Orchestral Arrangements

[Guest]

Prompted by this afternoon's recital of the two piano version of "The Planets", what do mboarders consider to be orchestral arrangements or transcription of works for a solo instrument or duo which improve on the original; and why?

To start the ball rolling: Pagodes (arr: Grainger): inspired evocation of a full javanese gamelan outdoes the piano solo for effect.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

You know, I can't think of many I really like. There are some great transcriptions by Liszt, of course, but in general, I prefer the reverse - orchestration of piano music. I'll commit musical heresy and say how much I admire "Les Sylphides" (orch. Douglas) and the many versions of Mussorgsky's "Pictures", preferring them to the originals.

However, there is one that really does work well: Rodger Quilter's piano reduction of his Children's Overture. I've played this in public many times. Despite the superb orchestration in the original version, the piano transcription of the following year works exceptionally well.

[mercia]

a quick response: not sure which came first (presumably piano) but I love both versions/arrangements of Ravel's Mother Goose Suite and all versions of Balakirev's Islamey (don't like Elgar's Bach orchestrations or any organ transcriptions of orchestral works! - not quite what you asked but I thought I'd tell you anyway)

[gradus]

My taste veers away from orchestrated Debussy preludes and Schumann piano pieces but towards orchestrated ie orchestrally enhanced Handel (Beecham/Elgar). Don't mind Pictures at an Exhibition orch Ravel (not keen on the others I've heard) or in the piano version. Prefer piano to orchestral accompaniments to English song, Butterworth, VW etc. I enjoy Wagner/Wesendonck in piano and orchestral versions, ditto Knaben Wunderhorn songs. Enough already.

[johnb]

An interesting example is Liszt's orchestration, for piano and orchestra, of Schubert's Wanderer Fantasy. I haven't listened to it for years and seem to remember I couldn't make my mind up about it. (Mind you, Schubert's Wanderer Fantasy isn't exactly my favourite of his solo piano works.)

[doversoul1]

I have heard an orchestra arrangement of Janacek’s Along an Overgrown Path. I can’t remember the orchestra that performed it but I have an impression that it was arranged for that particular orchestra. It was pleasant to listen to but I didn’t quite see the point, this being one of my favourite piano works.

[johnb]

.... Janacek’s Along an Overgrown Path. .... this being one of my favourite piano works.

+1

(It sounds so 'right' on the piano that it's difficult to imagine and orchestral arrangement.)

[johnb]

Re: Liszt's arrangement of Schubert's Wanderer Fantasy

I first heard of it when it was the subject of the really excellent programme on Radio 4 in the 60s (?) where a piece of music was analysed, with illustrations on the piano. (I'm kicking myself because I can't remember the name of the programme or the man who did the analysis. Arrrgh intimations of senility! )

[johnb]

Forget the Schubert/Liszt Wanderer.

I've just listened to it for the first time in many years.

No thank you.

[Freddie Campbell]

...Yes-I think the Listz Transcriptions of Operatic themes certainly do stand up to scutiny!
But I like the Rachmaninov Vocalise Arranged for Strings(by?) Possibly it's unwise to offer
any generalisation here-as some such work well whilst others do not!

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Of course, Liszt's most famous piano work, Nocturne no. 3 (Leibestraume) is itself an arrangement of one of his own songs.

[Suffolkcoastal]

It varies from work to work for me. I prefer the piano original of Pictures at an Exhibition and Le Tombeau de Couperin, but prefer Mother Goose orchestrated. Vaughan Williams' orchestration of his own organ Prelude & Fugue in C minor really enhances the work for me. Copland's own orchestration of his Piano Variations is another interesting example, I like both equally and have long fancied orchestrating his huge half-hour long Piano Fantasy.

[Roehre]

For me the most surprising orchestration is to be found in the 1st Acte of the Nutknacker: Schumann orchestrated by Tchaikovsky and in general nobody seems to notice :)

[Freddie Campbell]

...I often feel you can judge a work's greatness by whether it can effectively be reduced...

[Panjandrum]

in the 1st Acte of the Nutknacker:)

Balls! (sorry, couldnt resist)

Of course, Tchaikovsky was a great admirer of Schumann so not surprising really that he should have paid homage somewhere to the older composer.