I'm discussing with another composer the advisability of combining multiple instruments on a single orchestral part, and thought I'd pose this question to the group. My contention is that a) orchestral wind players dislike multiple instruments on a single part (I'm talking about, say, Oboe 1 & 2, not a single player doubling on more than one instrument); b) such parts are generally harder to read; c) such parts are almost always on multiple staves, producing more page turns; and d) the vast majority of orchestral literature is published one on a part (other than the combination Cello/Bass part common before around 1850).
I have considerable experience in orchestral music as a conductor, composer, instrumentalist, and librarian, but I did a limited reality check on the 10 or so parts sets I happen to have nearby at the moment. Sure enough, one piece had combined Horns 1/2 and 3/4 (Barber's Overture to the School for Scandal). Not only that, both parts were notated on a single staff. I did a little research and found that combining instruments on a single part is not generally considered unacceptable, which surprised me. My memory may not be 100%, but I don't recall seeing combined wind parts for any orchestral music before the 20th century, and after that seems mostly confined to a subset of French publishers. Personally, the only parts I ever combine in my own music are percussion, for obvious logistical reasons. Any thoughts on this issue? Lee Actor Composer-in-Residence and Assistant Conductor, Palo Alto Philharmonic http://www.leeactor.com _______________________________________________ Finale mailing list [email protected] http://lists.shsu.edu/mailman/listinfo/finale
