# Favorite timbral combinations?



## GucciManeIsTheNewWebern (Jul 29, 2020)

One of my favorites is the clarinet and cello, like how Brahms uses it in the Clarinet Quintet and Clarinet Trio.

And in Hindemith's Kammermusik.


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## Heck148 (Oct 27, 2016)

Big topic!! So many great combinations....

I always have enjoyed Haydn's favorite combinations - high-low/string-woodwind - ie -

Oboe and cello together in unison/octaves
Violin and bassoon...
He really displays this in the wonderful Sinfonia Concertante for those for instruments - but he uses it in the symphonies as well - Symphony #88, mvts II, IV, for example.


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## BrahmsWasAGreatMelodist (Jan 13, 2019)

Female voice and male voice.


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## GucciManeIsTheNewWebern (Jul 29, 2020)

Also, violin family and acoustic guitar. Django Reinhardt and Stéphane Grappelli is a perfect example.


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## EdwardBast (Nov 25, 2013)

Flute and bassoon in unison.


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## Heck148 (Oct 27, 2016)

Classical repertoire is filled with great combinations of instruments - Beethoven made great use of these combos, Brahms, also.- bassoon goes with all the woodwinds - flute oboe, clarinet horn... also, violin, viola, cello...
A whole thread could be devoted to Beethoven's use of timbral combinations - Sym #2 4, 6!!, 7...all, really....the piano concerti, to say nothing of the woodwind chamber music - 8tet, 6tet, Rondino....


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## Bruckner Anton (Mar 10, 2016)

What about cellos doubled by a solo horn, like the opening of Bruckner's 7th symphony?


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## hammeredklavier (Feb 18, 2018)

In attempt to be "original", I'll say:
-the basset horn (eg. Mozart K.361, K.375, K.384, K.477, K.626)
-the double bass in contrapuntal chamber music (it sounds so "deep" and "heavy", especially when played loudly with a large speaker) 







 (not as contrapuntally intricate as the above example, but still melodically memorable)


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## KevinW (Nov 21, 2021)

Violin and clarinet. Listen to Mozart Violin Concertos!


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## Prodromides (Mar 18, 2012)

... these are some of my favorite things ...

Ondes Martenot & cimbalom
organ & trumpet
harpsichord & bassoon
harp & electric bass guitar


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## Rogerx (Apr 27, 2018)

BrahmsWasAGreatMelodist said:


> Female voice and male voice.


A good Soprano and Mezzo soprano voices :angel:


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## Ariasexta (Jul 3, 2010)

Viols and organ, voices and cornet or lute, violins and harpsichord.


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## violadude (May 2, 2011)

EdwardBast said:


> Flute and bassoon in unison.


The opening theme of Tchaikovsky's 1st symphony.

The combo of Oboe and harp in the first movement of Mahler's 4th symphony was very striking to me when I first heard it.

About 7:18 in this recording:


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## Ethereality (Apr 6, 2019)

My ideal music combo is like Ravelian form but more subtle supported by some ethnic drum beats.

I don't really like any Classical timbral combinations. The closest Classical extant is probably Bach's Harpsichord Concerto No. 1 or some Jordi Savall ensemble.

My favorite overall extant is like this subtle ethnic percussion, choir and low strings on a very nice open chord at only *1:20*-1:24 here.


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## Ethereality (Apr 6, 2019)

Oh here's another little passage.

These are kind of(?) close to Ravelian form, but not really. The little Hitchcock moment after the choir passage gives it a touch of Ravel. Ravel is much more subtle and calculated.

As far as Ravel's timbre, no thanks.


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## Ariasexta (Jul 3, 2010)

Sorry, mistaking the thread. Delete...


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## CarlHaydn284 (Jul 12, 2020)

Upper register of the piano and the lower register of the piano.

But in all seriousness, I very much enjoy the clarinet and viola. Supposedly they are the instruments closest to the average human vocal range, and they complement each other very well. Bruch wrote a wonderful double concerto for this ensemble.


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## Kreisler jr (Apr 21, 2021)

CarlHaydn284 said:


> But in all seriousness, I very much enjoy the clarinet and viola. Supposedly they are the instruments closest to the average human vocal range, and they complement each other very well. Bruch wrote a wonderful double concerto for this ensemble.


plus Bruch's set of pieces for clarinet, viola, piano, Mozart's "Kegelstatt" Trio K 498 and a few works by Schumann for the same combination.


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## CarlHaydn284 (Jul 12, 2020)

Oh yes. Kegelsatt as well. What a wonderful work. Need to listen to the other Bruch and Schumann however.


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## EdwardBast (Nov 25, 2013)

Another, on solo piano, is a melody in the tenor register doubled two octaves above. Prokofiev does that a lot. Not sure why doubling one octave above is mundane but two octaves above is magical. Strange.


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## AaronSF (Sep 5, 2021)

Horn, harp, and female chorus:






I suspect Brahms was working with limited resources at the time, but he surely made the most of it.


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## composingmusic (Dec 16, 2021)

A lot of it has to do with context. Some examples that come to mind are the explosions of colour in the fifth movement of the Turangalila symphony, Berg's use of stopped horn in the seven early songs, Adamék's amazing use of timpani and low trombone combined with half-whispered voice, flute, and other colours, Dutilleux's combinations of pizzicato and staccato winds against flute flautando and tremolo strings, and Grisey's combination of soprano and trumpet in Quatre Chants pour franchir le seuil.


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## fluteman (Dec 7, 2015)

Limiting my picks to ensembles of traditional western instruments, I like the interesting smaller combinations, such as Ravel's Introduction and Allegro for harp, flute, clarinet and string quartet, Stravinsky's Octet for flute, clarinets in Bb and A, two bassoons, trumpets in C and A, tenor trombone and bass trombone, Carter's Quartet for flute, oboe, cello and harpsichord, and Schubert's Quintet for piano, violin, viola and bass.


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## SanAntone (May 10, 2020)

Pierre Boulez: sur Incises for *3 pianos, 3 harps and 3 percussionists*


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## composingmusic (Dec 16, 2021)

SanAntone said:


> Pierre Boulez: sur Incises for *3 pianos, 3 harps and 3 percussionists*


Yes, and Boulez' use of this instrumental combination is incredible.


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## composingmusic (Dec 16, 2021)

On the note of Boulez, the way he saves the tam-tams and gong to the very end of the piece in Le Marteau sans Maître is quite amazing.


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