# "Required Listening" Pieces for 20-Piece String Orchestra?



## Kent (Jan 25, 2017)

Through my school, I have an opportunity to record a ~2 minute score with a well-known orchestra. The instrumentation for this opportunity is a string orchestra of 5/4/4/4/2 + Harp (yes, I wish there were one or two more on violin I, but it is what it is).

Having grown up in the wind band world, I'm more familiar with string sections two or three times this size. I'd like to listen to some pieces using ~ 20 strings - alone if possible, but perhaps with winds or whatever if the strings are prominent - so I can become acquainted with the ensemble.

What do you suggest?


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## tonaliszt (Jan 25, 2017)

Grieg - Holberg Suite is usually performed with smaller groups. You might be able to find a recording of Tchaikovsky's Serenade or Verklarte Nacht for strings with a 20 piece orchestra. Obviously period baroque and classical groups will have good recordings, but the vibrato differences make them hard to recommend as a reference. 

You should also definitely listen to Strauss Metamorphosen. It is some of the greatest writing for strings ever. It will open up a lot of possibilities for how to use the small ensemble in interesting ways. And if you know that you will have a good orchestra, why not try something in that style?


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## Vavastrasza (Jan 25, 2017)

"Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis" by Vaughan Williams

Mendelssohn also wrote a lot of string symphonies.


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## JohnG (Jan 25, 2017)

Not to be glib about it, but many / most pieces written for string orchestra can be played by a much smaller ensemble and still sound great. 

You can also listen to many string quartets and get a good feel for string writing. Besides, string quartets (like, say, Mikhail Glinka's, which is lovely) can prepare you to write with a "section-within-a-section" approach. The idea is to adopt a sort of baroque idea -- a small group of soloists that plays a section, and then the full group plays together -- like call and answer. It doesn't have to be all or nothing, with everyone playing all at once.

Specific pieces:

a huge Plus One to @tonaliszt suggestion of Verklarte Nacht by Schoenberg -- fabulous. There is a smaller ensemble version of it by "Ensemble XXI" that is streamable. 

Ralph Vaughan Williams "The Lark Ascending" -- strings with solo violin
also by RVW "Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis"

Felix Mendelsohn wrote a number of string symphonies, if you like that era.

Mikhail Glinka -- just about any string writing he did was pretty great. A bit 19th century though. 

More up to date is Tigran Mansurian, who wrote awesome stuff; challenging but still lovely to hear. I like his String Quartets 1 and 2. 

Aaron Copland wrote a Nonet for strings. Not the same instrumentation exactly (a nonet, obviously!) but pretty cool. 

Also in the "getting in the mood" vein, there's a version of Barber's Adagio for Strings that is with a small section -- it's not the instrumentation of your group, but it could be inspiring.


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## Arbee (Jan 25, 2017)

The Norwegian Chamber Orchestra almost fits this bill, and I love what they do. For example:





A few others in the ball park:







6/4/4/4/2 is by far my favourite size string section!


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## Parsifal666 (Jan 25, 2017)

Don't overthink it. Richard Strauss' "Metamorphosis".


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## Saxer (Jan 26, 2017)

Some nice examples here with different orchestra size:


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## TGV (Jan 26, 2017)

Amsterdam Sinfonietta is of a similar size. Here's Vivaldi. Many (Italian) baroque pieces are played with similar setting.


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## re-peat (Jan 26, 2017)

*Stravinsky "Apollon Musagète"*
(Moscow Soloists, Yuri Bashmet - Onyx Records)






*http://users.telenet.be/deridderpiet.be/ChamberStrings/2-02%20No.%2013%20in%20B-Flat%20Major,%20Op.%20130_%20II.%20Presto.mp3 (Beethoven &quot;The Late String Quartets (arranged for string orchestra)&quot;)*
(Camerata Nordica, Terje Tønnesen - BIS Records)






*http://users.telenet.be/deridderpiet.be/ChamberStrings/03%20Symphonie%20d'archets_%20III.%20Scherzo%20and%20Trio.mp3 (Jean Françaix &quot;Music for String Orchestra&quot;)*
(Solti Chamber Orchestra, Kerry Straton - Toccata Records)






*http://users.telenet.be/deridderpiet.be/ChamberStrings/08%20Adagio,%20Op.%203.mp3 (George Lekeu &quot;Adagio&quot;)*
(Ensemble Appassionata, Daniel Myssyk - Fidelio Records)






*http://users.telenet.be/deridderpiet.be/ChamberStrings/08%20Eine%20kleine%20Symphonie%20(Quartet%20No.%201),%20Op.%2049a_III.%20Allegro%20molto.mp3 (Shostakovitch &quot;Chamber Symphonies&quot;)*
The Dmitri Ensemble, Graham Ross - Harmonia Mundi)






