At 6:00 PM -0400 4/3/06, Christopher Smith wrote:
In shows (not the best model, I would agree) it is common to have three equally-manned violin parts, and split the seconds when there are just two parts to be equally divided. Since the 3-way is the exception in your case, not the rule, this would probably not be a viable solution for you.
I've run into as many as 4 real parts in Violin A books--two solo parts and two divisi accompaniment parts. But having only one player on a part in Broadway pits is considered normal. There are 5 real violin parts in "King & I" (Violin A divisi, Violin B divisi, Violin C), and in the original seating chart for the pit there are exactly 5 violins!
For a concert orchestra, if I didn't use Andrew's suggestion (which I think is quite reasonable), I would divide the 1st violins rather than the 2nd, since the section tends to be larger and the players to have better instruments that project more. But if I were to do that I would be making an editorial decision that might best be left to the conductor.
John -- John & Susie Howell Virginia Tech Department of Music Blacksburg, Virginia, U.S.A 24061-0240 Vox (540) 231-8411 Fax (540) 231-5034 (mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]) http://www.music.vt.edu/faculty/howell/howell.html _______________________________________________ Finale mailing list Finale@shsu.edu http://lists.shsu.edu/mailman/listinfo/finale