What makes up a symphony orchestra? Information about the standard compositions of symphony orchestras. Single instruments. Harp
Consists of six groups of instruments, such as: strings, woodwinds, brass, percussion, keyboards and additional ones. A large symphony orchestra has up to 110 musicians, and a small orchestra has up to 50. The orchestra is led by a conductor who provides an artistic interpretation of the music.
Stringed instruments form the basis of a symphony orchestra. They are the bearers of the melodic beginning piece of music. The instruments of this group are similar in appearance and timbre, and the sound is produced using a bow. The expressive sound of the violin is central to the group and the entire orchestra. The viola differs from the violin in its slightly larger size and more subdued, matte sound. The cello's appearance follows the contours of the violin, but it is much larger. The cello is not held on the shoulder, like the previous two instruments, but rests on a stand. This instrument has a low, but velvety and noble sound. The double bass is larger in size not only than all the above-mentioned instruments of the group, but also in the height of a person, so it is played while sitting. The sound of the double bass is low and buzzing.
Groups of woodwind instruments include: a ringing flute, an oboe with a rich warm sound, a clarinet with a varied timbre, a bass bassoon with a hoarse sound, and a counterbassoon with the lowest timbre in the group. This group got its name due to the material from which they are made, wood, and the method of producing sound, blowing air.
Metals with a high copper content are used to make instruments from the group of brass instruments. Their introduction is characterized by a powerful, solemn, bright sound. The sonorous “voice” of the trumpet often plays the solo part. The horn is traditionally used in pastoral music. During the climax of the piece, the trombone plays his part. The tuba has the lowest sound.
Percussion instruments are united by a method of producing sound - impact. But the nature of their sound is different. Their main task is to emphasize the rhythm, enhance the sound of the orchestra, and add expressiveness. In the orchestra you can find the following percussion instruments: timpani, large and small drums, tambourine, cymbals and triangles, bells, xylophone.
The keyboard group is characterized by the presence of white and black keys for each instrument. Among them are: organ, clavichord, harpsichord, piano. Often they are alone in the orchestra.
To perform certain works, the orchestra includes a plucked string instrument with a delicate, transparent timbre - the harp. It adds a touch of magic to a piece of music.
Tools brass band. Wind instruments
The core of the brass band consists of wide-bore brass instruments with a conical bore: cornets, flugelhorns, euphoniums, altos, tenors, baritones, tubas. Another group consists of copper narrow-bore instruments with a cylindrical bore: trumpets, trombones, horns. The group of woodwind instruments includes labial - flutes and lingual (reed) - clarinets, saxophones, oboes, bassoons. The group of main percussion instruments includes timpani, bass drum, cymbals, snare drum, triangle, tambourine, tam-tam. Jazz and Latin American drums are also used: rhythm cymbals, congos and bongos, tom-toms, claves, tartarugas, agogos, maracas, castanets, pandeiras, etc.
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Orchestra
A brass band is an orchestra that includes wind (wood and brass or only brass) and percussion musical instruments, one of the mass performing groups. As a stable performing association, it was formed in a number of European countries in the 17th century. Appeared in Russia at the end of the 17th - beginning of the 18th centuries. (military brass bands attached to the regiments of the Russian army).
Instrumental composition D. o. gradually improved. The modern brass band has 3 main varieties, which are mixed-type orchestras: small (20), medium (30) and large (42-56 or more performers). The composition of the large D. o. includes: flutes, oboes (including alto), clarinets (including snare, alto and bass clarinet), saxophones (sopranos, altos, tenors, baritones), bassoons (including contrabassoon), horns, trumpets, trombones, cornets, altos, tenors , baritones, basses (brass tubas and bowed double bass) and percussion instruments with and without a specific pitch. When performing concert works as part of the D. o. the harp, celesta, piano and other instruments are occasionally introduced.
Modern D. o. conduct diverse concert and popularization activities. Their repertoire includes almost all outstanding works of domestic and world musical classics. Among Soviet conductors D. o. - S. A. Chernetsky, V. M. Blazhevich, F. I. Nikolaevsky, V. I. Agapkin.
