Principles of Orchestration Part 7

No. 16. _The Golden c.o.c.kerel_ [[71]]. Violas + 'Cellos muted.

d) Violins + 'Cellos.--A combination similar to the preceding one. The 'cello tone prevails and the resonance is fuller.

_Examples:_

No. 17. _Snegourotchka_ [[288]]. "Spring descends upon the lake".

Vns I + Vns II + 'Cellos + Eng. horn. The same _cantabile_ as in Ex. 9, and 15. The Eng. horn is absorbed in the musical texture, the princ.i.p.al colour being that of the 'cellos. Still more powerful in resonance.

No. 18. _The May Night._ Act III [[L]]. Chorus of _Roussalki_. The combination of the solo 'cello with the violins gives the latter a touch of the 'cello timbre.

e) Vns I + II + Violas + 'Cellos.--Combining violins, violas and 'cellos in unison is not possible except in the alto-tenor register; this process unites the full resonance of the instruments into an _ensemble_ of complex quality, very tense and powerful in _forte_ pa.s.sages, extremely full and rich in _piano_.

_Examples:_

No. 19. _Sheherazade_, 2nd movement [[P]].--Energetic phrase _ff_.

_Mlada_, Lithuanian dance, before [[36]].

_Mlada_, Act III. [[40]].--Cleopatra's dance. _Cantabile_ embellished in oriental fas.h.i.+on.

f) Violoncellos + D. ba.s.ses.--A combination of rich full resonance, used occasionally for phrases in the very low register.

_Examples:_

No. 20. _Sadko_ [[260]].--A persistent _forte_ figure, severe in character.

No. 21. _Legend of Kitesh_ [[240]].--A _pianissimo_ phrase, sinister and horrible in character.

Stringed instruments doubling in octaves.

a) Vns I and Vns II in octaves.

This is a very common process used for all kinds of melodic figures, in particular those in the very high register. It has already been stated that the _E_ string diminishes in fulness of tone the higher it ascends from the limits of the soprano voice. Moreover, melodic figures in the very high register of the violins become too isolated from the rest of the _ensemble_ unless doubled in octaves. Such doubling secures expression, fulness of tone and firmness of timbre.

The reader will find numerous examples of violins in octaves; a few are added below, chiefly broad and expressive phrases.

_Examples:_

No. 22. _The Tsar's Bride_ [[166]]. _Cantabile, piano._

_The Tsar's Bride_ [[206]]. _Cantabile, mezzo-piano_; the lower part is in unison with the soprano voice.

_Sheherazade_, 3rd movement [[J]]. _Cantabile_ in _G_ major; _dolce_ and _cantabile_ (the same as Ex. 12).

No. 23. _The Legend of Tsar Saltan_ [[227]]. Melody with reiterated notes, _dolce, espress. e cantabile_.

_Sadko_, Symphonic tableau [[12]]. Vns I/Vns II] 8 muted. A short dance phrase _pianissimo_, given first to the violas, then to the violins (cf. Ex. 6).

No. 24. _Sadko_, opera [[207]]. Perhaps an unique example of its kind; violins playing in the very extremity of the high register.

_Note._ This pa.s.sage is difficult but nevertheless quite playable. One or two desks of the 1st Violins are sufficient to double the melody in the upper octave, all the other 1st Violins can play the octave below. In this way the piercing quality of the highest notes will be diminished, the melody will acquire a clearer and more pleasant sound, and the expressive tone quality of the lower octave will be strengthened.

* _The Golden c.o.c.kerel_ [[156]].

* " " " [[165]].

* _Antar_, 1st movement [[11]].

* No. 25. _Ivan the Terrible_, Act III [[63]].

b) Violins _divisi_ in octaves.

First and second violins divided in two parts and progressing in octaves will deprive the melody of resonance, since the number of players is diminished by half, the consequences being specially noticeable in small orchestras. Nevertheless the method can be used occasionally when the strings are doubled by the wood-wind, and when the melody falls in a sufficiently high register.

_Examples:_

_Snegourotchka_ [[166]].--Vns I/Vns II] 8 _mezzo-forte espressivo_. Partial doubling of Coupava's song (Sopr.). One flute and one oboe double the melody.

No. 26. _Snegourotchka_ [[283]].--Chorus of Flowers--2 Vns soli/Vns I + Fl. I] 8. _Pianissimo cantabile_ in two octaves, progressing with the women's chorus (Sopr. I), and given out earlier by the Eng. horn. The flute and all the 1st Violins except two play in the lower octave, the two solo violins, only, in the upper. The solo desk will be sufficiently prominent owing to the general _pianissimo_.

c) Violins and Violas in octaves.

First and second Violins progressing with the Violas in octaves is a common method, especially when the lower octave in the melody happens to go below the open _G_ string on the violins.

1. Vns (I or II)/Violas] 8.

_Example:_

_Snegourotchka_ [[137]], finale of Act I. Quick melody, _piano_.

2. Vns I + II/Violas] 8 and 3. Vns I/Vns II + Violas] 8.

These two distributions are not exactly the same. The first should be used to obtain greater brilliance in the upper part, the second to give the lower part a fuller and more _cantabile_ quality.

_Examples:_

No. 27. _Sadko_, before [[181]].--Vns I + II/Violas] 8. Quick animated pa.s.sage, _forte_, introducing reiterated notes.

No. 28. _Snegourotchka_ [[137]], finale to Act I--Vns I/Vns II + Violas] 8. _Cantabile_ phrase, transmitted to the flute and clarinet (cf. Ex. 8).

d) Violas and Violoncellos in octaves.

Of special use when the Violins are otherwise employed.

_Example:_