orchestral waltz

orchestral waltz no. 2.pdf

started from a piano piece, I am aware the counterbass has about 12 notes bellow e, which would require an additional c string to play, and that the score does not have proper player markings
anything else, concerns, suggestions, and so on, I would love to hear

also pretty sure that the tuba part is impossible to play softly like I notated :3

Good day.
I’ve watched and listened to your waltz. It’s a pity that almost the entire string section was cut off in your score.
I liked your idea. The character and the image are interesting.
However, your orchestration raises questions. With a live orchestra, all of this will sound worse than in computer playback. You have a lot of unjustified voice crossings, a lot of imbalance, and instruments used in registers where they simply won’t be heard. And if a part can’t be heard, there’s no point in writing it.
Take the very beginning. The theme is in the first violins, divisi. Meanwhile the second violins and, I assume, the violas provide harmonic filler, playing the accompaniment. What’s more, you reinforce this accompaniment with the woodwinds and even the brass! In real life, this will produce a very noticeable tilt toward the waltz accompaniment, while the melody will sound pale and inexpressive. On top of that, your first and second violins cross each other. That’s not good.
The flute won’t be heard in measures 2-7. It’s too low for it there, and it will sound weak and pale. In this orchestration, the other instruments will completely drown it out.
The brass chords raise questions too. Judging by your score, you aren’t taking into account that in real life the horn is about half as loud as the other brass instruments. This means that many of your chords will fall apart in practice. The trombones and trumpets will heavily outweigh the horns.
And, as I understand it, you give the theme to three trumpets and flutes? I don’t think that’s the most successful solution. Your melody is fast and rhythmically quite complex. Even setting aside how technically difficult this part is for the trumpets, the very fact of three players performing it in unison will cause problems. They can easily drift out of sync.
But, I repeat, I liked your idea, and the image is interesting. I wish you creative success.
Alex