Orchestra

An orchestra is a musical ensemble used most often in classical music. A small orchestra is called a chamber orchestra.

Related Topics:
Musical ensemble - Classical music

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A full size orchestra may sometimes be called a "symphony orchestra" or "philharmonic orchestra"; these prefixes do not indicate any difference either to the instrumental content or role of the orchestra, but can be useful to distinguish different orchestras based in the same city (for instance, the London Symphony Orchestra and the London Philharmonic Orchestra). A symphony orchestra will usually have over eighty musicians on its staff, in some cases over a hundred, but the number of musicians used in a performance varies according to the work being played. A leading chamber orchestra might be forty or fifty strong; some are much smaller than that. Orchestras sometimes use freelance musicians to enable them to perform works which require instrumentalists which they do not have on staff; not all orchestras employ a harpist for example.

Related Topics:
Instrumental - London Symphony Orchestra - London Philharmonic Orchestra

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The typical symphony orchestra consists of four groups of musical instruments:

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• the strings (violins, violas, cellos, double basses),
• the woodwinds (flutes, piccolos, oboes, cor anglais, clarinets, bass clarinets, bassoons, contrabassoons),
• the brass (trumpets, trombones, french horns, bass trombones, tuba), and
• the percussion (timpani, snare drum, bass drum, celesta, piano, etc.).

Between the instrument groups and within each group of instruments, there is a generally accepted hierarchy of leadership. Every instrumental group (or section) has a principal (or soloist) who is generally responsible for playing solos within and leading the group. The violins are divided into two groups, first violin and second violin, and therefore have two principals. The principal first violin is called the concertmaster (or leader) and is considered the leader of not only the string section, but of the entire orchestra, subordinate only to the conductor. The principal trombone is considered the leader of the low-brass (trombone, bass-trombone, tuba) section, while the principal trumpet is generally considered the leader of the entire brass section. Similarly, the principal oboe (or sometimes the principal flute) is considered the leader of the entire woodwind section. The french horn, while technically a brass instrument, often acts in the role of both woodwind and brass. Most sections also have an Assistant principal (or Co-principal, or Associate principal), or in the case of the first violins, an Assistant concertmaster, who often plays a tutti part in addition to replacing the principal in his or her absence. A tutti (or section) player generally plays either a unique but non-solo part (in the case of winds, brass and percussion), or in unison with a group (in the case of the strings). Where a solo part is called for in a string section, for example in the violins, that part is invariably played by the section leader.

Related Topics:
Principal - Soloist - Concertmaster - French horn - Tutti - Unison

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In modern times, the musicians are usually directed by a conductor, although early orchestras did not have one, using instead the concertmaster or the harpsichordist playing the continuo for this role. Some modern orchestras also do without conductors, particularly smaller orchestras and those specialising in historically accurate performances of baroque music and earlier.

Related Topics:
Musician - Conductor - Concertmaster - Harpsichord - Continuo - Baroque music

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The most frequently performed repertoire for a symphony orchestra is Western classical music or opera. However, orchestras are sometimes used in popular music.

Related Topics:
Repertoire - Symphony - Classical music - Opera - Popular music

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Orchestra: History of the orchestra ►