Contemporary Orchestration Techniques

In our last post, we looked at a piano reduction of a passage from the Overture to Wagner’s opera Rienzi. The passage combined a diatonic melodic statement with lush, triadic chords.

In this post, we will look at how Wagner orchestrated the accompaniment figures.

In the accompaniment figures, he will achieve two things. First, they will supply the harmonic content of the passage…performing the triads previously seen in the piano reduction. Second, Wagner will infuse a light rhythmic pulse into the music. These rhythms will give the final orchestration a desirable sense of subtle movement.

Wagner placed the bassline in double bass and serpent.

Several points are significant here.

First, the serpent was a primitive low-brass instrument. Details on the instrument can be located here. In a contemporary performance, this part would typically be played on tuba.

Second, the double bass is a transposing instrument sounding an octave below its written pitch. As a result, the double bass sounds an octave below the serpent throughout much of the phrase. This means that the bassline above is mostly in octaves.

Third, Wagner has given the bass line a rhythmic ingredient, using quarter notes and rests rather than sustained half notes.

Next, Wagner filled out the harmonic material with two bassoons, four horns, and the viola section.

Once again, several points are in order here.

First, the viola uses alto clef, which places middle C on the middle line of the staff. For instance, the first note in the Viola part is a “G”, followed by an “E”.

Second, the horn is a transposing instrument, sounding a perfect fifth below the written pitch. For instance, the first written note in the Horn 1 part is an “A”, which will sound as the “D” a perfect fifth lower.

Note:  this score is notated using the Horn in F, which is standard in the contemporary orchestra. In Wagner’s time, the Horn in F had not yet become the standard and his original score called for two valved horns in G and two natural horns in D.

Third, the term divisi (abbreviated as “Div.”) instructs the viola section to divide itself into two halves, with one half playing the upper note and the other half playing the lower note. This differs from non divisi, in which case each instrumentalist would play both notes on their instrument.

Fourth, Wagner continues to create a rhythmic pulse in the accompaniment. The horns and bassoons use quarter notes on beats two and four to answer the bass line on beats one and three. The viola section plays sustained half notes to ensure the passage has a connected, legato feel.

Next, Wagner uses timpani and woodwinds to mark the end of each phrase. They enter in the fifth and ninth measure of the phrase.

In measures 5 and 9, the momentum of the music slows significantly. The rhythmic figures in the accompaniment stop and are replaced with whole notes. This will also be true of the melody, whose rhythmic energy will slow significantly at the end of each phrase.

By adding the woodwinds and timpani, Wagner’s primary goal is to sustain the momentum of the music. This is accomplished in two ways.

First, the upper woodwinds and timpani are a tone color not yet heard by the listener. The introduction of a fresh tone color adds interest and maintains the listener’s attention.

Second, Wagner adds a dynamic swell throughout the orchestra, using the crescendo/diminuendo motion to create horizontal movement. This replaces the rhythmic movement that has slowed significantly.

Notably, there appears to be a pitch conflict in the timpani at the very end of the phrase. Here, the timpani rolls on an “A” while the orchestra performs an E major and E minor triad.

In Wagner’s time, fewer pitches were used in Timpani parts. Wagner’s score calls for two timpani drums tuned to a “D” and an “A”. This gives Wagner the tonic and dominant in the key of D. Wagner uses nothing but these two pitches throughout the entire overture. In short, when the music resolves to tonic, he uses the “D”. When the music is on other harmonies, whether dominant, predominant, or other in function, he uses the “A”.

This apparent conflict is much less noticeable to your ear than you would expect. When listening to the passage, you do not get the sense that the timpanist is playing a “wrong note”.

At this point, we have looked at all of the accompaniment parts that Wagner will employ. Now that we’ve looked at the score, give the audio a listen.

Collectively, the accompaniment parts provide a harmonic foundation for the melody and a slight rhythmic pulse that sustains the music over time.

In our next post, we will take a look at his orchestration of the melody.

(See Part 1)

(See Part 3)