Stravinsky - Orchestration Flashcards
What does ‘orchestration’ mean?
Setting music for an orchestra to play. Some music is written for orchestra from the very beginning - i.e. as the composer imagines and creates it. Other instances occur where the composer may take a piece s/he has written on (eg) a piano and turn it into a version for an orchestra.
What was the size of the orchestra Stravinsky used for ‘The Rite of Spring’?
Huge - one of the largest ever.
What is quintuple woodwind?
This is when 5 parts are written for each woodwind instrument section. I.e 5 flutes/piccolos; 5 oboes/cor Anglais; 5 clarinets/bass clarinet; 5 bassoons/bass bassoon. This would give 20 woodwind parts!!!!
Describe the flute section used in the piece.
Three flutes, piccolo (high pitched flute), alto flute (lower pitched transposing instrument in G - sounds 4 notes lower than written).
Which is lower in pitch - Cor Anglais or Oboe?
Cor Anglais is lower and more mellow.
What is the correct order of pitch from low to high of the 3 types of clarinet used (clarinet in Bb, clarinet in D, bass clarinet in Bb)
Lowest: Bb Bass Clarinet
Middle: Bb Clarinet
Highest: Clarinet in D
Which is the lowest instrument - bassoon or double bassoon?
Double bassoon (think ‘double bass’).
What is the size of the brass section?
Extra Large: (eight horns, five trumpets, three trombones, two tubas).
What is the lowest pitched brass instrument?
Tuba
What instruments are used in the percussion section?
Large percussion section, including two timpani players and parts for tuned cymbals, tam-tam
(large orchestral gong) and guiro, etc.
What type of strings are used in the piece?
Standard string section: Violin 1 & 2; Viola, Cello, Double Bass
In which context is Italian used in the score?
The instrument names are in in Italian.
What aspect in the score is written in French?
The key of the instruments used, e.g. a Horn in F is written as Corno (Italian) in Fa (F)
What clef does the Bassoon start with?
The Alto (C clef), meaning middle C is the second line down on the stave.
What is unusual about the opening orchestration?
It is a solo bassoon playing quite high up (C an octave above middle C).
Why does Stravinsky use techniques like repeated down bows in the strings?
This gives more emphasis, power, aggression.
Stravinsky uses double stopped chords. What is this?
Playing a chord on a string instrument - 2 notes at once.
Why would Stravinsky use double stopping?
Thicken the texture for expressive effect.
The double bass plays harmonics at figure 10. Explain what this means.
When the player rests her finger lightly on the string at a particular point then bows. The sound is a high pitched pure version of the string.
Why do you think Stravinsky used harmonics?
To create change in timbre for expressive effect - a harmonic creates a particularly pure sound.
Explain what pizzicato is?
When the string is plucked (NOT BOWED).
Where does Stravinsky use pizz?
Eg. Violin 2 figure 4.
Why do you think Stravinsky uses pizzicato?
For expressive effect - the timbre is very different. It can sound creepy, or comic, or soft, or jolly depending on the context of the music.
Strings are frequently divided in the piece. What does this mean?
This means that the 5 string instrument sections of the orchestra (violin 1, violin 2, viola, cello, D-bass) will be further sub-divided - e.g. violin 1 might be split into 2 groups, each group playing a different melodic/harmonic line. In the ROS at figure 10 there are 6 separate double bass parts!
Why do you think Stravinsky sometimes uses divided strings?
Make the musical texture fuller. Make the harmony more complex, and consequently more varied and perhaps interesting.
What is a glissando?
Sliding from one note to another note.
Give an instance of Stravinsky using Glissando techniques.
Figure 11 in the violas.
At figure 10 the celli play ‘Con sordino’. What does this mean?
With the mute - a little bit of rubber is attached to the bridge of the string instrument creating a duller tone. It can sound quite heart wrenching.
At figure 10 the violi play ‘Col legno’. What does this mean?
Hit the string with the wood of the bow.
What effect does ‘Col Legno’ give to the music?
A kind of angst, incessant tapping, foreboding (as if something bad is going to happen).
In what ways does the trumpet timbre get varied?
(1) muted (object placed in the bell) (2) use of high pitch trumpet part (hard to play); (3) use of the trumpet in D (normally trumpet in Bb is used).
What role do the horns play in the ‘Augurs section’?
Double and reinforce some of the string chords.
In the introduction section, Stravinsky instructs the flutes to use the ‘flutter tongue’ technique (flttz). Explain this technique.
The flautist rolls his/her ‘Rs’ as she blows into the flute, creating a fluttering effect.
Why do you think Stravinsky uses flutter tonguing?
When the technique is used int eh introduction the music has reached a stage of considerable complexity of pitch, rhythm and texture. The flutter tonguing helps add to this complexity and sense of building tension.
What are the transposing instruments and their pitches in the ROS?
Piccolo – sounds an octave higher than written.
Double bass and double bassoon – sound an octave lower than written.
Alto flute in G – sounds a perfect fourth lower than written.
Cor anglais in F (corno inglese) and Horn in F – sound a perfect fifth lower than written.
Clarinet in D, Trumpet in D – sound a major second higher than written.
Clarinet in B♭ – sounds a major second lower than written.
Clarinet in A – sounds minor third lower than written.
Bass clarinet in B♭ – sounds major ninth lower than written.
