The Modern Orchestra’s Hidden Problem

Orchestras look perfectly balanced . . . but are they? Composers and conductors have their tricks, but do they really solve the problem? In this video, we uncover a hidden imbalance in the modern orchestra — one you might never have noticed, but won’t be able to un-hear.

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00:00 A Perfect Balance?
00:21 The Quartet Analogy
01:11 The Numbers Problem
01:45 Solutions and Struggles
02:45 A Solution by Brahms
03:30 What If We Fixed It?

If you're interested into going deeper into the art of orchestration, here are some of the texts I've read and studied:

🔷Hector Berlioz – Grand traité d’instrumentation et d’orchestration modernes
The first comprehensive manual on orchestration, offering detailed insights into the capabilities and nuances of orchestral instruments.

🔷Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov – Principles of Orchestration
A seminal work that delves into orchestral color, texture, and the interplay of instruments, reflecting the author's extensive experience and pedagogical approach.

🔷Walter Piston – Orchestration
A widely used textbook that presents orchestration principles with clarity, focusing on the practical aspects of writing for orchestra. This was one of my undergrad textbooks.

🔷Samuel Adler – The Study of Orchestration
A comprehensive guide that covers the fundamentals of orchestration, providing numerous examples and exercises to aid in the learning process. I rely on this book, and especially like the exercises.

🔷Kent Kennan – The Technique of Orchestration
A textbook that offers a systematic approach to orchestration, focusing on the technical aspects of writing for orchestra.

🔷Alfred Blatter – Instrumentation and Orchestration
A detailed resource that provides information on the characteristics and capabilities of orchestral instruments, along with practical guidelines for orchestration. This is a good, basic introduction to instrumentation. It was the textbook I had for my first college class in instrumentation

#classicalmusic #orchestra #behindthemusic #strings
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Please note: Although it states that “Sound or visuals were significantly edited or digitally generated,” the only altered content in this video consists of a few AI-generated still images used purely for illustration. None of the audio portions or video portions are AI generated, and the voice you hear is mine.