Cello | Orchestration
Cello | Orchestration
This page contains:
Basic Principles of Orchestration
General Comments about orchestration in relation to the cello
Orchestration Techniques, Effects, and Qualities
techniques of combining the cello with other instruments
the results, effects, and emergent qualities created by combining the cello with other instruments
Basic Principles of Orchestration
This section contains general comments about orchestration in relation to the cello.
Florence Fidler, A Handbook of Orchestration (1921)
pp. 37–38: “Melody can be made to stand out in four ways ; (1) by the addition of force, as when the tune is marked forte, and the accompaniment piano ; (2) by doubling or trebling the tune; (3) by a sharp contrast of timbre, as when a Wind solo is accompanied by Strings ; (4) by the crossing of parts, as when the Cello is put above the Violins, or the Oboe above the Flutes.”
Ebenezer Prout, The Orchestra, Volume I (1898)
“12. Owing to the general similarity in the quality of tone of stringed instruments, far less variety of colour is possible, in writing for them alone, than when they are combined or alternated with wind instruments. True, there is a perceptible difference between the tone of the violin and of the viola, and still more between that of the violin and of the upper register of the violoncello ; but the difference is far less than that existing between any stringed instrument and, let us say, a clarinet or a horn. When, therefore, contrast is required from the strings, it is sought for by variety of rhythm, and by other devices which will be shown in our examples.” (Prout, 1899, p. 4)
Techniques, Effects, and Qualities
This section contains:
techniques of combining the cello with other instruments
the results, effects, and emergent qualities created by combining the cello with other instruments
Cecil Forsyth, Orchestration (1914)
“In the more serious forms of music the Cello pizzicato, without being bound down to a persistent figure of accompaniment, appears in delightful combinations with the Wood-Wind and Horns. Brahms often makes a very happy use of this method in his Allegrettos. Of these one cannot quote a better example than the opening of the 3rd Movement of his Symphony in G minor.” (p. 428)
“As with the other Strings there is a certain upward limit beyond which it is inadvisable to write the pizzicato. This limit, fixed by the shortness of the string and the consequent dryness of the tone, may be exactly illustrated by the little unaccompanied scale-passage which leads from Scene II. to Scene III. in Act III. of Humperdinck’s Hansel und Gretel. Anything higher than the last note of this passage—top Bb—is not very effective.” (p. 429)
“It is scarcely necessary to describe the poignant aching quality of the Cello top-string, which, in the three semitones of Tristan, is able to foretell a drama. The use of this tone-colour for melodic purposes is so common nowadays that one may almost call it an abuse. It is wise to bear this point in mind. The singing ecstatic quality of the Cello top-string is not for all tunes. Unless they have something of grief, of passion, or of chivalry they will suffer from an excess of emphasis. Some few examples of the Cello used on its top string have already been given.1 The following extract, however, shows the somewhat unusual melodic unison of the Cellos with the 1st Violins and one Bassoon. The passage occurs at the extreme end of Tschaikowsky’s Fantasy-Overture Romeo and Juliet, and is interesting, not only from the point of view of the String-ensemble, but as an example of a persistent. Drum rhythm supported by the Bass pizzicatos and the tenuto of the Tuba.” (p. 430)
Kling, Modern Orchestration and Instrumentation (1902)
“Sustained passages and melodies are sometimes executed together with the Violas, which adds volume and strength to the tonal-quality of the Violoncellos. An excellent effect is produced by the graceful Cello-part in the “Air de Ballet” (“Scènes pittoresques” for orchestra) by the eminent French composer, Jules Massenet.” (Kling, 1902, p.23)
Gevaert, Nouveau Traité D'Instrumentation (1885)
“We adapt mutes to the cellos as well as to the treble instruments of the quartet, but the use of this effect medium is quite rare. We will however point out an extraordinary example of this in Beethoven's Andante from the Pastoral Svmphonie, a piece that the composer calls: “Au bord du Ruisseau” (Am Bache). Two muted solo cellos play the undulating passage in thirds, performed, in the upper octave, by the entire mass of second violins and violas playing without mutes. The effect is most striking: a real "hidden treasure of the Muses". Repeated from the surface, weakened, at the bottom of the water.” Gevaert, 1885, pp. 59–60. See figure here.
