Product Description

The third edition of this high successful orchestration text follows the approach established in its innovative predecessor: Learning orchestration is best achieved through familiarity with the orchestral literature; this familiarity is most effectively accomplished from the music notation in combination with the recorded sound. The text has been revised to reflect the most informed reactions to the first and second editions, as well as Professor Adler's revisions. For comprehensiveness, conciseness, and contemporaneity, The Study of Orchestration remains without peer.

An ancillary set of six enhanced compact discs and a workbook are available separately to accompany this textbook but are not included with the textbook.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #31942 in Books
• Published on: 2002-03
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 864 pages

About the Author
Samuel Adler, Professor Emeritus at the Eastman School of Music, is currently teaching at the Juilliard School of Music in New York. He has held the title of visiting professor at many schools throughout the country and abroad, giving master classes in composition, orchestration, and conducting. Professor Adler has gained considerable recognition as a composer (his compositions have been performed by such ensembles as the New York Philharmonic and the Chicago Symphony), and has received numerous awards and grants. He has also been guest conductor for many prominent symphony orchestras.

Customer Reviews

focus on playing and writing techniques for each instrument
Samuel Adler's book covers all important instruments in the modern symphonic orchestra: how they look, how they are played, where they come from, how they sound, how they blend with other instruments, their practial range (both for professional and non-professional players) and the correct notation within various contexts. It also tells the orchestrator about limitations and build-in problems for each instrument and how to deal with it. This alone is worth the price tag.

This book focusses on the orchestral "tone colors" and how they are mixed. Of course the widely accepted notation is widely covered as well in many examples.

I would have loved to have an accompanying CD (which of course would be expensive to produce - but it would immensely add to the value of this work), and I also would have loved to learn more about how to build great sounding voicings and how exactly the various sections dovetail into each other (melodic and harmonic concepts and layers). From this book I know what I can do and what might sound odd. But I gained little insight on how to tackle an orchestration, how to start: the down to earth nuts and bolts.

There are some examples on how great composers broke the rules. But (as I expected) we have no clue about the ideas behind it and if it actually worked. I would love to have for once a book who doesn't make gods out of famous composers (they are, no doubt, but that's old news - true teaching should equal motivation) but let us in on their secrets, at least as much as possible. Also: we know that rules are meant to be broken, but there are even rules on how to break rules. It's just the next level. I would love to have books on that.

Otherwise: very highly recommended! Not to be left out in any orchestrator's library!

Excellent Resource
All I can say is these six CDs make all the difference when taking this orchestration course, no matter if it's in a class or on your own. In fact, this whole set, including the book and workbook, was a dream come true for me. Orchestration is greatly demystified with the accompanying CDs.

Amazing book
This is the first textbook I've ever had that I couldn't put down. If you love writing classical music, get this book. I have found a few errors, but nothing detrimental to your orchestration education. It cites a lot of very useful examples and contains layers of information.