Woodwind writing for Orchestra - Part 1

[reith]

Some notes on orchestral characteristics of woodwind. Part 1.

This assumes the reader knows the ranges of the main orchestral woodwind + their transpositions. It deals with flutes, oboes, clarinets and bassoons.

In the orchestra:

Small orchestras: the number will vary if having a complete ‘set’ of woodwind at all.
Standard classical orchestra: Two each of the above.
Large orchestras: three or more. The 3rd player will usually play or double on a related instrument – (flute) piccolo (or alto flute); (oboe) Cor Anglais (English Horn); (Clarinet) Bass Clarinet and E-flat clarinet; (bassoon) Double- or Contrabassoon. Some scores call for other instruments such as bass flute, bass oboe (Holst’s Planets Suite), E-flat clarinet, Contrabass clarinet (Havegal Brian’s Gothic Symphony).

This is about basics so we’ll leave the exotics for now.

The orchestrator faces several considerations. One is balance. At dynamic levels of mf and below, balance can usually be managed by the conductor/players (with some exceptions – read on). At higher levels it becomes important to know the strong and weak registers, and tone production, of each instrument.

Flute:

Lowest 5th – weak. In spite of its apparent power and richness the flute is easily overwhelmed. Keep accompaniment very quiet indeed and the texture thin if writing down to the middle C (or B or B-flat if the flautist uses one of these ‘feet’). The opening to Debussy’s L’Apres-midi d’un Faun is typical.

G (above middle C) to E (above treble stave) is the flute’s melodic register. E to C (three octaves above middle C) is brilliant, shrill in its highest range. The flute cannot play quietly in this part of the compass.

Thus, for quiet, melodic writing, keep the flute between low G and E above the treble stave. A few notes either side might be risked, hoping the conductor can ensure the flute will be heard.

Dynamic control is difficult on the flute. Variation is possible but bear in mind that the difference between pp and ff at any part of the flute’s compass is fairly limited.

Oboe:

The lowest notes, B-flat to C# are difficult to play quietly, certainly to attack quietly. Depending on the player their tone is either coarse or rich, compared with the two octaves above.
From D to C (two octaves above middle C) the oboe is in its most melodic register, capable of great expression or blending in chords with other woodwind (to be dealt with later).
From C# above the stave up to G, the notes grow progressively weaker and the tone thins – usable only for special effects at the very top. They are also more difficult to play and oboists have to find the best alternative fingerings for given passages.

Dynamic control is good in that middle, melodic part of the compass. Bear in mind that oboists have to tongue/attack a note to start it. Once started, legato is fine.

Clarinet:

The most versatile of the woodwind. Its different registers have marked characteristics. Two types of (standard) clarinet exist: B-flat, so that when a C is played, B-flat is sounded; and A, so that when C is played, A is sounded. Use the B-flat clarinet when writing in flat keys and the A clarinet in sharp keys. For brief passages in remote keys, don’t make the player swap clarinets. (Interestingly, bass clarinet are nowadays in B-flat with an extension to the (written) low E-flat so that players can play parts originally written for bass clarinets in A – bygone days.

The note-names are the written pitch. Transpose them down: a tone for the B-flat clarinet, a minor 3rd for the A clarinet, to get the concert pitch.

From low E to approximately E an octave above is the resonant chalumeau register capable of sounding anything from warm to sinister, woody and somewhat hollow.
From E (above middle C) to B-flat above that, is the throat register…drier in sound. Debussy capitalises on this in L’Apres-midi d’un Faun.
From B (above middle C) to E above the treble stave is the most melodically characteristic part of the compass (though, of course, notes passing below and just above this will sound melodic, just that the timbre changes somewhat).
From about E above the treble stave, the clarinet becomes increasingly shrill. The range is said to extend up to the high C (three octaves above middle C) but the A just below it is a good limit for clarinet writing.
From its low E up three octaves, the clarinet is capable of a dynamic range from almost nothing to fff. Above that the dynamic range biases in favour of f to fff. It is not feasible to expect a soft attack above G.

Bassoon:

Another instrument with a long range, and the bass of the woodwind group. Like the oboe, a double-reed instrument, the reed effectively being the mouthpieces.

