Why are saxophones not used in orchestra?

Answer:

Being relatively easy for beginner musicians, the saxophone is popular for both learning and listening. However, we rarely see it in orchestra concerts. Why? Many believe that the saxophone's timbre is hard to blend, out-of-tune, and simply too loud.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where is the orchestra in an opera?

An orchestra pit is the area in a theater (usually located in a lowered area in front of the stage) in which musicians perform. Orchestral pits are utilized in forms of theatre that require music (such as opera and ballet) or in cases when incidental music is required.

What is the standard type of flute used in an orchestra or school band?

The standard concert flute is pitched in C and has a range of three octaves starting from middle C or one half step lower when a B foot is attached. This means that the concert flute is one of the highest common orchestra and concert band instruments.

What does an orchestra tune to?

Orchestras always tune to 'A', because every string instrument has an 'A' string. The standard pitch is A=440 Hertz (440 vibrations per second). Some orchestras favor a slightly higher pitch, like A=442 or higher, which some believe results in a brighter sound.

What is the biggest difference between the Baroque and Romantic Orchestra group of answer choices?

Baroque orchestras are typically much smaller, in terms of the number of performers, than their Romantic-era counterparts. ... There were large differences in size, instrumentation and playing styles—and therefore in orchestral soundscapes and palettes—between the various European regions.

What was the size of the Romantic orchestra?

Romantic orchestras had as many as 100 players or more, and featuredgreater use of brass and piano.

20 Related Question Answers Found:

How did the Halle Orchestra get its name?

- After coming to England, he changed his name to Charles Hallé, adding the accent to the e of his name to stop people calling him Hall. ... Hallé duly obliged and decided he liked the idea so much that he kept his band of musicians together, forming the fledgling orchestra.

What are the five main string instruments of the 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.

What was the role of the orchestra in an opera?

It is his responsibility to direct the soloists and choir on the stage, and, indirectly, the off-stage choirs, as well as the orchestra players, and to coordinate this mass of human and mechanical instruments into one vast composition. The distance between him and the stage complicates matters greatly.

Where does the orchestra sit in a Theatre?

Orchestra or Orchestra Pit: In productions where live music is required, such as ballet, folk-dance groups, opera, and musicals, the orchestra is positioned in front and below of the stage in a pit.

What's the difference between a philharmonic and an orchestra?

An orchestra is a group of musicians with a variety of instruments, which usually includes the violin family. ... And philharmonic just means “music-loving” and is often used to differentiate between two orchestras in the same city (e.g. the Vienna Symphony Orchestra and the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra).

Why is it called orchestra?

The term orchestra derives from the Greek ὀρχήστρα (orchestra), the name for the area in front of a stage in ancient Greek theatre reserved for the Greek chorus.

What's the difference between an orchestra and band?

The most common question asked by parents and students alike is the difference between “Band” and “Orchestra.” Both are “performance-based large group music classes,” but there are differences. Band classes are made up of “Wind” and “Percussion” instruments whereas Orchestra classes are made up of “String” instruments.

What is the mean of orchestra?

1a : the circular space used by the chorus in front of the proscenium in an ancient Greek theater. b : a corresponding semicircular space in a Roman theater used for seating important persons. 2a : the space in front of the stage in a modern theater that is used by an orchestra.

Are orchestra auditions blind?

In the 1970s and 1980s, most symphony orchestras in the United States began adopting “blind” auditions whereby the identity of potential candidates was concealed from the jury by a screen.

What is the synonym of orchestra?

In this page you can discover 24 synonyms, antonyms, idiomatic expressions, and related words for orchestra, like: band, instruments, musical ensemble, symphony, Kapelle (German), chamber, ensemble,gamelan, group, maestro and philharmonic.

What is the lowest string instrument in the orchestra?

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. A standard double bass is just over 6 feet in length.

Does Hamilton have a full orchestra?

Does Hamilton have a live orchestra? yes! they live down in the magic music hole with Alex Lacamoire. the recording lyrics booklet (Act 1) lists the band, though the recording does feature a couple additional musicians that are not normally part of the show.

What do you call the whole orchestra in a concerto grosso?

The concerto grosso (pronounced [konˈtʃɛrto ˈɡrɔsso]; Italian for big concert(o), plural concerti grossi [konˈtʃɛrti ˈɡrɔssi]) is a form of baroque music in which the musical material is passed between a small group of soloists (the concertino) and full orchestra (the ripieno, tutti or concerto grosso).