Interlocking Voices - eg clarinets between flute 1 and 2 - what works well ?

[Adrian Allan]

James Semple replied to the discussion on trombones by saying how a trombone part can be put between the horns to good effect.

Trombones play root - fifth - tenth. Horns play 3rd and octave
Trombones play root - octave - tenth. Horns play 3rd and 5th.

I have heard of the device of interlocking voices by changing the natural vertical order of instruments - but hardly ever used it, especially for chordal writing.

So does anybody else have any opinions on this subject - what works well, and which composers know how to this effectively (so I can examine the scores) ?

[James Semple]

Hi Adrian ... I know I'm not "anybody else" but I wanted to mention a couple of quick things of import: -

- the Rimsky-Korsakov guide has some great examples
- You'll probably notice that writing for woodwinds in pairs tends to be better for interlocking than writing in threes
- The Nutcracker Suite is fantastic for examples
- Playing in the mid-range of the flute and the upper ranges of the clarinet and oboe seems to blend well
- Older orchestration texts are very wary of the oboe but modern oboe technique (from mid-20th Century onwards) allows for a softer sound that blends with the other two instruments really well

Hope that's of use.

[Adrian Allan]

Thanks for these ideas, too. The Nutcracker is one score I'm going to look at when I get home. I've never seen a reason to always put the oboe below the flute, as both are sporano instruments. Will think about the clarinet in its higher register now that you mention it.

[phil Kelly]

Actually in woodwinds, interlocking works best with flutes and oboes ( as does enclosure ( flt 1 oboe 1&2 flt 2 ) when the moving parts are in the oboes and the flutes are sustaing parts ( usually an octave ) Interlocking flutes and clarinets I find less successful because the clarion register of the clarinets tend to over shadow the lower flute ( in this case playing a 3rd part )

However, for general purposes, I tend to prefer stacking the winds in high and low pairs ( thus placing each instrument set in its comfortable register )

flt 1&2
Oboe 1&2

Clar 1&2
Bsn 1&2

with smaller woodwind groups, I often use 2 flts, 2clar, and bass clar.

if I need a five part mid to low register support chord , I tend to favor putting the bass clar BELOW the two bassoons because it has more "tooth" in its sound
( with the clarinets providing the upper mid register parts.


Phil Kelly
www.philkellymusic.com
NW Prevailing Winds
SW Santa Ana Winds
Origin Records

[Adrian Allan]

thanks - more good advice I'll take on-board.

[John McIntyre]

Woodwinds work well in many many ways. I don't think there's any real rules, except to make sure that the Oboes aren't too low and hence quacky and that the Flutes are also not too low as they don't have much power in their low register. Play around with the woodwinds, you'll get some interesting timbres and sounds. Having them always in their most characteristic register is just dull; they are all color instruments. Each woodwind has a variety of tessituras, each with their own strengths and weaknesses. They are all prima donnas; use them to their best potential. Don't forget the E-Flat Clarinet which can be a real chameleon in ensembles.

Stravinsky was a master orchestrator for woodwinds. One of my favourites of his is from Agon. In one the miniatures, the three flutes are all low and in unison with the mandolin and guitar. He would also double woodwinds of the same type in unison and have one play legato and another double staccato/marcato. An interesting attack. The use of the solo Oboe in its highest register doubling the Alto voices in the opening movement of Symphony of Psalms comes to mind. So too does the Alto Flute and Alto Clarinet/Bassett Horn writing in the 1921 version of Symphonies of Wind Instruments. Or perhaps try the opening of The Rite of Spring. Stravinsky knew his woodwinds and wrote immaculately for them. Woodwind players both love and despise Stravinsky's woodwind writing; he always knew exactly how to produce the best sound and was always pushing the envelope.

[phil Kelly]

Johns points about the Eb clarinet are well to remember. sometimes
in tutti passages f and above, the Eb clarinet makes a great penetrating top voice ( save for the piccolo of course )

I've used the following for a very penetrating w/wind voicing on occasions :

piccolo
Eb clar

Flt 1&2
oboe 1&2
clarinet 1&2
( in some registers the bottom two pair can be switched )

this voicing works quite well with semi -dissonant voicings ( like
two diminished chords in close position stacked one above the other. )

C
A
F#
D#
Db
Bb
G
E etc ...