Berlioz - Instrumentation

Question 1

How big was Berlioz’s Orchestra?

Answer 1

Ground breaking in its size!

Question 2

What does the woodwind section consist of?

Answer 2

 Two flutes with the second flautist changing to piccolo in bar 409.
 Two oboes
 Two clarinets in B♭ (transposing instrument which sounds down a major second)
 Four bassoons.

Question 3

What does the brass section consist of?

Answer 3

 Four horns: horns I and II in E♭ (transposing instrument which sounds down a major sixth) and horns III and IV in C
 Two trumpets in C
 Two cornets à pistons in G (an early type of cornet).

Question 4

What does the percussion section consist of?

Answer 4

 Timpani (two, tuned to C and G, the tonic and dominant notes).

Question 5

What does the string section consist of?

Answer 5

 First and second violins (he states at least 15 in each section)
 Violas (stating at least 10)
 Cellos (he specifies at least 11)
 Double basses (at least 9).

Question 6

How does the instrumentation change from the second movement onwards?

Answer 6

It gets even larger, with harps and more percussion instruments added!

Question 7

The strings play ‘con sordino’ at the start. What does this mean?

Answer 7

Muted - makes the sound less bright.

Question 8

What marking/words on the score (e.g. at bar 17) tells the string players to remove the mute?

Answer 8

‘Senza sordino’.

Question 9

At bar 17 the strings are also told to ‘a punta d’arco’. What does this mean?

Answer 9

Play at the point (the tip) of the bow to create a more delicate sound.

Question 10

What does pizzicato mean?

Answer 10

Plucked string (not bowed).

Question 11

What is the opposite of pizzicato?

Answer 11

Arco (with the bow).

Question 12

At bar 121 the string players are told to ‘double corde’. What does this mean?

Answer 12

Double stop - meaning play 2 strings with the bow at the same time.

Question 13

Why does Berlioz tell the players to ‘double corde’?

Answer 13

String players sit together in pairs. When there are 2 notes at the same time the players may divide (marked as ‘divisi’) in the music one player will play the top note and the other player will play the bottom note, by specifically stating that they should both play both notes as a double stopped chord.

Question 14

At bar 34 strings are told to play ‘tremolo’ What does this mean?

Answer 14

Rapidly repetition of the same note with the bow. It can create a sense of drama and urgency.

Question 15

At bar 64 the timpani player is told to used ‘baguettes de bois’. What does this mean?

Answer 15

Use wooden sticks.

Question 16

At bar 329 the timpani player is told to use ‘baguettes d’eponge’. What does this mean?

Answer 16

Use sponge sticks.

Question 17

Why does Berlioz use so many different performance techniques?

Answer 17

To create changes in timbre for expressive effect.

Question 18

How does the timpani play at bar 330?

Answer 18

It plays a drum roll (rapidly repeats the same note).

Question 19

Sometimes the instruments are marked ‘portato’. What does this mean?

Answer 19

‘Semi-staccato’ - so not quite fully staccato. Sometimes this can be described as ‘articulated legato’ - i.e. half smooth.

Question 20

The ‘idee fixe’ is marked as ‘canto espressivo’. What does this mean?

Answer 20

In an ‘expressive singing style’.