Alfonso Fuentes's Orchestration Technique Research

Alfonso Fuentes is one of the most popular contemporary composers in Latin America.His pieces full of strong regional characteristics and unique composition techniques which combine the Caribbean region rich folk music material and modern orchestral. The main characteristic of Alfonso's composition is complex and changeful rhythm and abundant timbers. This dissertation attempts to systematically research and exposition his orchestration technique. Based on his two orchestral works which are Planeaciones ancestrales(1990) and Concierto tropical para Bajo Electricoy Erquesta(2006-2014). American composer and music theorist Walter Piston once said about the analysis technique of the orchestration that.‘Analysis of orchestration is actually a kind of method, research instruments through which combinations to achieve sonority balance, timber changes and utility other musical values.The first step of orchestration is to study the composition factors of the music, the melody,harmony or accompaniment, counterpoint lines constitute '. Thus. According to the Walter Piston's theory of analysis about orchestration. This paper research how the composers deal with the various core materials and folk material and how to use the effective timber combination to realize the sonority balance and color change mainly based on two works of the unique regional music materials and composition techniques as the point.This dissertation consists four chapters. The first chapter mainly introduces the composer's life and his composition style, including the details introduction of the background and the orchestral establishment about two works. The second chapter mainly analyzes the development techniques of the core material and timbre processing about Planeaciones ancestrales, then sum up that the composer's overall timber layout of the core material. The third chapter mainly introduces the orchestration features of Concierto tropical para Bajo Electricoy Erquesta. To analysis how the composer to layout the timber of electric bass into the orchestra and achieve the relationship about fusion and contrast, and how to balance the orchestral sonority with the electronic bass also to make full use of the special timber of electronic bass to create new timbers etc. The fourth chapter mainly analyzes the opposite and color decoration technique of timbers and sonority. then sum up how the composer to use new orchestration thinking create colorful sonority effects.