Chapter 7 Individual Woodwinds Pg 180-1228
a. Flute
a. The Flute Family- piccolo, flute, alto and bass flute
b. Range and Registral Characteristics-
c. Articulation and Tonguing- same as other wind instruments
d. Trills and Tremolos- same as every other instrument but there are some to avoid and are
impossible.
e. Harmonics- Although all the pitches above the open Cl5 on the flute are overblown harmonics,
some of these notes have their own distinctive fingerings-especially in the highest register.
f. Coloristic Effects-flutter tonguing and multiphonics.
g. Multiple Flutes- a pair of flutes in an orchestral work was the rule.
b. Piccolo- The instrument that extends the flute range one octave up is the piccolo.
c. Alto Flute- The alto flute, the first extension of the flute family downward.
d. Bass Flute- bass instrument in the family
e. Oboe
a.
b. Rang and Registral Characteristics
d. Articulations and Tonguing- it is possible to single tongue staccato passages very quickly; but
double and triple tonguing are seldom.
e. Trills and Tremolos- A list of trill and tremolo do' s and don't' s for the oboe would depend very
much on the model of the instrument and the proficiency of the player.
f. Coloristic Effects- the oboist is required to execute key clicks and to blow air through the tube
without producing a pitch.
g. Multiple Oboes- The standard complement of oboes in a symphony orchestra is usually two,
plus an English horn.
f. English Horn
a.
b. Trills
and
Tremolos- The same bill and tremolo constraints that concern the oboe also apply to the English horn,
c. Coloristic Effects- The English horn is as agile as the oboe and can easily execute all virtuosic
figures with the rest of the woodwinds.
g. Oher members of the oboe family
a. Oboe d’amore- is the mezzo-soprano instrument of the oboe family.
b. Oboe da caccia- The direct antecedent of the English horn was the oboe da caccia (''hunting
oboe")
c. Heckelphone- pseudo-bass oboe
d. The baritone or Bass Oboe- The baritone oboe, sometimes called the bass oboe, has the same
range and transposition as the heckelphone and a very similar sound; the difference is in appearance.
h. Clarinet
a. The Clarinet Family
b. Rang and Registral Characteristics
d. Niente attack and Subtones- in which the tone starts from almost complete silence, without
articulation, grows to a piano dynamic, and then fades away to nothing.
e. Trills and Tremolos- There are no trills or tremolos that cannot be negotiated on the clarinet.
f. Coloristic Effects- glissandi, bend, multiphonics
g. Multiple Clarinets- as many as three or more clarinets may be called for.
i. Piccolo Clarinet – Clarinet in D or Eb – created for considerations of key.
j. Bass Clarinet- expand its range downward to low c2.
k. Other Members of the Clarinet Family
a. Alto Clarinet in Eb only the lowest two octaves of its range speak effectively.
b. Basset horn orchestral tenor clarinet.
c. Contrabass Clarinet range an octave lower than that of the bass clarinet.
l. Saxophone
a. The Saxophone Family
b. Range and Registral Characteristics
m. Bassoon a double-reed instrument with a conical bore, is the bass voice of
the wind section.
a. Range and registral Characteristics
b. The bassoon Family
e. Articulations and Tonguing single tonguing is the norm for the bassoon and can be executed
with remarkable speed. Although double and triple tonguing are seldom called for.
f. Trills and Tremolos are most effective on the bassoon
g. Multiple Bassoons- bassoons in threes and even fours were employed.
Contrabassoon
a. Range and Registral Characteristics
b. Articulations and Tonguing Both legato and staccato passages are effective on the
contrabassoon; staccato, however, is difficult to execute quickly since the air column on the instrument is
too large and responds too sluggishly.
