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Melody in the wood-wind.

* The choice of instruments for characteristic and expressive
melody is based on their distinctive qualities, discussed minutely
in the foregoing chapter. To a large extent the question is left to
the orchestrator's own personal taste. Only the best methods of
using the wood-wind in unison or octaves, and distributing a melody
in thirds, sixths and mixed intervals, from the standpoint of resonance
and tone quality will be indicated in this section of the
work. Examples of the use of solo wood-wind are to be found
in any score; the following are typical instances:

    Examples of solo wood-wind:

  • 1. Piccolo: Serbian Fantasia C; No. 36. Tsar Saltan 216;
    Snegourotchka 54.
  • 2. Flute: Antar 4; Servilia 80; Snegourotchka 79, 183; A
    Fairy Tale L; The Christmas Night 163; No. 37. Shéhérazade,
    4th movement, before A (Fl. à 2 in the low register).
    Flute (double tonguing): Pan Voyevoda 72; Shéhérazade, 4th movement,
    after V; No. 38. Ivan the Terrible, Act III, after 10.
  • 3. Bass flute: No. 39. Legend of Kitesh 44.
  • 4. Oboe: No. 40. Shéhérazade, 2nd movement A; The May Night,
    Act III Kk; No. 41. Snegourotchka 50; Snegourotchka 112, 239;
    The Tsar's Bride 108 (cf. Ex. 284), No. 42 and 43. The Golden
    Cockerel 57 and 97.
  • 5. Eng. horn: Snegourotchka 97, 283 (cf. Ex. 26); No. 44. Spanish
    Capriccio E; No. 45. The Golden Cockerel 61.
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  • 6. Small Clarinet: No. 46. Mlada, Act II 33; Mlada, Act III 37.
  • 7. Clarinet: Serbian Fantasia G; Spanish Capriccio A; Snegourotchka
    90, 99, 224, 227, 231 (cf. Ex. 8); The May Night,
    Act I, before X; Shéhérazade, 3rd movement D; A Fairy Tale
    M; The Tsar's Bride 50, 203; The Golden Cockerel 97 (lowest
    register, cf. Ex. 43).
  • 8. Bass clarinet: No. 47 and 48. Snegourotchka 243 and 246-247.
  • 9. Bassoon: Antar 59; No. 49. Vera Scheloga 36; Shéhérazade,
    2nd movement, beginning (cf. Ex. 40); No. 50. The Golden Cockerel
    249; No. 51. Mlada, Act III, after 29; cf. also Ex. 78.
  • 10. Double bassoon: Legend of Kitesh, before 84, 289; cf. also
    Ex. 10 (D. bassoon + D. bass solo).

The normal order of wood-wind instruments and that which
produces the most natural resonance is the following: Flutes, Oboes,
Clarinets, Bassoons (the order used in orchestral full scores). Departure
from this natural order, e. g. placing bassoons above clarinets
and oboes, or flutes below oboes and clarinets, and especially
below the bassoons, creates a far-fetched, unnatural tone, useful,
however, in certain cases to attain certain special effects. I do
not advise the student to make too free a use of this proceeding.

Combination in unison.

The combination of two different wood-wind instruments in unison
yields the following tone qualities:

  • a) Flute + Oboe. A quality fuller than that of the flute, sweeter
    than that of the oboe. Played softly, the flute will predominate
    in the low, the oboe in the upper register. Example: No. 52.
    Snegourotchka 113.
  • b) Flute + Clarinet. A quality fuller than that of the flute, duller
    than that of the clarinet. The flute will predominate in the lower,
    the clarinet in the higher register. Examples: No. 53. Legend of
    Kitesh 330; also 339 and 342.
  • c) Oboe + Clarinet. A fuller quality than that of either instrument
    heard separately. The dark, nasal tone of the oboe will prevail in
    the low register, the bright, "chest" quality of the clarinet in the
    high compass. Examples: Snegourotchka 19; No. 54. Snegourotchka
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    115. Cf. also Legend of Kitesh 68, 70, 84 — 2 Ob. + 3 Cl.
    (Ex. 199-201).
  • d) Flute + Oboe + Clarinet. Very full in quality. The flute predominates
    in the low register, the oboe in the middle, and the
    clarinet in the high compass. Examples: Mlada, Act I1; * Sadko
    58 (2 Fl. + 2 Ob. + Small Cl.).
  • e) Bassoon + Clarinet. Very full quality. The gloomy character
    of the clarinet prevails in the lower register, the sickly quality of
    the bassoon in the higher. Example: Mlada, Act II, after 49.
  • f) Bassoon + Oboe, and
  • g) Bassoon + Flute.
    The combinations f and g, as well as Bassoon + Clarinet + Oboe,
    and Bassoon + Clarinet + Flute are very seldom found except in
    certain orchestral tutti, where they produce increased resonance
    without creating a fresh atmosphere. But in such combinations,
    the range of which is practically restricted to the limits of the
    third octave, the low notes of the flute will predominate in the
    lower third of this register, and the high notes of the bassoon in
    the middle third. The clarinet, weak in the middle compass will
    not stand out prominently in this particular combination.
  • h) Bassoon + Clarinet + Oboe + Flute. This combination is equally
    rare. The colour is rich, and difficult to define in words. The
    tone of each instrument will be separated from the others more
    or less in the manner detailed above. Examples: Russian Easter
    Fete, the beginning; No. 55. Snegourotchka 301; The May Night,
    Act III Qqq.

