# Newbie Here: Odd Instrunmentation (sp)



## Moonscarred (Mar 1, 2007)

Hey, I just joined and I was wonderinging if anyone had some suggestions for what would be good for a local contest held at my highschool for classical music.

It is judged throughout the district and my small jazz band decided to go in and compete but intrumentation wise we are very low on standereds so if anyone had an idea on how to play a peice for the judges with this arrangement of players


1 or 2-percussion 

1-trombone (VERY SKILLED) 

2-alto sax (or 1 sax and 1 clair I double) 

1-piano if needed

2-trumpets (or 1 Trumpet 1 Frecnch Horn) Oh, and maby a fugelhorn (sp?)


Any Help would be appreciated, thank you


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## Kurkikohtaus (Oct 22, 2006)

I don't want to sound overly pessimistic, but when one departs from the standard classical chamber ensembles, things sound really weird. Furthermore, your saxophones will completely overpower the other instruments.

Here are the standard classical chamber ensembles:

*String Quartet*
2 violins, 1 viola, 1 cello

Another non-string instrument is often added to this arrangement, creating a "quintet" named after the extra instrument (i.e. Clarinet Quintet means 1 clarinet + string quartet)

*Wind Quintet*
1 flute, 1 oboe, 1 clarinet, 1 horn, 1 bassoon

*Wind Octet*
2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 2 horns, 2 bassoons

*Brass quintet*
2 trumpets, 1 horn, 1 trombone, 1 tuba

*Piano Trio*
1 violin, 1 cello, 1 piano

*Baroque Trio*
1 flute, 1 cello, 1 harpsichord

There are many small variations of these standard models, but when you depart from them too much and start mixing in saxophones, the result is bound to be unbalanced.


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## Saturnus (Nov 7, 2006)

I'd go for the french horn and clarinet, the piano and one percussion (I think you should definately not use two saxes and two trumpets). You can put the sax in the role of an oboe or cor anglais, just make sure they use the smooth and weak side of their sound.

But it will still be hard to find the right piece. I would check out the composer Eugene Bozza, a 20th-century frenchman that wrote only for wind instruments, he is considered classical though and sounds a bit like Francis Poulenc.


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