LA CAGE ORCHESTRA and ORCHESTRATION

[Yral]

Posted: 12/22/04 at 11:52pm

I did the new orchs for the new dance music and a few fixes in the current LA CAGE at the Marquis. Those fixes include
ANNE ON MY ARE and WITH YOU ON MY ARM, The opening number,
and most of the LA CAGE number. Minor fixes thruout to accomodate the reduction in the orchestra

The orch was cut from 25 to 22. There were two french horns originally, and there was ALWAYS a banjo/guitar in the original Jim Tyler orchestration. We lost a violin and harp as well.
An extra kybd has been added to make up for the lost strings and harp.
These are choices that are made by committee, with the composer, conductor, orchestrator, director, choreographer and producer participating.
It is not arbitary. It's the way to get the most bang for the buck. using only 22 musicians. Banjo, by the way, was ALWAYS used in French CAN CAN orchestras, perhaps not in Offenbach. . but in the clubs in Paris. It's strident sound cuts thru and provides some extra noise/rhythm for the dancers.

Unfortunately with orchestra pits being lowered for scenic effects and pushed further under the stage to allow more seats in the house the sound is not natural at all. It depends solely on sound design. It's lamentable, but that's why it sounds artificial. The designers are doing the best they can with the stifled band, bad natural acoustics and the limitations of space.
The musicians don't even fit in the pit properly.
It is distressing to all of us in the music dept. . that the orchestrations always sound better at the orchestra rehearsal than they do in the orchestra pit regardless of the designers and/or sound design

Updated On: 12/25/04 at 11:52 PM