Analysis for Composers #27 - Analyzing Orchestration

Orchestration and its relationship to musical form.

The version of the passage heard in the video is conducted by Pierre Monteux (conductor), NBC Symphony Orchestra.
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[davidmitchell]

Great analysis of a wonderful piece of music. Thanks and God bless

[tunesmusic]

Wonderful stuff. Quite interesting and educational

[wingflanagan]

One my favorite movements in any Beethoven symphony (except for all the others...by which I mean, I realized I cannot choose - every movement of the 5th and 9th - and the 6th and the...well...I should stop digging my hole). Wonderful and quite illustrative video. I'm starting a new piece which is different in tonality but similar in conception, so it's especially timely. Thank you, sir!

[hussamalkaissi]

Great content, Mr. Belkin, as usual! As a self-taught composer, I find this course hugely informative.
Speaking of Beethoven and orchestration, I always had a question on my mind regarding Beethoven's fifth symphony, the first 5 measures had the "string family" in its entirety introducing the famous motif, with a clarinet!
I find it a strange decision to make, any ideas or insight on why did he do that?

[francobonanni]

Prof. Belkin thank you. The question that I may ask you is..was Beethoven aware of all these aspects that you brilliantly analyzed or did he proceed by musical talent... by musical experience let's say in the orchestration of this wonderful movement? Did he ever change an orchestrated movement to obtain different aspects? Thank you for an exceptional analysis.

[francobonanni]

Prof. Belkin was Beethoven aware of all the analytical aspects that you showed us or did he go by personal experience or by musical talent. Did he ever change an orchestrated movement that he did not prefer? Thank you for your answer.

[caterscarrots]

As a beginner at orchestration, I am orchestrating Eine Kliene Nachtmusik for a symphony orchestra and I have noticed that there are places where I do what I call a Crescendo of Mass(keeping the dynamic the same but adding instruments). The reason I don’t do much of a dynamic crescendo in those places? Mozart didn’t write it down as a crescendo. Then there are places like the very beginning where I have an orchestral tutti forte. For that, I have all the instruments play notes of the chord Mozart wrote at the beginning of the phrase, and then only have the strings, flutes, and clarinets continue the phrase from there. Then there is a whole movement for which I based my orchestration on dialogue, the Romanze. Be it dialogue between strings and woodwinds, or instruments of the same group(so like dialogue within the woodwinds or horns), it’s there. But I’m wondering when to bring back the trumpets. So far I have this as far as the presence of trumpets is concerned:

First Movement: Present
Second Movement Romanze: Tacet

The reason I have the trumpets tacet in the Romanze is to avoid destroying that delicate, vocal character of the movement. But when should I bring them back? The minuet Third Movement? The rondo Finale?