Unit 3
Time Periods; The Evolution of the
Orchestra
The Beginning of the Orchestra
Orchestra dates back from the
beginning of mankind.
 Primitive people had instruments made
of natural resources.
 Do Now: What do you think their music
sounded like?
 Do you think that their music was more
melodic or rhythmic? Explain your
answer.
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The Beginning of a Modern
Orchestra.
The orchestra began its slow growth
about 400 years ago.
 Real orchestras did not appear until
bowed stringed instruments; Late
Renaissance Period /Baroque Period.
 Do Now: What are bowed stringed
instruments?
 In an orchestra, the wind instruments
would double /play along with the
strings.
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Baroque Period; 1659-1695
Composers started to write special parts
for wind instruments.
 flute
 Oboe
 Trumpet (Brass)
 bassoon
 The French Horn was included. (Brass)
 Do Now: What kind of music did Brass
instruments play? For what occasions?
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J.S. Bach and G. F. Handel
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From 1685-1759 these composers had
 2 flutes
 2 oboes
 1 or 2 bassoons
 2 horns (brass)
 2 trumpets (brass)
 Drums
 Strings: violins, violas, cello and contra
bass.
Classical Period, 1700-1800
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The orchestra grew immensely during this
music era.
Composers Mozart, Beethoven and Haydin
enlarged the orchestra further.
The clarinet was added to the orchestra.
Special percussion instruments were also
added.
Do Now: Name some of the percussion
instruments that belong in the symphonic
orchestra?
Stringed instruments were doubled in
numbers.
Romantic Period, 1800’s
The trombone and tuba were added to
the orchestra.
 The number of horns were increased.
 The string section was enlarged further.
 By the end of the 1800’s, the symphonic
orchestra was established with 90-100
players.
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Sections of the Orchestra
Orchestral instruments are usually divided
into four families: strings, woodwind, brass
and percussion.
 These families normally sit together in an
orchestra.
 The strings sit at the front, then the
woodwind, and the brass and percussion in
two groups at the back.
 Do Now: Why do your think these families
sit in this order? Explain Your Answer
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Strings
Common instruments: violin, viola, cello,
double bass.
 There are almost always two sections of
violins, one viola section, one cello
section and one double bass section.
 The first violin is the concert master and
the leader of the orchestra next to the
conductor. This player plays all the
violin solos. Sits first chair, for Best
violin player.
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Woodwinds
Common instruments: flute, oboe, clarinet,
bassoon.
 The woodwind instruments usually sit in
two rows in the center behind the strings.
 Mostly, there is a pair of each instrument:
for instance, a 1st and 2nd flute. Unlike the
strings, each player has a separate part to
play.
 In addition to these, you often see a
piccolo, contra-bassoon in music from the
19th century onwards.
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Brass
Common instruments: trumpet,
trombone, bass trombone, tuba, french
horn.
 The brass section normally sits in two
groups: the french horns and the other
instruments.
 The brass section sits behind the
woodwind section.
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Percussion
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Common instruments: suspended cymbal, crash cymbal,
tambourine, triangle, side-drum, bass drum, timpani,
xylophone, glockenspiel.
The percussion section has the highest number of
possible instruments, but usually only a small number are
used in a piece of music.
When composers want a special sound, like cow-bells,
thunder or wind, the percussion section has to make it!
There are only about 4 players in this section, so they
need to be very flexible.
This section sits behind the brass section.