In addition to clarity and tonal excitement, the best orchestration will also have effective structural design. Since structure is so organically related to musical form and techniques of composition, a complete analysis of what makes appealing structure would require a separate treatise. Nevertheless, it is important to consider a few of the larger generalizations that underlie such a complete analysis.
Fundamental sources of imaginative structure are: (a) sufficient instrumental motion; (b) sufficient vigor of design; (c) sufficient overlapping of choirs; (d) “light and shade” through variegation of “thickness and thinness” of texture, and (e) sufficient variety within general design.
Playable Books