TSCHAIKOWSKY still reigns supreme as the greatest interpreter of Slavonic ideals. A remarkable feature of his scoring is the extreme modern effect secured with comparatively modest means. He expressed himself in a language of profound pathos which was in part due to the embodiment of weird and gloomy orchestration. He made prominent use of low wood-wind, which were constantly combined with the violas, and he evinced peculiar predilection for clarinets in their low range and bassoons in their upper range. On the other hand, many magnificent specimens of forceful writing are also in evidence in his scores.
(5) =England.= Of the ten men chosen as representative English composers of the nineteenth century, six are prominently identified with the evolution of English orchestration. The pioneer of these was Macfarren, whose cosmopolitan range of composition is particularly noteworthy. Bennett, a disciple of Mendelssohn, proved himself a worthy heir to Purcell, and is regarded as the founder of a new English School. Most widely known is Sullivan, who substantially aided the development of an Anglican style of orchestration. Sullivan based his methods of instrumentation upon those of Mozart, but occasionally copied Gounod and even Berlioz. He displayed sound musicianship, dramatic power, and a thorough command of orchestral resources. Mackenzie's conceptions are wholly orchestral. His scoring is powerful and effective, allowing also commendable freedom to the wood-wind, and suggests a mixture of Mendelssohnian and Wagnerian externals. Cowen is an exponent of both absolute and programmatic music. He shares with Stanford the rank of representative English symphonist.
The twentieth century gives promise of marked advance in English composition from an emotional and orchestral standpoint as discovered in the initial productions of Elgar.