Learn About Orchestration

Teaching and Learning | Learn About Orchestration 

On this page, you’ll find resources to Learn About Orchestration. From links to learn about instruments to a new textbook about instrumentation, to listening lists and a case study analyzing a work by Ravel from multiple analytical perspectives.

The online orchestration textbook and resource titled "Extreme Orchestration," authored by Don Freund and David Cutler, provides comprehensive insights into the fundamental acoustics and performance attributes of orchestral instruments essential for composers to produce innovative and engaging compositions using traditional playing methods. It delves into every instrument typical of the contemporary 21st-century orchestra, offering detailed discussions and examples to showcase the extensive variety of expressive and coloristic options accessible.

Case Study: Maurice Ravel’s Alborada del gracioso

This section links to multiple analyses of Ravel’s Alborada del gracioso.