Music Lesson – The Orchestra by Carlinton Singh
Today I want to share some information on the orchestra.
The orchestra can be described as a large instrumental ensemble
with a wide variety of musical instruments. It is made of four families of
musical instruments; they are string, woodwind, brass and percussion. The
strings are often refers to as the core of the orchestra.
The organization of this unique ensemble can be traced back
as far as the 1600s and have developed during the baroque period. During this
period there were smaller orchestra groups that range from about 15 to 40
persons. However, as music changes over the centuries, the size has grown immensely.
Some time over 100 musicians are used in an orchestra.
Now let us take a
look at the different families of instruments that make up the orchestra.
The String Family
The string family is made of string instruments. The strings
on these instruments are plucked or bowed in order for them to produce sound.
The main string instruments that are used in an orchestra are violins, violas,
cellos and double bass.
The Woodwind Family
In this family the instruments are referred to as woodwind
because they were traditionally made of wood. These instruments can be
described as a long tube with holes on them. The holes are covered by the
fingers or by pads that are controlled by our fingers. Some of these
instruments carry a small strip of wood on the mouth piece called a reed. Some woodwind
instruments are piccolo, flute, clarinet, oboe and bassoon.
The Brass Family
Instruments of the brass family are wind instruments that
are loud and bright in tone color. These instruments are mostly used when the
music climaxes. The range of pitches created by a brass wind instrument is
controlled by the mouth piece, valves and slides. Brass instruments are often
referred to as the horn section of the orchestra. Some instruments that make up
the brass family are trumpet, cornet, french horn, trombone, euphonium and
tuba.
The Percussion Family
Percussion instruments are those that you hit and shake to
produce sound. These instruments play a vital role in the orchestra. There are
several percussion instruments that are often used in an orchestra. They are
xylophone, glockenspiel, timpani, gongs, cymbal, chimes, triangle, bass drum,
snare drum, tenor drums among others.
Even though modern instruments are sometimes included in the
orchestra, we can all say that it has not lost its flavor. The elements of
music are still expressed in modern orchestras.
Do you have more information to share about the orchestra the level it in the comments box. Or.... Simply just leave a comment if you like this article.
