Music 312 Mini-Etude #3: Orchestrating for Large Ensemble (Spring 2009)

Overall Requirements

• Johannes Brahms, Waltzes Op. 39 No. 1
• Johannes Brahms, Waltzes Op. 39 No. 12
• Sergey Prokofiev, Visions Fugitives, Op. 22: XV. Inquieto
• Maurice Ravel, À la manière de Emmanuel Chabrier

See below for links to scores and recordings.

Those with very limited experience writing for instruments should choose one of the Brahms pieces and orchestrate for a standard string orchestra (no winds, brass, or percussion). Those with more experience should choose any of the given pieces orchestrate for a full orchestra of double winds, brass, timpani, percussion, and strings.

Deadline

First version (complete!)
     Thursday, March 5, hardcopy, in class

Final version with revisions
     Thursday, April 2, hardcopy, in class

Instrumentation

String Orchestra:

violin 1
violin 2
violas
cellos
contrabasses

You may divide each string section into two (divisi) if desired.

Full Orchestra:

2 flutes
2 oboes
2 Bb clarinets
2 bassoons
4 horns
2 B-flat trumpets
2 trombones
timpani (4 drums maximum)
2 percussion players (use any standard percussion)
violin 1
violin 2
violas
cellos
contrbasses

Guide to instrument ranges

Score Layout

Use a notation program such as Finale or Sibelius.

You may use a shared staff for the wind and brass parts (for example 2 clarinets on one staff) or you can use separate staves for each instrument. Horns may be noted with parts 1 and 2 on a single staff and 3 and 4 on another staff, or if your horn parts are sufficiently complicated they may reside on 4 separate staves. When notating 2 instruments on a staff the division of players must be completely clear. Indicate "a2" if both players play the same line, "1." if player one, "2." if player 2. Never write "divisi" on a wind or brass staff as this is only used for string sections.

Scores, Recordings, and Model Orchestrations

For each of the pieces you should study orchestrations of other pieces done by the given composer. Note: you must be logged in to classesv2 in order view scores and listen to recordings.

Johannes Brahms

Waltzes Op. 39 No. 1

• piano score
• recording

Waltzes Op. 39 No. 12

• piano score
• recording

Study Brahms's orchestration of the Hungarian Dances No. 1 and No. 3 and compare with the solo piano versions.

Hungarian Dances No. 1

• piano score
• piano recording
• orchestral score
• orchestral recording

Hungarian Dances No. 3

• piano score
• piano recording
• orchestral score
• orchestral recording

Sergey Prokofiev

Visions Fugitives, Op. 22 XV. Inquieto

• piano score
• recording

Study Prokofiev's orchestration in the Love of 3 Oranges Suite and compare the March movement to Prokofiev's own piano transcription.

The Love for 3 Oranges Suite, Op. 33bis (1919) III. March

• piano score
• piano recording
• orchestral score
• orchestral recording

Maurice Ravel

À la manière de Emmanuel Chabrier

• piano score
• recording

Study Ravel's orchestration of Le Tombeau de Couperin and compare with the piano version.

Le Tombeau de Couperin - Rigadoun

• piano score
• piano recording
• orchestral score
• orchestral recording

Score Preparation — the score requirements include:

1. 8.5"x11" page (portrait orientation). If your orchestration is complex with many staves, print on 11"x17" paper.
2. Title page with complete information - title, composer, orchestrator, instrumentation
3. Preface page (back of cover page in a double sided layout) - complete instrumentation including all percussion, include any special instructions
4. 1st score page - score transposition, title, composer, all instruments with full instrument names, copyright
5. Subsequent pages - page numbers, abbreviated instrument names
6. Tempo markings at the beginning and throughout as needed
7. Dynamics throughout
8. Articulations throughout
9. Phrasings and/or bowings throughout
10. Rehearsal letters and measure numbers throughout
11. Other performance or expression markings
12. Spiral-bound; two-sided printing

Audio recording — create an audio CD of your Mini-Etude #3, exporting the audio recording from Sibelius 5 or Finale 2008