Timbral Augmentation

Written By Kit Soden

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Examples of Timbral Augmentation

Stable Timbral Augmentation:

Debussy, La Mer, i, mm. 122–131 (based on Example 4 from the TOGE article)

From Debussy, La Mer, the English horn and the two solo celli are perceived as blended, but the timbres of the English horn are augmented by the timbres of the solo celli. The instrumentation remains the same therefore it is labelled as a Stable Timbre Augmentation.

Audio Excerpts

 

Example 1. Debussy, La Mer, i, mm. 122-131

 
 
 

Transforming Timbral Augmentation:

Wagner, Parsifal, “Overture,” mm. 20–25 (based on Example 5 from the TOGE article)

From the Overture to Parsifal, a melodic line is orchestrated by adding and removing instruments at the unison: the English horn enters on the pickup to m. 21, and the oboe is added later in m. 21, just as the bassoon is removed. In m. 22 the bassoon reenters just after the oboes drops out. The dominant timbres of this melodic line are the timbres of the violins. At the start of the line, the timbres of the clarinet 1, bassoon 1, and cello section blend with the violin timbres—creating some so-called augmented violin timbres . With the changing orchestration of the embellishing timbres—with the addition of English horn, and addition/reduction of the oboes and bassoon—the timbral augmentation is heard as a transforming blend.

Audio Excerpts

 

Example 3. Wagner, Parsifal, Overture, mm. 20-25

 

Exemples d'Augmentation Timbrale :

Soutenue

  • Augmentation Timbrale Stable

    • Debussy, La Mer, i, mesures 122-131

  • Augmentation Timbrale Transformante

    • Wagner, Parsifal, Ouverture, mesures 20-25

Ponctuée

Augmentation Timbrale Ponctuée
(Aucun exemple spécifique n'est fourni pour cette catégorie)

Augmentation Timbrale Stable :

De Debussy, La Mer, i, mesures 122-131, le cor anglais et les deux violoncelles solo sont perçus comme fusionnés, mais les timbres du cor anglais sont augmentés par les timbres des violoncelles solo. L'instrumentation reste la même, c'est pourquoi elle est qualifiée d'Augmentation Timbrale Stable.

Extraits Audio

Kit Soden