Great Soviet Encyclopedia
Structure of a brass band
Main groups, their role and capabilities
The basis of the brass band is a group of instruments that exist under the general name “saxhorns”. They are named after A. Sachs, who invented them in the 40s of the 19th century. Saxhorns were an improved type of instruments called bugles (bugelhorns). Currently, in the USSR this group is usually called the main copper group. It includes: a) high tessitura instruments - sopranino saxophone, soprano saxophone (cornets); b) instruments of the middle register - altos, tenors, baritones; c) low register instruments - saxhorn-bass and saxhorn-double bass.
The other two groups of the orchestra are woodwinds and percussion. The group of saxhorns actually forms the small brass band. With the addition of woodwinds to this group, as well as horns, trumpets, trombones and percussion, small mixed and large mixed compositions are formed.
In general, a group of saxhorns with a conical tube and a wide scale characteristic of these instruments have a fairly large, strong sound and rich technical capabilities. This especially applies to cornets, instruments of great technical flexibility and bright, expressive sound. They are primarily entrusted with the main melodic material of the work.
Middle register instruments - altos, tenors, baritones - perform two important tasks in a brass band. Firstly, they fill the harmonic “middle”, that is, they perform the main voices of harmony, in the most various types presentation (in the form of sustained sounds, figuration, repeated notes, etc.). Secondly, they interact with other groups of the orchestra, primarily with the cornet (one of the usual combinations is the performance of the theme by cornets and tenors in an octave), as well as with the basses, which are often “helped” by the baritone.
Directly adjacent to this group are brass instruments typical of a symphony orchestra - horns, trumpets, trombones (according to the terminology of a brass band adopted in the USSR - the so-called “characteristic brass”).
An important addition to the main brass band is the woodwind section. These are flutes, clarinets with their main varieties, and in a large composition there are also oboes, bassoons, and saxophones. The introduction of wooden instruments (flutes, clarinets) into the orchestra makes it possible to significantly expand its range: for example, the melody (as well as harmony) performed by cornets, trumpets and tenors can be doubled one or two octaves upward. In addition, the importance of woodwinds lies in the fact that they, as M. I. Glinka wrote, “serve primarily for the color of the orchestra,” that is, they contribute to the colorfulness and brightness of its sound (Glinka, however, meant a symphony orchestra, but clearly , that this definition of his is also applicable to the wind orchestra).
Finally, it is necessary to emphasize the particularly important importance of the percussion group in a brass band. Given the very unique specificity of the brass band and, above all, the high density, massive sound, as well as frequent cases of playing in the open air, on a hike, with a significant predominance of marching and dance music in the repertoire, the organizing role of the drum rhythm is especially important. Therefore, a brass band, in comparison with a symphony band, is characterized by a somewhat forced, emphasized sound of the percussion group (when we hear the sounds of a brass band coming from afar, we first of all perceive the rhythmic beats of the big drum, and then we begin to hear all the other voices).
Small mixed brass band
The decisive difference between a small brass orchestra and a small mixed orchestra is the pitch factor: thanks to the participation of flutes and clarinets with their varieties, the orchestra gains access to the “zone” of the high register. Consequently, the overall volume of sound changes, which has a very great importance, since the fullness of the orchestra’s sound depends not so much on absolute strength, but on register breadth and spaciousness of arrangement. In addition, there are opportunities to compare the sound of a brass orchestra with a contrasting wooden group. Hence a certain reduction in the boundaries of the “activity” of the brass group itself, which to a certain extent loses the universality that is natural in a small brass orchestra.
Thanks to the presence of the wooden group, as well as the characteristic brass (horn, trumpet), it becomes possible to introduce new timbres that arise from mixing colors both in the wooden and copper groups, and in the wooden group itself.
Thanks to the great technical capabilities, the wooden “brass” is relieved of technical force, the overall sound of the orchestra becomes lighter, and the “viscosity” typical of brass instrument technology is not felt.
