Wood wind quintet question?

When writing a piece for woodwind quintet do you give the horn lower dynamics compared to other voices? So it wont over power them?

Here is the piece so you can see for your self.

Too general question.

Depends on the following factors:

* range of the F. Hrn. Too low? Too high?
* what the other 4 instruments are doing. If you have a flute, switched to a picollo, at fff, then... well... go for fff and open bells etc...
* lines, melodic material. If they are playing different things, then same, if they are doubling, maybe lower, depends on the range.
* open or close. Usually (51%) the F. Hrn is playing with the hand inside the bell, which results in somewhat more tamed sound, so...
* a mute maybe? (not the most often met thing with a F. Hrn, as compaired to the rest of the brass)
* anything else you can think of about your own score and music

Sorry I can't be of any more help!

No, do not give the horn different dynamics. The performers in a woodwind quintet will balance amongst themselves. If you need something brought out within the ensemble, "bells up" or "bring out" is sufficient as a direction.

Originally Posted by nikolas

Too general question.

Depends on the following factors:

* range of the F. Hrn. Too low? Too high?
* what the other 4 instruments are doing. If you have a flute, switched to a picollo, at fff, then... well... go for fff and open bells etc...
* lines, melodic material. If they are playing different things, then same, if they are doubling, maybe lower, depends on the range.
* open or close. Usually (51%) the F. Hrn is playing with the hand inside the bell, which results in somewhat more tamed sound, so...
* a mute maybe? (not the most often met thing with a F. Hrn, as compaired to the rest of the brass)
* anything else you can think of about your own score and music

Sorry I can't be of any more help!

Hint taken, I put up the score and midi file.

Originally Posted by nikolas

Too general question.

Depends on the following factors:

* range of the F. Hrn. Too low? Too high?
* what the other 4 instruments are doing. If you have a flute, switched to a picollo, at fff, then... well... go for fff and open bells etc...
* lines, melodic material. If they are playing different things, then same, if they are doubling, maybe lower, depends on the range.
* open or close. Usually (51%) the F. Hrn is playing with the hand inside the bell, which results in somewhat more tamed sound, so...
* a mute maybe? (not the most often met thing with a F. Hrn, as compaired to the rest of the brass)
* anything else you can think of about your own score and music

Sorry I can't be of any more help!

Actually you were very helpful. The horn line is independent most of the time from the rest of the voices, so I guess it should be brought out more that other voices.

BTW, in a WW 5tet, the horn goes in between the Clarinet and Bassoon and all five instruments are bracketed.

Originally Posted by Justin Tokke

BTW, in a WW 5tet, the horn goes in between the Clarinet and Bassoon and all five instruments are bracketed.

Thanks, but I am not sure how to do that on finale note-pad.. i'll do my best to fix it.

Originally Posted by Justin Tokke

BTW, in a WW 5tet, the horn goes in between the Clarinet and Bassoon and all five instruments are bracketed.

There is no absolute standard convention for the placement of instruments in a woodwind quintet. Some publishers place the horn at the bottom, below the bassoon (as it would be in an orchestral score), while others place it between the clarinet and bassoon.

The entire grouping, however, DOES need to be bracketted, as Justin has commented.

Originally Posted by QcCowboy

There is no absolute standard convention for the placement of instruments in a woodwind quintet. Some publishers place the horn at the bottom, below the bassoon (as it would be in an orchestral score), while others place it between the clarinet and bassoon.

The entire grouping, however, DOES need to be bracketted, as Justin has commented.

OK thank you.