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You are here: Home / Podcast / AOC 012: Samuel Adler and The Study of Orchestration
AOC 012: Samuel Adler and The Study of Orchestration

AOC 012: Samuel Adler and The Study of Orchestration

April 7, 2017 By Jon Brantingham 7 Comments

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In Episode 12 of the Art of Composing Podcast, I talk to Samuel Adler, author of one of the most popular books on orchestration, The Study of Orchestration.

There is an issue with my itunes feed right now. I am working with apple to get it fixed, but it will probably be a day or two before it’s corrected.

What is in this episode:

  • The most beneficial activities for composers learning orchestration.
  • Samuel Adler’s thoughts on getting published when you’re young.
  • Golden nuggets from some of the greatest teachers and composers of the twentieth century.
  • Why you should copy great composers like Bach and Hindemith.
  • Why the composition teacher is like a midwife.

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Tips from Samuel Adler

  • Composers should play an instrument.
  • Learn to sing.
  • Start as early as possible. This includes the study of harmony, counterpoint, and analysis, as well as your instrument.
  • Get a teacher as early as possible – this subject is too complicated and too complex to learn completely on your own.
  • Get familiar with the main corpus of music that has been created, as far back as medieval times.
  • Listen to and read a much music as possible.
  • Get into an ensemble.
  • Play chamber music on the side.
  • Keep writing and keep learning.

What are characteristics of good Orchestration?

Transparency
Let the orchestra choirs sound so that it doesn’t all sound like a big mish-mosh.

Great Orchestrators

Igor Stravinsky
Claude Debussy
Maurice Ravel
Henri Dutilleux

The American’s knew how to orchestrate better than anybody.

Copland
Piston
Session
William Shuman
Ned Rorem
Samuel Barber

Thoughts on Walter Piston

He wasn’t the best teacher because he taught by sarcasm.

Thoughts on Hindemith

You had to write a new piece for every single lesson. He would then rewrite it. You ended up writing what he would like.

I wrote like a little Paul Hindemith for a very long time.

Thoughts on Copland

He was the best teacher because he would point out there was something wrong with your piece, but he wouldn’t tell you exactly what.

He would show you – identify some kind of weakness, or mistake, or wrong chord, or something like that. And instead of, like Hindemith putting the right chord, he would say, “Go home and do it.” And you learned more by worrying. He said “Somethings wrong,” so something must be wrong, and you tried very hard to correct it. And this was a terrific way of teaching.

On teaching in General

The composition teacher is like a midwife. He can’t have the baby but he can help along.

Always try to live into the music or style that the student is writing.

Samuel Adler’s Thoughts on Technology

I can tell, by looking at a score, whether that composer has composed with the computer. You have delete on the computer and you have repeat on the computer, and much of the minimal music is not as good as Philip Glass, or any of the great composers of minimal music.

Samuel Adler’s Process of Composing

He starts with sketching.
He always completes his short score before orchestrating.
Orchestration is treated as a 2nd composition.

Why he wrote The Study of Orchestration

He wrote the book by default, because the books they were using didn’t actually talk about orchestration – just instrumentation. It challenges you to think about the orchestra.

Resources and Links Mentioned in this Episode:

Samuel Adler’s Books


*These are affiliate links to Amazon.

Filed Under: Podcast Tagged With: Interview, Orchestration, Samuel Adler, Walter Piston

About Jon Brantingham

I am a film composer, and lover of music theory. I have spent many years figuring out the tools and techniques that actually work for composers, and now I want to teach them to you.

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Ilkka U

      April 11, 2017 at 8:19 am

      Really good podcast. Thanks!

      Reply
      • Jon Brantingham

        April 12, 2017 at 7:12 am

        Thanks Ilkka.

        Reply
    2. Marc-Antoine Giguere

      April 10, 2017 at 8:52 am

      This was great, I love your interviews so far, keep them coming!!!

      Reply
      • Jon Brantingham

        April 10, 2017 at 9:49 am

        Thanks

        Reply
    3. aaron aragon

      April 8, 2017 at 12:32 pm

      Wow. Mr Adler confirms my suspicion that youth is a great place to start learning…anything. As an old guy just starting out, Art of Composing gives me opportunities for a rich second act of life and music. Great interview!

      Reply
      • Jon Brantingham

        April 8, 2017 at 1:16 pm

        Thanks Aaron. It was a fun interview, and he has a lot of wisdom.

        Reply
      • Mark

        April 18, 2020 at 9:02 am

        Sorry but I feel that Adler reinforces here many of the unattractive stereotypes of old age of which I hope to never grow into; he is fundamentally closed minded, fears change and he lacks humility and grace. He directly insulted the whole concept of your approach to music education; for that I am somewhat surprised you proceeded to publish this.

        Reply

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