The Voice in Arranging - Rethinking the role of  vocalists in big bands and large ensembles

Giulia Bättig

This research explores how the voice can be used creatively in large ensembles and big bands. It is structured in five parts, starting with an introduction explaining my interest and personal connection to this topic. I then analyzed the work of composers and arrangers that used vocalists in their large ensembles before me - for example Kenny Wheeler, John Hollenbeck and Martin Fondse. There I looked at how they used vocalists in their works and found that oftentimes, the voice still is used as a doubling part for the lead melody, but seldomly is used as an independent part in the arrangements. I then moved on to analyzing my own compositions I’ve written for a vocal section and large ensemble. I saw that I unconsciously often used the same kind of arrangement style, and drew a lot of conclusions for my future works out of this analysis. In part four, I compiled my research of others and my own work into a small handbook of arranging tools for big band and voice section. With this, I want to inspire other composers and arrangers to write for vocalists in new and creative ways. After this, I concluded my research with a reflection and conclusion in the last part. In my presentation, I want to talk about my progress working with others and my own music, and the conclusions I drew out of it, as well as showing some examples of my analysis and the handbook I wrote.

Here are all the recordings of my work on one page. Every recording is also found on the top right of its seperate analysis page though!

These pieces were all written before I first started researching this topic. Some of the things I was already actively aware of, but some other things I realized I did either differently than how I would do them now, or I did them in a "good", fitting way intrinsically already.

The specific audio-examples of the excerpts I'm presenting can also be found next to the picture of the score-excerpt. The audio will keep playing when one pops up the score for a bigger view.

Blue Springs, Alabma (1)

⬅️ To Part 2

PART 3 - ANALYSIS OF MY OWN WORK

Table of Contents

Dim, Dark, Venta (6)

Vastness (2)

To Song 1 ➡️

Allconsuming (3)

Never Seek (5)

Katastrophengesetz (4)

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