equality of sound, the more so fromthefact

that

these- instruments

are

rarely

required

to

perform quick passages, owingtheir tone.e)

to the special character of

Tuba. Thick and rough

in quality, less characteristic

than

the trombone, but valuable for the strength and beautyofits

low

notes.is

Like

the

double bass

and double

bassoon, the tuba

eminently useful for doubling, anit

octave lower, the bass of the group to which

belongs.

Thanks

to its valves, the tuba is fairly flexible.

The groupthroughoutits

of brass

instruments, though uniform in resonanceis

constituent -parts,

not so well adapted to expressive

playing (in the exact sense of the word) as the wood-wind group.Nevertheless, a scope of greatest expression

may be

distinguished

25

O u

a 3Uoa E

uCO(1>

>

'So

o

-

x:

H

in the

26

the piccolo and double

middleit

registers.

In

company withof

bassoonto

is

not given to the small trumpet (E\j(

D)Theis

and tubarapid and

play with

any great amount

expression.

rhythmical repitition of a note by single tonguingall

possible to

members

of the brass,

but double tonguing can only be donecornets.diffi-

on instruments with a small mouth-piece, trumpets and

These two instruments can execute rapid tremolando withoutculty.

The remarks onof

breathing, in the section devoted to theto the brass.

wood-wind, apply with equal force

The usebrass tone.

stopped

notes

and mutes

alters

the character of

Stopped notes can only be employed on trumpets,the shapeof

cornets and horns;the

trombones and tubas preventsthe bell.

hand from being insertedall

into

Though mutes

are

applied indiscriminately to

brass instruments in the orchestra,

tubas rarely posses them.in quality.

Stopped and muted notes are similar

On

the trumpet, muting a note produces a better toneit.

than stoppingIn the

horn both methods are employed; single notes are stopped

in short phrases,

muted

in longer ones.

I

do not propose

to describe

the difference between the two operations in detail, and will leavethe reader to acquire the

knowledge

for himself,

and

to

form an

opinion as toSufficientto

its

importance from his ownis

personal observation.

say that the tone

deadened by both methods,in forte passages,

assuming a wild "crackling" characterdull in piano.

tender and

Resonance

is

greatly reduced, the silvery tone of the

instrument to lost and a timbre resembling that of the oboe and

Eng. horn-f-

is

approached. Stopped notes (con sordino) are marked

underneath the note, sometimes followed by

0

denoting the

resumption of open sounds, senza sordini. Brass instruments,muted, produce aneffect of distance.

when

C.

Instruments of

little

sustaining power.

Plucked strings.When'Cellos,

the usual orchestral string quartet (Vni

I,

Vni

II,

Violas,thjC

D. basses) does notit

make

use of the bow, but plucksto

strings with the finger,

becomes

my mind

a

new and

inde-

pendent group withits

27

AssociatedI

own

particular quality of tone.

with the harp, which produces sound in a similar manner,siderit

con-

separatelyIn this

under the heading

of

plucked

strings.

Note.

plucked with a

be used

in

group may be classed the gmids, zither, balalaika; instruments such as the domra, (1) the mandoline etc., all of which may an orchestra, but have no place in the scope of the present book.quill,

Pizzicato.

Although capable of every degree of power fromcato playing has but small

// tois

pp, pizzi-

range

of expression,it

and

used chiefly

as a colour effect

On open

strings

is

resonant and heavy, onit

stopped strings shorter and duller; in the high positions

is

rather

dry and hard.

Table

D

on page 31 indicates the range

in

which pizzicato maytwo

be used on each stringed instrument.In

the orchestra, pizzicato

comes

into operation in

distinct

ways: a) on single notes, b) on double notes and chords.fingers of the rightpizz.

Thebow;

hand playing

pizz. are far less agile than the

passages therefore can never be performed as quickly as those

played arco.

Moreover, the speed of pizzicato playing depends upon

the thickness of the strings;it

on the double basses,violins.

for instance,

must always be much slower than on theIn

pizzicato

chords

it

is

better to

avoid open strings, which

produce a morefourthere

brilliant

tone than of covered strings.

Chordsattack,

of

notesis

allow

oi

greater

freedom and vigour

of

as

no danger

of accidentally touching a

wrong

note.

Naturalis

harmonics played

pizz. create a

charming

effect; the

tone

weak

however, and they are chiefly successful on the violoncello.

