Concerning instrumentation and orchestration, the book of Samuel Adler is a reference book. It is about one of the best, or even the best of books on subject, this for several reasons. The book is extremely rich, clear, constructed well and very researched. The quantity of knowledge collected within the same book is consequent. Group of CDS including musical extracts and a workbook spreads still greatly the limits of the book. Let us itemise currently each of the points above.
The Study Of Orchestration is composed of two big sections: Instrumentation (~500 pages) and Orchestration (~300 pages). Considerations on instrumentation approach successively the family of strings, winds, copperwares and of percussions. Every part is constructed at the same level: description of the family in its wholeness (role? articulations? specificity?), description of instruments individually and then composition for this family (melody, harmony). This section is extremely rich in information and very accessible.
The second left book approaches orchestration, that is to say art to write for the considered orchestra how an
intrument in its wholeness. The author explains how to accomplish
tutti, to divide a chord in the orchestra or to accomplish effects (
crescendo,
sforzando). He notably itemises how the orchestra allows to vary colours, to put a melody forward or to accompany a soloist...
The book, the only one, is a mine of information. The author is concise, definite and accessible, there is no superfluous. Every explanation is illustrated by a pertinent sheet music extract allowing to include the studied point. Samuel Adler did not stop there since he offers in more all the 6 cds allowing to listen to the extracts of sheet musics. To this is added a workbook (
Workbook) to validate its knowledge and to train.
Concerning available all the 6 CDS
séparemment, it contains about 500 extracts and 100 videos.
Audios extracts introduce as well extracts of sheet musics as articulations of instruments. Videos, they, supplement the chapter in a visual way on instrumentation: what tacts? what pressures specific for every instrument? The optics of the author is apparently expressed in preface: be capable of hearing instruments separately to approach then combinations of timbres up to the full orchestra. It is the big interest of CDS coupled with book there, that extracts are very numerous am very pertinent.
A flat however concerning the use of this pack of CDS. Extracts are available in format audio CD and can therefore be listened on computer or hi-fi chain. Videos are in format Quicktime and are usable only on computer. A Flash application allows to sail between videos and information supplementary (compositors, ranges of instruments). However, as there are 6 CDS, they are very quickly led to change CD always. This can therefore be disturbing in the long. An advice: extract all the tracks of 6 CDS on your computer with your favourite software (Windows Medium Player).
Available
Workbook separately is a booklet of about 200 pages offering various types of exercises on subject: questions to test his knowledge on
intruments and families, transposition of instruments, of piano transcriptions to orchestra or towards other trainings, listening of an extract on CD then writing of sheet music... To note that this book of exercises does not contain correct versions, he allows only to train alone or in another training frame.
In conclusion,
The Study Of Orchestration is an
indipensable book for all those who want to discover or to deepen instrumentation and orchestration. He structure of the book is consistent, explanation is clear, the choices of writings are pertinent. The author did a huge work. The pack of CDS is necessary, the workbook is it less. The cost of the separated elements is not negligible: book (40?), CDS (80?),
Workbook (15?) but the investment is apparently worth the candle.
UDUN
