Orchestral Music

Orchestral refers to a type of Western Classical Music performed by an ensemble of musicians, called an orchestra that can vary in size, ranging from chambers to complete symphonies. An orchestral ensemble is usually played in a semicircle formation, with the string instruments, such as the violin and the cello, encompassing the front of the orchestra, the woodwinds, such as the clarinet and the flute, encompassing the middle of the orchestra, and the brass and percussion, such as the trumpets, trombones, and timpanis, encompassing the back of the orchestra. The origins of orchestral music date back to around 1600, with the ensemble required for Claudio Monteverdi’s Opera L' Orfeo. In 18th century Germany, Johann Wenzel Anton Stamitz and other composers from the Mannheim school developed the modern symphony orchestra. That same century, there was a power shift as strings became more important than ever, and keyboards took the back seat. Brass and percussion became more advanced during this time. There was a new role, the concertmaster, also known as the first violinist, would lead the orchestra performance, but as orchestral performances became bigger and bigger, not all performers could see the concertmaster. Another new role was introduced, the conductor, who stood atop a podium, where every performer could see them. Orchestral music has since branched off into many different directions with different instruments or themes. For example, composer Franz Liszt helped develop the Tone Poem, which is based on non-musical ideas, themes, etc., with the most famous tone poem being Gustav Holst’s The Planets. Composers like Hector Berlioz, Gustav Mahler, and Richard Strauss developed the Orchestral Song, which brings Choral solos into the typical orchestral mix. Concertos also utilize soloists, but instead of voice, the solos usually focus on one specific instrument. There are also Concert Bands, that get rid of the strings and bring back the keyboards.