Customer Reviews

Orchestration

5 star:		(14)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

The best book on this subject, the one that I actually sometimes refer to when composing, is Kennan's. Piston's book, however, should definitely be carefully studied by anyone wanting to master the art of classical orchestration. Piston goes deeper into each instrument than Kennan does, establishing a root level of knowledge on top of which Kennan can then serve as a handy daily reference. Piston relies heavily on examples from the core classical repertoire (well into the early 20th century but not beyond), so access to a good CD library will go a long way in bringing this book to life.

Wow! A reviewer below really hit the nail on the head. All I can do besides expressing my appreciation (thank you!) is to concur and amplify. I have on my shelf orchestration books by Kent Kennan, Cecil Forsyth, Rimsky-Korsakov, Hector Berlioz (revised by Richard Strauss), and Walter Piston. I have read Rene Leibowitz's and also read or skimmed through various others. The Walter Piston text is the last I acquired, and I really wish I'd bought it long ago. It makes clear what the others do not, what I had to learn by trial and error. It's writing is more plodding than Piston's "Counterpoint" and his "Harmony" (I mean Piston's "Harmony", not Mark Devoto's "Harmony"), but no more plodding than any other orchestration text except Cecil Forsyth's. The solution is to buy both the Piston and the Forsyth.

This is it, the reference work you should have bought back in college when you first studied orchestration. It's comprehensive and comprehensible, thoroughly elaborating on the strengths and weaknesses (in all registers) of the standard orchestral palette. A bit lacking in imagination and inventiveness -- but, hey, it's a reference work...

This book, though not the easiest text on the subject to read, is as detailed as any resource on the subject of orchestration can be. It offers the average musician that knows the basics of his own instrument to learn about the details of the other parts of the orchestra, and offers a basic outline of the typical uses of each section. This is a great text for the beginner composer and arranger who wants to learn one of the proper ways to utilize an orchestra. The only recommendation I can make is that the reader not use this books as law, but rather as principle. The ideas and definitions of this book are not completely concrete, and greatness often comes from innovation. This book, though, offers a great path towards a basic understanding of the workings of a live ensemble and it's effect on the nuances of a composition.

This is an unbelievable book in terms of material and presentation. The clarity and focus is admirable. It is comprehensive, adequately pedantic and very well written with very little 'waffle'. An ideal text for all levels of musicians. The section on percussion and woodwind are especially noteworthy. This book is better than that of the same title by Forsyth, by a long shot. I thoroughly enjoyed it!

This is by far the best orchestration book ever published. I am particularly appreciative just now considering that I have in my hands the third edition of Samual Adler's clumsily composed "The Study of Orchestration", which has several errors on almost every page. Unlike Adler and Blattner, Piston knew precisely what he was talking about and put it succinctly and appositely. Note to the silly "reviewers" who call this "dated": the orchestra HAS NOT CHANGED.

I own five orchestration books (the Rimski-Korsakov, the Berlioz-Strauss, the Kent Kennon, the Forsyth, and this) and am familiar with four others (of which the only one worth mentioning is "Thinking for Orchestra" by Rene Lebovitz [sp?]). With the possible exception of the Forsyth (which is much more fun to read at least), I consider this the best and most practicable of them.

I'm actually writing to warn you, however. I bought my copy at a book store, and when I'd got it home I noticed that eight pairs of facing pages (in "The Bassoon" and "Brass Instruments" chapters) were blank. So do buy this, but hang on to your receipt until you've checked it thoroughly--and Norton: work on quality control; cease to hire the incompetent.

Oh, one more thing: the back flap advertises Mark Devoto's sabotage of Walter Piston's formerly excellent, now ruined, "Harmony". Ignore it.

Of the large number of books available on the subject of orchestration Piston's is still the most useful. Although published back in 1955 it is clearer and more accessable than any book written since that I have encountered. Occassionally Piston's literary style is dated and a tad dull but the book is not intended to be entertaining but rather be used as a reference book to be dipped into when needed.

Of the other books available, Forsyth's 'Orchestration' is the most entertaining and well worth a read. For anyone interested in how 20th-century composers have written orchestral music I recommend Morgan's 'Anthology of 20th-century Music' (published by Norton) which includes extracts of a number of 20th-century orchestral masterpieces (as well as chamber and solo instrumental works). But if I had to choose to own just one book on Orchestration then it would have to be the Piston.

The prose here is more stylish and accomplished than in most music theory textbooks, and the advice offered is to the point, compelling, and original. I also recommend Cecil Forsyth's "Orchestration", Walter Piston's "Counterpoint", and Jeff Burns's "Pentatonic Scales for the Jazz Rock Keyboardist".

A very brief review primarily to correct a few misconceptions proposed by some of the five-star reviewers below. I don't have a problem with this rating, btw (you noticed that I also gave this book five stars), but I'd like to add a proviso -- 'cause if you're not a right reader, this book will be much less valuable and maybe even unnecessary. Here it is: the book is very nice but it doesn't go into any degree of depth: it will give you a good idea of what orchestration involves and that's it. You will NOT become an arranger after reading this book -- you will need to continue with other books and study materials (and btw, the author is totally open and clear about that). People who try to sell this book as some sort of best-ever, deep, and all-encompassing instrumentation treatise are lying.

Basically, this book consists of two sections/themes: an extended overview of the traditional orchestral instrumentarium (ranges, transposition, bad notes, etc.) and then, in the second section, a few examples of simple score analysis (different orchestral textures: tutti, melody+accompaniment, part writing, polyphony -- this sort of thing, a chapter per type).

Another complaint I saw here is about the boring, "academic", etc. writing style. There _is_ something to this, but so little, you shouldn't worry. I read all Piston books and know how he writes: while his style _is_ in fact somewhat ungraceful, it's neither abstruse, nor superfluous. He's easy to read and he's always to the point. Plus he never fattens his books in any way; I guess in those times publishers did not insist on any magic number of pages (this book isn't thick).

Bottom line: not as good as his _Harmony_ (and about the same as his _Counterpoint_), this is a perfect first book on orchestration; can be read in one sitting; to a beginner very enlightening w/o being burdensome. In fact it's a perfect book for someone who, w/o further-looking plans, simply wants to get an idea of what orchestration is: simple, clear, doesn't cost an arm and a leg (and it's rather old, so you can find a discounted copy online). Not a must read by any means, but for a right reader a pleasant option.