Combination in octaves.
When the melody is entrusted to two wood-wind instruments in octaves, the usual arrangement producing natural resonance is:
| 8 | [ | Fl. Ob. | Fl. Cl. | Fl. Fag. | Ob. Cl. | Ob. Fag. | Cl. Fag. | >[ | 8 |
The combination of flute and bassoon in octaves is rare on account of the widely separated registers of the two instruments. Deviation from the natural order, such as placing the bassoon above the clarinet or oboe, the clarinet above the oboe or flute etc., creates an unnatural resonance occasioned by the confusion of registers, the instrument of lower compass playing in its high register and vice versa. The lack of proper relationship between the different tone qualities then becomes apparent.
Examples:
[No. 56.] Spanish Capriccio O—
| Fl. Ob. | >[ | 8. |
[No. 57.] Snegourotchka 254—
| Fl. Eng. horn | >[ | 8. |
* [No. 58.] Shéhérazade, 3rd movement E—
| Fl. Cl. | >[ | 8. |
Sadko 195—
| Fl. Eng. horn | >[ | 8. |
Pan Voyevoda 132—
| Fl. Cl. | >[ | 8. |
Tsar Saltan 39—
| Cl. Fag. | >[ | 8. |
[No. 59.] Vera Scheloga 30—
| Cl. Fag. | >[ | 8, |
likewise any number of examples in the scores of various composers.
The use of two instruments of the same colour in octaves, e.g. 2 flutes, 2 clarinets or 2 bassoons etc., if not exactly to be avoided is certainly not to be recommended, as the instruments, playing in different registers will not correspond one with the other. Nevertheless this method may be safely employed when stringed instruments, arco or pizzicato double the two members of the wood-wind, and especially in the middle compass. The process is most satisfactory for repeated notes or sustained passages.
Examples:
The May Night, Act I T—
| Cl. I Cl. II | >[ | 8. |
* Sadko, after 159—
| Ob. I Ob. II | >[ | 3, doubled by pizz. strings. |
* Servilia, after 21—
| Fag. I Fag. II | >[ | 8 + pizz. strings. |
Instruments of the same branch playing in octaves, e.g.
| 8 | [ | Fag. C-Fag. | Cl. Cl. basso | Ob. Eng. horn | Small cl. Clar. | Flute Alto Fl. | Picc. Fl. | >[ | 8 |
always produce a good effect.
Examples:
Snegourotchka 5—
| Picc. Fl. | >[ | 8 (cf. [Ex. 15]). |
The Tsar's Bride 133—
| Picc. Fl. | >[ | 8. |
Tsar Saltan 216—
| Picc. Fl. | >[ | 8 (cf. [Ex. 36]). |
Sadko, after 59
| Small cl. Cl. | >[ | 8. |
Legend of Kitesh 240—
| Fag. C-Fag. | >[ | 8 (cf. [Ex. 21]). |
[No 60.] Mlada, Act III, before 44—
| Ob. Eng. horn | >[ | 8. |
As in the strings, so in the wood-wind it is advisable to double in octaves any melody situated in the extremely high or low compass; an octave lower in the first case, an octave higher in the second. Thus the piccolo will be doubled by the flute, oboe or clarinet an octave lower; the double bassoon will be doubled by bassoon, clarinet or bass clarinet an octave higher.
| 8 | [ | Picc. Fl. | Picc. Ob. | Picc. Cl. | >[ | 8 |
| 8 | [ | Fag. C-Fag. | Bass cl. Fag. | Cl. Fag. | Cl. Bass cl. | Fag. Fag. | Fag. Bass cl. | >[ | 8 |
Examples:
* Tsar Saltan 39—
| Picc. Ob. | >[ | 8. |
* [No. 61.] Mlada, Act II, Lithuanian dance 32—
| Picc. Small cl. | >[ | 8. |
Sadko 150—
| Picc. Small cl. | >[ | 8. |
* Mixed qualities of tone may be employed in doubling in octaves, the above remarks still holding good.
Examples:
Pan Voyevoda 134—
| Cl. + Ob. Cl. + Eng. horn | >[ | 8 (cf. [Ex. 7]). |
[No. 62.] Servilia 168—
| 2 Fl. + Ob. 2 Cl. + Eng. horn | >[ | 8. |
[No. 63.] The Tsar's Bride 120—
| 3 Fl. + Ob. 2 Cl. + Fag. + Eng. horn | >[ | 8. |
Mlada, Act III 41—
| Fl. + Bass fl. Cl. + Bass cl. | >[ | 8. |