All this taken together makes it possible to expand the boundaries of the repertoire: a small mixed orchestra has access to more wide circle works of various genres.
Thus, a small mixed brass band is a more advanced performing group, and this, in turn, imposes broader responsibilities both on the orchestra members themselves (technique, ensemble coherence) and on the leader (conducting technique, selection of repertoire).
Large mixed brass band
The highest form of brass band is a large mixed brass band, which can perform works of considerable complexity.
This composition is characterized primarily by the introduction of trombones, three or four (to contrast the trombones with the “soft” group of saxhorns), three parts of trumpets, four parts of horns. In addition, a large orchestra has significantly more full group woodwinds, which consists of three flutes (two large and piccolo), two oboes (with the second oboe replaced by an English horn or with its independent part), a large group of clarinets with their varieties, two bassoons (sometimes with a contrabassoon) and saxophones.
In a large orchestra, helicons are, as a rule, replaced by tubas (their structure, principles of play, and fingering are the same as for helicons).
The percussion group is added by timpani, usually three: large, medium and small.
It is clear that a large orchestra, compared to a small one, has significantly greater colorful and dynamic capabilities. It is typical for him to use more diverse playing techniques - the widespread use of the technical capabilities of wooden instruments, the use of “closed” sounds (mute) in a brass group, a wide variety of timbre and harmonic combinations of instruments.
In a large orchestra, it is especially advisable to contrast trumpets and cornets, as well as the widespread use of divisi techniques for clarinets and cornets, and the division of each group can be increased to 4-5 voices.
Naturally, a large mixed orchestra significantly exceeds small orchestras in terms of the number of musicians (if a small brass orchestra has 10-12 people, a small mixed orchestra has 25-30 people, then a large mixed orchestra has 40-50 musicians or more).
Brass band. Brief essay. I. Gubarev. M.: Soviet composer, 1963
The main composition of a full symphony orchestra is the so-called doubles composition, where solo (wind) voices are presented in pairs:
2 flutes (I-II),
2 oboes (I-II),
2 clarinets (I-II),
2 bassoons (I-II),
2 pairs of horns (I-II; III-IV),
2 pipes (I-II),
1 timpanist,
2-3 drummers,
first violins (16 people - 8 consoles),
second violins (14 people - 7 consoles),
violas (12 people - 6 consoles),
cellos (10 people - 5 consoles),
double basses (8 people - 4 consoles).
IN triple composition of a full symphony orchestra, solo voices are represented by three instruments, in particular by supplementing them with all varieties of woodwind instruments:
2 flutes (I-II),
small flute (also known as III flute),
2 oboes (I-II),
English horn (aka III oboe),
2 clarinets (I-II),
small clarinet (aka III clarinet) or bass clarinet (aka III clarinet),
2 bassoons (I-II),
contrabassoon (aka III bassoon),
3 pairs of horns (I-II; III-IV; V-VI),
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3 pipes (I-II, III),
1 timpanist,
3–4 drummers,
a group of bowed instruments (in the same composition as the previous one).
WITH late XIX century, the triple composition is the most common in musical practice and is required for the formation of any symphony orchestra.
Percussion instruments and harps (from one to three) are available regardless of the composition of the orchestra (that is, they are not regulated in terms of quantity).
Various quadruple, quadruple and other orchestra compositions are obtained by further increasing the number of solo voices. In this case, usually the further increase in the number of wind instruments is uneven, and the presence, for example, of five trumpets (as in Scriabin’s “Poem of Ecstasy”) does not at all determine the mandatory presence of ten horns in the score (there are eight of them in the “Poem of Ecstasy”).
The most stable of the excessive compositions is quadruple composition of a full symphony orchestra. It looks like this:
2 flutes (I-II),
first small flute (aka III flute),
second small flute (aka IV flute),
4 oboes (I-II-Ш),
English horn (aka IV oboe),
2 clarinets (I-II),
small clarinet (aka III clarinet),
bass clarinet (aka IV clarinet),
3 bassoons (I-II-Ш),
contrabassoon (aka IV bassoon),
4 pairs of horns (I-II, III-IV; V-VI; VII-VIII),
4 pipes (I-II, III-IV),
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1 timpanist,
4-5 drummers,
bowed instruments in the same quantity as in previous compositions.
