ORCHESTRATION FINAL HELP *URGENT*

Hey everyone,
Just survived the rough draft reading for my orchestration final… and whew, it told me exactly where the holes are 😅

Next Wednesday is the graded final reading session, and that’s it for the semester. I’ve got 4 minutes total to work with, and I want to make every second sound as full and grandiose as humanly possible.

This is where you all come in: I need feedback. and LOTS of it. The thorough, measure-by-measure kind. The more detailed, the better.

If you’ve got thoughts on:

• Range issues (too high, too low, awkward spots, etc.)

• Fullness/balance (where can it sound bigger, richer, more epic?)

• Orchestration ideas (doublings, color, texture, part-writing tweaks)

• Any “this feels empty, fix it like this” moments

• And especially help with how to CADENCE/land the piece from where it currently is (I’ve got a strict 4-minute cutoff, so I need a strong, convincing ending)

I got feedback from the players today, and these are their notes:

• Strings want to play more

• Not as full-sounding (too many breaks where someone plays something, then the next measure it completely switches -- more feathering)

• Sustained tones for low brass and low strings

• More dynamic/articulation markings

• Viola wants more

• Chord into big run at the beginning needs to be smoother and more grand - I was thinking of having more people play, then thin it out as the piece "begins."

And most importantly...Florence Price is one of my favorite composers, and I want this orchestration to do her justice.

I've attached the full score, a recording from the reading session, and the PDF of the original piano piece (marked with where I've reached so far)

FANTASIE NEGRE.pdf

Fantasie Nègre - ORCHESTRATION FINAL.pdf

Edited 1 hour ago1 hr by BlackkBeethoven

Hi @BlackkBeethoven

The first PDF file that you've uploaded doesn't seem to be working, so I have to pause the YT video to compare your score to the original piece.

I think you've chosen a very difficult piano piece to orchestrate. I am assuming it was your choice to orchestrate whatever piano piece you wanted since you say you like Florence Price so much. I could say more about your choice given that you knew you only had 4 minutes to work with and the piece is over 7 minutes long - but it's too late to bother about that now.

This piece is difficult to orchestrate because of the many florid fioraturas/roulades that it contains. But there are things you could do to facilitate them throughout the orchestra. First, since the fioraturas in the beginning go all the way from the very high range to the moderately low, I would have made sure to give those to the strings since they have a more homogeneous sound throughout their range. So I'm surprised to see that you have just the Flutes/Piccolo on that part - that part is very thinly scored and isn't utilizing the full body of the orchestra. If I had my way with that part I would have given it to the woodwinds and the strings doubling each other + harp. I'm guessing you don't have harp. You've retained the piano staff in this score even though the piano doesn't play anything. I don't think you should have the piano play anything in this orchestration because it would most likely serve as a crutch to fill in holes that your orchestration should fill. Speaking of holes - in measure 6 you have the trombone start the low melody but then it's not continued for some reason. You score the melody more fully without fragmentation in measures 8 - 9. Throughout this whole introduction you really underuse the strings and I think for that reason the piece doesn't sound fully scored. Those are just my first impressions of the introduction of the piece. Good luck in your final and thanks for sharing!