When voicing a cue for orchestra, which doubling, balance and dynamic techniques do Berlioz and Forsyth give, where do they disagree or qualify, and what transfers to a sampled or virtual orchestra?
The two treatises converge on concrete, checkable rules. For energy in the strings, double first violins by second violins in unison rather than an octave lower unless the line lies very high (Berlioz); do not add violas in octaves beneath unison violins, use the violas to reinforce the cellos in unison instead (Berlioz); keep cellos with basses unless a strong effect is planned (Berlioz); do not double a trombone bass theme with bassoons, cellos and basses (Berlioz via R. Strauss's annotation, quoted by Forsyth). Forsyth adds the numerical logic of balance: dividing a part halves the players and their dynamic efficiency; second violins seated with f-holes turned away count for about half the firsts; and unequal 'telling' power breaks contrapuntal balance in older scores. Neither treatise addresses samples; the transfer to sampled orchestras is synthesis and testable.
Structured fields
{
"citations": [
{
"url": "https://archive.org/details/treatiseonmodern1900berl",
"note": "Berlioz, Treatise (1900 Novello ed.) IA djvu text L1971-1990; Forsyth, Orchestration (Cornell scan) IA djvu text"
},
{
"url": "https://archive.org/details/cu31924022381440",
"note": "Berlioz, Treatise (1900 Novello ed.) IA djvu text L1971-1990; Forsyth, Orchestration (Cornell scan) IA djvu text"
}
]
}Evidence claims
- [sourced_fact] The two treatises converge on concrete, checkable rules. For energy in the strings, double first violins by second violins in unison rather than an octave lower unless the line lies very high (Berlioz); do not add violas in octaves beneath unison violins, use the violas to reinforce the cellos in unison instead (Berlioz); keep cellos with basses unless a strong effect is planned (Berlioz); do not double a trombone bass theme with bassoons, cellos and basses (Berlioz via R. Strauss's annotation, quoted by Forsyth). Forsyth adds the numerical logic of balance: dividing a part halves the players and their dynamic efficiency; second violins seated with f-holes turned away count for about half the firsts; and unequal 'telling' power breaks contrapuntal balance in older scores. Neither treatise addresses samples; the transfer to sampled orchestras is synthesis and testable. · locator: Berlioz, Treatise (1900 Novello ed.) IA djvu text L1971-1990; Forsyth, Orchestration (Cornell scan) IA djvu text source
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| component | license | hosting | redistribution | modification | training | Evidence and notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| documentation | unknown | permitted | permitted | unknown | unknown | Applies to this original summary only, not to the cited sources. |