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Lesson 6 - MELODY - Wood-wind - Melody in Wood-wind

GARRITAN INTERACTIVE

PRINCIPLES OF ORCHESTRATION
by Nikolay Rimsky-Korsakov

Chapter II

MELODY
Part 2 - Melody in the Wood-wind
Lesson Notes: In this lesson we will begin our discussion on melody in the Wood-wind instruments. Wood-wind
instruments have the most diversity in tone color than any other instrument group in the orchestra.
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).

The choice of instruments for characteristic and expressive melody is based on their distinctive qualities,
discussed minutely in the foregoing chapter. To a large extent the question is left to the orchestrators own
personal taste. Only the best methods of using the wood-wind in unison or octaves, and distributing a
melody in thirds, sixths and mixed intervals, from the standpoint of resonance and tone quality will be
indicated in this section of the work. Examples of the use of solo wood-wind are to be found in any score;
the following are typical instances:
Examples of solo wood-wind:

1) Piccolo:
Score References & Musical Examples Using GPO:

No. 36. The Tsar Sultan, Section 216- Piccolo melody.

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Other References:
Serbian Fantasia, Section C .
Snegourotchka , Section 54.

2) Flute:
Score References & Musical Examples Using GPO:

No. 37. Sheherazade, 4th movement, before Section A - Flute melody in lower register.
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Other References:
The Tsar Sultan, Section 216.
Antar, Section 4.
Servilia, Section 80.
Snegourotchkar, Section 79, 183.
A Fairy Tale , Section L.
The Christmas Night , Section 163.

Flute (double tonguing)

No. 38. Sheherazade, Section 240 - Flute flutter tongue.
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Other References:
Pan Voyevoda , Section 72.
Sheherazade, 4th Movement after Section V.

3) Bass Flute:
Score References & Musical Examples Using GPO:

No. 39. Legend of Kitesh , Section 44 - Bass Flute melody.

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4) Oboe:
Score References & Musical Examples Using GPO:

No. 40. Sheherazade, 2nd movement, Section A - Oboe melody.

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No. 41. Snegourotchka,

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Section 50 - Oboe melody.

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No. 42. The Golden Cockerel, Section 57 - Oboe melody

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No. 43. The Golden Cockerel, Section 97 - Oboe melody.

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Other References:
The May Night, Act III, Section Kk.
Snegourotchka , Section 112,239.
The Tzar's Bride, Section 108 (cf. Ex. 284).

5) English Horn:
Score References & Musical Examples Using GPO:

No. 44. Spanish Capriccio, Section E - English Horn melody.

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No. 45b. Extra Example: Tchaikovsky, Dance of the Reed Pipes - English
Horn melody.
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Other References:

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No. 45. The Golden Cockerel, Section 61 - English

Snegourotchka, Section 97 & 283

Horn melody.

6) Small (Eb) Clarinet:

Score References & Musical Examples Using GPO:

No. 46. Mlada, Act II Section 33 and 37 - Eb Clarinet melody.

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7) Clarinet:
Score References & Musical Examples Using GPO:

cf. No. 8. Snegourotchka, Section 231 - Clarinet melody.

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