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Applied Orchestration #29 – Summary and Exercises

By Alan Belkin

Common error codes

> orchestrate the accent

1?2? specify 1,2, or à 2
art? articulations?
B balance problem
Bl ? does not blend
C disproportionate contrast
D? useless doubling
d.s. double stop!
div? specify div. or non div.
Dyn? specify the dynamics
E sounds empty, like a hole
H too heavy
H? problem with the harmony
Not notation problem
O.D. orchestrate the dynamics
P? planes of tone confused or badly balanced
Ph instruments come in or out in ways that contradict the phrase
Px unplayable
R register problem (inappropriate register in the instrument)
res.? needs resonance
S problem(s) with slurs
T possible touch of color ?
V voice leading problem
X wrong note
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Index of Orchestration Lessons, with Exercises

(N.B.: all solutions to the exercises should include dynamics and slurs)

1. Basic, chordal textures for each orchestral family alone: soft

2. Basic, chordal textures for each orchestral family alone: loud
3. Blended tutti chords

Exercises:

 Take one phrase of a Bach chorale and orchestrate 2 soft versions of it for each
orchestral family.
 Take one phrase of a Bach chorale and orchestrate 2 loud versions of it for each
orchestral family.
 Take one phrase of a Bach chorale and orchestrate 2 loud versions of it for full
orchestra.
 Take one phrase of a Bach chorale and repeat it, making the second version a quiet
echo of the first, louder version
 Compose a homophonic phrase and orchestrate it in 3 different ways.

(Note that not all instruments need to be present in these examples.)

4. Planes of tone

Exercises:

 Write several melodic phrases in different characters, then add accompaniment in

contrasting planes of tone. Make 2 or 3 different versions of the accompaniment for
each phrase. You can also use the melodies in Appendix 1 as starting points.
 Write an example of melody and accompaniment for contrasting planes of tone, that
also requires resonance. Now you have three planes of tone. Make sure they don’t
interfere with each other. You can also use the melodies in Appendix 1 as starting
points.
 Write a homophonic phrase for pizzicato strings. Add a very quiet background plane,
sustained.

5. Contrast effects

Exercises:

 Write two consecutive similar phrases and orchestrate them using contrast effects. The
orchestration should constitute the main difference between them. You can also use
the melodies in Appendix 1 as starting points.
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 Write two consecutive contrasting phrases and orchestrate them using contrast
effects. The character of the orchestration should fit the intended character of the
phrases. You can also use the melodies in Appendix 1 as starting points.
 Look for examples in the repertoire where the composer only uses one orchestral
family alone for a while, and then uses contrast effects by bringing in another family

6. On simulation
7. Dynamics and orchestration (including crescendo and diminuendo)

Exercises:

 Compose several consecutive phrases for orchestra with an overall crescendo. Make
sure to orchestrate the crescendo.
 Compose several consecutive phrases for orchestra with an overall diminuendo. Make
sure to orchestrate the diminuendo.
 Compose two phrases, where the second one is an echo of the first.

8. Richer orchestral background textures pt. 1 – repeated notes and arpeggios

9. Richer orchestral background textures pt. 2 – scales, heterophony, resonance

Exercises:

 Compose your own examples of each of these background textures. Make sure the
foreground stands out clearly. Find a way to personalise the accompaniment, but not
to the point of taking attention away from the foreground.
 Orchestrate some of the melodies in appendix 1, then compose 3 rich background
textures for each one.

10. Mozart Jupiter

11. Tchaikovsky #6
12. Doubling

Exercises:

 Compose several phrases that use orchestral doubling appropriately.

 Compose several examples that use doubling badly. Make sure you can clearly explain
why they are not effective.

13. Mahler #9
14. Touches of color and accents (including climaxes)
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Exercises:

 Compose several phrases that use touches of orchestral color to highlight important
musical moments. You can also use the melodies in Appendix 1 as starting points.

 Compose several phrases leading up to a climax; mark the climax by adding something
previously unheard in the orchestration. You can also use the melodies in Appendix 1
as starting points.