True, with regard to bowed instruments, it should be noted that with a pair of wind instruments, you can completely get by with a slightly smaller number of them, namely: twelve first violins, ten second, eight violas, eight cellos and five or six double basses.
On the contrary, when the string group bears the enormous burden of the sound of four-piece wind instruments, the presence of the entire previously mentioned mass of strings is absolutely necessary.
However, an excessive increase in the number of stringed instruments is also not recommended, since too massive a bowed sound can bleed and absorb woodwind timbres and even weaken the brilliance and power of brass instruments.
Thus, the normal number of bowed instruments in an orchestra ranges from 12 to 16 for the first violins, from 10 to 14 for the second violins; from 8 to 12 for violas, from 8 to 10 for cellos and from 5 to 8 for double basses. It should be noted that many orchestrators prefer the predominance of the number of cellos over the number of violas and consider the following ratio of the number of strings to be correct: 16-14-10-12-8.
Except full squads symphony orchestra there are also various incomplete And small compositions.
Of these, we mention the so-called Beethoven's composition: 2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons, 2 horns, 2 trumpets, 3 timpani, 10 first violins, 8 second violins, 6 violas, 5-6 cellos, 3-4 double basses.
The orchestrator must have an accurate idea of the composition he has chosen, not only in terms of the number of solo voices, but also in relation to the number of players in each group of bowed instruments. This is especially important in complex divisions of groups into independent parties (divisi).
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When dividing groups of stringed instruments into separate parts, the following (Italian) terms are used:
a) divisi (abbreviated div.) - division into 2 parties;
b) divisi in 3 (in 4, etc.) - division into 3 (4, etc.) parties.
Refusal to play divisi is the designation - non divisi or unisono (abbreviated - unis.).
If one soloist plays, then the word solo is placed before the phrase, and the other performers of this group are indicated by the term altri (rest).
The execution of a phrase by two soloists or a larger number of them is prescribed by the inscriptions: a 2 soli; a 3 soli, etc.
A refusal to play sul ponticello, sul tasto, col legno is the word ordinare (ord. for short).
Each wind instrument represents a solo voice, unlike the strings, which perform in groups. Therefore, each of them has its own serial number, which is placed in front of the corresponding phrases in cases where these phrases are assigned to only one instrument (I°; II°; III°, etc.).
The playing of two (or sometimes three or more) instruments written on one line is denoted by the term a 2 (a 3, a 4).
The above compositions of complete and especially incomplete symphony orchestras are a TYPICAL scheme. Live practice creates a large number of different mixed options, where woodwind instruments of triple composition are combined with brass instruments of double composition and vice versa.
Concluding this book, one can only wish orchestrators not to get carried away with exceptional compositions, not to write scores that are inaccessible for performance by normal average symphony orchestras, remembering that mastery of
You should pay attention to the difference in notation: divisi in 2 (in 3, etc.) and divisi a 2 (a 3, etc.). In the first case, all performers are divided into two (three etc.) parties; in the second - two (three etc.) the performer is played each to his own party.
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orchestral writing makes it possible to extract from a modest pair composition such sonority that will be inaccessible to someone who seeks to cover up his helplessness with the deafening noise of an excessive number of instruments.
Maximum skill with a minimum of only the most necessary means is the key to success in writing artistically complete scores.
Vasilenko S. Instrumentation for symphony orchestra / Ed. and with additional Yu. Fortunatova. M., 1959.
Veprik A. Interpretation of orchestra instruments. - M., 1961.
Vidor S. Modern orchestra technique. - M., 1938.
Giro E. Instrumentation / Ed. D. Rogal-Levitsky. - M, 1934. 3rd ed.
