Orchestration of Debussy's 'La fille aux cheveux de lin'

I've just completed an orchestration of this Debussy piece, it's the first thing I've properly managed to orchestrate.
My composition teacher's given me some feedback on it but I thought I'd get a few more perspectives on the orchestration from YC peoples.
So, feed back!
THank you.

can I make a minor comment?

it's a very minor thing, but some editors really HATE seeing it...

Score indications should be all in the same language.

the tempo is in french

the mute expression is in italian

the divisi is in english

hehehe, choose one!

you can use all italian if you want, leaving the Debussy french indications where they are.

half = la meta
all = tutti

about the orchestration, a very quck glance through shows nothing that really pops out at me... though I'd have suggested replacing those harmonic pizzes in the celli at the end with (if you want, harmonics) harp.

I think it would render more clearly the actual texture that the original has at the piano.
actually, I think some sustained note on the attack of each of those notes would be necessary... they aren't realy played "staccato" at teh piano. the pedal holds them, delicately.


maybe even harp doubled with celesta or glock.

At measure 24, and again at 33, those lovely parallel chords, I'd have suggested using your horns with the bassoons, instead of only bsn and clarinet.
horns make a lovely blend with bassoons.

Speaking of measure 33, I think a richer sound for the melody is warranted... how about doubling the alto flute with the english horn? or with a clarinet, or even clarinets in octaves...

measure 35, in the flute part, always include rests for the "silent" 2nd flute if it will be coming in within that same measure. that means placing flute one in layer 1, and flute 2 in layer 2.

my one dissappointment with the orchestration is the slightly overly-clichéd use of almost only flute to play the melody.

sorry if I'm working backwards...

at measure 21, I don't like the unison flutes. I think octaves would work better.

my impression is that you were afraid of running out of instruments for the accompaniment.. and ended up leaving the melody too sparse.

still, an excellent orchestration despite my bitching and whining.

Thanks so much for having a look at it, Qc.
Hmm, I didnt notice how many different languages I was using. I'll fix that up.
At the end, I do have clarinets (partially) doubling the cello pizzes. My teacher did also suggest harp, but I was almost done, and hadn't used harp anywhere else, so I thought I'd see what I could make out of what I already had.
Just to clarify, for measure 24 and 33, do you mean double both bassons with horns, leaving the clarinets as they are?
Will put in those rests, too.
At measure 21 I couldn't decide whether to have 1 or both flutes playing. The thing is, that melody's already doubled by vlns 1 & 2 so would it really make that much of a difference?
Anyway, thanks again, I really appreciate all the advice.

no, I mean replace the clarinets... re-harmonize for bassoons and horns. it requires a bit of rearranging.

for the end, what I mean is to have an "attack" on the pizz or harp (I think harp and celesta/glock would work MUCH better), but ahve sustained notes come in at the same time.. HELD notes.. not short notes. remember, in the piano part, those notes are basically held by the pedal (even if they are notated with rests, the intention is of plucked harp notes.. which continue to ring).

yes, even if the flutes are doubling a violin part, the effect will have more fullness if they are in octaves, rather than in unison.

generally, avoid unisons. they tend to diminish the quality of a sound. particularly the unison of only 2 same instruments. you will gain more richness through octave doublings, due to harmonic reinforcement.