On this orchestration topic, I just noticed that the current online edition of NewMusicBox (www.newmusicbox.org) focuses on the orchestra and issues concerning composing for it.
Tim On 6/12/03 12:19 AM, "John Howell" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: >> Okay, >> >> In the pops orchestra project I'm currently working on, there's a >> piece I'm arranging where I'd like to use a lot of low wind >> instruments. I mean, a lot. The winds are 3/3/3/3. If I could get >> away with it, I would probably want three contrabassoons and three >> contrabass clarinets. Or maybe a contrabass clarinet, a contra-alto >> clarinet, and a bass clarinet. (Don't ask why, it's just right for >> this particular piece.) Yeah, I know this is almost certainly not a >> realistic request for this sort of situation. >> >> But what would be a reasonable request? I know that (for instance) >> it says right in the timpanist's contract that he plays *only* >> timpani, and cannot be asked to play any other percussion >> instruments. I am told this is usual. So is it usual for the first >> (and second of three?) bassoonist(s), and/or the first (and second >> of three?) clarinetist(s) to have written into their contracts that >> they can't be forced to play the low winds? >> >> I can, of course, ask the contractor about this (and I will), but I >> don't want to bother asking for something totally impossible. What >> about this: 2 bass clarinets/1 contrabass clarinet/1 bassoon/2 >> contrabassons? Still ridiculous/unreasonable? >> >> - Darcy > > There are actually 3 considerations here. The first is the contract > issue you mention--which would not have occurred to me because I deal > mostly with college and community ensembles. But yes, in the best > orchestras the principal wind players do not like to double any other > instrument, and that may very well be written into their contracts. > Not that they couldn't double, mind you, but they are specialists. > > The second is a question of availability. I'm sure there are plenty > of places where simply finding 3 contrabassoons would be impossible. > Heck, you can write for 12 English horns if you want to, but would > anyone consider performing it? And the contra clarinets that may be > available are likely to be plastic band instruments, not the high > quality instruments played by most orchestra musicians. > > The third is the question of expense. In theory any clarinetist > should be able to play any size in the clarinet family, same with > saxes, same with flutists, oboists and bassoonists. But don't fool > yourself. The parts may all be fingered alike, but every instrument > in a family is a different instrument, and it will only be played > WELL by someone who has put considerable time and effort into > mastering it. Bass clarinet is NOT just a big soprano clarinet, and > a soprano clarinetist holding a bass clarinet will NOT sound like an > accomplished bass clarinetist. Same thing with Eb clarinet. Which > means that the orchestra will likely have to hire additional players > who do own and specialize in the bass instruments. At the very > least, if the normal players do agree to double and can find the > instruments to do it with, they will have to be paid for those > doubles under any union contract. > > That's the long answer. The short answer is that sure, you can ask > for what you want, but I'd suggest exploring the potential problems > carefully before you commit yourself to doing so. You mentioned the > "contractor." That suggests that this is not a regularly organized > orchestra, but will be a pickup orchestra. That actually simplifies > things, because there will be no no-doubling clauses to worry about, > but coming up with the instruments and the players good enough to > play them then becomes the contractor's problem. > > Then again, I cracked up, reading through Henry Mancini's > orchestration book, when he was working his way through the flute > section. He said something like, "The bass flute is a wonderful > instrument, but it is very rare and not always available. Here's an > example where I used four." > > John > _______________________________________________ Finale mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://mail.shsu.edu/mailman/listinfo/finale