Prout (1898)
“129. The primary function of the violoncello in the orchestra is, as already said (§ 119), to form the bass of the stringed instruments. It is used in this way in the large majority of the passages we have already quoted, and is then generally doubled by the contrabasso in the lower octave. Often, however, in quiet passages especially, the bass of the harmony is given to the celli alone. We have seen instances of this in Exs. 24, 25, and refer students to a very familiar and excellent illustration of the same point in the beginning of the adagio of Beethoven’s ninth symphony. Sometimes the bass is given to the double-basses alone, while the celli give an additional middle part to the harmony, as in the last bars of Ex. 18. At other times the violoncello and viola, so to speak, exchange places, the former taking the tenor part of the harmony, while the latter doubles the contrabasso. When this is done, it will generally be to bring into prominence some expressive counterpoint, as in the following passage :— “ (1898, p. 56)
“131. In this beautiful passage the melody of the celli is doubled, mostly in the third below, by the violas, while the violins give broken chords above, and an effective bass is supplied by the pulsations of the double-bass pizzicato. Notice that the effect of the passage would be entirely ruined if the viola and cello exchanged parts, because the latter is much more powerful than the former.”(Prout, 1898, p. 58)
“132. In our next example we see a very light accompaniment to the melody. The violas here double the contrabassi in the octave, and, on the note A, in the double octave, as the lower A is not on the viola. The chords printed in small notes on the lowest staff and marked ‘Fagotti,’ are parts for bassoons. We have already said (§ 42, note) that in modern French scores four bassoons were sometimes used ; here we see three.” (Prout, 1898, pp. 58–59)
Keywords: accompaniment, melody, double, octave, double octave, cello, viola, bassoons
“133. The passage next to be given is instructive. Here the composer wants a very quiet bass. The double-bass would be too heavy, and the viola does not go low enough ; he therefore divides the celli into firsts and seconds, the former having the melody in the upper part, while the latter takes the bass. As only half the celli have the melody, the accompaniment is naturally kept very light.” (Prout, 1898, p. 59)
“134. When used as a melodic instrument, the violoncello is sometimes doubled in the unison by other instruments. Of these the viola is most frequently used, as in the familiar passages of the Andante of Beethoven’s Symphony in C minor, which are too well known to need quotation. Another example of the same combination will be seen in the opening of Dvorak’s second symphony. Sometimes, as we shall see in a later chapter, the celli are doubled by the bassoons. Our next example shows a rarer combination—the unison of the celli and the first violins. We give only the string parts. To complete the score, two bassoons double the second violin and viola (of course with holding notes), and two horns in unison, also with holding notes, play the octave above the double-bass. The peculiar effect here results from the combination of the upper register of the cello with the lower register of the first violins, which would probably play the whole passage on the G string.”(Prout, 1898, p. 60)
“135. In the following extract from Schubert’s great symphony in C, is seen in the first two bars an instance of the doubling of the celli by the violas, spoken of in the last paragraph, as also of the division of both. In the third bar the violas are written below the celli (compare Ex. 43). The pizzicato of the other strings allows the middle harmonies to be heard with special clearness.” (Prout, 1898, pp. 60–61)
“136. We sometimes find the violoncellos divided into more than two parts. One of the first composers to do this was Cherubini. In the first act of his ‘ Faniska,’ the opening of the soprano scena is accompanied by three violoncellos. A more curious example is to be seen in the introduction of his ‘ Chant sur la mort de Joseph Haydn,’ where, to obtain a sombre and funereal tone-colour, he divides the celli into four parts, all muted :— “ (Prout, 1898, pp. 61–62)
“137. Every one is familiar with the opening of Rossini’s overture to ‘ Guillaume Tell,’ which is scored for five solo violoncellos. Wagner has also divided his celli into five parts in the first act of ‘ Die Walkure.’ As a contrast to our last example, we give a beautiful passage from ‘ Siegfried,’ in which there are four parts for celli [see figure]. As the violas are divided here, Wagner, with careful regard for the balance of tone in the chords, has directed that only- half the second violins are to play. The division of the double-bass is, as will be seen later, somewhat unusual.” (Prout, 1898, pp. 62–63)
“138. A single violoncello is sometimes employed in the orchestra, especially in vocal music. In this case, the other celli mostly play with the basses. A well-known example will be seen in the air “Be thou faithful unto death,” in Mendelssohn’s ‘ St. Paul.’ We give a short incidental solo passage as our illustration.” (Prout, 1898, pp. 63–64)