The lowest notes, B-flat, B and C are difficult to play quietly.
From the low C up to about middle C is the bassoon’s melodic range with good control of dynamics so able to handle accompaniments, “doublings” and melodic work. Staccato is easy and leads to sometimes ‘comic’ effects.
From middle C up about an octave, the tone thins. It is still capable of melodic work but fingering these high notes makes legato more difficult.

The opening bars of Stravinsky’s Rite of Spring are a good example of the bassoon’s work in this range. (It is also difficult to play so take care if writing basson parts this high)
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As usual with woodwinds, the upper range is limited by the player. Some can reach the high F but notes in this range are unusable in normal orchestral writing.

Breathing & style.

Woodwind players need to breathe. One could be forgiven forgetting this from studying Beethoven’s scores! Where an orchestra has two of each player playing in unison, a note can be sustained indefinitely…the players will overlap their breathing. When each player is handling their own line as in sustained chords, for example, take care to consider points at which they can breathe. The uppermost note in the harmony will always expose breath-taking.

Flutes: They need a lot of air, most of which is wasted - need to breathe often.
Flutes are agile. Trills, major and minor, are fine (with certain exceptions (bottom C-C# and C#-D#) and extreme top of compass).
The flute can manage a few effects (again, it is safer to keep these in the above-suggested range): flutter-tonguing, sfz, staccato.

An excellent example of solo flute music is Debussy’s Syrinx.

Oboes: Need little air, are capable of long phrases. Be aware that because so little air is used, an oboist must exhale fully before taking a new breath otherwise they will go dizzy. Give the oboes plenty of rests. It is a fatiguing instrument.

The oboe is essentially a melodic instrument. Staccato works well in the range D (above middle C) up to about D two octaves above. Unlike clarinets, oboes can’t be made to sound without an attack though a reasonable player will minimise it. Staccato in the same range works well. Most trills in this range are easy and possible. Oboists are prone to having their instruments fitted with extra trill keys to make certain trills easier. The result often allows “double-trilling” where alternate keys are used to get super-fast trills. (Some are possible even on the simplest oboes).

Effects: Flutter tonguing is not feasible – some oboists can but the embouchure makes things difficult and most oboists can’t. Some pitch bending is possible but this is more advanced work rarely used in orchestral writing.

Clarinets: Less prone to the problems of flutes and oboes with certainly the most dynamic range.

Another agile instrument. Clarinets are capable of most things – arpeggios, runs, legato and staccato, and they blend with most other instruments. Flutter tonguing and glissando are possible but dependant on the player. Best not to risk these until talking to a prospective player. Keep most of the work below the high F in the range. The unique feature of the clarinet is that a note can be made to sound almost from nothing, without 'attack'. It can equally fade out to nothing.




Bassoons: Approximately the same as the oboe and fairly agile – can handle staccato and legato well from about bass C to A above middle C with the tone weakening at the top. Arpeggios, runs, staccato and legato in this range are fine and trills possible though because of the instrument’s depth are of limited use in orchestral writing aside from special effects. Certain trills should be avoided, particularly below the F at the bottom of the bass stave and those on C#, D# and F# in all octaves.

Summary.

So, from the above, the importance of scoring the instrument in the right register relative to the general dynamic can be understood:

In loud passages, keep the flutes high, the oboes medium to low, the bassoons low, the clarinets anywhere.

In quiet passages, keep the flutes below E above treble stave; the oboes above their low C#, the bassoons above their low C# and the clarinets below F above the treble stave.

Of course, there are many exceptions. We have attempted, wrongly, to categorise each part of each instrument’s compass and describe tone quality. Hearing these instruments is the only way to come to terms with their sound. Special effects need detailed knowledge of instrument and player. Double reed players have particular troubles because much depends on reed and instrument. Using the same reed in different instruments will not yield the same results. Seek consultation with instrumentalists and specialist books and try to find examples.

For the classically inclined, Beethoven’s Symphonies are worth study for woodwind balance and timbre though he can be unkind in terms of endurance. Stravinsky’s Rite of Spring is full of good…and strange…woodwind writing. Finally, almost any wind quintet will be worth a glance. Two suggestions: Samuel Barber: Summer Music. / Villa-Lobos: Quintet em forme do choros.

Doubling woodwinds with other instruments will be dealt with shortly!

Good luck.

** As usual, please feel free to add or comment on this topic or ask me to change it. Thanks!