Symphony Orchestra

The instrumentation of the symphony (sometimes ‘philharmonic’) orchestra has been fluid throughout its more than two-and-one-half centuries history. The specific combination of instruments comprising an orchestra has not only changed from era to era, but also from composer to composer within an era and even from composition to composition by a single composer. Here, we will handle these variables of instrumentation by selecting four representative symphonic compositions from different moments in orchestral history and comparing their performance forces. The four symphonies are: 1) a late-18th century work by Haydn, his Symphony No. 85 in B-flat Major (La Reine); an early-19th century composition by Beethoven, his Symphony No. 7 in A Major; the 1878 Symphony No. 2 in D Major by Brahms; and Shostakovich's Symphony No. 5 in d Minor, written and premiered in 1937. The instruments called for in these four scores are summarized below in table form. The pictorial inventory that follows the table includes the instrument types needed to perform the Shostakovich symphony and presents an accurate accounting of the instrumental resources a symphonic organization should have at its disposal at the current time.

There exist today throughout the cosmopolitan world amateur, semi-professional, and professional orchestral groups. Amateur orchestras tend to be found in secondary schools and in towns and small cities, and aspiring professionals learn their art primarily in tertiary training programs at university schools of music and conservatories. Professional orchestras are generally associated with medium-sized to large urban centers where the considerable funds necessary for operation can be garnered from corporate donations and gifts from wealthy patrons as well as from subscriptions. Governments are sometimes partial or primary patrons of professional orchestras, especially in smaller countries who aspire to be regarded as members of the developed world. In the middle of the 20^th century, large private sector media conglomerates (national radio and television stations) sometimes had their own orchestras that, in addition to performing live over the media, also produced commercial recordings. While a few such organizations still exist outside the U.S.A., they no longer are found in North America. In addition to presenting subscription concert series, professional orchestras have aspired to project their status and improve their income through the release of commercial recordings. However, with the evolving culture of audio consumption stimulated by digital technology advancements and the development of the internet, it is harder than ever for orchestral recordings to make any significant financial contribution to the operating budget of a professional orchestra.

Bibliography:

Spitzer, John, and Neal Zaslaw. “Orchestra,” in Grove Music Online. Accessed December 6 2014: http://www.oxfordmusiconline.com.grinnell.idm.oclc.org/subscriber/article/grove/music/20402?q=orchestra&search=quick&source=omo_gmo&pos=1&_start=1#firsthit

* At the present time it is customary in a symphony orchestra to have one player per part for the aerophones and the timpani, harp and piano parts; the battery of percussion instruments is typically divided between two to four performers; and each string part will be performed by several musicians, the exact numbers dependent on the resources of the individual orchestral organization.

(by Roger Vetter)

piccolo

concert flute

oboe

clarinet - in E-flat

clarinet

bassoon

contrabassoon

horn

trumpet

trombone

bass trombone

tuba

timpani

drum - snare

drum - bass

cymbals - crash

tam-tam

xylophone

glockenspiel

celesta

triangle

grand piano

pedal harp

violin

viola

violoncello

double bass