*http://users.telenet.be/deridderpiet.be/ChamberStrings/07%207%20Easy%20Pieces_%206.%20Leicht%20bewegt,%20zierlich.mp3 (Ernst Krenèk &quot;Works For String Orchestra&quot;)*
Leopoldinum Orchestra, Ernst Kovacic - Capriccio Records)






*http://users.telenet.be/deridderpiet.be/ChamberStrings/04%20Chamber%20Symphony%20No.%201,%20Op.%20145_%20IV.%20Presto.mp3 (Mieczyslav Vainberg &quot;Chamber Symphonies&quot;)*
Chamber Orchestra Kremlin, Misha Rachlevsky - Claves Records)

_


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## JohnG (Jan 26, 2017)

@re-peat Ok -- going to do some listening. thanks for the list


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## Rctec (Jan 26, 2017)

Metamorphosen and Verklärte Nacht have always been my guide...


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## Parsifal666 (Jan 26, 2017)

Rctec said:


> Metamorphosen and Verklärte Nacht have always been my guide...



Schoenberg YAY!!!! One of my heroes!


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## Kent (Jan 26, 2017)

Wow, all, these are great suggestions! Thank you!!

(Don't let this stop the thread... keep them coming, if you've got them!)


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## jamwerks (Jan 26, 2017)

That's about the size of the Spitfire Chamber Strings (Sable) samples. That should give you an idea!


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## Kent (Jan 26, 2017)

...oh wow, @tonaliszt, @JohnG, and @Rctec ... _Verklärte Nacht _literally has me in tears. I feel like I can see in color for the first time. 

Wow.


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## Kent (Jan 26, 2017)

Vavastrasza said:


> Mendelssohn also wrote a lot of string symphonies.



In your opinion, has he written anything more perfect than https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4pO7_IxbDsU (this)? His Italian Symphony is my go-to - a little less cliche than this scherzo which, as a former clarinetist, was both torture and ecstasy to play.


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## Kent (Jan 26, 2017)

jamwerks said:


> That's about the size of the Spitfire Chamber Strings (Sable) samples. That should give you an idea!


This is probably my favorite String library - I use it everywhere. I could also use some of the divisi sections from LASS and get similar results. But having the sampled tools and having a real ensemble are two different things! There is nothing more sublime than a group of warm-bodied musicians who know exactly what they're doing.


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## TGV (Jan 26, 2017)

kmaster said:


> In your opinion, has he written anything more perfect than https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4pO7_IxbDsU (this)?


#4 is fantastic (my first cd!), but the piano trios... they are amazing. And the very Brahmsian Psalm 42, written 30 years before the German Requiem. And his rediscovery of Bach!

Anyway, back to the 20 strings.

Edit: and then I forget to add the version for string orchestra of John Adams' Shaker Loops. Fantastic timbres.


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## NoamL (Jan 26, 2017)

These are all good string pieces but some of them require quite a large band. Like the Tallis Fantasia is for a _larger_ than normal string orchestra.

The pieces that leap to mind for a small group are:

Elgar, Serenade in E Minor
Mendelssohn, the "Octet"
Strauss, Metamorphoses
Holst, St. Paul's Suite
Bach, Brandenburg Concertos - there's one where the strings have 10 parts, and it's often performed with just 1 or 2 players on a part making it a "Dectet."


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## Kent (Mar 16, 2017)

Thanks again to everybody who recommended pieces and posted links! They were all really helpful in figuring out what direction I should go in for this scoring session.

As an update to this thread, I have the audio of the "end result":

At the Gorge

Since this isn't really the sub-forum for critiquing member pieces, however, if you have anything to say (compliments or criticisms alike!) about the tune or the mix, please PM me! I'd love to hear from you.


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## JBW (Mar 17, 2017)

I may be late to the party...

A couple of my "top shelf" albums (ones that never seem to get put away or rotated):

The 60's "Barbirolli conducts English string music album" on EMI (has the Elgar Serenade and the Vaughan Williams Fantasias).
The 70's Strauss album played by Karajan/Berlin with Metamorphosen (and Tod & Verk. and Vier letzte Lieder) on DG.
These are about as good as it gets, for me! And that is saying a lot because I don't usually narrow down favorites quite this much.

Another good piece is the Dvorak Serenade for Strings (esp. the 2nd mvmt. waltz!). Although I don't have a recommended recording for this.

I heartily second the nod to those arrangements of Beethoven played by Tognetti & ACO. Those were a fun listen! Thanks for sharing!


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