What Does An Orchestrator Do?
The music orchestrator is a lesser-known but crucial figure in the world of music. While composers and performers are frequently in the spotlight, orchestrators operate behind the scenes, transforming compositions into rich, vibrant, and multidimensional audio works of art. But what does a music orchestrator do?
The Craft of Music Orchestration
At its essence, music orchestration is the art of arranging and organizing musical elements—such as melodies, harmonies, rhythms, and timbres—into a cohesive and expressive whole for performance by an orchestra, ensemble, or band. Orchestrators receive the music supplied by the composer and notate these musical elements in a way that enhances and brings out the musical vision of the authors and composer. They breathe life into compositions, enriching them with texture, color, and depth through their creative arrangements and instrumental choices.
Key Responsibilities of an Orchestrator
Instrumentation and Arrangement: Often a composer will supply a piano score to the orchestrator with a demo recording. An orchestrator will take that information and decide which instrument(s) take the melody, which instrument(s) are accompaniment, and how these elements function together in a group. Orchestrators select and allocate musical parts to different instruments or sections within an ensemble, considering factors such as timbre, range, and technical capabilities. They craft intricate arrangements that highlight the strengths of each instrument while achieving balance and clarity in the overall sound.
Enhancing Musical Dynamics and Expression: Think of an orchestrator like the color palette for an artist who sketches out shapes in pencil. The orchestrator dresses the skeleton with colors and texture to give the piece depth, warmth, character, and an identity beyond what only a piano can do. Orchestrators manipulate dynamics, articulations, and phrasing to infuse compositions with emotion and nuance. They shape the ebb and flow of musical tension, guiding listeners through peaks of intensity and moments of delicate repose with their skillful use of dynamics and expression markings. The composer informs some of these and often can be collaborative between the two.
Expanding Timbral Palette: By combining diverse instrumental timbres and techniques, orchestrators expand the timbral palette of compositions, creating vibrant sonic landscapes. They experiment with different instrumental combinations and orchestral colors to evoke a wide range of moods and atmospheres. For example, the color of a B-flat clarinet in the lower register is very mellow, warm, and velvety, and as it ascends in pitch and crosses the break, can wail away and cut through a reed section and carry a melody. Combine that with an oboe playing the same part, and you have a more gritty and textured melodic phrase when they play together. The options are endless, and pairing/layering certain combinations of instruments together can yield an interesting texture and color.
Adapting Compositions for Different Ensembles: Orchestrators adapt compositions written for one ensemble or instrumentation to suit the needs of different performing groups. For example, a piece scored for a full symphonic orchestra can be re-orchestrated to be played by a flute choir or brass quintet. Whether arranging a piece for a symphony orchestra, chamber ensemble, or jazz band, they tailor their orchestrations to accommodate the unique characteristics and capabilities of each ensemble.
Collaborating with Composers and Conductors: Orchestrators collaborate with composers and conductors to realize their artistic visions while staying true to the intent and style of the original compositions. They interpret composers’ sketches and scores, offering insights and suggestions to enhance the musicality and effectiveness of the orchestrations. A great film orchestrator/composer is John Williams. He uses the orchestra as color a lot of the times in films to enhance the mood or action in a scene, in addition to crafting memorable melodies and tuneful scores. Another great collaboration was Stephen Sondheim and Jonathan Tunick. Sondheim was no orchestrator but was a genius composer of many well-known musicals such as Sweeney Todd, Into the Woods, A Little Night Music, and Company. Tunick orchestrated nearly every Sondheim musical and has been a staple in creating a color palette for Sondheim’s extraordinary compositions.
Preparing Performance Materials: Orchestrators sometimes prepare performance materials—such as instrumental parts, conductor scores, and rehearsal markings—that guide performers in interpreting and executing the music. Though in theatre it’s often the job of a music copyist to do this task. They ensure that performance materials are clear, accurate, and well-suited to the needs of conductors and musicians.
Using Technology to their Advantage: Orchestrators today have a much easier job at creating an orchestration than they have in the past prior to the 90s. In years past, orchestrators had to rely on their working knowledge, musicality, and understanding of instruments’ capabilities, ranges, technicalities, and player ability in order to decide in ink/pencil. The only way they knew if their orchestration was a success is when the live orchestra was in the room with them and they can hear their work for the first time. This is a big job with money and time on the line, and requires lots of intuition and audiation to get right. Fast forward to today: orchestrators have Logic Pro X, Ableton, Finale and a host of other software and technology to shape and score their works. Access to virtual instruments and sample libraries, they can hear the moment they score something if it “sounds right” and can often have a trial-and-error approach to orchestrating. It gives them the ability to play more with sounds, textures, and color to get the most out of the composition they are scoring for. Orchestrators today are tasked with creating MIDI Mockups for films & TV and often those mockups are the final product used or with a combination of sample libraries and some live instruments.
In music composition and performance, orchestrators are the masters of transforming compositions into captivating works of art, showcasing their strong knowledge of all available instruments. With their meticulous craftsmanship and artistic intuition, orchestrators breathe life into musical scores, infusing them with depth, emotion, and vitality. Orchestrators continue to shape the ever-evolving landscape of music with their boundless creativity and passion.