Prout (1899)
“13. As a general rule (though, as we shall see presently, there are numerous exceptions), music for the strings is written in four parts, the lowest part—that of the violoncellos—being doubled in the octave below by the double-basses. While in most cases the melody is given to the first violins, the alto part of the harmony to the second violins, the tenor to the violas, and the bass to the celli, with or without the double-bass, crossing of the parts is much more freely used than in vocal writing. In general the student may cross his parts whenever he finds it convenient to do so for the sake of the purity of his part-writing. But there is one limitation to this general permission. Owing to the penetrating and incisive tone of the upper notes of the violoncello, that instrument should not be written above the viola or violins, except for a special melodic effect. (See Vol. I., Ex. 42.) The crossing of which we are now speaking refers chiefly to the three upper string parts.” (Prout, 1899, pp. 4–5)
“16. It was said above (§ 12), that contrast in writing for strings was mostly obtained by variety of rhythms. Our next quotation will illustrate this point. Here three kinds of contrast are seen—that of the moving semi quavers of the violas with the sustained harmony of the violins and cello, that of the violins con sordini as against the other strings without mutes, and the pizzicato of the double basses against the arco of the other strings. The separation of the double basses from the violoncellos is far more common, and more effective in a piano, as here, than in a forte.” (Prout, 1899, p. 7)
Study on: Vertical or Simultaneous Contrast
“24. What are commonly called ‘ unison ’ passages for the strings—that is, passages in which all the strings are playing in unison and octaves, are so common that no example is needed. In such cases, the violins mostly play in unison, the violoncellos an octave below them, while the violas double in unison either the former or the latter, according to the pitch of the passage. Sometimes, however, the distribution is different. Let the student look at the Presto of Beethoven’s third ‘ Leonora ’ overture. Here the first violins begin alone; at the ninth bar the second violins double them in the lower octave; then the violas enter, and last the violoncellos and basses, each an octave lower than the preceding part, till at last the tumultuous figure is heard in five octaves.” (Prout, 1899, p. 12, ex. in-text)
“25. On the other hand, the difference in pitch of the various stringed instruments renders the actual unison very rare; and if it is employed, it is necessary to suppress the double-basses. We saw in Ex. 46 of the preceding volume that when the violin and violoncello were playing in unison, the first string of the latter corresponded in pitch to the fourth string of the former. Obviously it would be impracticable to write for the double-bass in unison with the violin. A fine example of the effect of which we are now speaking is found in Meyerbeer’s ‘ L’Africaine.’ Here we see, not only the whole mass of the strings, except the double-basses, but a further reinforcement of their power by the addition of the clarinets and bassoons. The low notes of the clarinets add a soft and mellow tint to the combination. ” (Prout, 1899, pp. 12–13)
Study on: unison, blend
“18.— I need not, in this place, enlarge upon the part it is called upon to play in modern polyphony. Formerly, the Violoncello played the thorough- bass, being so inseparably connected with the Double-bass that only one part was written for the two instruments; the Cello merely served to strengthen the first harmonic of the Double-bass. A melodic part was ne ver given to the Cello alone. Nowadays, things have changed. The two instruments are written on separate staves, the Violoncello has become a Tenor, the most intense means of expression of the String Quintet, not even excepting the fourth string of the Violin, and the Double-bass is usually left to bear unsupported the enormous weight of the harmonic mass. All musicians have noticed the following curious musical phenomenon: the Cello alone con stitutes a rather weak bass to the harmony (save in some special cases, when the music is calm and peaceful, as in the 2nd act of Meistersinger, for example); on the other hand, the Double-bass seems dull and devoid of tonal precision. Yet, when used in combination, the Violoncello and Double-bass constitute the most admirable fundamental tone that could be wished for; it is clear, bright, full, rich, and extremely flexible. As an illustration of the use of Violoncellos without Double-basses, we give a few bars taken from the exquisite Hans Sachs scene; it will be observed that, in this case, the Celli, although divisi, amply suffice to sustain the harmony of the Violins, Violas, and Horns: [see figure]” (Widor, 1906, p. 182)
Cello on the TOR
Links to other section of the Timbre and Orchestration Resource that deal with the cello and orchestration