What's the difference between composer and orchestrator?

i thought the composer comes up with the actual songs and the notes played and all, and the orchestrator comes up with what instruments will play what parts and in what key, and stuff....

not too sure, though, dont quote me on that

Ok, so when a composer writes a score he writes the melodies and most of the basic harmonies and counter-melodies ususally on a piano score. Often he has some idea of what instruments he wants to play what, but doesn't have it figured out in full (like Sondheim knew he wanted predominantly strings and woodwinds to dominate Nigh t Music's orchestra. The orchestrator gets the completed score and goes through it, assigning instruments different parts, adding in little bits himself to the music, and often writing scene change stuff if it is required. So basically the composer writes the music, but the orchestrator determines who plays what part of the whole sum of the music.
I reccomend the Search function for this topic, as I believe it has been discussed before.

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Don Sebesky orchestrated Parade. JRB initially thought about doing it himself (he's one of the few composers who have the training to do his own), but he knew that Sebesky would be able to bring a certain sound to the score that he couldn't.

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Ah, okay. While I'm sure he has the ability to write poli instrument orchestrations, I can see why he would choose not to do it. I'm anxious to hear something from him he orchestrates though.

I would say that playing a score solely on the piano offers a good study of the way the score is put together, so for an academic that is a pretty true statement. Just listening to it being played on the piano can be off putting though, in my opinion. Often piano scores are different from what you're used to hearing on a CD. Especially in consideration for composers who work closely with their orchestrators or do it themselves or aquire a particularly clever orchestrator, brilliant points must go to the orchestrations too.

It's so hard because you never really know. There have been composers who didn't even do their own notation, don't play the piano well, etc... I read the other day (I think it may have been on here, but I can't remember) that Lionel Bart may or may not have written Oliver, and if he did he didn't do much of the writing. Something about singing into a tape recorder. I think we live in an age nowadays where at the very least you're responsible for most of the work of your own music, unless you're a pop star, and since Broadway isn't pop anymore you have to work harder!

Another curious question since I'm too lazy to google it: Did Richard Rodgers write his Carousel Waltz in full? Plus orchestrations and everything?

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