Guidelines for effective transcription for wind band: An analysis of the orchestration techniques used in Keith Wilson's transcriptions of Hindemith's

Abstract

This document demonstrates that Keith Wilson's transcription of Hindemith's Symphonic Metamorphosis provides a useful model for transcribers of symphonic literature for wind band because of Wilson's sensitivity to instrumental family, playing techniques, tone color of register, and the volume and articulation characteristics of specific instruments. Within the scope of this study, there are four principal areas of focus: Introductory material that concisely provides a history of transcription for wind band from the mid-nineteenth century to the present to place Wilson's piece in historical context; a discussion of the importance of literature selection for transcribers, illustrating the appropriateness of Hindemith's orchestral work for an exclusively wind sonority; a comparison of the orchestral work with the wind version, examining both the adaptation of the string parts as well as the treatment of the orchestral wind parts within the wind band sonority; and a specific analysis of the wind band version of Symphonic Metamorphosis based on the criteria put forth in the thesis statement. Each musical example shown from Symphonic Metamorphosis has three components: the indicated measures and instruments from the orchestral score, Wilson's version of the same passage, and a rescored wind version of the orchestral score based on Philip J. Lang's 1950 orchestration textbook, Scoring for Band. Lang's text provides very specific guidelines for re-assignment of orchestral parts when transcribing for wind band, and the rescored wind versions reflect Lang's suggestions. By comparing three orchestrations of the same musical passage, it becomes clear that the effectiveness of Wilson's version for winds is due to the emphasis placed on capturing the timbral and textural contrast within Hindemith's work and not simply re-assigning orchestral parts. The rescored version allows for illustration of a more common practice approach to scoring Hindemith's work, demonstrating that although the provided orchestration does render the indicated passage, exact duplication of the original is not the most effective method of transcribing orchestral works for wind band. Basic guidelines for transcription are provided within each section of the document, always using Keith Wilson's work as a model of transcription for wind band.