Sticks & Stones (pt. 8)
My orchestration is going well, but -- while I reserve the right to change my mind at a moment's notice, I'm beginning to think this piece is going to be for Wind Ensemble and drumset instead of Concert Band (also referred to as "Wind Orchestra"). What does this mean? An excellent question, since neither "Wind Ensemble" nor "Concert Band" really have an exact instrumentation. Suffice to say that wind ensembles are typically a smaller number of instruments, and only one player to a part. In this case, I'm not that worried about multiple players on a part (in fact, it may sound better if there ARE more players on a part!), but I can't justify writing parts that the piece doesn't need. AGAIN -- I reserve the right to change my mind at a moment's notice, but the instrumentation is looking like:
2 flute (no piccolo, possibly no 3rd flute either)
1 oboe (not 2)
1 bassoon (not 2)
2 clarinet (may not have a 3rd, DEFINITELY no E-flat or A-flat)
1-2 bass clarinet (we'll see...)
2 alto sax
1 tenor sax
1 baritone sax
2 trumpet (no 3rd trumpet!)
1 horn (maybe 2, but definitely not 4!)
2 trombone
1 bass trombone
2 baritone/euphonium
1 tuba
1 timpani
3 percussion
(probably an alternate contrabass clarinet/contrabassoon/double bass part)
And of course, DRUMSET.
Big in the low register, leaner and meaner on top.
So I guess the new working title is STICKS & STONES: Variations for Drumset and Wind Ensemble!
2 flute (no piccolo, possibly no 3rd flute either)
1 oboe (not 2)
1 bassoon (not 2)
2 clarinet (may not have a 3rd, DEFINITELY no E-flat or A-flat)
1-2 bass clarinet (we'll see...)
2 alto sax
1 tenor sax
1 baritone sax
2 trumpet (no 3rd trumpet!)
1 horn (maybe 2, but definitely not 4!)
2 trombone
1 bass trombone
2 baritone/euphonium
1 tuba
1 timpani
3 percussion
(probably an alternate contrabass clarinet/contrabassoon/double bass part)
And of course, DRUMSET.
Big in the low register, leaner and meaner on top.
So I guess the new working title is STICKS & STONES: Variations for Drumset and Wind Ensemble!
5 Comments:
That looks like a great instrumentation. I'm surprised there's no piccolo, since it might be the only woodwind that'll be audible through the volume of a drum set. I'd probably have had 3 piccolos and no flutes -- and then wondered why the piece sounded like ass. :) Your instinct is probably the correct one.
It's interesting how different our instrumentation approaches are for the pieces we're each writing. You want tight, and I'm going for massive -- asking if I can have 8 horns and 6 trombones. (The answer, in case you're curious, was basically, "um, no, not if you want anybody to play the piece.")
Anyway, this looks like a great, tight scoring. I'm thinking of going that way on my next piece, so I'll be curious to read about how you like that slimmer scoring. Keep us posted!
P.S. I still love the title, but I have to ask -- are you keeping the exclamation point at the end, just to make it more Melilloesque? ;)
Gah!?! No!!! The exclamation point is NOT part of the title! I was just being exhuberant!!!
Hey Jim --
Looking forward to meeting you in Loveland for the premier...and I'm a drummer, so I know I'll love it. We should get some Jim's Wings while you're in town. See you in a couple months!!
yeah, you've got to have to contrabass clarinet in there...you know how we do!
--meris
Oh Meris, isn't it lovely how the massive bass voices in a band kick so many faces in? At this rate, I don't ever think I could go back to playing Tenor Trombone.
I'll play Bass Trombone for ya Bonney! Heh, let's just not have any more of those last second mechanical malfunctions during performances! Ahh man, again, I truly enjoy your work.
Signed,
Keenan Hartless
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