What things in common do classical and romantic orchestras have?

July 31, 8286 at 12:40 PM by Kieran C | Posted in Classical

Q: please help.

July 31, 8957 at 12:40 PM by Aragnoll

A: Basically the Romantic orchestra has a much wider range of instruments and pitches and it generally has many more players (a Classical orchestra would be around 40 players at its largest and a Romantic can be up to 90). After the Classical period, lower instruments such as the tuba, euphonium, bass-trombone and contra-bassoon were developed to give a lower level to the orchestra and instruments such as the piccolo were developed to give a higher level. Other instruments such as the double bass, trombone and clarinet, although already in use in the Classical period became more widely used. The Romantic orchestra was also used in a different way, for example, composers started to use more adventurous techniques such as flutter-tonguing on woodwind instruments and col legno on string instruments.

Basically, orchestration in the classical era consisted of:

Strings: 1st violins, 2nd violins, violas, cellos, double basses

Woodwinds: 2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons

Brass: 2 french horns, 2 trumpets Percussion: 2 timpani

Whereas romantic orchestras were of a much larger scale, with nearly double amounts of each instrument and a much larger brass and percussion section (ie, small scale percussion instruments such as triangles, glockenspiels and tambourines were introduced.)

2 Comments

  • puckrock2000 says:
    July 31, 8761 at 12:00 AM
    I'm not sure what you mean by "classical" and "romantic" orchestras, unless you are talking about orchestras during the Classical era (roughly 1750-1820) and Romantic era (roughly 1820-1910). The instrumentation would generally be the same, though in the romantic era, the number of players (especially in the string section) would be larger.
  • Mura says:
    July 31, 9243 at 12:00 AM
    Composers in the Romantic era used larger sections -- more players. The choices of form and harmony were also developed more broadly, and the thematic elements were less structured.

Contra Bassoon - 4 items found


NewCONTRA BASSOON Reed Case. For 6 Reeds. Genuine Leather
$45.00 Buy It Now
Bids: 1
Best Offer Enabled
End time: 26-Aug-10 08:23:37 PDT
Amati Contra Bassoon case, used
$99.00
Bids: 0
End time: 04-Aug-10 14:26:29 PDT
NewNew K&M 15045-000-01 15045 Nickel CONTRA BASSOON STAND
$159.99
Bids: 1
End time: 06-Aug-10 14:10:12 PDT
NewBass Nightingale Contra Bassoon Solo
$14.98
Bids: 0
End time: 20-Aug-10 11:14:58 PDT
View more items

Absolute Zawinul All About Jazz

Apr 06, 2010
, A project that came together in the sunset of his celebrated life with the collaboration of Absolute Ensemble director Kristjan Järvi, Zawinul put on display an awesome array of new music. The participation of key members of The Zawinul Syndicate, his last great band, gives the music on this album added significance. The fact that it was completed not long before his passing gives it further specialness and a memorable character all its own.

Although "Bimoya" and its familiar swing is almost typical of the unique and earthy beat that Zawinul discovered when he co-founded Weather Report , its music only fleetingly recalls late Syndicate work. The album will resonate more for the wonderful sweep of "Sultan," a work filled with magical quarter notes that sway and tumble down its melody, washing the soundscape with glorious Middle Eastern sounds. The spry elegance of "Great Empire" is enhanced by tremulous violins and splashing cymbals that color the tones of Zawinul's own voice as

Source:

Array

with Dominic Morgan: lso.co.uk

New e-mail/Contrabassoon/Bassoon Concerto No.2

I got a new e-mail address last week. It is bassoongoon@earthlink.net

Awhile back I asked David Waltman (Rainier Symphony conductor) if I could audition on bassoon (switching from cello). He said that he'd let me audition if I promised to play contra. So I'm thinking, where the heck am I going to find a contra?!? He told me that Brian, our principal bassoonist has one. So I asked if he would let me use it before, and during rehearsals, he said sure. Next week I'll have my first contrabassoon lesson before the rehearsal!

I have started to write another bassoon concerto. My Concerto for Bassoon and Orchestra No.2 in E-Flat Minor.

Source: HunterBrown Cello , Bassoon, Composition