The Evolution of Modern OrchestrationCoerne, Louis Adolphe
History
The Evolution of Modern Orchestration
Coerne, Louis Adolphe
Instrumentation and orchestration
CHAPTER II. THE DAWN OF INDEPENDENT INSTRUMENTATION.
I. A desire for increased vitality and florid figuration led to
embellished organ accompaniment. This process devolved to other
instruments. Hence instrumentation acquired individuality, contrast,
expansibility.
II. Search for intensified expression and dramatic effects led to
attempts at monody. The principles of monody are to be traced to the
Miracle Plays, the Troubadours, the Greek tragedies. A semblance
of these tragedies as transfused into Florentine monody led to
recitative and lyric solo. These contained the germ of opera and
oratorio, for which accompaniment was a requisite. In consequence,
selective acumen for species, balance, quality, variety, developed
orchestration.
CHAPTER III. EVOLUTION OF MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.
From primitive stringed instruments played with a bow, such as the
Celtic crwth and the Oriental rebab, devolved the vielle, thence the
subsequent varieties of viols proper, finally, at the end of the
sixteenth century, the modern string quartet.
The pianoforte owes its origin to the monochord and psaltery
with keyboard attachment, as developed from the dulcimer of the
fourteenth and fifteenth centuries, the clavichord and harpsichord
of the sixteenth to the Hammerklavier of the eighteenth century.
The clavichord was derived from the monochord, the harpsichord from
the psaltery, the pianoforte from the dulcimer. The strings of the
dulcimer were played upon by hammers held in the hand; the clavichord
strings were mechanically pressed up; those of the harpsichord
were plucked by quills; whereas the pianoforte is supplied with
hammer-action.
The invention of wind instruments probably antedates that of strings.
Emanating from the ancient Egyptian vertical flute, the flûte à bec
of the Middle Ages matured into the modern horizontal flute. Akin to
the single-reed species of the Greek aulos, Latin tibia, were the
popularized schalmei, predecessors of the pommer and oboe families.
The single-reeded modern clarinet, that came into existence the end
of the seventeenth century, was an outgrowth of the chalemiax of
mediævalism.
From the Roman lituus and buccina devolved side by side the trombe
and Zinken of the Middle Ages. Experimental development through
the stages of bent tubes, slide mechanism, finger holes, removable
crooks, chromatic valves, perfected the valve-trumpet, the
bugle-horn, the slide-trombone.
Instruments of percussion are the parents of all other instruments.
Certain species subsequently became distinctly characteristic of
certain distinct races; those most effective are now incorporated in
the modern orchestra. Of significant importance are the kettle-drums
by reason of their unalloyed artistic value.
CHAPTER IV. BEGINNINGS OF ORCHESTRATION.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account