![]() Confusingly, these groups do not always play ‘chamber music’. Indicating the type of performance space needed – a room as opposed to a concert hall. The term chamber comes from the French ‘chambre’ (room). Classical arrangements are more appropriate for a smaller ensemble of 50 than an epic Romantic or modern score. How many instruments in an orchestra and the music they play dictates what type of ensemble they are.Ĭhamber Orchestras have less than 50 players and tend to play Classical music (from the 1800s). For example, some orchestral pieces require a vast array of percussion parts while others might require just one triangle. The exact orchestra instruments can vary depending on what the composer demands in the instrumentation. Orchestral families are what we call the groups of instruments and comprise: strings, woodwind, brass and percussion. What Is An Orchestra?Īn orchestra is really a large ensemble of instrumentalists playing together in one of four ‘families’. They also necessitated the building of huge concert halls which we use today! Women didn’t join orchestras until after WWII but are increasingly well represented in classical music. These huge ensembles demanded a conductor to keep every together and ensure balance with so many competing parts. By the Romantic era (1830-early 1900s), orchestras had swollen from 25 members to over 100. Monteverdi, actively developing the new genre of opera in the 1600’s, is often credited with putting together the first ensembles we might call orchestras today.Ĭlassical composers like Mozart and Haydn built upon these Baroque foundations but went bigger, increasing the size of their orchestras. We can understand a symphony – the noun for a type of composition – as requiring multiple parts, ‘sounding together’.īy the Baroque period of Western Classical Music (1600-1750), you’d expect to see 30 people ‘sounding together’, featuring mixed instrumentation. The Ancient Greeks, as well as developing scales and musical instruments also came up with the word ‘syn’ (together) ‘phone’ (sound/voice), symphony. To really understand what an orchestra is we’ll have to go back in time. ![]() ![]() How you define different types of and what job prospects and salaries look like as an orchestral musician. Let’s go! A Brief History We’ll find out how many people in an orchestra play each part. Never fear! At Мusic Gateway, we’re giving you your very own guide to the classical world. Ever wondered what the difference is between a symphony orchestra and a philharmonic? Or struggled to pick out which instrument is making which sound in a big ensemble? Or, come to think of it, what is an orchestra at all? For a lot of us, the prestige, size, and complexity of these huge instrumental ensembles can be a bit much.
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