Hector Berlioz · section 3 of 67

Introduction

In no period of music history has Instrumentation been discussed so much as at present. This was probably due to the swift development of this branch of art in recent times; perhaps also to the great amount of criticism, of different theories and contradictory opinions, for which the most inferior compositions frequently served as a pretext. Nowadays a great deal of attention is paid to the art of instrumentation, which was still unknown at the beginning of the 18th century; only sixty years ago* its rise was vigorously opposed even by supposedly true friends of music. In more recent times musical progress has again been obstructed, but in a different way. This need not surprise us; it has always been thus.

At first a succession of consonant chords, with a few suspensions here and there, was considered “music”. When later Monteverde dared to introduce the dominant seventh chord without preparation, he was violently blamed and abused for this innovation. In spite of all this, the chord was soon generally accepted; and so-called learned composers eventually came to look down with contempt upon any harmonic sequence which was simple, clear and natural. They admitted only compositions which, from beginning to end, abounded in the harshest dissonances (minor and major seconds, sevenths, ninths, etc.). That these chords were used without reason or method did not matter; it almost seemed as if there were only one intention: to make this music as unpleasant as possible to the ear. These musicians took a fancy to dissonant chords, as certain animals prefer salt, prickly plants or thorny shrubs. What originally was mere reaction had grown into exaggeration.

Melody did not exist in these supposedly beautiful musical combinations. Yet, when it gradually started appearing here and there, people decried the decline and ruin of art and of its sacred rules; they believed that everything was lost. But in the course of time melody gained its place, and the usual exaggerations did not fail to appear. Soon there were fanatics of melody who abhorred any piece of music in more than three voice-parts. Some even demanded that the

melody should be accompanied only by a bass. Apparently they wanted to give the hearer the pleasure of guessing the missing inner voices. Others went still further and rejected any kind of accompaniment; to them, harmony was a barbarous invention.

Then came modulation’s turn. At the time when modulation was limited to nearly-related keys, the first who ventured into more distant keys were censured. One might have expected this. Whatever the effect of these new modulations, the masters rejected them vigorously. The innovator pleaded vainly: “Listen to it attentively; convince yourselves how smoothly it is introduced, how well prepared, how skillfully linked with the preceding and following passages, and how wonderful it sounds!” “That does not matter’, was the answer; “this modulation is prohibited and that’s why it cannot be used.” However, modulations into distant keys soon appeared in important works, producing effects as felicitous as they were unexpected. Almost immediately a new kind of pedantry arose: there were people who considered any modulation to the dominant a weakness; even in the simplest rondo they sauntered gaily from C major to F# major.

By and by, time restored a reasonable balance. People learned to distinguish use from misuse, reactionary vanity from stupidity and obstinacy. Concerning harmony, melody and modulation, there is now general agreement to-approve whatever produces a good effect, and to reject what has a poor effect. Even the authority of a hundred old men (be they as old as a hundred and twenty years) will not persuade us that what is ugly, is beautiful; and what is beautiful, ugly.

Concerning instrumentation, expression and rhythm, the situation is still different. Their turn came much later for being observed, rejected, admitted, limited, liberated and exaggerated. They have not as yet reached the stage of development achieved by the other branches of music. We can only state that instrumentation leads the others and is close to the stage of exaggeration.

Much time is needed to find the oceans of music; still more, to learn how to navigate in them.

The instruments

Any sonorous body employed by a composer is a musical instrument. The following is a list of means available at present.

1. Stringed instruments. a. Strings set in vibration by a bow: Violin, Viola, Viola d’amore, Violoncello, Double-bass. b. Strings plucked: Harp, Guitar, Mandolin. c. With keyboard: Pianoforte.

2. Wind instruments. a. With reeds: Oboe, English horn, Bassoon,

®All time indications in this work refer to the middle of the 19th century.

Tenoroon (Basson quinte), Double bassoon, Clarinet, Basset-horn, Bass clarinet, Saxo-

b. Without reeds: Flute (large and small).

c. With keyboard: Organ, Melodium (Amer-

ican organ), Harmonium, Concertina.

d. Brass instruments, with mouthpiece: French’ horn, Trumpet, Cornet, Bugle, Trombone, Ophicleide, Bombardon, Bass tuba.

e. Wooden instruments, with mouthpiece: Rus-

sian bassoon, Serpent.

f. Voices of men, women, children, and artificial

sopranos and altos.

Percussion instruments.

a. With definite pitch: Kettledrum, Ancient cymbal, Chime, Glockenspiel, Keyboard harmonica, Bells.

b. With indefinite pitch, producing only noises of different timbre: Drum, Bass drum, Tambourine, Cymbals, Triangle, Gong, Crescent.

To this list are now to be added:

- To 1 b: Zither.

To 2 a: Oboe d’amore, Double-bass oboe,

Heckelphon, Double-bass clarinet.

To 2 b: Alto flute.

To 2 d: Tuba in F, Tuba in Bb, Euphonium

(Barytone).

To 3 a: Xylophone, Celesta.

$ To 3 b: Birch rod, Small bells.

The art of instrumentation consists in the employment of these sound elements: either to give a particular color to melody, harmony and rhythm; or— independently of these three great musical forces—to produce special effects (which may, or may not, serve some purpose of expression).

Considered in its poetical aspect, this art can be

Stringed Instruments