Orchestration

IF IT IS GOOD ENOUGH FOR PETE TOWNSEND IT IS GOOD ENOUGH FOR ME. I WOULD RECOMEND IT TO ANYONE WORKING THROUGH THE STUDY OF MUSIC IT IS SIMPLE TO READ AND GIVES A GREAT DEAL OF INFORMATION ON MOST IF NOT ALL PRODUCTS FOUND IN A MODERN ORCHESTRA

The classic in its field.

A must have book full of handy information

Arrived in time. Content met expectation.

Excellent

Others have pointed out the limitations of this book: not much use if you're scoring for theatre band or want a list of extended instrumental techniques. But for a practical working guide to writing for a Symphony orchestra, there isn't a better introduction. Others have supplemented Piston's work since this was published, but if you can only afford one book on orchestration, this is the one I'd recommend.

With this bible of instrumental writing you can put yourself in the shoes of flautists, trumpeters and violists without having to be multi-talented! Here you can find fingerings for all the instruments, realistic and unrealistic ranges, in-depth guides to tessitura, musical terms relating to instruments, overviews of common good practice and much much more. This should be your starting point, and if you ever get beyond it you won't know any more what's right and what's wrong - you will be like the late Mr. John Cage at the top of all musical knowledge. Needless to say you probably won't ever understand this book to that extent. We are not worthy.

Cool

A copy of this book had a prominent place on my shelf while I was at university in the sixties. I lost that copy during a move, and replaced it with a paperback revision, which was again lost in a theft. The second replacement was this one, a second printing of the first edition from the original publisher, made available by a special purchase through Amazon, in a surprise purchase that made me gasp with delight, since this copy is a hardbound one in amazingly good condition. The text itself is illustrated with cuts of orchestral instruments and Mr. Piston's selection of musical examples, most of which are not at all peculiar outliers (such as Korsakov's book shows) but solid examples that students are likely to be familiar with from their advanced studies in music. There is a large amount of material describing the actual workings of the instruments (such as fingerings) as well as remarks on sonorities and timbres. There are sections on part writing and textures (such as contrapuntal work) and further stretches of text on problems of orchestration and so forth. The book is not deep but it is thorough, and it gives the impression of the work of a mind that is capable of great detail and precision, but it doesn't become bogged down with didacticism. It was through the inspiration of this book that I later purchased all the symphonies of Mr. Piston that became available, and played them as often as my full schedule would allow. Piston's music is known for its great precision and learning; he never wrote a note or passage for which there was no reasonable underlying principle. Data: Orchestration, by Walter Piston; W.W. Norton & Co. (New York and London), 1955. 477 pp.; Index. Second Printing. ISBN 0-393-09740-4. w/ dustjacket.

Recommended by Pete Townshend in his latest book, Who I Am; Orchestration doesn't disappoint. A useful handbook for that can be used over a lifetime.

Arrivato nei giorni previsti anzi una settimana in anticipo e in buone condizioni!il libro e tutto in inglese!grazie mille a presto

This is the one of many orchestration books that I have recently bought (my other recent purchases include the Rimsky-Korsakov Principles, the Berlioz/Strauss Treatise, and the Forsyth Orchestration.) Piston's book is one of the best - very clear, accurate, and modern. His overview of the instruments in the orchestra is one of the most comprehensive I have read. The actual orchestration part of the book seems to be slightly lacking. I would recommend studying Rimsky-Korsakov's Principles of Orchestration before, or while reading this book. What Korsakov's covers in detail (such as instrumental combinations and chords), Piston's just touches on, relying on the reader to fill in the gaps himself. But what Korsakov quickly reviews (instrumental technique), Piston's covers in great detail. These two books, when read together, provide a strong foundation of the techniques of modern scoring. One interesting aspect of this book is the time Piston spends in discussing the procedure of analyzing orchestral scores. I have found this very helpful for my own studies, as studying the works of great orchestral masters (Berlioz, Tchaikovsky, Holst, Mahler, Wagner, Stravinsky, Richard Strauss, and Rimsky-Korsakov) has greatly enhanced my knowledge of the details of orchestration. Overall, this book is a wonderful addition to my library. It is very clear in the explanation of everything it sets forth. Even though it is lacking a little in its discussion of orchesral combinations, this can easily be remedied by studying Korsakov's textbook, and Piston's study of the various instruments is one of the most detailed and helpful that I have ever read. I would advise every serious student of orchestration to get this book: it provides valuble insight into composing for the modern orchestra.

As Piston says, nobody is competent on all orchestral instruments, so if you want to write orchestral music, you need help, and this book provides a lot of help. This book is not for reading as such; it is more an excellent reference book. There are two reasons why you might want the book. You might want to pass academic exams. For that, I am of no help. Second, you might be a composer who wants to write music for instruments with which you have no great familiarity. If so, this is an important book. Oddly enough, despite the title, it is not really about orchestration, but more about instruments. As a personal example, I am finishing and revising a flute sonata I once wrote. This book contains information about the flute and gives examples of passages that lie outside most such books.; It does this for just about every instrument you could consider for an orchestra. This information is invaluable if you want to compose or arrange music for other instruments, and that includes solo or small ensembles. Finally, there is a section on how to put all this together for an orchestral piece. There is a lot of valuable information here, but it is a little limited. As a final comment, Piston gives another invaluable piece of advice. Don't just read this; listen to real music and look at the scores to see how effects are obtained. The book is an excellent reference, BUT if you want to take advantage of it, there is more work to do.