Classical orchestral scores

Hi Everyone!
I am very curious what classical orchestral scores helped you in your development as a composer.
What are you recommending to have a look into for other composers?

As a conductor myself. I try learn orchestral and opera scores on a daily basis so I don’t have a particular one. I would love to find more fantastic scores with the recommendation of this community.

But perhaps to start things off:
-Stravinsky, Rite of spring, because of it’s usage of fantastic orchestration and weird rithms
-Ravel(La Valse, Alborada, Daphnes et Chloe) and Debusy(La Mer) for their creation of atmosphere
-Any Puccini, R.Wagner or R.Strauss Opera, since they are masters of storytelling
-Any Handel Opera because of his amazingly effective craftsmanship.

1 Like

For me, I have a few scores by Camille Saint-Saëns that I love to score study and try and get orchestration and composition ideas from. First, his symphonic poem, “Danse Macabre” which is a good study in creating variations in theme through rhythm and instrumentation.

Next, his 2nd symphony in A minor. The intro to the first movement has an amazing fugal counterpoint and as always, a great study in instrumentation. Also, “Introduction and Rondo Capriccio,” a single movement violin concerto which is just a complete study of what a violin can do. Really, I almost find it more amazing to watch someone like Ray Chen perform it.

I also have some Beethoven scores (5th Symphony, 5th Piano Concerto) but beyond that, I actually have a few John Williams scorebooks and try to study a lot of modern Japanese composers like Yuki Kajiura, Kenichiro Suehiro and Junichi Nakatsuru. They may not be “Classical” composers, but there is a lot to learn from them, as the Japanese style of orchestral composition (well, even pop and rock) are pretty unique in their harmony choices and such. Anime and game scores are serious business!

1 Like

I would also include French composers— Georges Delarue,
Alexandre Desplant, and Italian composer, Ennio Morricone

1 Like

I don’t know Georges Dalarue and Alexandre Desplant. do you know if there are also scores of it available to study or perform?

Hi Kent- I just googled George’s Delarue and Alexandre Desplat, so I can be more specific. Delarue wrote the score for the movie Steel Magnolias.
Alexandre Desplat, who is still alive, wrote many beautiful scores and some Oscar winning ones. Try both Google and YouTube to choose what you like.

1 Like

I’ve attempted a throwback to the NIneteenth Century at

https://musescore.com/user/28524096/scores/13261444

Perhaps try including some really complex (but enjoyable) scores like John Adams’ Harmonium and Harmonielehre