Orchestration
Description
"For its time the most comprehensive treatment of the subject."
— New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians Before the 17th
century, composers seldom indicated in their music whether the
composition was to be performed by a particular combination of
voices or instruments. Then in 1607 Monteverdi made a well-known
suggestion for the orchestration of his opera Orfeo. And as the
Baroque era unfolded, the concept of orchestrations began to
evolve, achieving a notable clarity and the acceptance of a
keyboard instrument as an integral part of the ensemble.
Toward the middle of the 18th century, stylistic changes in
instrumental music, e.g. styles that emphasized a single melodic
line, directly affected methods of orchestration; while in the 19th
century, orchestrations became an ever more vital factor in the
composer's technique, a stylistic determinant that places a wealth
of possibilities at his disposal. Finally, in the early 18th
century, increasing awareness of the importance of internal
balance, certain ideals of blended sound, and firmly established
instrumental characteristics enabled orchestration to take its
place as an academic discipline beside harmony and
counterpoint.
In this classic manual, a noted English composer describes 57
orchestral instruments (ca. 1914) tracing their origins,
development, and status at the beginning of World War I. Not only
are the history and evolution of each instrument fully discussed,
the author also explores the techniques of each instrument, as well
as players' impressions about what they must play. The result is an
unparalleled insight into the inner working of an orchestra — a
vivid impression of what it is like to be a violinist, clarinetist,
trombonist, or other orchestral player.
While there have been numerous developments in instrumental
technique on an individual basis since the book's first
publication, most of what Forsyth says is still valid. Writing with
wit, grace, and good sense, Forsyth created a formidably thorough,
comprehensive, and informative text that has instructed and
influenced generations of composers, conductors, musicians, and
musicologists.
Reprint of the Macmillan and Co., Ltd., and Stainer and Bell, Ltd., London, second 1935 edition.