How & Why Did the Orchestra Grow?
What is an Orchestra? | The Orchestra in Different Time Periods | The Future of Music
WHAT IS AN ORCHESTRA?
Before we can talk about how the orchestra grew, you may be wondering – “what is an orchestra?” Well,
to keep the explanation simple, let’s say that an orchestra is usually a large group of musicians led
by a conductor who plays classical music on musical instruments that belong to the string,
woodwind, brass and percussion families. The music that you hear the musicians play is usually written
by composers from Europe, Russia and America, although classical music composers can come from countries all
around the world. Classical music composers can also be women as well as men.
EARLY ANCIENT ORCHESTRAS
Now that you know what an orchestra is we can talk about its history. Some of the first types of orchestras were
groups of instrumentalists who gathered to play in ancient Egypt. These Egyptian orchestras looked nothing like the
symphony orchestra of today, although they did have string, wind and percussion instruments. Some of the names of
these instruments were tri-gonon, lyre, tanboura, oud, and double pipe.
EARLY ORCHESTRA GROUPS
In some European countries, before the year 1600, orchestras were made up of large or small groups of musicians
playing whatever kinds of instruments they had on hand. Most of these instruments were string instruments of
different shapes and sizes. Some of the names of these early instruments were viol, lute, harp, zither, viola d’amore,
recorder, bass viol, and chalumeau. Even if you recognize some of these names, the instruments of today look very
different than what they looked like at this time in history.
SOME OF THE FIRST ORCHESTRAS
In 1597, in Venice, Italy an organist whose name was Giovanni Gabrieli, composed music that required separate
parts for certain groups of instruments. This piece of music used horns and strings playing different parts. This was
the beginning of the orchestra as we know it today. Then in 1607, an Italian composer, Claudio Monteverdi, used
an orchestra to play along with an opera he wrote. This orchestra had forty instruments in it.
 THE ORCHESTRA IN THE
BAROQUE PERIOD
In Europe the orchestra began to
increase in size because composers
began to write music that required
more instruments and instruments
that could make different sounds.
In the 1680’s the orchestra had
developed in France and Italy. By
1700 the orchestra developed in
Germany and England. Between
1730 and 1740, orchestras were
playing throughout Europe. The
leader of the orchestra was usually a
violinist. By the end of the Baroque
period (1750), the orchestra had
become a large unified group.
 THE ORCHESTRA IN THE
CLASSICAL PERIOD
By the time of the Classical period,
the orchestra was made up of
basically string and wind instruments,
along with a keyboard continuo
(a harpsichord or organ that
played the bass line of a piece).
Occasionally, brass and percussion
instruments were used. Between 1780
and 1790, flutes, clarinets, trumpets
and timpani became part of the
orchestra. The job of the keyboard
continuo gradually disappeared.
The violin section of the orchestra
was divided into two sections. The
musician who played “first violin”
directed the orchestra. In today’s
orchestra, that person is called the
concert master.
THE ORCHESTRA IN THE ROMANTIC PERIOD
Several important developments happened to the orchestra during this musical period. They were:
(1) Orchestra groups increased around the world and orchestral organizations were formed
(2) Orchestra performances reached a more public audience. No longer
did orchestras play just for the rich. They began to reach a wider audience.
(3) Orchestra concerts were offered by musical centers
(4) The baton conductor became the leader of the orchestra
(5) The size of orchestras increased
(6) There were new inventions which changed the way orchestral instruments were made.
Also during this time there were several European orchestras that were founded that are still in existence today.
They were:
London Philharmonic (founded in 1813)
Vienna Philharmonic (founded in 1842)
Budapest Philharmonic (founded in 1853)
Berlin Philharmonic (founded in 1187)
Concertgebouw Orchestra of Amsterdam (founded in 1888)
Orchestras that were founded in the United States during this time period were:
New York Philharmonic (founded in 1842 as a society of professional musicians)
Boston Symphony (founded in 1881)
Chicago Symphony (founded in 1891)
Cincinnati Symphony (founded in 1894)
Philadelphia Orchestra (founded in 1900)
These American orchestras used European immigrants, such as English and French musicians. Later on they used
German and Italian musicians. Much of the music played during the Romantic period by symphony orchestras was
the music of the Classical period.
THE ORCHESTRA IN THE MODERN PERIOD
During this time period, the modern orchestra continued to play the music from previous musical periods. The sound
of the modern orchestra developed even more. The percussion section grew in number and type of instruments. The
percussion section often includes non-Western instruments such as the temple blocks, gongs, maracas, and guiro.
The piano was reintroduced into the orchestra as a percussion instrument. Although many new electronic musical
instruments had been invented, they were not included in the regular orchestra set-up, but are occasionally added to
the orchestra for certain pieces of music.
 In the latter half of the 20th century,
women were included as symphony
orchestra musicians. At first
women were only allowed to play
in all-female orchestras, with the
exception of the harp player, who
had been allowed to play with
male musicians. However, during
World War II, women replaced
those male musicians who were
away at war. Gradually, between
1950 and 1960, orchestras began
accepting women musicians. German orchestras did not accept
women until the 1980’s and it was
not until the 1990’s that the Vienna
Philharmonic accepted women.
Today, women not only play in
symphony orchestras, they also
conduct them, as does our Virginia
Symphony Orchestra’s Music
Director, JoAnn Falletta.
WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO MUSIC IN THE FUTURE?
You can now see that changes in music are based on the music from past generations. Sometimes a composer
creates a new sound or style by building on the popular style of the day. Other times, a composer rebels against the
popular style and creates something totally new and different. Many styles were developed as an expression of a
particular culture. For example, hip-hop and rap music came out of inner city cultures. Country and bluegrass music
developed from people that live and work outside of big cities.
As long as humans exist, we will continue to express ourselves through music, and music will continue to change
with use. Every new generation will create new sounds and styles that reflect their world. Just as your music is
different from that of your parents and grandparents, your children’s music will be different from yours.
WHEN DID THE CONDUCTOR BECOME PART OF THE ORCHESTRA?
It was during the Romantic Period that the conductor became a permanent part of the orchestra. Up to this time, the
keyboard player or violinist often led the group in playing a piece of music.
A conductor doesn’t have to know how to play every instrument in the orchestra. He/She does have to know
how to read the music and notes for every instrument in the orchestra. Most conductors have had training on an
instrument and then decide that they wish to become a conductor. A conductor has to know how the composer
wants a piece of music played. This means they have to study the musical score for the piece of music the
composer wrote. The musical score is how the music looks when it is written down with musical symbols and notes
for all the instruments playing the music. You could say it’s a kind of map that the conductor uses to help her or him
direct the musicians as they play.
The conductor also uses a light wooden stick with a pear-shaped handle to conduct the orchestra. This stick is called
a baton. It can be made from different types of wood and be either 12 or 14 inches long. Through using different
types of conducting patterns, the conductor sets the tempo, dynamics and articulation of the music the
orchestra plays.
MUSIC, HISTORY AND GEOGRAPHY
Studying history helps us to understand how the world was in times past and what it may be like in the future.
Music has a history all its own, however the music of a certain time in history also is part of that time in history.
Hearing music can cause us to think about the time in history when the music was written. Composers often write
music that tells about a certain time or event in history.
Composers of music come from different countries around the world. Sometimes the music they write can be about
certain people, places or things about the country from which they come. Studying the part of the world where the
composer was born or where the music was written helps us to understand that country better. Composers often
write music that tells about certain features of the geography of the country where they were born or where the
music was written.
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