# Outstanding orchestrations of other composers' works



## Perotin (May 29, 2012)

Can you think of any case of a famous composer orchestrating a work by other (more or less) famous composer. Let me give you a few examples: Ravel orchestrated Pictures at an Exhibition by Mussorgsky, Berlioz orchestrated Invitation to the Dance by von Weber, Shostakovich orchestrated a song from musical Tea for two, Debussy orchestrated Gymnopedies 1 & 3 by Satie. It is amazing, how good orchestration can take a piece öf music to a whole new level and sometimes completely overshadows the original.


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## SilverSurfer (Sep 13, 2014)

Hello, Perotin, maybe it's not the case, but Iberia from Isaac Albéniz was always seen as a possible work to be orchestrated (maybe by Ravel, they say), and here is the last version, by a contemporary composer sadly deceased:


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## Art Rock (Nov 28, 2009)

Brahms's Piano Quartet No. 1 in G minor was orchestrated by Arnold Schoenberg in 1937. I prefer the original but it is an interesting alternative.


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## brotagonist (Jul 11, 2013)

I come across such works all of the time. In a similar vein, there are transcriptions done by the composer or someone else. I have loads of such works in my collection. I get great pleasure from listening to works I know performed in a different configuration.


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## aleazk (Sep 30, 2011)




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## Orfeo (Nov 14, 2013)

Glazunov's orchestration of Borodin's Petite Suite.
Respighi's orchestration of Rachmaninov's Études-Tableaux.


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## Mahlerian (Nov 27, 2012)




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## Cosmos (Jun 28, 2013)

Ravel's orchestration of Mussorgsky's Pictures at an Exhibition!


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## aleazk (Sep 30, 2011)

I recently discovered this one:

Ravel's La vallée des cloches orchestrated by Percy Grainger (aussie composer)


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## aleazk (Sep 30, 2011)

Another Grainger orchestration of Impressionist composers:

Debussy - Pagodes






Btw, I wouldn't say these are 'Outstanding orchestrations' as per the OP, but they are moderately interesting.

I like more this one than the previous one.


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## scratchgolf (Nov 15, 2013)

Mahler's orchestration (Strings only) for Schubert's 14th String Quartet - Death and the Maiden
I would certainly say this is outstanding, both the orchestration and this performance.


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## Mandryka (Feb 22, 2013)

Hans Zender Schumann Fantasie


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## hpowders (Dec 23, 2013)

Schönberg orchestrated the Brahms Piano Quartet Opus 25.

Leonard Bernstein expanded Beethoven's C# minor quartet for the Vienna Philharmonic String section in one of his most successful recorded performances.


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## Cheyenne (Aug 6, 2012)

hpowders said:


> Schönberg orchestrated the Brahms Piano Quartet Opus 25.


I thoroughly recommend Simon Rattle's performance of this, it's great! It's both Schönberg and Brahms through and through..

Joseph Swensen also orchestrated the original version of Brahms' first piano trio, which sounds very nice:


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## ptr (Jan 22, 2013)

Shostakovich of Mussorgsky's "Songs and Dances of Death"
Shostakovich of Yeomans' "Tea for two" (Tahiti Trot)

/ptr


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## Chronochromie (May 17, 2014)

Hmmm...
Liszt's orchestration of Schubert's Wanderer Fantasy
Milhaud's orchestration of Satie's Jack in the box
Ravel's orchestration of Schumann's Carnaval (not the whole thing) and of Chabrier's Menuet Pompeaux


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## senza sordino (Oct 20, 2013)

Shostakovich String Quartet #8 has been transcribed by Rudolf Barshai for string orchestra, in which it is known as Chamber Symphony in C minor (Op. 110a). Though it's not much of a stretch to orchestrate a string quartet for a string orchestra. 

A few different composers have orchestrated the original piano version of Pictures at An Exhibition. It's the Ravel we're most familiar with. And I have a Stokowski orchestrated version of Mussorgsky's Night on Bare Mountain.


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## Janspe (Nov 10, 2012)

I think Webern orchestrated some of Schubert's works - I remember listening to the 6 German dances D.820, conducted by Pierre Boulez.


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## elgar's ghost (Aug 8, 2010)

Lyapunov (I think) orchestrated Balakirev's piano fantasy 'Islamey'.


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## Cheyenne (Aug 6, 2012)

senza sordino said:


> Shostakovich String Quartet #8 has been transcribed by Rudolf Barshai for string orchestra, in which it is known as Chamber Symphony in C minor (Op. 110a). Though it's not much of a stretch to orchestrate a string quartet for a string orchestra.


Barshai also did a few other Shostakovich quartets, and a string orchestra adaptation of Prokofiev's Visions Fugitives that works very well!


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## KenOC (Mar 7, 2011)

Cheyenne said:


> Barshai also did a few other Shostakovich quartets...


 Speaking of which, Terje Tønnesen did a fantastic job transcribing all of Beethoven's late quartets for string orchestra. Lighter and more nimble than earlier transcriptions, the solo instruments are often pitted against the ensemble for a kind of concerto grosso effect. It works!


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## Cheyenne (Aug 6, 2012)

Furtwängler also made a famous string orchestra adaptation of the Great Fugue.. Very good performance!


