Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov · section 94 of 100

Progression in octaves

The most beautiful and natural combinations are sopranos and tenors

8 | [ | Sopr.
Ten.,

altos and basses

8 | [ | Altos
Basses;

they produce a tone both brilliant and powerful. Progression of sopranos and altos, or tenors and basses is seldom practised. Though the latter combinations may occur in choruses for women and men alone, they can only be used in melodies of restricted length. The difference of register in which the voices move does not permit of the same balance of tone obtained by voices of a distinctive kind.

Examples:

Snegourotchka 60, 61—Carnival Procession.

" 113—Wedding Ceremony.

Sadko 37—Chorus of Guests, 1st Tableau.

Dividing kindred voices in octaves is seldom done,

8 | [ | Sopr. I
Sopr. II

etc., except perhaps in the basses

8 | [ | Basses I
Basses II,

when the progression of parts demand it, or it is required to double the bass part in octaves.

Examples:

Ivan the Terrible, Act III 68—Final chorus (cf. Ex. 312).

Sadko 341—Final chorus.

A beautifully round tone results from doubling men's and women's voices in octaves

8 | [ | Sopr. + Altos
Ten. + Basses.

Example:

Snegourotchka 323—Final chorus.

Brilliance and vigour is achieved when sopranos and altos progress in thirds doubled in octaves by tenors and basses also in thirds:

8 | [ | Sopr. | ] | 3
Altos
Ten. | ] | 3.
Basses

Examples:

Mlada, Act I 24; Act II, before 31.

The Golden Cockerel 235.

On the rare occasions when the whole chorus progresses in double octaves the usual arrangement is:

Sopr. | + | Altos | ] | 8, | or else | 8 | [ | Sopr. | | | |
| 8 | [ | Ten. | Altos | + | Ten. | ] | 8.
| Basses | | | | | Basses

Examples:

Snegourotchka 319.

Sadko 182.