Writing Classical Score
Serious Stuff on a Serious Staff

A skeptical persons rant, not to be taken personally: “So you want to compose a classical score. How are you going to put food on the table? How are you going to even afford a table? You’ve got the brains of a table, did you know that?”

Writing serious music takes guts and courage. It is hard to earn a living doing this type of writing exclusively. However, the beauty of the musical profession is that you can do a number of field related jobs simultaneously. So let’s talk about writing serious music. Don’t worry! You won’t starve!

There are many different types of scores that can be created by a classically trained composer. Full symphony orchestra, string orchestra, duos, duets, trios, quartets, quintets… the standard list is extensive. Another thing to consider is that there is nothing stopping a composer from creating his/her own unique combination of instruments for a particular piece.

Because classical music often demands the use of a full orchestra, a composer should become familiar with all of the ranges of the instruments, as well as the strengths and weaknesses of a particular instrument. For example, a flute player would probably not appreciate a loud, energetic passage close to middle C, played alongside a loud trombone counter-melody. Flutes have more power in their upper registers and composers with this type of insight tend to score their compositions more effectively.

As for string writing (violins, violas, etc.), it is important to have knowledge of their ranges of double and triple stops. String players, unlike woodwind and brass players, have the ability to play more than one note simultaneously. Any decent orchestration book will not only supply instrumental ranges, but will give a listing of all the double and triple stops available for all of the family members of the string orchestra.

Here’s a word of caution to all composers who are writing for diverse instruments. Be wary of the source when accepting advice from a performer. I have found that the more professional a musician is, the more likely they are to say, “just write anything and I’ll play it.” They may even offer supplemental editing suggestions in order to enhance your written part.

An insecure musician that says, “You can’t write this for a bassoon… the instrument can’t play those low notes that fast…” is often expressing his or her technical deficiency. Sure, all instruments have their strengths and weaknesses, in terms of optimum range, agility… However, if you feel uncomfortable with what a performer is telling you, seek advice from someone else before changing your score.

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