Score Reduction Introduction Orchestral scores appear in many forms.

Apart from miniature study scores, which most musicians come to know as students, there are conductor's scores (larger format) and reduced scores. Here we will clarify the various types of reduced scores in common use. A word needs to be added about what call !condensed scores!, i.e. scores where two or more instruments of the same type are combined in the same staff, to save space. An e"ample might be flutes, playing in unison doubling, written on one staff, !a #!. Reduced scores $educed scores can be divided into two main categories% &. 'hose which contain all the same information as the full orchestral score, but in a visually simpler form. (e will term these !full reductions!. ). 'hose which re*arrange the information (and which may even delete some of it), for specific purposes. (e will term these !performance reductions!. Full reductions 'his category is used mainly by composers, while working, and by students, for study. ts basic principle is reorgani+ation% 'he information in the full score is simplified. 'he two basic types of organi+ation are% &. by instrumental families. ). by musical elements. ,oth the above have in common that they eliminate most or all transpositions, and they do not write out doublings in full, but rather indication them with te"t (e.g. !fl. & - ob. )!). 'ypically this makes reading the music (and working on it, in the case of the composer) easier. 'hey only use the minimum number of staves re.uired at any given moment. Performance reductions 'his second category of reduced scores (re*arrangements) varies a good deal depending on the purpose of the reduction. 'ypical situations where reduction is needed are% &. opera scores and concerti% 'he orchestra part is arranged for one piano, so that the singer or the soloist can get to know their part. ). conducting classes% One or two pianists follow a student conductor. #. music for private entertainment% 'he orchestra part is arranged for one or more pianos, or for some other combination of instruments which the user has available. 'his was very common as a social activity, in the days before recording and radio/ now it is .uite rare. However, it is an e"cellent way to get to know music in detail, and deserves to be revived. 0ormally the reduction is prepared in advance, and written out. 'he reduction may be for any level of performer, from fairly elementary to advanced. 'ypically, the less skillful the player, the more modifications to the score will be re.uired. n previous generations it was not uncommon for a conductor or a composer to reduce a score at the piano directly from the full score. 'his skill is less common than it used to be/ however those who have seen it done live retain a certain awe at the mental gymnastics involved. n the case of score*reading virtuosi, the 1ob was sometimes done at sight2 n any event, the hard parts of the 1ob (apart from reading the transpositions, mainly a problem when playing directly from the full score) are%

3nowing what to omit. 'his implies a good deal of knowledge about orchestration% (hat is foreground and what is background/ what is present mainly for accent or for resonance/ what is being used to fill out the instrumental parts. 'his is an e"cellent techni.ue for studying orchestration in depth. 3nowing how to suggest things, which are not playable in their e"isting form, on the new instruments, . 'his re.uires knowing what is idiomatic for each instrument, and seeing how it can be translated into something reasonably idiomatic for another instrument. 'here are some standard rules and recipes for this sort of translation% 3eep the main melodic line and the bass line intact. 3eep the harmony intact/ redistribution of the inner parts is acceptable. (4pacing almost always has to be changed.) 3eep the intended level of rhythmic activity wherever possible. However, the details of the figuration will often change, e.g. .uick repeated notes can become tremolos on the piano, and arpeggios are often re*spaced. 3eep accompaniment motives consistent within the arrangement. (hen secondary parts contain notes which strongly color the harmony * typically non* harmonic tones * maintaining them may be .uite a challenge. t sometimes can be achieved by incorporating them into other parts.