Principles of Orchestration Part 6

Melody planned in the upper parts stands out from the very fact of position alone, and likewise, to a less degree when it is situated in the low register. In the middle of the orchestral range it is not so prominent and the methods referred to above come into operation. They may also be employed for two part melody (in thirds and sixths) and for polyphonic writing.

Melody in stringed instruments.

Instances of the melodic use of stringed instruments are innumerable.

The reader will find many examples in the present treatise. With the exception of the double ba.s.ses,--dull in tone and of little flexibility, chiefly employed in unison or in octaves with the violoncellos,--each of the other stringed instruments, taken independently, is qualified to a.s.sume full responsibility for the melodic line.

a) Violins.

Melody in the soprano-alto register and an extra-high compa.s.s usually falls to the lot of the 1st Violins, sometimes to the 2nd Violins or to both in unison, a process which produces fuller resonance without impairing quality of tone.

_Examples:_

_The Tsar's Bride_ [[84]].[C]--_Pianissimo_ melody (Vns I) of a troubled dramatic character. Harmonic accompaniment (Vns II and Violas _tremolando_--middle parts; the Violoncellos forming the ba.s.s).

[Footnote C: The present volume is divided into two parts, text (pp.

1-152) and musical examples (pp. 1-333). The first page of the second part lists the standard full-score editions of Rimsky-Korsakov's works that are referred to throughout the book. These references to specific pa.s.sages are always indicated by boxed numbers or boxed letters corresponding to the ones marking the sub-divisions of the particular score. On the other hand, references in the text to the 312 musical examples in the second part of the book are always indicated as "No.

1," "No. 2," etc. Thus, "_The Tsar's Bride_ [[84]]" indicates that the reader should look at section [[84]] of the score of _The Tsar's Bride_ as published by Belaieff in Leipzig, the music of which is not reprinted here; whereas "No. 1. _Sheherazade_ 2nd movement [[B]]"

indicates that the reader should look at the first musical example in the second part of the present book, which comes from the section marked [[B]] in the second movement of the score of _Sheherazade_ as published by Belaieff.]

_Antar_, before [[70]].--Descending melodic phrase, Vns I _con sordini piano_.

No. 1. _Sheherazade_ 2nd movement [[B]]. A _piano_ melody (Vns I) graceful in character.

_Antar_ [[12]]. Light graceful melody, oriental in style; a dance measure (Vns I _con sord._), the mutes producing a dull ethereal quality of tone.

No. 2. _The Legend of the Invisible City of Kitesh_ [[283]].

No. 3. _Spanish Capriccio_ [[J]]. Vns I in the upper register doubling the high register of the wood-wind. Choice resonance.

b) Violas.

Melody in the alto-tenor register and a still higher compa.s.s is a.s.signed to the violas. _Cantabile_ melodies however are not so frequently written for violas as for violins and 'cellos, partly because the viola tone is slightly nasal in quality and better fitted for short characteristic phrases, partly because the number of viola players in an orchestra is smaller. Melodies confided to the violas are generally doubled by other strings or by the wood-wind.

_Examples:_

No. 4. _Pan Voyevoda_, duet in Act II [[145]]. A long _cantabile_ melody in the violas, _dolce_, in unison with the _mezzo soprano_ voice.

No. 5. _The Golden c.o.c.kerel_ [[193]].--Flowing _cantabile_.

No. 6. _Sadko._ Symphonic tableau [[12]].--Muted violas. A short dance theme, _piano_ in _D[flat]_ major. (The same theme in Eng. horn in the 6th scene of the opera _Sadko_ is slightly more penetrating in tone).

c) Violoncellos.

Violoncellos, representing the tenor-ba.s.s range + an extra-high compa.s.s are more often entrusted with tense pa.s.sionate _cantabile_ melody than with distinctive figures or rapid phrases. Such melodies are usually laid out for the top string (_A_) which possesses a wonderfully rich "chest" quality.

_Examples:_

_Antar_ [[56]]. _Cantabile_ on the _A_ string.

_Antar_ [[63]]. The same melody in _D[flat]_ maj. on the _D_ string (doubled by the ba.s.soons).

No. 7. _Pan Voyevoda_ [[134]], nocturne, "Moonlight". A broad melody _dolce ed espressivo_, afterwards doubled by the first violins an octave higher.

No. 8. _Snegourotchka_ [[231]]. At the fifth bar, a melody on the _A_ string _cantabile ed espressivo_, imitating the first clarinet.

No. 9. _Snegourotchka_ [[274]]. Melodic phrase with embellishments.

d) Double ba.s.ses.

Owing to its register--_ba.s.so profondo_ + a still lower compa.s.s,--and its m.u.f.fled resonance, the double ba.s.s is little capable of broad _cantabile_ phrases and only in unison or in octaves with the 'cellos.

In my own compositions there is no phrase of any importance given to the double ba.s.s without the support of 'cellos or ba.s.soons.

_Examples:_

* No. 10. _Legend of Kitesh_ [[306]]. Double ba.s.s solo, doubled first by the double ba.s.soon, later by the ba.s.soon. This example affords an instance of the rare use of the alto clef (in the last few notes).

* No. 11. _The Golden c.o.c.kerel_ [[120]].--D. ba.s.ses + D. ba.s.soons.

Grouping in unison.

a) Vns I + Vns II.--It goes without saying that this combination entails no alteration in colour; it gains in power and richness of tone by reason of the increased number of players, and is usually attended by doubling of the melody in some departments of the wood-wind. The large number of violins prevents the wood-wind predominating, and the tone quality remains that of the string quartet, enriched and amplified.

_Examples:_

No. 12. _Sheherazade_, beginning of the third movement. _Cantabile_ for Vns I and II on the _D_ string, then on the _A_.

_The May Night_, overture [[D]]. Quick _piano_ melody, beginning _cantabile_ and divided later in octaves (Vns I/Vns II] 8) with florid embellishment.

No. 13. _The Golden c.o.c.kerel_ [[170]].--Vns I + II muted.

b) Violins + Violas.--The combination of violins and violas presents no special characteristics, as in the preceding case. The violins remain predominant, and the resonance is rich and full.

_Examples:_

No. 14. _Sadko_ [[208]].--Vns I + II + Violas (_G_ string). Quiet _cantabile_ melody _pp_, in unison with the altos and tenors of the chorus.

The _Golden c.o.c.kerel_ [[142]].--Same combination.

c) Violas + 'Cellos.--Produces a rich full resonance, the 'cello quality predominating.

_Examples:_

No. 15. _Snegourotchka_ [[5]].--Apparition of Spring. Violas + 'Cellos + Eng. horn. The same melody, _mezzo-forte cantabile_ as in Ex. 9; but in a brighter key, a third higher, its resonance is more brilliant and tense. The addition of the Eng. horn makes no essential difference to the compound tone; the 'cellos stand out above the rest.