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I prefer to score lightly, because I don't like how many composers will include an instrument in the score and proceed to use it only sparingly. If an instrument isn't going to play a significant role in the orchestra, it's not going to be in my score. It's one of the reasons I dislike Mahler, while I admire Brahms for being able to produce a dense Romantic texture with very limited orchestration - he actually wrote for smaller orchestras than did Beethoven.
I think I did fine with a small orchestra with my 1st horn concerto, which was scored:
2 flutes
2 oboes
2 clarinets
1 bassoon
2 horns
2 trumpets
1 trombone
timpani
solo horn
strings
My second horn concerto, which I've recently started, is being scored slightly more heavily: as above, except that the orchestra has 2 bassoons, 4 horns, and 2 trombones. Still very much a chamber orchestra, though. For now, I'm not using any percussion other than timpani.
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Andrew Hsieh
Medical Student and Composer
View my profile
The piano quartet is COMPLETE!!!
Please note that I will not review the following without a very good reason:
1) MP3-only posts: no score + outside link = bad deal. Especially true because I'm on dialup when at home.
2) Shoutbox or PM spam: excessive shameless plugs get very annoying very fast.
3) Pieces written in a short time or with little effort: if it's not worth the composer's time and energy, then it's not worth mine either.
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