Instruments associated with Composers

[aligreto]

I was musing about what instruments I particularly associate with certain composers. My answers to myself were....

Bach – Oboe. I am constantly aware of the instrument in his music.

Mahler – Harp. It never seems to be far away in his orchestration and I love the way that it can underline certain passages even with his huge orchestration and yet be very effective.

Brahms – Horn. This instrument is not always ever present but he did write some lovely music for it; perhaps being something of a mellow fellow he instinctively liked the sound of it himself?


Anybody else like to share their thoughts on this subject?

[North Star]

Bach - Organ
Henning - Clarinet
Villa-Lobos - Guitar
Kodály - Cello
Stravinsky - Bassoon

[aligreto]

Bach - Organ
Henning - Clarinet
Villa-Lobos - Guitar
Kodály - Cello
Stravinsky - Bassoon

[aligreto]

Bach - Organ
Henning - Clarinet
Villa-Lobos - Guitar
Kodály - Cello
Stravinsky - Bassoon

I am interested in that association. Excuse my ignorance but what is the basis for your association there please?

[Maestro267]

I associate the snare drum with Shostakovich. In fact, with a lot of Soviet composers.

[aligreto]

I associate the snare drum with Shostakovich. In fact, with a lot of Soviet composers.

The military association I assume?

[Brian]

I am interested in that association. Excuse my ignorance but what is the basis for your association there please?

Well, Stravinsky/Bassoon may be because of the beginning of Rite of Spring. 

[aligreto]

Well, Stravinsky/Bassoon may be because of the beginning of Rite of Spring. 

Thank you for that; I was just wondering if Karlo's association went deeper than just one work.

[North Star]

Thank you for that; I was just wondering if Karlo's association went deeper than just one work.

No, but I think what Stravinsky did there is plenty. 

[aligreto]

No, but I think what Stravinsky did there is plenty. 

OK. Cheers Karlo.

[jochanaan]

Many of the great composers wrote great music for all instruments in a nearly equal basis.  However, there are a few standouts:
Mozart: Basset horn.  He was almost the only composer I know of to include basset horn in many major compositions, notably the Gran Serenade, the Masonic Funeral Music and the Requiem.
Berlioz: English horn/cor anglais.  Hector included English horn in many of his major compositions, and many times gave it lovely solo lines.
Mahler: Bass drum and muted trumpet.  There's the bass drum solo in Symphony #3, plus many subliminally soft drum rolls throughout his music.  And it's almost a feature of Mahler, especially early Mahler, to have his trumpets muted and screaming.
R. Strauss: Horn.  It's well-known that Strauss' father was a horn player and that he wrote much beautiful music for horns, not just the two horn concertos but throughout his orchestral works.
Sibelius: Strings, especially violins.  Because Sibelius had started as a violinist, he seems to have great understanding of how much orchestral strings can do.
Varese: Percussion.  Obviously.
Shostakovich: Piccolo.  One of the few composers really to give the piccolo its due prominence in the orchestra.
Messiaen: Ondes Martenot.

[ComposerOfAvantGarde]

With Sibelius I always think flutes and clarinets with long held chords in strings underneath....strings are always apparent but I keep thinking of flutes and clarinets!
Ravel: Harp. Never have I heard it so wonderfully employed in the orchestra
Brett Dean: Viola, and you all must hear his music!
Ligeti: either piano or slide whistle, can't decide!
Britten: violin, or indeed, any string instrument, he seemed to write for strings with such authority, like he knew exactly what would be best for it!

[aligreto]

Many of the great composers wrote great music for all instruments in a nearly equal basis.  However, there are a few standouts:
Mozart: Basset horn.  He was almost the only composer I know of to include basset horn in many major compositions, notably the Gran Serenade, the Masonic Funeral Music and the Requiem.
Berlioz: English horn/cor anglais.  Hector included English horn in many of his major compositions, and many times gave it lovely solo lines.
Mahler: Bass drum and muted trumpet.  There's the bass drum solo in Symphony #3, plus many subliminally soft drum rolls throughout his music.  And it's almost a feature of Mahler, especially early Mahler, to have his trumpets muted and screaming.
R. Strauss: Horn.  It's well-known that Strauss' father was a horn player and that he wrote much beautiful music for horns, not just the two horn concertos but throughout his orchestral works.
Sibelius: Strings, especially violins.  Because Sibelius had started as a violinist, he seems to have great understanding of how much orchestral strings can do.
Varese: Percussion.  Obviously.
Shostakovich: Piccolo.  One of the few composers really to give the piccolo its due prominence in the orchestra.
Messiaen: Ondes Martenot.

Some very good examples there; thank you for those. I spent a lot of yesterday listeng to the music of Berlioz so your example above rings true for me.

[aligreto]

With Sibelius I always think flutes and clarinets with long held chords in strings underneath....strings are always apparent but I keep thinking of flutes and clarinets!
Ravel: Harp. Never have I heard it so wonderfully employed in the orchestra
Brett Dean: Viola, and you all must hear his music!
Ligeti: either piano or slide whistle, can't decide!
Britten: violin, or indeed, any string instrument, he seemed to write for strings with such authority, like he knew exactly what would be best for it!

Thank you for those. The Ravel example is one that I understand as is the Sibelius reference.
I am not very familiar with Britten's music but unfortunately, know nothing of Dean or Ligeti 

[North Star]

Ligeti: ocarina

[aligreto]

Ligeti: ocarina

Ligeti again; must improve my awareness of Ligeti 

[North Star]

Ligeti again; must improve my awareness of Ligeti 

Mission accomplished

[aligreto]

Mission accomplished

[ComposerOfAvantGarde]

Ligeti: ocarina

+1

[Ten thumbs]

For quite a number of composers, the answer is obviously the piano so, by way of variation:

Scriabin: muted trumpet