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McKay, Creative Orchestration

George Frederick McKay · section 34 of 111

Monophonic texture

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Of the eight types of texture, the simplest is the monophonic. Monophonic means "single-voiced" or "unisonal," but in the orchestra such unison can be composed of either a single line or any amount of octave doubling.

Example: "grand unison" — all instruments doubling in octaves (two-staff reduction, 3/4)
Fig. 125 · Play this example in the reader ▶

One use of monophonic texture is in the so-called "grand unison," with all instruments doubling in their natural registers (bottom of preceding page); or the instruments may be used to produce an intense and concentrated single line in middle register (such as viola, cello, horn, high bassoon, or low clarinet).

Example: a concentrated single line in middle register
Fig. 126 · Play this example in the reader ▶

The instruments may be widely spaced for unusual effect.

Example: (Piccolo), marked 8va, and (Bassoon) widely spaced
Fig. 127 · Play this example in the reader ▶

The doubling may include register and timbre variegation.

Example: (Full Orch.), (Clarinet), (Strings)
Fig. 128 · Play this example in the reader ▶

There may be differentiated articulation.

Example: Strings — arco above, pizz. below
Fig. 129 · Play this example in the reader ▶

Variegation of pitch locale and articulation, and a certain effect of light and shade achieved by alternating octave doubling with single line, all contribute to a needed variety. If the experimental procedure also includes variegation of timbre, it can be seen that the possibilities for monophonic interest are far-reaching indeed.

The creative and historical importance of the monophonic texture is evidenced by the emphasis that it received in early European and Oriental music. A study of the music of India and China gives a vision of the possibilities to be explored. The student is referred to the Louisville Symphony recording And The Fallen Petals by Chou Wen-Chung. This is an outstanding example of essentially monophonic procedure, intensely variegated, especially by variety of timbre, with much use of percussion.