Books by Welter Piston HARMONY COUNTERPOINT SO ORCHESTRATION by WALTER PISTON PROFESSOR OF MUSIC, HARVARD UNIVERSITY LONDON VICTOR GOLLANCZ LTD 1969First published November 1955 Second impression June 1958 “Third impression May 1961 ee Fourth imprenion September 15 ith impresio May 1959, 75 coset 8 ‘ CONTENTS Be Music FOREWORD vii MT | ese ONE - THE INSTRUMENTS OF THE ORCHESTRA 1965K 1. STRINGED INSTRUMENTS 3 coma 2. THE VIOLIN 37 a - 3. THE VIOLA 65 UNIVERSITY 4. THE VIOLONCELLO 80 OF TASMANIA 5. THE DOUBLE-BASS 98 LIBRARY 6. WOODWIND INSTRUMENTS 14 f 7. THE FLUTE 128 8. THE OBOE 146 ‘ EC ot 9. THE CLARINET 163 RESOURCE MATERIALS CENTRE 10. THE BASSOON 188 11, BRASS INSTRUMENTS 206 1a, THe HRN as \) 13. THE TRUMPET 246 y 14. THE TROMBONE 267 15. THE TUBA 282 PRINTED IN GREAT BRITAIN BY 16, PERCUSSION INSTRUMENTS. 296 ows ano mevoone pnitund Limi, LONDOR, $2.10 ne mane to 18, KEYBOARD INSTRUMENTS 34019. a. aa. 23. 24. 25. 26. 27. 29. ORCHESTRATION TWO ANALYSIS OF ORCHESTRATION ‘TYPES OF TEXTURE—TYPE 1, ORCHESTRAL UNISON 355 TYPES OF TEXTURE—TYPE II, MELODY AND ACCOM- PANIMENT 364. TYPES OF TEXTURE—TYPE lll, SECONDARY MELODY 374 TYPES OF TEXTURE—TYPE 1V, PART WRITING 382 ‘TYPES OF TEXTURE—TYPE ¥, CONTRAPUNTAL TEXTURE 388 TYPES OF TEXTURE—TYPE VI, CHORDS 396 ‘TYPES OF TEXTURE—TYPE Vil, COMPLEX TEXTURE 405 THREE - PROBLEMS IN ORCHESTRATION ORCHESTRATION OF MELODY 4t5 BACKGROUND AND ACCOMPANIMENT Bt SCORING OF CHORDS “4 VOICE LEADING AND COUNTERPOINT 452 CONCLUSION 461 INDEX 463 FOREWORD of composing music. The sounds made by the orchestra are the ultimate external manifestation of musical ideas germi- nated in the mind of the composer. One skilled in the technique of or- chestration may practice a somewhat lesser art of transcribing for orchestra music originally writcen for another medium. This can be a fine though difficule art, provided the orchestrator is able to put him- self momentarily in the composer's place, and, so to speak, to think the composer's thoughts. Failing this, the result is unlikely to amount to more than a display of skill and craft, often of a superficial and artificial nature. Orchestration, in the sense here employed, refers to the process of writing music for the orchestra, using principles of instrumental eom- bination essentially those observed operating in the scores of Haydn, Mozart, and Beethoven. It is @ common technique, employed in present-day symphonic music as well as in that of the classical and romantic periods. For the present purposes it will not be considered to embrace earlier processes based on improvisation, fortuitous instru- mental balance, and the stabilizing influence of a keyboard instrument, with basso continuo. The technical equipment of both composer and orchestrator must include a thorough knowledge of the individual instruments, thi capabilities and characteristics, and a mental conception of the sound of each. Then the effects and resources of instrumental combination must be learned, involving such matters as balance of tone, mixed tone colors, clarity in texture, and the like. Finally, the orchestra is to be sensed as itself an individual instrument, flexibly employed to present the music, in form and content, with fidelity and effectiveness. T" true art of orchestration is inseparable from the creative act