MOOOC Term 1, Lesson 6 • Curriculum & Assignments

RESOURCES

Viewing: Orchestration 101: The String Section, videos 23-25, 28-29, 32-33.

https://www.macprovideo.com/tutorial/orchestration-the-string-section

Reading:
Adler: Chapter 5 section on Scoring for Strings

Reading: 100 Orchestration Tips 81-82, 86, & 88.

100 Orchestration Tips E-book

SCORE STUDY

Mozart, Divertimento in E-flat major, K.563
The bottom Breitkopf edition is the clearest and easiest to read.

http://imslp.org/wiki/Divertimento_in_E-flat_major,_K.563_(Mozart,_Wolfgang_Amadeus)

Recommended viewing:
Here’s a score+audio version for easy score-reading already uploaded to YouTube.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=npQJP_nF7NI

Beethoven, String Trios nos. 2-4, Op. 9, nos. 1-3
The complete Breitkopf upload has the least amount of warped scanning.
Recordings courtesy of Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum are both serviceable, with a few caveats about intonation here and there.

http://imslp.org/wiki/3_String_Trios,_Op.9_(Beethoven,_Ludwig_van)

extra study:
Beethoven, String Trio no. 1, Op. 3https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wtbIT8ALNEA
Beethoven, Serenade in D for String Trio, Op. 8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zT0-mbw41_o

Schubert, String Trio D.471
This one-movement trio is simply charming, but superbly scored and worth studying all the same.

http://imslp.org/wiki/String_Trio,_D.471_(Schubert,_Franz)

Great video version. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dGokiZ8MVcE

Schubert, String Trio D.581
His second trio is a bit more difficult to study online. Most trios prefer performing the first version of the trio, rather than the somewhat simplified and heavily edited second version. However, since the first version isn’t available on IMSLP, and the second version isn’t available on YouTube, then do what you can. The third and fourth movements of this trio are nearly as written in both versions, but the first and second are quite different.

http://imslp.org/wiki/String_Trio,_D.581_(Schubert,_Franz)

I really liked this performance. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1U1wqOzjR94

ADDITIONAL SCORE STUDY

I’m just adding two late-Romantic era scores, and three modern ones. You’ll find that some of the most recent take scoring into quite unexpected and challenging places.

Reger, String Trio no. 2, Op. 141b

http://imslp.org/wiki/String_Trio_No.2,_Op.141b_(Reger,_Max)

Recommended viewing:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=34ox5GlIslI

Reinecke, String Trio in C minor, Op. 249
The bottom Breitkopf edition is best.

http://imslp.org/wiki/String_Trio,_Op.249_(Reinecke,_Carl)

Jean Francaix, String Trio
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ERF3wXT2ILw
Arnold Schoenberg, String Trio
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x2vX8JXfKEc
Arnold Schnittke, String Trio
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kueXf27ecz8

SCORING ASSIGNMENT

Ongoing Approaches:
• 2-3 minutes in length
• focus on lyricism and strong craft
• avoid overusing any one technique or overdoing the technical virtuosity
• compose in your own artistic voice and idiom
• consider that this work may be read and possibly performed
• maintain progressions of scoring approaches to tone production, scoring to the strengths of the registers, and individualising strings

Developing Approaches:
Apply the scoring strategies below in ways that develop and expand your musical ideas. Don’t employ any approach unless it really fits what you’re doing.
• close and open harmonies and melodic spacing
• using appropriate registers to bring out the character and meaning of leading voices
• supporting the above leading parts with intriguing accompaniment styles
• exploring alliances between the unique qualities of string instruments and registers
• employing voice-crossings to change the overall texture and balance of passages