Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov (1844–1908)

It is fair to say that this book has been a revelation in terms of my understanding of orchestration.

So much information and subtlety of which I was previously unaware is clearly explained in the pages of Rimsky-Korsakov's extraordinary book.

Each of the principles is illustrated with reference to excerpts of the scores from his own music in the second half of the book. That there are more than three hundred of these is an indication of the scope of the insights he provides. (As a show more consequence, this is the only book I have ever read that required the use of two bookmarks.)

As a happy additional benefit, reading Principles of Orchestration has opened the door to more of his work than the brilliant, but ubiquitous, Scheherazade. I have been particularly drawn to Antar.

The book is a fairly big commitment to read and consider. Nevertheless I plan to re-read (and make better notes) before too long. show less

One of two books on orchestration that I've kept at my side for many years. (The other is the classic Walter Piston text.) I find R-K more charming than Piston in some ways, and he certainly has a way with color so I tend to trust his judgement. The examples from his own work are also valuable and instructive.

This classic work is a brief commentary supplemented by numerous musical examples. Rimsky-Korsakov was to a great extent self-taught and he shares his learning and experience in this compendium of music. The book covers not only the intricacies of melody and harmony but also a review of the composition and instrumentation of the orchestra. He concludes with a section describing the nature of voice and its combination with the orchestra. The musical examples provide a wonderful guide to his show more music. show less

3