Principles of Orchestration Part 37

_Examples:_

_Snegourotchka_ [[64]].

_Sadko_ [[208]] (cf. Ex. 14).

Progression in octaves.

The most beautiful and natural combinations are sopranos and tenors 8 [Sopr./Ten., altos and ba.s.ses 8 [Altos/Ba.s.ses; they produce a tone both brilliant and powerful. Progression of sopranos and altos, or tenors and ba.s.ses is seldom practised. Though the latter combinations may occur in choruses for women and men alone, they can only be used in melodies of restricted length. The difference of register in which the voices move does not permit of the same balance of tone obtained by voices of a distinctive kind.

_Examples:_

_Snegourotchka_ [[60]], [[61]]--Carnival Procession.

" [[113]]--Wedding Ceremony.

_Sadko_ [[37]]--Chorus of Guests, 1st Tableau.

Dividing kindred voices in octaves is seldom done, 8 [Sopr. I/Sopr. II etc., except perhaps in the ba.s.ses 8 [Ba.s.ses I/Ba.s.ses II, when the progression of parts demand it, or it is required to double the ba.s.s part in octaves.

_Examples:_

_Ivan the Terrible_, Act III [[68]]--Final chorus (cf. Ex. 312).

_Sadko_ [[341]]--Final chorus.

A beautifully round tone results from doubling men's and women's voices in octaves 8 [Sopr. + Altos/Ten. + Ba.s.ses.

_Example:_

_Snegourotchka_ [[323]]--Final chorus.

Brilliance and vigour is achieved when sopranos and altos progress in thirds doubled in octaves by tenors and ba.s.ses also in thirds: 8 [Sopr./Altos] 3/[Ten./Ba.s.ses] 3.

_Examples:_

_Mlada_, Act I [[24]]; Act II, before [[31]].

_The Golden c.o.c.kerel_ [[235]].

On the rare occasions when the whole chorus progresses in double octaves the usual arrangement is:

Sopr. + Altos] 8 [Sopr.

8 [Ten. ] 8, or else [Altos + Ten. ]

[Ba.s.ses Ba.s.ses] 8.

_Examples:_

_Snegourotchka_ [[319]].

_Sadko_ [[182]].

Voices (_divisi_); harmonic use of the mixed chorus.

The purely harmonic progression of a four-part mixed chorus is more natural and resonant when the harmony is of the widely divided order, so that the volume of tone is equally distributed throughout.

_Example:_

No. 307. _Sadko_ [[144]]--Beginning of 3rd tableau.

To secure a well-balanced _forte_ chord in close part writing the following distribution is recommended:

[Sopr. I [Sopr. II

Altos

[Ten. I [Ten. II

[Ba.s.ses I [Ba.s.ses II.

Three harmonic parts in the high register (2 sopranos and altos) are doubled an octave lower by 2 tenors and the 1st ba.s.ses. The lower part is undertaken by the 2nd ba.s.ses. In this manner the tenors sing in the soprano octave, the 1st ba.s.ses in the alto octave and the 2nd ba.s.ses are independent.

_Examples:_

_Snegourotchka_ [[327]]--End of the work.

_Mlada_, Act II [[20]]--Procession of Princes.

_Ivan the Terrible_, Act II [[19]] (cf. Ex. 212).

Division of parts can be adopted when one of them is entrusted with a melody, the remainder forming a sufficiently full accompaniment. The choice of parts to be divided depends upon the range of the upper one.

When a harmonic-melodic phrase is repeated in different keys and registers, it may be necessary to distribute the parts and divide them in another manner, so as to maintain proper choral balance. As an ill.u.s.tration I give two extracts of identical musical context, the second (_F_ major) being a third higher than the first (_D_ major). In the first example the altos are added to the sopranos to strengthen the melody; the tenors and ba.s.ses _divisi_ form the harmony. In the second example the melody being a third higher may be given to the sopranos alone; the altos therefore take part in the harmony, and consequently the lower parts are divided in a different way.

_Examples:_

_Sadko_ [[173]] and [[177]] (cf. Ex. 205 and 206); compare also the same music in _G_ major [[189]].

No. 309-310. _Ivan the Terrible_, Act I [[77]].

Example 307 is an instance of widely-s.p.a.ced four-part writing forming the harmonic basis, with the melodic idea in the orchestra. In Example 308, the same in musical context, the melodic figure is given to the sopranos, and among the other parts which form the harmony the tenors are divided.

_Example:_

No. 308. _Sadko_ [[152]].

In polyphonic writing exceeding 4 part harmony the voices should be divided so as to obtain the necessary number of actual parts. One part may be divided into as many as three different parts, 3 sopranos, 3 altos etc.

_Examples:_