Harp.In

the

orchestra,

the

harp

is

almost entirely an harmonic orof

accompanying instrument.one harporpart,

The majority

scores

require

only

but in recent times composers have written for twoharps, which

even

three

are sometimes compressed into the

one part

(1)

A

russian instrument which, like the balalaika,

is

better

known abroad.

(Translator's note.)

28

Note. Full orchestras should include three or even four harps. My operas Sadko, The Legend of the Invisible City of Kitesh, and The Golden Cockerel are designed for t\yo harps, Mlada for three.

The

special function of the harp lies in the execution of chords,florid

and the

figures springing from

them.

As only four notes

at the most can be played by each hand, the notes of a chord

should be written close together, with not too great a space be-

tween one hand and the(arpeggiato);notifyit

other.

The chords must always be brokenotherwise

should

the

composer wishIn

he should

(non arpeggiato).

the middle and lower octaves the

resonancedually.In

of the strings is slightly prolonged,

and dies away gra-

changes

of

harmony

the player stops the vibration of

the strings with his hands, but, in quick modulations, thisis

method

not feasible, and the mixture of one chord with another produceseffect.It

a discordant

follows that

more

or less rapid figures can

only be realised clearly and neatly in the upper register of *he harp,

where the

strings are shorterrule, in the

and harder

in tone.

As a general

whole range

of the harp:

8

bassafirst to

only the notes of the

the fourth octave are used; the extremein special

notes in both compasses

may be employed

circumstances,

and

for doubling in octaves.is

The harp

essentially a diatonic instrument, since all chromatic

passages depend on the manipulation of the pedals.the harp does not lendtrator is advised toitself to

For

this

reason

rapid modulation, and the orches-

bear

this fact in

mind. But the

difficulty

may

be obviated by using two harpsNote.I

alternately. (1)

would remind the reader that the harp is not capable of double flats. For this reason, certain modulations from one key to another one, adjacent to it can only be accomplished enharmonically. For instance, the transition from C flat, G flat or D flat, major to their minor subdominant chords or keys is not possible owing to double flats. It is thereforesharps or double(I)

A

chromatic harp

without

pedals

has

now been

invented in France

(Lyon's system), on which the most abrupt modulations are possible.(Translator's note.)

necessarymajor.to

29

keys of B,it

start

enharmonically from theof

F

sharp or

C

sharp,

Similarly,

on account

double sharps,

is

impossible to change from

A

sharp,

DB

sharp orflat,

G

sharp, minor to their respective dominant major chordsflat,

or keys;

E

flat

and A

minor must be the starting-points.

Thealone.

technical operation

known

as glissando

is

peculiar to the harp

Taking

for granted

that the reader is conversant with the

methodspedals,it

of acquiring different scaleswill

by means

of

double-notched

be

sufficient to

remarkand

that glissando scalesto

producetime the

a

discordant

medleyto

of

sound owing

the length

of

stringseffect,

continue

vibrate,

therefore,

as a

purely musical

glissando can only be used in the upper octaves, quite piano,of

where the soundprolonged.

the strings

is

sufficienty

clear,

yet not too

Forte glissando scales, entailing the use of the lowerstrings are only permissible as embellishments.in

and middle

Glis-

sando passagesobtained, are

chords of the seventh and ninth, enharmonicallyas the above reservationsis

much more common, and

do not apply, every dynamic shade of toneharmonics can only consist

possible.

Chords

in

of three notes written close together^

two

for the left

hand and one

for the right.

The tender

poetic quality of theit

harp

is

adapted

to every dy-

namic shade, butAt least three,

is

never a very powerful instrument, and theit

orchestrator should treatif

with respect.

not

four

harpsfullis

in

unison

are

necessary,forte.

if

they are to be heard against a

orchestra playingit

The

more

rapidly a glissando passage

played, the louder

will

sound.

Harmonic notes on

the harp have great

charm but

little

resonance,

and are only possible played

quite softly.is

Speaking generally, the

harp, like the string quartet, pizzicato,

more an instrument

of

colour than expression.

Percussion instruments producing determinate sounds, keyed instruments.Kettle-drums.Kettle-drums, indispensable to every theatre and concert orchestra

occupy the most important placements.

in the

group

of percussion instru-

A

pair of kettle-drums (Timpani), in the tonic and domito,

nant keys, was the necessary attribute of an orchestra up

and

:

tury onward, in western Europe

30

in Russia,

including Beethoven's* time, but, from, the middle of the WJl cen-

and

an ever-increasing

need was

felt

for the presence of three or even four kettle-drums,If

during the whole course or part of a work.

the expensive

chromatic drum, permitting instant tuningin the majority ofrally to

is

rarely

met

with,

still,

good orchestras, three screw drums are genebe found. The composer can therefore tdke it for grantedtimpanist, having three kettle-drums at his

that a

good

command,

will

be able to tune at least one of them during a pause of

some

length.

