e high _C_ in the flute is fairly powerful, the
resonance of the _G_ and _E_ in the oboes is softened by the
duplication of the 2nd flute and 1st clarinet, while the _C_ in
the 2nd clarinets (not doubled) is feeble in comparison with the
other notes. In any case the two extreme parts are the thinnest and
weakest in tone, the intermediate parts the fullest and strongest.

B. _Wood-wind in three's_ admit of perfectly balanced mixed timbres in
chords of three-part harmony:

[Music]

These timbres may even originate from three-fold duplication:

[Music]

Remarks.

1. Modern orchestrators do not allow any void in the intermediate
parts in writing close harmony; it was permitted to some extent by the
classics:

[Music]

These empty spaces create a bad effect especially in _forte_ passages.
For this reason widely-divided harmony, which is fundamentally based
on the extension of intervals, can be used but seldom and only in
_piano_ passages. Close writing is the more frequent form in all
harmony devoted to the wood-wind, _forte_ or _piano_.

2. As a general rule a chord of greatly extended range and in several
parts is distributed according to the order of the natural scale, with
wide intervals (octaves and sixths), in the bass part, lesser
intervals (fifths and fourths) in the middle, and close intervals
(3rds or 2nds) in the upper register:

[Music]

3. In many cases correct progression of parts demands that one of them
should be temporarily doubled. In such cases the ear is reconciled to
the brief overthrow of balance for the sake of a single part, and is
thankful for the logical accuracy of the progression. The following
example will illustrate my meaning:

[Music]

In the second bar of this example the _D_ is doubled in unison on
account of the proximity of the three upper parts to their
corresponding parts an octave lower. In the fourth bar the _F_ is
doubled in unison in both groups.

4. The formation of the harmonic basis, which is essentially in four
parts, does not by any means devolve upon the wood-wind alone. One of
the parts is often devoted to the strings, _arco_ or _pizz._ More
frequently the bass part is treated separately, the chords of greater
value in the three upper parts being allotted to the wood-wind. Then,
if the upper part is assigned to a group of strings, there remains
nothing for the wind except the sustained harmony in the two middle
parts. In the first case the three-part har