A platform for research: civil engineering, architecture and urbanism
A platform for research: civil engineering, architecture and urbanism
Acoustic Considerations for Instrumentation and Playing Technique
The size of the orchestra available to composers at earlier times for the performance of their works naturally had a decisive influence on the style of instrumentation. Since on the one hand the possibility of number of wind instruments was proscribed by the number of available players, on the other hand the tone of the strings was determined by the size of the individual sections. Nevertheless, undoubtedly the tonal perception by great composers of their important works occasionally transcended the realizable possibilities of the time. A look at the historical development of the orchestra (Schreiber, 1938; Becker, 1962) thus can provide reference points for a performance true to the intent of the work, however, historical indications should certainly not be considered as performance instructions to be observed absolutely, particularly since concerts today are frequently performed under very different spatial conditions. The typical orchestra of the Baroque period was an enlarged chamber music ensemble. An example for this would be the instrumentation which J.S. Bach demanded from the magistrate in the year 1730 as a minimum for his church music in Leipzig: 2–3 first and second violins each, four violas, two celli, one double bass in addition six woodwinds, three trumpets, and timpani. In the year 1746 the Leipzig Concert Association had a larger number of strings with five first and second violins each and two violas, celli, and basses each. Wind chairs were generally singularly occupied, only for the bassoons were two or three players for each part used to support the basso continuo line. Also for the Concerti Grossi by Corelli and Vivaldi an orchestra instrumentation of similar order of magnitude can be assumed as normal, even though reports of the performances with very large string sections are found. In contrast, in Italian opera houses orchestras with more than 30 violins were no exception.
Acoustic Considerations for Instrumentation and Playing Technique
The size of the orchestra available to composers at earlier times for the performance of their works naturally had a decisive influence on the style of instrumentation. Since on the one hand the possibility of number of wind instruments was proscribed by the number of available players, on the other hand the tone of the strings was determined by the size of the individual sections. Nevertheless, undoubtedly the tonal perception by great composers of their important works occasionally transcended the realizable possibilities of the time. A look at the historical development of the orchestra (Schreiber, 1938; Becker, 1962) thus can provide reference points for a performance true to the intent of the work, however, historical indications should certainly not be considered as performance instructions to be observed absolutely, particularly since concerts today are frequently performed under very different spatial conditions. The typical orchestra of the Baroque period was an enlarged chamber music ensemble. An example for this would be the instrumentation which J.S. Bach demanded from the magistrate in the year 1730 as a minimum for his church music in Leipzig: 2–3 first and second violins each, four violas, two celli, one double bass in addition six woodwinds, three trumpets, and timpani. In the year 1746 the Leipzig Concert Association had a larger number of strings with five first and second violins each and two violas, celli, and basses each. Wind chairs were generally singularly occupied, only for the bassoons were two or three players for each part used to support the basso continuo line. Also for the Concerti Grossi by Corelli and Vivaldi an orchestra instrumentation of similar order of magnitude can be assumed as normal, even though reports of the performances with very large string sections are found. In contrast, in Italian opera houses orchestras with more than 30 violins were no exception.
Acoustic Considerations for Instrumentation and Playing Technique
Meyer, Jürgen (author)
2009-01-01
41 pages
Article/Chapter (Book)
Electronic Resource
English
| Wiley | 2001
INSTRUMENTATION CONSIDERATIONS FOR SMALL DAMS
| British Library Conference Proceedings | 1999
ROLE PLAYING -- A TRAINING TECHNIQUE
| Oxford University Press | 1966