Season 7: AY 2008-2009

Fall 2008 and Spring 2009
 

Saint-Saens Danse Macabre, chosen by the orchestra as the first piece for the Fall 08 semester and also as one of the two audition pieces for returning players. 

The Saint-Saens was originally scored for a 70-piece orchestra:  piccolo, 2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons, 4 horns, 2 trumpets, 2 trombones, bass trombone, tuba, timpani, percussion, and a full complement of strings, (i.e., 26 violins, 10 violas, 8 cellos, and 6 double basses). 

  • Re-orchestrated Danse Macabre for 15 players:  flute, Eb clarinet, 2 Bb clarinets, alto sax, trumpet, timpani, xylophone, triangles, 3 violins, and 4 cellos (initial Fall makeup of OCO as a result of the Fall auditions)
  • Re-orchestrated Danse Macabre a second time:  for flute, Eb clarinet, 2 Bb clarinets, alto sax, trumpet,  timpani, xylophone, triangles, 4 violins, and 4 cellos (minus baritone sax who broke his collar bone, and plus another violin who joined the orchestra—both occurring mid-semester)
  • Re-orchestrated Danse Macabre a third time:  for 2 flutes (2nd flute doubling piccolo), Eb clarinet, 2 Bb clarinets, alto sax, trumpet, timpani, xylophone, triangles, 3 violins, and 4 cellos 

Beethoven Symphony No. 7 in A, Opus 92 (2nd  movement), chosen by the orchestra as the second piece for the Fall 08 semester and also as one of the two audition pieces for returning players.  The Beethoven was originally scored for an approximately 44-piece orchestra:  2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons, 2 horns, 2 trumpets, timpani, and strings (16 violins, 6 violas, 4 cellos, and 3 double basses). 

  • Arranged the 2nd movement for 15 players: flute, Eb clarinet, 2 Bb clarinets, alto sax, baritone sax, trumpet, timpani, 3 violins, and 4 cellos (initial Fall makeup of OCO as a result of the Fall auditions). 
  • Arranged the 2nd movement again, this time for flute, Eb clarinet, 2 Bb clarinets, alto sax, trumpet,  timpani, 4 violins, and 4 cellos (minus baritone sax who broke his collar bone, plus another violin who joined the orchestra—both occurring mid-semester). 
  • Arranged the 2nd movement for a smaller ensemble of 9 players:  Eb clarinet, Bb clarinet, 3 violins, and 4 cellos. 
  • Another small ensemble arrangement for Eb clarinet, Bb clarinet, 4 violins, and 4 cellos (due to gaining another violin). 
  • Arranged the 2nd movement for a small ensemble of  11 players (with an abbreviated score, i.e., shorter time length to accommodate Jessica Herman’s Memorial Service on Nov. 12, 2008 in Milas Hall Auditorium) for flute, Eb clarinet, Bb clarinet, 4 violins, and 4 cellos (I added flute to adjust for the acoustics of Milas Hall Auditorium)

Mussorgsky-Ravel Pictures at an Exhibition (Selections):   Promenade I, Gnomus, Promenade II, Il vecchio castello, Promenade III, Tuileries, Limoges.

Ravel scored the Mussorgsky Pictures (originally written for piano solo) for 90+-piece orchestra including piccolo, 2 flutes, 3 oboes, 2 Bb clarinets, bass clarinet, 2 bassoons, contrabassoon, 4 horns, 3 trumpets, 2 trombones, bass trombone, tuba, percussion, timpani, harp, and strings (32 violins, 12 violas, 12 cellos, 10 double basses).

  • Promenade I and Gnomus:  Re-orchestrated for flute, Eb clarinet, 2 Bb clarinets, alto sax, trumpet, timpani, percussion, 4 violins, and 4 cellos (minus baritone sax who broke his collar bone + another violin)
  • Promenade I, Gnomus, Promenade II, Il vecchio castello, Promenade III, Tuileries, Limoges:  Re-orchestrated for 2 flutes (2nd flute doubling on piccolo), Eb clarinet, 2 Bb clarinets, alto sax, trumpet, timpani, percussion, 3 violins, and 4 cellos.