Symphony No. 4 in E minor, Op. 98 – Brahms

Symphony No. 4 in E minor, Op. 98 – Brahms

Individual Color
1) Flute
a. usually in the high range with bright, brilliant tone in loud sections with lots of instruments
b. not used for a solo instrument
c. a couple places (m8, m40) it is found playing the low register, but can barely be heard – is more to smooth out/fill out the tone color of the strings
2) Oboe
a. usually in tutti with all the woodwinds, mid to upper range, lots of sustained sections
b. not used for solo except m. 108-109 (very nice upper range melodic figure that follows a soli line of the clarinet – good contrast to clarinet tone)
c. the nasal/reedy sound does carry through the large tutti parts so that the oboe color leads the woodwind sound, with the clarinet and flute filling out the tone
3) Clarinet
a. very mellow, smooth sweet sound in low register, but bright and cutting in mid to high
b. featured as both a solo instrument and duet (with 2nd clarinet)
c. also plays in loud tutti sections with the other woodwinds, sometimes higher or lower than the oboes
d. the mellow, pure tone often comes through just as strongly (if not even more so at times) as the oboe
4) Bassoon
a. very warm, sweet tone – at times matches with the horns in tone and plays along with the horns frequently
b. mostly used in mid range, but also extends to low range (esp, m. 25-30) and some runs go up in the high range
c. used as the lower tones in full tutti section with the woodwinds, and as a “lead supporting role” in supporting the sound of the clarinet
d. featured in m. 41-49, and given a duet of the theme at m. 113 at the end

Color Combination
1) Clarinet/Bassoon (clarinet melody/harmony, bassoon harmony –often along with the violas) (F- play a duet together, I’s II’s in unison octaves) (m. 114 I’s, II’s in unison octaves)
a. Gives depth to the clarinet sound, and creates a unique color when put in unison at then octave – less smooth and a little more bite.
2) Oboe/Basson (A) – darkens the oboe nasal sound and blends well because they are both reedy in quality
3) Flute/Oboe/Basson – sometimes in unison octave (like right away at the beginning) – gives a light quality, accenting the brighter quality of the tone of the oboe, but the flute tone is not easily distinguishable apart from the oboe sound. The bassoon tone adds depth, but is also supportive of and blends into the oboe sound
4) Flute/Clarinet – (A – doubled in unison at the octave) (m. 54 with bassoon – all in unison at three octaves)
a. Gives a more brilliant color overall, but still smooth
b. Octave doubling/tripling gives a very full sound and strong tone
5) Flute/Oboe/Clarinet/Bassoon in unison octaves or parts on the main theme (m. 2, m. 74, E) – mostly dominated by oboe and clarinet color, but filled out by the combination. Very distinct and penetrating color
6) Range “color blocks” – at D: the accompaniment arpeggio figures are passed from the flutes to clarinets, to bassoons, using the three instruments combined to create a huge range and smoothly play the line. Each section is in a strong color due to range in that instrument is orchestrated for in its block, and the contrast of tone is pleasant and flows well from instrument to instrument

Chord Building
- LOTS of octave unison doubling
- Usually very spread, with good distance from the bass note in the bassoon
1) Juxtaposed – m. 75 b. 2,
2) Interlocked – m. 19 b. 6, m. 117 (cross bt. Interlocked/juxta/enclosed)
3) Enclosed – “ “
4) Overlapped – m. 37; m. 75 b 4. 3 E, m. 100, etc. (most common)