When Pianos Land in Oz

This podcast episode explores the concept of orchestration in music, comparing it to painting. The author discusses the choices that a composer makes when orchestrating a piece, such as selecting instruments, shaping the orchestra, and reflecting the composer's style and intention. The episode focuses on Maurice Ravel's approach to orchestration, using his orchestration of Modest Mussorgsky's Pictures at an Exhibition as an example. The episode emphasizes the importance of considering the shape, form, and pattern of the music when orchestrating, and highlights Ravel's deliberate choices in assigning different sections of the orchestra to different musical elements.