Hector Berlioz · section 14 of 67

Wind Instruments

Before studying individually each member of this large family, we shall establish as clearly as possible a musical vocabulary indicating the different degrees of high or low pitch of certain instruments, the transpositions causing these differences, as well as the customary notation and denomination of these instru-

They have little regard for the indispensable respect which the performer owes the composer, and for the tacit but absolute obligation to transmit the composer's ideas faithfully to the audience—whether the performer honors a mediocre author by interpreting him, or is honored himself in rendering the immortal ideas of a genius. In either case, the performer who, catering to a momentary whim, works contrary to the composer’s intentions, ought to contemplate the fact that the author of the work, whatever it may be. has probably devoted considerably more attention to the place and duration of certain effects, to the design of his melody and rhythm, to the choice of chords and instruments, than the performer has in taking his own peculiar liberties. One cannot protest enough against this senseless privilege too often claimed by instrumentalists, singers and conductors. Such presumption is not only ridiculous; if it develops further, it must produce unspeakable confusion and cause serious harm to the art. Composers and critics must fight against this at all times.

(These are golden words! The Editor)

The soft pedal is used much less frequently than the damper pedal; but Beethoven and several other composers have employed it very felicitously. It is of excellent effect when contrasted with the ordinary sound of the pianoforte or with the splendid sonority produced by the damper pedal. It is equally useful in accompanying singers, especially if their voices are weak, and in the more frequent instances where the entire performance is to have a soft and tender character. Its use is indicated by “una corda” or “mit Verschiebung”. Its action consists im shifting the whole keyboard so that the hammers hit only two of the three unisono strings which are now provided in all good instruments for each tone (excepting the lower ranges). Since only two strings vibrate instead of three, the sound is reduced and the timbre is

changed considerably.

We begin by making a line of demarcation between instruments sounding as they are written and instruments whose tones sound higher or lower than the written notes. The following two categories result from this division:

Non-transposing instruments

whose tones sound as written

Viola d’amore, Viola da gamba

Clarinet in C. a

French horn im high CG Cornet in C.. Trumpet in C

Ophicleide in C

Voices (if written in their individual clefs and not, without any distinction, in the G-clef).

Saxophone in C

It will be seen from this table that all non-transposing instruments marked “in C”, whose tones sound as they are written, belong to the same category as those without any designation of key (like the violin, oboe, flute, etc.); the latter are completely equivalent to the instruments in C from the composer’s point of view. However, the designation of some wind instruments in accordance with the natural sound of their tubes has led to the most singular and absurd consequences; it has made the notation of instruments very complicated and the musical vocabulary very illogical. ie is, therefore, necessary to discuss this practicé thoroughly and to re-establish order where it is generally conspicuous by its absence.

Performers sometimes call the tenor trombone, “the eee: in Ba the alto trombone, “the trombone in and still more uently, the o flute, “the flute in D”. ma 7 mdinary

‘These designations are correct in the sense that the tube of the two trombones with the slide closed produces the tones of the Bb chord on the first trombone, and those of the Eb chord on the second trombone; likewise, the ordinary flute with all holes

Transposing instruments

whose tones are different from the written notes

All other flutes

Oboe d’amore, English horn All other clarinets Tenoroon, Double bassoon

All otherFrench horns All other comets

All other trumpets Valve alto trombone

All other ophicleides

All other tubas

Tenors and Basses (if written in the G-clef, their sound being an octave below the written notes).

Harmonica with steel tongues

All other saxophones, saxhorns, saxotrombas and saxtubas