What is the role of the flute in an orchestra?

Answer:

As well as being capable of extreme virtuosity the flute can create beautiful sustained melodies. It also blends perfectly with all instruments and spends much of its time providing background colour to foreground activity elsewhere in the orchestra. The flute is the highest pitched instrument of the woodwind section.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Orchestra tone?

In Western music, a steady sound can be referred to as a musical tone. The tone is characterized most frequently by its pitch, such as "A" or "C," but it also includes timbre (the quality of the sound), duration, and even intensity (the dynamic of the sound).

Which orchestral instrument can play the highest note?

The highest pitched instrument in the string family is the violin. It's also the smallest and is played by holding it underneath the musician's chin sitting on their shoulder. In orchestral music, the violin will usually play the melody of a piece as its higher pitch can be heard over all the other instruments.

How big is a philharmonic orchestra?

A symphony or philharmonic orchestra will usually have over eighty musicians on its roster, in some cases over a hundred, but the actual number of musicians employed in a particular performance may vary according to the work being played and the size of the venue.

What is the difference between philharmonic and symphony orchestras?

A symphony orchestra and a philharmonic are the same thing - sort of. They're the same size and they play the same kind of music. ... “Symphony orchestra” is a generic term, whereas “philharmonic orchestra” is always part of a proper name.

Are keyboards part of the orchestra?

However the use of keyboard instruments in the orchestra is very varied and although the keyboards are no longer considered permanent members of the orchestra as cellos or flutes would be, there are numerous pieces of music where they form part of the orchestra playing on an equal footing with the other instruments.

What is Pinpeat orchestra?

The Pinpeat (Khmer: ពិណពាទ្យ) is the largest Khmer traditional musical ensemble. It has performed the ceremonial music of the royal courts and temples of Cambodia since ancient times. ... The pinpeat is analogous to the pinphat adopted from the Khmer court by the Lao people and the piphat ensemble of Thailand.

19 Related Question Answers Found:

Should I do band or orchestra?

Orchestra Takes More Effort Than Band. Playing a stringed instrument teaches you a lot of patience, because it takes a lot of practice to get it just right. That doesn't mean that playing a band instrument isn't difficult, of course it is. ... Band people might say that because band is easier, it is better.

Is a saxophone part of an orchestra?

The saxophone is a wind instrument with a reed and the body is made of brass, and so it forms a bridge between the woodwind and brass sections of the orchestra. ... These distinctions have largely broken down today and most good sax players will be capable of playing in a variety of styles.

What do you call the lead violinist in an orchestra?

The concertmaster is the lead violinist. As the violinist with the highest “rank”, he/she sits in the first chair, next to the conductor's podium. The concertmaster leads the orchestra in its tuning prior to the concert, and customarily plays all of the violin solos within pieces.

What is difference between band and orchestra?

A “band” includes brass, percussion, and woodwinds along with flutes, clarinets, and trumpets. An “orchestra” is composed of different string instruments like violins, basses, and violas.

Does John Williams orchestrate his music?

Personally I have worked as an orchestrator for other composers in the past, but I never orchestrate my own scores. I like having another ear on my own compositions that I trust, someone to put a final polish on for me.

How hard is it to be an orchestra conductor?

But “conducting is more difficult than playing a single instrument,” claims Boulez. “You have to know the culture, to know the score, and to project what you want to hear.” A great conductor might have peerless musical instincts and intuition, but innate musicality will get them only so far.

When was the first orchestra created?

The first semblance of a modern orchestra came in the early 17th century when the Italian opera composer Claudio Monteverdi formally assigned specific instruments to perform his music.

How many players are usually in an orchestra?

An orchestra is a group of musicians playing instruments together. They make music. A large orchestra is sometimes called a "symphony orchestra" and a small orchestra is called a "chamber orchestra". A symphony orchestra may have about 100 players, while a chamber orchestra may have 30 or 40 players.

What was the first film to use live orchestra?

The Jazz Singer, American musical film, released in 1927, that was the first feature-length movie with synchronized dialogue. It marked the ascendancy of “talkies” and the end of the silent-film era. Al Jolson in The Jazz Singer (1927).

What is the difference between a Orchestra Philharmonic and a band?

Orchestra is a broad term for any ensemble featuring a hefty lineup of strings. ... A symphony orchestra and a philharmonic are the same thing - sort of. They're the same size and they play the same kind of music. The two terms exist to help us tell different ensembles apart, especially in cities that boast multiple groups.