15. Transcribing piano music for orchestra, part 1

16. Transcribing piano music for orchestra, part 2

Exercises:

 Choose some passages in Mozart and/or Beethoven piano sonatas where the texture is
not idiomatic keyboard style (e.g. avoid sweeping arpeggios requiring lots of pedal)
and transcribe them for a typical classical orchestral formation.
 Choose some passages in Mozart and/or Beethoven piano sonatas in idiomatic
keyboard style (e.g. sweeping arpeggios requiring lots of pedal). How could one get a
similar effect in the orchestra, i.e. not just copying and pasting the original notes into
orchestral instruments? Try to think of the kinds of solutions the composers themselves
would have imagined.

17. The orchestral sketch, (another method for learning orchestration)

Exercises:

 Using the skeletal ideas in Appendix b, realise each one in several different ways,
always aiming at idiomatic orchestration with strong character. You may complete
the harmony, add secondary voices and resonance as desired. See the model examples on
p. 11. (Audio file at: https://alanbelkinmusic.com/MP3/SketchModel.mp3)
 Compose your own sketches, and orchestrate each one in several different ways.

18. Orchestration w. solo voice

Exercises:

 Choose some songs by Schubert, Schumann, Brahms, or Hugo Wolf, and imagine how
you could transcribe the accompaniment for orchestra idiomatically, always being
careful not to drown out the voice.
 Write a phrase for voice, and invent several possible orchestral accompaniments. As
usual, aim at a specific character.

19. Character Glossary

20. Reduction for piano, pt. 1
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21. Reduction for piano, pt. 2

Exercises:

 Choose short passages in classical symphonies and transcribe them for piano.

22. Rachmaninoff Vocalise, transcription by Alan Richardson

23. Writing for Piano

Exercises:

 Using the Chopin and Debussy preludes for piano as models for pianistic textures, write
short examples of your own, using the same textures but with your own harmony,
melodic lines, etc.

24. Common mistakes a – non-idiomatic figuration, too much doubling, formal

incongruence,
25. Common mistakes b – balance problems, dynamic contradictions, never using
single families, or register contrasts
26. Tutti orchestration a – doubling a single line, Mozart G minor (end of first
movement), Beethoven 9 quiet tutti
27. Tutti orchestration b – semi-tutti (horns), Tchaikovsky 6.a
28. Tutti orchestration c – textural orchestration, Petrushka

Exercises:

 Write several tutti examples of your own, using each of the above examples from the
repertoire as models.

29. Summary, Exercises.

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Extra Exercises
In the following exercises, the composition of the orchestra is indicated as S (small) or L
(large). S means a classical orchestra: winds by 2, 2 horns, 2 trumpets (if needed), timpani,
and strings. L means a romantic orchestra: winds by 3 (with auxiliaries, if desired), 4 horns, 3
trumpets, 3 trombones, tuba, percussion, harp, and strings. You are not required to use all the
instruments in each exercise!

Each exercise should be presented in a professional fashion, with appropriate instrumental

transpositions, and should include all necessary performance indications.

 Using the melodies in appendix 1, realize several contrasting version of each one. See
the models on p. 8. (Audio at: http://alanbelkinmusic.com/MP3/Melody.eg.mp3)

 Compose musical phrases, according to the indications below:

1. A playful melody for one solo woodwind instrument, with a light homophonic
string accompaniment. S
2. A lyrical melody for strings in octaves, with a rhythmic accompaniment in the
winds. S
3. Melody and harmony in woodwind, with touches of color in the strings. S
4. A loud homophonic chord progression, tutti. L
5. A broad, singing melody for strings, with brass accompaniment. L
6. A vigorous melodic motive, doubled in strings and woodwind, punctuated by
chords in the brass and percussion. L

Procedure: do sketches first, in the following order:

1. main line (foreground)

2. accompaniment ( background)
3. touches of color (optional)

 Here is a sketch, realized in several different versions, of varying quality. The first
version is well done, but the others have problems. Listen to them all, and discuss the
strong and weak points of each one. The pdf file is here:
http://alanbelkinmusic.com/PDF/SketchesToAnalyse.pdf
The audio file is here: http://alanbelkinmusic.com/MP3/SketchesToAnalyse.mp3
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