(DAT) Timpani Part Editing - Part 2 - Part Revision Techniques - Page 5 - Editing Method

Our first example from the Verdi Requiem is a classic example of why all this extra work is worthwhile, the very first timpani entrance in the piece, in bar 108:

Here are the six questions again:

1. What is the bass line?
2. What is the harmony?
3. What does the low brass play?
4. What do the trumpets play?
5. What do the horns play?
6. Who is in the same octave?

Answering these questions for this example:

1. What is the bass line? - F#
2. What is the harmony? - F# Major
3. What does the low brass play? - present, but not playing in this example
4. What do the trumpets play? - present, but not playing in this example
5. What do the horns play? - F# (1&2), C# (3), A# (4)
6. Who is in the same octave? - cellos

The timpani has A NATURAL, the solution is obvious, play an F#. When there is a choice, it is usually best to choose the root of the chord whenever possible, unless there's a strong reason not to because of the distribution of the chord tones in the other instruments.

This example has no other practical problems, and there is plenty of time before the next entrance.

I was able to get a hold of an edited part for this work from Lionel Friend, who has guest conducted opera here in Omaha many times. He performed the Verdi some time ago in Lincoln, Nebraska, and I was not involved; but I passed his part along so I was made aware of its existence. I managed to get a hold of a copy recently so that I could offer another point of view for these examples. Except that for this particular example we are in agreement.

As a kind of fluke, I had never performed this work until this past season, which was rather odd; since it is performed fairly often by choral groups. And because of that I had never edited the part, although I have owned a score for many years. So the process was new for me back in March of this year. I did the editing maybe two weeks before the first rehearsals, and did not consult with our Music Director, who is usually happy to leave such matters to me, although there are some works where he likes a short e-mail summary of the changes I make (or don't make).