The process of combining two or more qualities of tone in unison,
while endowing the music with greater resonance, sweetness and power,
possesses the disadvantage of restricting the variety of colour and expression.
Individual timbres lose their characteristics when associated
with others. Hence such combinations should be handled with
extreme care. Phrases or melodies demanding diversity of expression
alone should be entrusted to solo instruments of simple timbres.
The same applies to the coupling of two instruments of the same
kind, such as 2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons. The quality
of tone will lose nothing of its individuality, and will gain in power,
but its capacity for expression will be diminished accordingly. An

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instrument enjoys greater independence and freedom when used
as a solo than when it is doubled. The use of doubling and
mixed timbres is naturally more frequent in loud passages than in
soft ones, also where expression and colour is broad rather than
individual or intimate in character.

I cannot refrain from mentioning how greatly I dislike the method of duplicating
all the wood-wind, in order to balance a group of strings, reinforced
out of all reason, to suit the ever-growing dimensions of concert halls. I am
convinced that, artistically speaking, a limit should be set to the size of both
concert room and orchestra. The music performed at these super-concerts
must be specially composed on a plan of its own — a subject which cannot
be considered here.

Combination in octaves.

When the melody is entrusted to two wood-wind instruments
in octaves, the usual arrangement producing natural resonance is: [ILLUSTRATION]

8[ Fl. Fl. Fl. Ob. Ob. Cl/Ob. Cl. Fag. Cl. Fag. Fag.]8.

The combination of flute and bassoon in octaves is rare on
account of the widely separated registers of the two instruments.
Deviation from the natural order, such as placing the bassoon
above the clarinet or oboe, the clarinet above the oboe or flute
etc., creates an unnatural resonance occasioned by the confusion
of registers, the instrument of lower compass playing in its high
register and vice versa. The lack of proper relationship between
the different tone qualities then becomes apparent.

The use of two instruments of the same colour in octaves, e. g.
2 flutes, 2 clarinets or 2 bassoons etc., if not exactly to be avoided

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is certainly not to be recommended, as the instrmnents, playing
in different registers will not correspond one with the other. Nevertheless
this method may be safely employed when stringed instruments,
arco or pizzicato double the two members of the woodwind,
and especially in the middle compass. The process is most
satisfactory for repeated notes or sustained passages.

Instruments of the same branch playing in octaves, e. g.

[ILLUSTRATION]

8 [Fag. Cl. Ob. Small cl. Flute Picc./C-Fag. Cl. basso Eng. horn Clar. Alto Fl. Fl.]8

always produce a good effect.

As in the strings, so in the wood-wind it is advisable to double
in octaves any melody situated in the extremely high or low
compass; an octave lower in the first case, an octave higher in
the second. Thus the piccolo will be doubled by the flute, oboe
or clarinet an octave lower; the double bassoon will be doubled
by bassoon, clarinet or bass clarinet an octave higher.

[ILLUSTRATION]

8[Picc. Picc. Picc./ Fl. Ob. Cl]8.

[ILLUSTRATION]

8[ Fag. Bass cl. Cl. Cl. Fag. Fag./C-Fag. Fag. Fag. Bass cl. Fag. Bass cl.]8.

* Mixed qualities of tone may be employed in doubling in octaves, the above remarks still holding good.

Doubling in two, three and four octaves.

In such cases the student should follow the above-mentioned
rules, and should take care not to infringe the natural order:

In 3 octaves: [ILLUSTRATION]

Fl. Ob. Fl. Fl./Ob. Cl. Cl. Ob./Cl. Fag. Fag. Fag.]8.

In 4 octaves: [ILLUSTRATION]

Fl./Ob./Cl./Fag.]8.

Mixed timbres may also be employed.

Examples of melody doubled in five octaves are extremely rare;
in such cases the strings participate in the process.

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Melody in thirds and sixths.

Melodic progression in thirds and sixths demands either two
instruments of the same colour (2 Fl., 2 Ob., 2 Cl., 2 Fag.), or
instruments of different colours in the normal order of register:

[ILLUSTRATION]

Fl. Fl. Ob. Cl. Ob./Ob. Cl. Cl. Fag. Fag.]3 (6)

If this order is inverted, e. g. [ILLUSTRATION]

Ob. Cl. Fag./Fl. Fl. Cl.] 3 (6)

, a strained and
forced resonance is created. For progressions in thirds, the best
method, from the standpoint of equality in tone is to use instruments
of the same kind in pairs; for progressions in sixths instruments
of different kinds are more suitable, but both courses
are good and useful. They may also be employed for progressions
in thirds and sixths, or thirds, fifths and sixths mixed, as for
example:
illustration

When the doubled parts progress in thirds or sixths, the following method is advisable:

[ILLUSTRATION]

Fl. + Ob./Fl. + Ob.]3 (6) or Fl. + Cl./Fl. + Cl.] 3 (6) etc., as well as:

[ILLUSTRATION]

Fl. + Ob./Fl. + Cl.]3 (6) or Ob. + Fl./Fl. + Cl.] 3 (6) etc.

In the case of tripling the following arrangement may be adopted:

[ILLUSTRATION]

Fl. + Ob. + Cl./Fl. + Ob. + Cl.]3 (6) or Ob. + 2 Fl./Ob. + 2 Cl.]3 (6) etc.

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Thirds and sixths together.

illustration Apart from the Obvious distribution:
[ILLUSTRATION]

Fl./Ob./Cl. or Ob./Cl./Fag.

, there are certain
complicated methods which involve doubling:
[ILLUSTRATION]

Upper part. Ob. + Fl. Middle " Fl. + Cl. Lower " Ob. + Cl.

The following is a complex instance somewhat vague in character:

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