Hi,
can you recommend me a referential book on the history of orchestration?
I'd like to read stuff on things like "when did the flute + oboe coupling start to become a common thing?", "what are some of things that are now obsolete in Berlioz or Rimsky-Korsakov's book? (and why?)"... or comparisons of orchestration of different epochs (eg. Bach vs. Beethoven)
Book on history of orchestration?
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- KVRist
- 427 posts since 24 Sep, 2009
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- KVRer
- 3 posts since 13 Mar, 2006 from Virginia
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There is a book on the actual history of orchestration by Adam Carse called History of Orchestration. It's PD and you may be able to find it on Google books.I'm currently researching Professional Orchestration volume 3 and many of the standard combinations have been around since Mozart, Beethoven. As new instruments were created and accepted into the orchestra, obviously the number of possible combinations increased.I'd like to read stuff on things like "when did the flute + oboe coupling start to become a common thing?",
"what are some of things that are now obsolete in Berlioz or Rimsky-Korsakov's book? (and why?)"
As I noted in Professional Orchestration v1, instrumentalist playing abilities have greatly increased. Not doubling the trumpets and the horns is passe because of improved metallurgy.
Here and there are a few comments, often limited to a few paragraphs. The primary consideration is of the transition from contrapuntal writing from Bach into the writing styles seen in Haydn forward. Some of this I have covered in my Visual Orchestration Lecture Series.... or comparisons of orchestration of different epochs (eg. Bach vs. Beethoven)
Peter Alexander
www.alexanderpublishing.com (http://www.alexanderpublishing.com)