Dmitriev G. Percussion instruments: interpretation and current state. - M., 1973.
Dulova V. The art of playing the harp. - M., 1975.
Kars N. History of orchestration. - M, 1932.
Modr A. Musical instruments. - M., 1959.
Panaiotov A. Percussion instruments in modern orchestras. - M., 1973.
Rimsky-Korsakov N. Basics of orchestration. - M., 1946.
Rogal-Levitsky D. Modern orchestra. - M., 1956.
Stringed instruments.................................................................... ...................... 6
General information.................................................................................................... 6
Violin................................................. ........................................................ ............ 37
Alto................................................. ........................................................ ................... 54
Cello................................................. ........................................................ ...... 56
Double bass................................................... ........................................................ ......... 65
Woodwind instruments................................................................... ...................... 72
General information........................................................ ........................................................ 72
Flute................................................. ........................................................ ............... 78
Oboe................................................. ........................................................ ................. 89
Clarinet................................................. ........................................................ ............. 94
Bassoon................................................. ........................................................ ............... 100
Saxophone................................................. ........................................................ ........ 105
Expanding the possibilities of playing woodwind instruments. 106
Brass instruments................................................................... ........................... 112
General information........................................................ ............................................... 112
French horn................................................. ........................................................ ......... 126
Pipe................................................. ........................................................ ............... 136
Trombone................................................. ........................................................ .......... 141
Tuba................................................... ........................................................ .................... 147
Cornets and saxhorns...................................................... ..................................... 151
Special techniques for playing brass instruments.................................. 156
Harp................................................. ........................................................ ........................... 158
Percussion instruments................................................ ........................................... 172
General information........................................................ ................................................... 172
Timpani........................................................ ........................................................ ......... 177
Big drum................................................... ........................................... 181
Snare drum................................................... ................................................... 182
Tambourine (tambourine)................................................... ................................................... 184
Tom-tom........................................................ ........................................................ ............. 186
Bongs........................................................ ........................................................ ............... 187
Tamtam............................................ ........................................................ ............. 188
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Gong................................................. ........................................................ ............... 189
Dishes................................................. ........................................................ .......... 190
Triangle................................................. ........................................................ .. 192
Bells........................................................ ........................................................ 193
Celeste........................................................ ........................................................ .......... 195
Vibraphone........................................................ ........................................................ ....... 196
Xylophone................................................. ........................................................ ....... 198
Bells........................................................ ........................................................ ......... 203
Tubaphone........................................................ ........................................................ .......... 205
Temple block........................................................ ........................................................ ...... 205
Idiophones with indefinite pitch................................................................. ... 206
Special sound effects on the piano.................................................... ......... 210
Approximate distribution of percussion instruments between performers 212
Information about typical compositions of symphony orchestras.................................... 214
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Stockings M.
Ch 89 Instruments of a symphony orchestra: A manual. - St. Petersburg: Composer St. Petersburg, 2004. - 224 pp., notes, ill.
ISBN 5-7379-0260-9
The manual contains basic information about the structure of symphony orchestra instruments, how to play them, and the history of their creation. In the fourth edition, the author introduced a number of clarifications and additions.
Intended for music students educational institutions, as well as for musicians learning the basics of orchestration.
A symphony orchestra is a fairly large group of musicians who perform various musical works. As a rule, the repertoire includes music of the Western European tradition. What is the composition of the symphony orchestra? How is it different from other musical groups? More on this later.
Composition of the symphony orchestra by group
The modern group involves four categories of musical performers. Where should one begin to consider the composition of a symphony orchestra? The instruments played by musicians are distinguished by their variety, dynamic properties, rhythmic and sound features.
The foundation of the group is considered to be the musicians who play the strings. Their number is about 2/3 of the total number of performers. The symphony orchestra includes double bassists, cellists, violinists, and violists. As a rule, strings act as the main carriers of the melodic beginning.