Thedered

limitsto be:

of possible

change

in

Beethoven's time was consi-

(chromaticatly)

(cVw*^'^*'^

Bigkettle-drura

4|;

^.^it

^"to

Smallkettle-drum:.

4yP

In

these days

is

difficult

define the precise extent of high

compassandbutI

in the kettle-drums, as this of

depends

entirely

on the size

quality of the smallest one,

which there are many kinds,

advise the composer to select:CcMomaV.caV^

^madefor

Note.ballet

A

magnificent kettle-drum of very small size wasthis

my

opera-

Mlada;

instrument gave the Z)> of the

fourtii octave.

Kettle-drums are capable of every dynamic shade of tone, from

thundering fortissimo to a barely perceptible pianissimo.

In tre-

molando they can execute the most gradual crescendo, diminuendOythe sfp and morendo.

To deaden

the sound, a piece of cloth

is

generally placed on

the skin of the drum, according to the instruction: timpani coperti(muffled drums).

Piano and Celesta.The useis

of a piano in the orchestra (apart

from pianoforte con(1).

certos) belongs almost entirely to the russian school

The object

two-fold:

the quality of tone, either alone, or combined with

(1)

Rimsky-Korsakov's opera Sadko and Moussorgsky's Boris Godounov(Translator's note.)

are particularly interesting in this respect.

31

Table D.Pizzicato.

Violin.

Viola.

Violoncello.

Double bass.

^

The black notes are dry and hard, without resonance, and should only beused when doubled with the wood-wind.

*

Table E.

Glockenspiel, celesta, xylophone.

Glockenspiel(with keyboard!.

Glockenspiel(ordinary).

Celesta.

Xylophone.

)

This note

is often

missing.

that of the harp, is

32

popular instrument, the guzli,

made

to imitate a

(as in Glinka), or a soft peal of bells.

When

the piano forms partis

of

an orchestra, not as a solo instrument, an uprightpianoit

preferable

to a grand, but today the

is

gradually being superseded byIn the celesta, small steel

the celesta,

first

used by Tschaikovsky.

plates take the place of strings,

and the hammers

falling

on them

produce a delightful sound, very similar to the glockenspiel.celestait

The

is

only found in

full

orchestras;

when

it

is

not available

should be replaced by an upright piano, and not the glockenspiel.

Glockenspiel, Bells, Xylophone.

The

glockenspiel

(campanelli)

may be madetypeis

of steel

bars, or

played with a keyboard.

Theits

first

theof

more

satisfactoryis

and posesses greater resonance.similartrating.

The useis

the glockenspielbrilliant

to

the celesta,in the

but

toneof

more

and pene(1),

Big bells

shape

hollow discs or metal tubes

or real church bells of moderate size

may be

considered more as

theatrical properties than orchestral instruments.

The xylophone

is

a species of harmonica composed of strips orlittle

cylinders of wood, struck with twoclattering sound, both powerful

hammers.

It

produces a

and piercing.

To completethe bow.

this

catalogue of sounds mention should be

made

of the strings playing col legno, that is with the

wood

or back of

The sound produced

is

similar to the xylophone, andis

gains in quality as the number of players

increased.

Aspiel

table is

appended showing the range

of 'the celesta, glocken-

and xylophone.

Percussion instruments producing indefinite sounds.Instruments in this group, such as triangle, castanets,little

bells,

tambourine, switch or rod {Rule. Gen), side or military drum, cymbals, bass

drum, and Chinese gong do not take any harmonic orin

melodic part

the

orchestra,

and can only be considered as

ornamental instruments pure and simple.(1) Recently, bells

They have no

intrinsic

have been made

of

suspended metal plates possessing the(Editor's note.)

rare quality of a fairly pure tone, and which are sufficiently portable to be used

on

the concert platform.

-

33

Thefirst

musical meaning, and are just mentioned by the way.three m^ay be considered as high, the four following as

medium^

and theto

last

two as deep instruments.

This

may

serve as a guide

their

use with percussion instruments of determinate sounds,

playing in corresponding registers.

Comparison

resonance in orchestral groups and combination of different tone qualities.ofof the respective

In

comparing the resonance

gr