If you go to a concert performed by an orchestra, you will first hear the oboe play an A note (the standard tuning note) right before the performance starts, followed by each instrument playing an A and the entire orchestra tuning with one another.
French Horn The French horn's 18 feet of tubing is rolled up into a circular shape, with a large bell at its end. There are anywhere from 2 to 8 French horns in an orchestra, and they play both melody and harmony as well as rhythm.
Nowadays, the literature for saxophone in symphony orchestra is limited either to composers who wrote jazz-influenced pieces like Gershwin or rare composers like Ravel who simply wanted to hear a saxophone. ... Adolphe Sax's saxophones were constructed differently from instruments made by his contemporaries.
Orchestras are usually led by a conductor who directs the performance with movements of the hands and arms, often made easier for the musicians to see by use of a conductor's baton. The conductor unifies the orchestra, sets the tempo and shapes the sound of the ensemble.
Gamelan, the term for a traditional musical ensemble in Indonesia, typically refers to a percussion orchestra composed predominantly of tunedgongs of various types and metal-keyed instruments. The most well-known gamelan ensembles are those from the islands of Java and Bali. ...
Billy CobhamNarada Michael WaldenDanny Gottlieb
Orchestra Chairs The most skilled musician sits in the first chair of each section and plays any solo parts for that instrument. The next most skilled player would sit in the second chair and the least skilled musician would sit in the last chair of his or her section.
The penetrating sound of the oboe stands out from the orchestra, so it's easy for all the musicians to hear. Its pitch is also steadier than strings, so it's a more reliable tuning source. ... “Therefore the other instruments in a performance must be made to match, and that is why the oboe is the standard for tuning.”
String section The string section is the largest in the orchestra. It is comprised of instruments that derive their musical sound from the vibration of tuned strings. The orchestra contains two large groups of violins, plus groups of the violin's larger, lower-pitched relatives: the viola, the cello, and the double bass.
Four groups
Johann Strauss Orchestra Over the years it has expanded dramatically, as of 2020 performing with between 50 and 60 musicians. Rieu plays a 1667 Stradivarius violin. Rieu and his orchestra have appeared throughout Europe, North and South America, Japan, and Australia.
The piano is an entire orchestra in itself – but sometimes its sound is a part of the big symphony orchestra. ... With its many possibilities the piano is like an orchestra within the orchestra. Inside the shell the piano strings are strung on an iron frame that looks almost like a harp.
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Chicago Symphony Orchestra (CSO), American symphony orchestra based in Chicago, Ill., renowned for its distinctive tone and its recordings under such conductors as Fritz Reiner and Sir Georg Solti.
Baroque Orchestra (1600-1760) Baroque orchestras had from 10 to 30 players, primarily strings. In the Baroque orchestra, the strings and winds played the same sort of music melodically and rhythmically.
An oratorio (Italian pronunciation: [oraˈtɔːrjo]) is a large musical composition for orchestra, choir, and soloists. Like most operas, an oratorio includes the use of a choir, soloists, an instrumental ensemble, various distinguishable characters, and arias.
The double bass is the biggest and lowest pitched instrument in the string family. The deep, very low sounds of the double bass are often used to help hold together the harmonies and to help carry the rhythm. There are 6-8 double basses in an orchestra.
The piano is an entire orchestra in itself – but sometimes its sound is a part of the big symphony orchestra. ... When the musician presses a key, a small hammer strikes the string, creating the sound. This video is part of a series of playful videos on how the instruments used in a symphony orchestra function and sound.