The next group is the woodwinds. These include bassoons, clarinets, oboes, and flutes. Each instrument has its own part. Compared to bowed instruments, woodwinds do not have such breadth and diversity in performance techniques. However, they have greater strength, brighter colors and compact sound.
The symphony orchestra also includes brass players. These include trumpets, trombones, tubas, and horns. Thanks to their presence, the performance of musical pieces becomes more powerful, since they act as a rhythmic and bass support.
Strings
The violin is considered the highest in sound. This instrument is characterized by rich technical and expressive capabilities. The violin is often assigned difficult and fast passages, various trills, melodic and wide leaps, and tremolo.
Another one is the alto. The method of playing it is similar to that of a violin. It is generally accepted that the viola is somewhat inferior to the violin in terms of brightness and brilliance of timbre. But at the same time, this instrument perfectly conveys music of a dreamy, romantic, elegiac character.
The cello is twice the size of the viola, but its bow is shorter than that of the viola and violin. This instrument belongs to the “foot” category: it is placed between the knees, resting on the floor with a metal spike.
The double bass is much larger - you have to play it while sitting on a high stool or standing. This instrument is perfect for playing fairly fast passages. The double bass forms the foundation for the sound of the strings, performing the bass voice parts. Quite often he is part of a jazz orchestra.
Woodwinds
The flute is considered one of the most ancient instruments in the world. The first mentions of it can be found in the scrolls of Egypt, Rome, and Greece. Of all the woodwinds, the flute is considered the most agile instrument, and in its virtuosity it significantly surpasses the others.
The oboe is considered no less ancient. This instrument is unique in that, due to the peculiarities of its design, it does not lose its tuning. Therefore, all other “participants” are configured according to it.
Another fairly popular instrument is the clarinet. Only he has access to a fairly flexible change in sound strength. Thanks to this and other properties, the clarinet is considered one of the most expressive “voices” that make up a brass band.
Drums. general information
Considering the composition of a symphony orchestra by group, percussion instruments should be noted. Their function is rhythmic. At the same time, they form a rich sound and noise background, decorate and complement the palette of melodies with various effects. According to the nature of their sound, percussion instruments can be divided into two types. The first includes those that have a certain timpani, bells, xylophone and others. The second type includes instruments that lack precise sound pitch. These include, in particular, cymbals, drums, tambourine, and triangle.
Description
Quite ancient, like some of the instruments described above, is the timpani. They were quite common in many countries: Greece, Africa, among the Scythians. Unlike other instruments with leather, timpani have a sound of a certain pitch.
Plates are large metal round plates. They are slightly convex in the center - this is where the straps are attached so that the performer can hold them in his hands. They are played standing up - this is how sound travels best in the air. A symphony orchestra usually consists of one pair of cymbals.
The xylophone is a rather original device. Wood blocks of different sizes are used as the sounding body. It should be said that the xylophone is often included in the Russian folk orchestra. The sound that the wooden blocks make is sharp, clicking, and “dry.” Sometimes they also evoke a gloomy mood, creating grotesque, bizarre images. An orchestra whose composition may include not only a xylophone, most often performs with a special storyline- usually in fairy tales or epic episodes.
Brass
The trumpet was the first to enter the opera orchestra. Her timbre is not characterized by lyricism. Typically, trumpets are considered exclusively fanfare instruments.
The most poetic part of the “team” is the horn. In the low register its timbre is somewhat gloomy, and in the upper register it is quite tense.
The saxophone occupies a somewhat intermediate position between woodwind and brass. The power of its sound is much higher than that of the clarinet. Since the beginning of the 20th century, the saxophone has become one of the main “voices” that make up jazz ensembles.
The tuba is classified as a "bass" instrument. It is capable of covering the lowest part of the copper group range.
Single instruments. Harp
The main composition of the symphony orchestra is described above. Tools can be introduced additionally. For example, a harp. This instrument is considered one of the oldest in musical history humanity. It came from a bow with a taut string, which sounded quite melodious when fired. Harp relates to Beauty and appearance she is superior to all other “participants”.
