Doubling Suggestions

Hi All,

I am working on an orchestral piece, first one in a lil bit, and have a passage where the viola section has the melodic material. I want the material to be heard as it is the main them and is played against full wind choir and strings. I was thinking of having a horn double it (or 2nd clarinet). What is a good suggestion for this?

Either is traditional... it really depends upon the stylism of the line in question... but depending on timbre, you might have the clarinet double with the horn on a reinforcing counterline. It really depends on the weight and tone color that you're looking for.

Why not Clarinet, Horn, AND Viola in three different registers? Experiement.

One of my favorite unusual doulings is in Michael Giacchino's "Main Theme" to Medal of Honor: Allied Assault. He uses a Piccolo duet in it's top octave playing simple harmony doubled two (or three, hard to tell) octaves below by the horn section. Rather unusual, but very effective.

Edit: An excerpt form the theme with the doubling can be found here: Picc, Hn MoH.mp3

On the last bar of the passage, I have oboe and clarinett with viola (viola and cl same oboe an octave above) - If that helps. I want the melody to be audible BUT not the center of the passage.

The low winds are a good bet--basically horn or clarinet, what people suggested here. If you feel adventurous, you could try bassoon down the octave... Hell, if you're feeling really adventurous, try doubling with the flute in its lower register (whether that's unison with your viola line or an octave above). Low flute hardly projects at all, it's very subtle, but it's gorgeous, and (maybe along with another instrument doubling) could help bring out your sound? Just a thought...

I love clarinet and viola! even bass clarinet!

What is the character of the passage? If it's moving and lyrical, clarinet is always a good bet (as is bassoon or cor anglais, depending on your instrumentation). If it's a more pronounced, "noble" melody, horn or trombone (also or tenor) may work well.

I'm already not crazy about doubling oboe and clarinet, and I really don't enjoy when more instruments get added into THAT mix. In that way I'm annoyingly traditional.

It totally depends what kind of sound you want. Horn and viola is good, but you'll hear much more horn than viola. I don't particularly like clarinet and viola, but english horn and viola is cool. A bassoon in its high register will also sound good, but viola + bassoon versus full strings and winds will probably not be heard. And finally, trombone could work in certain situations, and could certainly be heard. Use whatever fits the passage.

One other thought - if you doubled the violas with cellos, that would give them much more power. I know you said the rest of the strings were playing something else, so what about half the cellos (divisi)?