Sequence I-VI

Just a little something for orchestra with a nice percussion section.

Sequence I-VI - Score.pdf

Edited September 19Sep 19 by BipolarComposer

Hello, a fantastic piece.

Some really great combinations of timbres – a few of them really caught me out. For example, glockenspiel + trumpet + strings in Sequence II.

It would be helpful if you could indicate at the start how many of each instrument there are (Flute 1, 2… etc.).

When an instrument from a group of two or three plays solo, you need to specify which one it is (Bassoon 1, for example, at the start of Sequence III), not just ‘solo’ (because then you don’t know which one it is).

A comment (which isn’t mine but comes from classical orchestrators): when you have a melody in octaves, don’t use the same instrument for both (flutes in Sequence III, bar 70) because one will clearly dominate. In this case, the upper one, as the flute in the lower octave is in a much weaker register. In this instance, it is better to double the upper flute with another instrument that has the same range in the lower octave (a clarinet here, for example).

When we’re talking about MELODY (not harmonic chords), as a general rule: double at the octave with different instruments; melody in thirds or fifths with the same instrument; melody in sixths with different instruments… There will always be justified exceptions.

In this respect, the two clarinettists from bar 80 onwards are fantastic.

Sorry, these are just suggestions based on what I’ve learnt about orchestration. I always respect what everyone else does. But if you try what I’m suggesting, it might sound better to you.

The climax towards the end is brilliant.

And one more thing: I don’t know if you’re concerned about practical, real-world issues. Sometimes I get the impression that you need a lot of percussionists, given the number of instruments playing at the same time. Although I’m sure you’ve got this sorted.

Best regards.

20 hours ago, Luis Hernández said:

Hello, a fantastic piece.

Some really great combinations of timbres – a few of them really caught me out. For example, glockenspiel + trumpet + strings in Sequence II.

It would be helpful if you could indicate at the start how many of each instrument there are (Flute 1, 2… etc.).

When an instrument from a group of two or three plays solo, you need to specify which one it is (Bassoon 1, for example, at the start of Sequence III), not just ‘solo’ (because then you don’t know which one it is).

A comment (which isn’t mine but comes from classical orchestrators): when you have a melody in octaves, don’t use the same instrument for both (flutes in Sequence III, bar 70) because one will clearly dominate. In this case, the upper one, as the flute in the lower octave is in a much weaker register. In this instance, it is better to double the upper flute with another instrument that has the same range in the lower octave (a clarinet here, for example).

When we’re talking about MELODY (not harmonic chords), as a general rule: double at the octave with different instruments; melody in thirds or fifths with the same instrument; melody in sixths with different instruments… There will always be justified exceptions.

In this respect, the two clarinettists from bar 80 onwards are fantastic.

Sorry, these are just suggestions based on what I’ve learnt about orchestration. I always respect what everyone else does. But if you try what I’m suggesting, it might sound better to you.

The climax towards the end is brilliant.

And one more thing: I don’t know if you’re concerned about practical, real-world issues. Sometimes I get the impression that you need a lot of percussionists, given the number of instruments playing at the same time. Although I’m sure you’ve got this sorted.

Best regards.

Thanks for taking the time to review the piece and give feedback.
Also, thanks for the tips about the solo notation.

For the octaves with the flutes, it's not something I've thought about before, but does make perfect sense. I'll keep that in mind for the future.

As far as the percussion section, I seriously don't ever expect anything I write to be performed by an actual orchestra. So honestly, any thought of how many players it may take to perform it never comes to mind.

15 hours ago, BipolarComposer said:

For the octaves with the flutes, it's not something I've thought about before, but does make perfect sense. I'll keep that in mind for the future.

If you are interested, this is what Rimsky-Korsakov says about melody in octaves using woodwinds:

The use of two instruments of the same colour in octaves, e.g. 2 flutes, 2 clarinets or 2 bassoons etc., if not exactly to be avoided is certainly not to be recommended, as the instruments, playing in different registers will not correspond one with the other.

Suggested combinations:

Fl + Ob, Fl+Cl, Fl+Bs, Ob+Cl, Ob+Bs, Cl+Bs

In his book, he also discusses doubling the melody in the very high register (with the piccolo) or in the low register (with the bassoon, contrabassoon or bass clarinet).

He also mentions some combinations involving two instruments from the same family that do work (because they are actually distinct, such as the flute and alto flute).

As well as doubling the melody in three- and four-part arrangements, etc.

And with examples of everything.

A classic but essential treatise.

Alan Belkin also explain this issue:

Professor Belkin Notes: There is in fact a good argument to be made that the WW are not one group at all, but rather, three (oboes and bassoons counting as one – double reed – family, with the English horn as intermediary). Unlike the strings, woodwinds do NOT behave similarly to one another in various registers. For example, flutes get softer as they get lower, whereas oboes/bassoons get louder. This diversity of color and of register is the main cause of the difficulty in writing well for winds. The beginner is advised to think of each woodwind instrument as really three in one: a high instrument, a medium one, and a low one. Although the transitions between registers are of course not really so drastic, combinations of woodwinds with each other and with from other families work differently depending on register. For example, a low flute melody requires a different accompaniment from a high flute melody.

This is also the reason that it is actually easier to score for a larger woodwind section than a smaller one: When the auxiliaries are available, the range available IN ANY GIVEN HOMOGENOUS TIMBRE is much increased. A chord scored for alto flute, regular flutes and piccolo will present less problems of blend and balance than one scored for 2 flutes and 2 oboes.

Of all the woodwinds, the oboe is one most likely to cause problems for the beginner. It is a natural “prima donna” and, while its melodic character can be wonderful in the right melody, it does not blend easily with most other timbres in the orchestra (exception: oboes blend quite well with SOFT, muted trumpets).