The harp has quite unique virtuoso capabilities. It produces excellent passages of arpeggios, wide chords, glissandos, and harmonics. The role of the harp is not so much emotional as it is, to a certain extent, colorful. The instrument often accompanies others. In addition, the harp is given spectacular solos.
Piano
The sound source of this instrument is metal strings. Wooden hammers covered with felt begin to knock on them when you press the keys with your fingers. The result is a different sound. The piano has gained wide popularity as a solo instrument. But in some cases he can also act as an “ordinary participant”. Some composers use the piano as a decorative element, adding new colors and sonority to the sound of the entire orchestra.
Organ
This wind instrument has been known since ancient times. At that time, air injection by bellows was carried out manually. Subsequently, the design of the tool was improved. In ancient Europe, the organ was used in church services. This is a gigantic instrument with many different tones. The range of the organ is greater than that of all orchestra instruments taken together. The design includes bellows that pump air, a system of pipes of different sizes and devices, keyboards - foot and several hand-held.
The pipes of a single tone in one set are called a "register". Large cathedral organs have about a hundred registers. The color of the sounds of some of them resembles the sound of a flute, oboe, clarinet, cello and other orchestral instruments. The more diverse and “richer” the registers, the more opportunities the performer has. The art of playing the organ is based on the ability to skillfully “register”, that is, use all technical potential.
When using the organ the latest music, theatrical in particular, composers pursued primarily a sound-visual goal, especially in those moments where it was necessary to reproduce the church atmosphere. For example, Liszt in The Battle of the Huns (a symphonic poem) contrasted Christendom with the barbarians using the organ.
The composition of the symphony orchestra was formed in the era of the Viennese classics.
This was the second half of the 18th - first quarter of the 19th centuries, when great composers created Joseph Haydn, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Ludwig van Beethoven. They created the one tall type instrumental music, in which all the wealth of content was embodied in a perfect artistic form - it was a symphony.
Bolshoi Theater Symphony Orchestra
An orchestra is a large group of instrumental musicians. But how big? A large symphony orchestra can have up to 110 musicians, and a small orchestra no more than 50.
Ludwig van Beethoven
The composition of the symphony orchestra evolved gradually from the 16th century. The “classical” composition of the symphony orchestra was formed in the scores of L. van Beethoven (according to modern concepts, it was a small symphony orchestra). But to perform his Ninth Symphony, written in 1824, Beethoven needed an expanded orchestra with some additional instruments - and now it was a large orchestra, with a small flute, contrabassoon, trombones, triangle, cymbals and a bass drum. Some composers include even more instruments to perform their compositions.
The basis of a symphony orchestra is made up of 4 groups of instruments: bowed strings, woodwinds, brass, and percussion. If necessary, the orchestra also includes other instruments: harp, piano, organ, celesta, harpsichord.
Bowed string instruments: violins, violas, cellos, double basses.
Woodwinds: flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, saxophone with all their varieties, as well as a number folk instruments– balaban, duduk, pity, flute, zurna.
Brass: horn, trumpet, cornet, flugelhorn, trombone, tuba.
Drums(including noise): timpani, xylophone, vibraphone, bells, drums, triangle, cymbals, tambourine, castanets, tam-tam and others.
Symphony orchestra musicians' seating arrangement
The conductor decides how to seat the orchestra. He also owns the artistic interpretation of the work.
On the console in front of the conductor lies score(full musical notation of all parts of orchestral instruments).
Parts of instruments in each group are recorded one after another, starting with the highest sounding instruments and ending with the lowest.
The arrangement of performers in a modern symphony orchestra is aimed at achieving a coherent sonority. In 50-70 years. XX century most widespread "American seating": the first and second violins are placed to the left of the conductor; on the right are violas and cellos; in the depths there are woodwinds and brass winds, double basses; on the left are drums.
There is also "German seating". Its difference from the “American” one is that the cellos change places with the second violins, and the double basses are on the left. The brass instruments are to the right, at the back of the stage, and the horns move to the left. The drums are closer to the right wing.
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