LESSON 2 (continued)
How much, how often, how loud…
The previous example was orchestrated using the full complement of brass of a normal symphony orchestra. Ths doesn’t mean that you will be using the full forces at every turn in your orchestral music. As a matter of fact, you will probably keep that particular effect for only a few very select passages in your works.
The brass section are capable of quite a blast of sound when they let loose, as you have no doubt noticed. However, they are also very much an integral part of the orchestral pianissimo.
Let us try to examine a few of these other uses for the various instruments of the section. Bear in mind that this will in no way be exhaustive, and it is limited only by your imagination. A good orchestrator can always find novel ways of using instruments in combination with others.
Horn
As we saw in the previous lesson, the horns can be used to create textured backgrounds for the rest of the orchestra. This can be accomplished using the horns in pairs, or as a grouping of four. Remember that the register in which you place the instrument will have a direct bearing on the strength or weight of its tone within the orchestral tapestry. [This is one of the principal reasons I encourage the young orchestrator to become comfortable with the most usable range of each instrument before delving into the extreme registers]
The horn is, at its origin, a hunting instrument. And this ancestry continues to have an influence on “good” horn writing. Parts that give the impression of being written for a “natural” horn (one without keys/valves) still allow the instrument to sound its best.
Listen to Horns, 1st example
While playable, rapid and heavily chromatic lines are not as idiomatic for the instrument. The horn is, however, still capable of a great deal of virtuosity and flexibility.
Listen to Horns, 2nd example