Orchestration

Summary: What is good orchestration?

We are now ready to provide a checklist of criteria for good orchestration, complementing our list, given earlier, of the characteristics of poor orchestration.
 
Good orchestration must:
 

• Make formal sense: Changes of orchestration must arrive at appropriate places, with appropriate degrees of contrast.
• Supply sufficient variety and freshness of color to maintain interest.
• Enhance the phrasing.
• Ensure clarity of the various musical elements: Every element should be audible.
• Ensure that every element contributes something individual, allowing for what Richard Strauss (referring to Wagner’s polyphonic style, in the preface to his revision of the Berlioz treatise) calls  the “spiritual participation of the players”.
• Be as easily playable as possible, always using the simplest means to create the desired effect.
• Be aurally rich (usually through multiple planes of tone).
• Express a clear character.
• Use the whole ensemble effectively.