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## dgee (Sep 26, 2013)

Wrong thread! Will come back on this tho


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## GGluek (Dec 11, 2011)

Rimsky-Kosakov's touched up re-orchestration of Boris Godunov may not be exactly what Mussorgsky had in mind, but it's a fabulous listening experience.


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## Bruce (Jan 2, 2013)

Ives's Concord Sonata orchestrated by Henry Brant - an extraordinarily competent orchestration. Sounds like the work was originally conceived for orchestra. 

Siegfried Matthus orchestrated several of Mendelssohns songs, along with a few songs without words, and assembled them into a work called Leise zieht durch mein Gemüt, which I think is quite a beautiful rendition.

Tobias Picker's Romances and Interludes, which contains his version of Schumann's Drei Romanzen for oboe and piano, along with some of Picker's original music. 

Luciano Berio also wrote an interesting orchestration of Brahms's First Clarinet Sonata, which I very much enjoy. And of course there's Berio's Rendering, his version of Schubert's Tenth Symphony. 

These are some of my favorite orchestrations. Berio has done some interesting


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## Bruce (Jan 2, 2013)

Almost forgot-- There are some fabulous orchestrations by Schönberg, Berg and Webern of Strauss waltzes. They were released by the Boston Chamber Orchestra on DG quite a few years back. These are really charming realizations for small orchestral forces of a few of Strauss's most beautiful waltzes.


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## science (Oct 14, 2010)

senza sordino said:


> Shostakovich String Quartet #8 has been transcribed by Rudolf Barshai for string orchestra, in which it is known as Chamber Symphony in C minor (Op. 110a). Though it's not much of a stretch to orchestrate a string quartet for a string orchestra.
> 
> A few different composers have orchestrated the original piano version of Pictures at An Exhibition. It's the Ravel we're most familiar with. And I have a Stokowski orchestrated version of Mussorgsky's Night on Bare Mountain.


One of my first, "Oh, maybe I can do this" moments was because of that chamber symphony. I went to a performance of it, expecting to hear a work that I'd never heard before, and I spent the whole time thinking it sure was a lot like the 8th string quartet. I was able to talk to the conductor afterward and he was like, "It sure is the eighth string quartet." I was like, wow. Perhaps I can do this classical music thing.


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## dgee (Sep 26, 2013)

I greatly enjoy Hans Zender's "composed interpretation" of Schubert's Winterreise for singer and ensemble - demented and unsubtle, it works for me






Berio's Rendering (with reimagined material and interpolations of Schubert 8 Symphony) is also very interesting






EDIT: sorry for the double-up Bruce!


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## Woodduck (Mar 17, 2014)

Of Wagner's _Wesendonck Lieder_ he orchestrated only the final one, "Traume," himself, for chamber orchestra. The cycle is best known in Felix Mottl's arrangements for full orchestra. A few others have orchestrated the songs, notably Hans Werner Henze, whose orchestral choices interesting but, IMO, less idiomatic than Mottl's, which had Wagner's approval.


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## dgee (Sep 26, 2013)

I had a chance to hear the Henze orchestration of the Wesendonck lieder live a while ago and found it hauntingly beautiful - a really nice surprise. Definitely not idiomatic of Wagner tho!


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## Perotin (May 29, 2012)

Until now I only knew Newbould's orchestration of Schubert's 10th symphony, but never heard of Berio's one, thanks for bringing that to my attention!


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## Bruce (Jan 2, 2013)

I forgot a rather well-known transcription--that of William Schuman's orchestration of Ives's Variations on America, originally written for organ. Both versions are terrific works. 

And I'd like to mention Liszt's transcriptions of many Schubert lieder for piano solo.


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## AdmiralSilver (Sep 28, 2013)

Any of you heard about Shostakovich's re-orchestration of Schumann's cello concerto?


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## Orfeo (Nov 14, 2013)

Vissarion Shebalin's completion & orchestration of Glinka's Symphony on Two Russian themes.
Gauk's orchestration of Tchaikovsky's "The Seasons."
Lyadov's orchestration of Mussorgsky's "Sorochintsï Fair" (Overture and Gopak no. 5).
Gauk's completion and orchestration of Rachmaninoff's First Symphony.
Pavel Lamm's orchestration and editions of Mussorgsky's "Khovanshchina" & "Boris Godunov."


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## Woodduck (Mar 17, 2014)

dgee said:


> I had a chance to hear the Henze orchestration of the Wesendonck lieder live a while ago and found it hauntingly beautiful - a really nice surprise. Definitely not idiomatic of Wagner tho!


There is at least one recording of the Henze arrangements, with Jard van Nes under Hickox on Chandos (also containing the _Siegfried idyll_ and the _Concertino for Bassoon, Harp and Strings_ by Richard Strauss). I own it and enjoy it, and recommend it as a worthwhile purchase for anyone who likes the songs.


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## mtmailey (Oct 21, 2011)

TCHAIKOVSKY symphony in e flat was made from sketches.SCHUBERT symphony 10 was made from a piano sketchs.ELGAR symphony 3 was made from sketches Anthony Payne put it together.


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## Alfacharger (Dec 6, 2013)

Respighi was a monster at orchestrating other composers music. My favorite is the Suite #2 from Ancient Airs and Dances.


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