2024 Author: Leah Sherlock | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 05:25
A symphony orchestra is a fairly large group of musicians performing various musical works. As a rule, the repertoire includes music of the Western European tradition. What is the composition of a symphony orchestra? How is it different from other musical groups? More on that later.
Composition of the symphony orchestra by groups
Four categories of musical performers are involved in a modern collective. Where should one begin to consider the composition of a symphony orchestra? The instruments played by musicians are distinguished by their diversity, dynamic properties, rhythmic and sound features.
The band's foundation is considered to be musicians playing 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 woodwinds. These include bassoons, clarinets, oboes, flutes. Each ofinstruments own part. In comparison with bowed instruments, woodwinds do not have such a breadth and diversity in performance techniques. However, they have more power, brightness of shades with a compact sound.
The symphony orchestra also includes brass wind instruments. These include trumpets, trombones, tubas, horns. Thanks to their presence, the performance of musical pieces becomes more powerful, as they act as a rhythmic and bass support.
Strings
The violin is considered the highest sounding. This instrument is characterized by rich technical and expressive possibilities. The violin is often assigned difficult and fast passages, various trills, melodic and wide jumps, tremolo.
Another stringed instrument is the viola. The method of playing it is similar to 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 the viola and violin. This instrument belongs to the "foot" category: it is installed between the knees, resting on the floor with a metal spike.
Double bass is much larger in size - you have to play it sitting on a high stool or standing. This instrument is great for playing fairly fast passages. The double bass forms the foundation for the sound of the strings, playing the partsbass voice. Quite often he is part of a jazz orchestra.
Woodwinds
The flute is one of the most ancient instruments in the world. The first mention of it can be found in the scrolls of Egypt, Rome, Greece. Of all the woodwinds, the woodwind flute is considered the most mobile instrument, and in its virtuosity, it far exceeds the rest.
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 settings. Therefore, all other "participants" tune in to it.
Another fairly popular instrument is the clarinet. Only he has access to a fairly flexible change in the strength of the sound. Thanks to this and other properties, the clarinet is considered one of the most expressive "voices" that make up the brass band.
Drums. General information
Considering the composition of the symphony orchestra by groups, percussion instruments should be noted. Their function is rhythmic. Along with this, they form a rich sound-noise background, decorate and complement the palette of melodies with various effects. According to the nature of the sound, percussion instruments can be divided into two types. The first includes those that have a certain pitch. These are timpani, bells, xylophone and others. The second type includes instruments that lack accurate sound pitch. These include, in particular, cymbals, drums, a tambourine, a 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 leather instruments, timpani have a certain pitch.
Cymbals are large round metal plates. In the center they are slightly convex - in this place the straps are fixed so that the performer can hold them in his hands. They are played standing up - this is how sound spreads best in the air. A symphony orchestra usually includes one pair of cymbals.
Xylophone is a fairly original device. Wooden blocks of different sizes are used as a sounding body. It should be said that the xylophone is often part of the Russian folk orchestra. The sound that wooden blocks make is sharp, clicking, "dry". Sometimes they evoke a gloomy mood, creating grotesque, bizarre images. An orchestra of folk instruments, whose composition may include not only a xylophone, most often performs in musical works with a special storyline - as a rule, in fairy tales or epic episodes.
Brass winds
The trumpet was the very first to enter the opera orchestra. Her timbre is not characterized by lyricism. As a general rule, trumpets are considered purely fanfare instruments.
The most poetic in the "collective" is the French horn. In the low register, her voice is somewhat gloomy, and in the high register it is quite tense.
Saxophoneoccupies in some way an 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.
Tuba refers to "bass". It is capable of covering the lowest part of the range of the copper group.
Single tools. Harp
The main composition of the symphony orchestra is described above. Instruments can be introduced additionally. For example, the harp. This instrument is considered one of the oldest in the musical history of mankind. It came from a bow with a stretched bowstring, which sounded quite melodious when fired. The harp is a plucked stringed instrument. Her beauty and appearance surpass all other "participants".
The harp has rather peculiar virtuoso abilities. On it, passages from arpeggios, wide chords, glissandos, and harmonics are excellent. The role of the harp is not so much emotional as colorful to a certain extent. 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 gained wide popularity as a solo instrument. But in some cases, he can also act as a "privateparticipant". Some composers use the piano as a decorative element, bringing new colors and sonority to the sound of the entire orchestra.
Organ
This wind keyboard instrument has been known since ancient times. At that time, air was blown with bellows by hand. Subsequently, the design of the instrument was improved. In ancient Europe, the organ was used in church services. This is a gigantic instrument with a wide variety of timbres. The range of the organ is greater than that of all the instruments in the orchestra put together. The design includes bellows that pump air, a system of pipes of various sizes and devices, keyboards - foot and several manual.
Pipes of the same tone in one set are called "register". Large cathedral organs have about a hundred registers. The coloring of sounds in 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, the use of all technical potential.
When using the organ in the latest music, theatrical in particular, the composers pursued primarily a sound-depictive goal, especially in those moments where it was necessary to reproduce the church atmosphere. So, for example, Liszt in the "Battle of the Huns" (symphonic poem)pitted Christendom against barbarians using the organ.
Recommended:
The Tchaikovsky Grand Symphony Orchestra: a success story
Those who are at least a little interested in classical music must have heard of the Grand Symphony Orchestra. His path began back in the Soviet Union, he was the first, trial version of a folk classical performer. Nevertheless, the path of the Grand Symphony Orchestra continues to this day. It does not lose ground, despite the fact that more than one decade has passed since its inception
Russian National Orchestra: history of creation, famous musicians, visiting card of the orchestra. Mikhail Pletnev
The Russian National Orchestra, despite its youth and many difficulties, is the most popular and frequently visited academic musical group. It is included in the top twenty of the world's best symphony concerts
Musical woodwind instrument. Woodwind instruments of a symphony orchestra
The woodwind instruments of a symphony orchestra are bassoon, oboe, flute, clarinet and, of course, their varieties. Saxophone and bagpipes with their own variants belong to spiritual wooden ones, but they are extremely rarely used in this orchestra
Composition in design. Composition elements. Laws of composition
Have you ever wondered why we like to look at some works of art, but not at others? The reason for this is the successful or unsuccessful composition of the depicted elements. It depends on her how a picture, a statue or even a whole building is perceived. Although at first glance it seems that it is not easy to foresee everything, in fact, creating a composition that will be pleasing to the eye is not so difficult. However, for this you need to know about the laws, principles and other components of it
Symphony No. 5: history of creation. Symphony No. 5 by Beethoven L.V.: features and interesting facts
In what year was Symphony No. 5 created, how long did Beethoven create it? How was the symphony created? What thoughts then tormented the great composer? The content of the symphony, its artistic description. What did Beethoven want to say to each person through this work? Interesting facts about the symphony
