Where did the modern orchestra come from?

Answer:

In the 18th century in Germany, Johann Stamitz and other composers in what is known as the Mannheim school established the basic composition of the modern symphony orchestra: four sections, consisting of woodwinds (flutes, oboes, and bassoons), brass (horns and trumpets), percussion (two timpani), and strings (first ...

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the most common instrumentation for a symphony orchestra?

A Symphony Orchestra is defined as a large ensemble composed of wind, string, brass and percussion instruments and organized to perform classical music. Wind instruments include flute, oboe, clarinet and bassoons. String instruments include harp, violin, viola, cello, and double bass.

How much does an orchestra memberget paid?

Major orchestra salaries range by the orchestra from a little over $100,000 to a little over $150,000. Principals, the ranking member of each orchestra section, can make a great deal more, in some instances more than $400,000. And most major orchestras play for a season lasting only about nine- months a year.

Where do orchestras get their music?

These are usually purchased from publishers or distributors, or in the case of some public domain music may be downloaded and printed from the web (this is becoming slightly more common these days). If the orchestra is playing a new, unpublished work of music, typically the composer will supply the score and parts.

What are the four sections or families of the orchestra?

You now know that the four families of the orchestra are the string, woodwind, brass and percussion families.

What is the orchestra made of?

A Symphony Orchestra is defined as a large ensemble composed of wind, string, brass and percussion instruments and organized to perform classical music. Wind instruments include flute, oboe, clarinet and bassoons. String instruments include harp, violin, viola, cello, and double bass.

20 Related Question Answers Found:

Which instruments are known as orchestral instruments?

Instruments of the OrchestraStrings. Learn about the string instruments: violin, viola, cello, double bass, and harp! ... Woodwinds. Learn about the woodwind instruments: flute, oboe, clarinet, and bassoon! ... Brass. Learn about the brass instruments: trumpet, french horn, trombone, and tuba! ... Percussion.

Do orchestra conductors live longer?

A Simple Fitness Program that's Music to Your Years A study conducted by the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company shows that orchestra conductors live 38 percent longer than the general population. The reason is simple--conducting is good cardiovascular exercise.

Could an orchestra play without a conductor?

If you just pick up the right kind of students, they will become conductors.” Lintu acknowledges that most orchestras nowadays could play quite well together without the involvement of a conductor. ... Because most of the orchestras in the world can play together without any conductor.

Where does the orchestra came from?

The word derives from the ancient Greek part of a stage where instruments and the chorus combined music and drama to create theater. 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.

Who gets paid the least in an orchestra?

The lowest-paid orchestras include the Virginia Symphony, Alabama, Louisville and San Antonio Orchestras, where 2010-11 season base salaries range from $26,000 to $36,000, according to settlement bulletins from the International Conference of Symphony and Opera Musicians.

How were baroque orchestras different from classical orchestras?

The Baroque period was between the years 1600 and 1750. Key features included small orchestras, with often a focus on the harpsichord or string instruments, and often polyphonic textures. Example composers would be Bach or Handel. The Classical period came after, between the years 1750 and 1820.

Are there guitars in orchestra?

Guitars are not included in orchestra due to many reasons. First one, the tradition. That's just the way it was, and it is today still. Second, guitars don't blend particularly well with the rest of the orchestra, due to sound characteristics.

Is orchestra a Greek word?

The word orchestra comes from the actual space in which an orchestra plays; the Greek orkhestra means "a space where a chorus of dancers performs," from orkheisthai, "to dance."

Can an orchestra function without a conductor?

If you just pick up the right kind of students, they will become conductors.” Lintu acknowledges that most orchestras nowadays could play quite well together without the involvement of a conductor. ... Because most of the orchestras in the world can play together without any conductor.

What is orchestration in writing?

Orchestration is the study or practice of writing music for an orchestra (or, more loosely, for any musical ensemble, such as a concert band) or of adapting music composed for another medium for an orchestra.

Did Beethoven enlarge the orchestra?

One of the aspects of Beethoven's influence on latergenerations is the topic of this research: the way that his Symphonies (indeed one of the major vehicles of his musical expression) expanded symphonic music and, as a consequence, changed the orchestra.

Which instruments are not in an orchestra?

8 Instruments Rarely Used In OrchestraHarp – Although the harp is one of the most common instruments in the history of music, it is not always used in most classical compositions. ... Glass Armonica – ... Saxophone – ... Wagner Tuba – ... Alto Flute – ... Sarrusophone – ... Theremin – ... Organ –

Who is the first orchestra conductor?

Did you know that Jean-Baptiste Lully, the first documented conductor, was the first musician to use a baton. It was a heavy, six-foot-long staff that he pounded on the ground in time to the music.

How many violas a modern symphony orchestra has?

12 violas A modern full-scale symphony orchestra consists of approximately one hundred permanent musicians, most often distributed as follows: 16–18 1st violins, 16 2nd violins, 12 violas, 12 cellos, 8 double basses, 4 flutes (one with piccolo as a specialty), 4 oboes (one with English horn as a specialty), 4 clarinets (one with ...

Did baroque orchestras have a conductor?

How about a conductor? Baroque orchestras generally did not have a conductor. Instead, the first violinist or the harpsichordist would often keep time and indicate when the orchestra should start or stop playing. Actually, this person was commonly the composer of the music as well.

Is orchestra considered classical music?

In classical music, the term “orchestra”, refers specifically to a group of musicians involving strings, woodwinds, brass, percussion and (sometimes) choir. ... For example, a piano trio is an ensemble consisting of piano and two other instruments, usually a violin and a cello.