What is an orchestra definition. The meaning of the word orchestra

In ancient Greece, the orchestra (orchestra) was the place in front of the stage, on which the choir was placed during the performance of tragedies. Much later, during the heyday of musical art in Europe, large ensembles of musicians who jointly perform instrumental musical works began to be called an orchestra. A variety of instruments participated in these ensembles. The composition of the orchestra was not constant for a long time. As a rule, rich nobles had orchestras. The number of musicians and the choice of instruments depended on the wealth and tastes of the owner. Gradually, certain types of orchestra developed in musical practice.
The most complete and perfect in sound among them is the symphony orchestra. You heard, of course, both brass and pop orchestras, orchestras of Russian folk instruments. orchestras of instruments of other peoples of the USSR. In our time, perhaps, it is difficult to find a person who would never hear the sound of a symphony orchestra. The symphony orchestra performs symphonies and suites, symphonic poems and fantasies, sometimes accompanies the action in a film, participates in the performance of operas and oratorios, competes with soloists in instrumental concerts. Many different instruments are part of the symphony orchestra. Some are played with a bow, leading it along the string. Others need to be blown into to make a sound. There are tools to hit. So the main groups were determined into which all instruments are divided: bowed strings, wind instruments - wood and copper, and percussion. Sometimes the orchestra includes a harp, piano, organ. If you look at a photograph or diagram of a symphony orchestra, you will understand that the orchestra members are not sitting as they wanted, but in a strictly defined order. Previously, in all the orchestras of the world, the performers sat in the same way: on the left, in front, the first violins (the most important instruments in the orchestra, performing beautiful, expressive melodies, they are located in the “main place”), on the right, the second ones, behind the second violins, violas, in the center, cellos, behind them are woodwinds.
Now there are several options for seating the orchestra, depending on the will of the conductor, on the characteristics of the piece being performed. But one thing remains unchanged: the instruments are arranged in groups - all brass (horns, trumpets, trombones and tuba) next to each other, all woodwinds (flutes, oboes, clarinets, bassoons) together, bowed strings (violins, violas, cellos and double basses) also grouped separately. There are many string instruments in the orchestra. There are ten to eighteen first violins, eight to sixteen second violins, six to fourteen violas, six to twelve cellos, and four to eight double basses. This is explained simply: the sound of stringed instruments is the weakest. Compare, for example, the sound of a violin and a trombone: if they play at the same time, the violin will not be heard at all, no matter how loudly the violinist tries to play. To balance sonority, a large string group is needed in an orchestra. That is why the strings are always located closer than all other instruments to the conductor, to the audience. With wind instruments, the situation is different. Wooden in the orchestra there are two or three main or one additional, which is called species (depending on this, the composition of the orchestra is called double or triple): this is a piccolo flute (small flute), a kind of oboe - English horn, bass clarinet and contrabassoon. Of the brass instruments in an orchestra, there are usually four horns, two trumpets, three trombones and one tuba. However, the number of brass wind instruments may be higher. The percussion group in the orchestra does not have a permanent composition. In each case, it includes those instruments that appear in the score of the piece being performed. Only timpani are an indispensable participant in every concert.
Brass bands are primarily intended for non-indoor concerts. They accompany processions, marches, and during festive festivities they sound on open-air stages - in squares, gardens and parks. Their sonority is especially powerful and bright. The main instruments of the brass band are brass: cornets, trumpets, horns, trombones. There are also woodwinds - flutes and clarinets, and in large orchestras there are also oboes and bassoons, as well as percussion - drums, timpani, cymbals. There are works written specifically for the brass band, but often they perform symphonic works re-orchestrated for the brass band. There are also such works in which, along with a symphony orchestra, the participation of a wind orchestra is provided, as, for example, in Tchaikovsky's 1812 overture. A special kind of brass band, the so-called "gang" (Italian word banda means detachment). This is an ensemble of brass, wind and percussion instruments, which is sometimes introduced in addition to the symphony orchestra in opera performances. He appears on the stage when some kind of solemn ceremony takes place or the procession moves.
In 1887, a well-known musician, an enthusiast for the study of Russian folk art and folk instruments, V. V. Andreev, organized the “Circle of Balalaika Fans”. The first concert of this circle took place in 1888. Soon gaining European fame, the ensemble began to expand. In addition to balalaikas, it included domras, psaltery and other ancient Russian instruments. The "Great Russian Orchestra" arose - that's how it began to be called. After the Great October Socialist Revolution, it was renamed into Russian folk instruments named after V.V. Andreev, and many other similar groups appeared. The main role in them is played by stringed plucked instruments (read about them in the story “String Instruments”), there are button accordions, flutes and other wind instruments, a large group of percussion instruments. The music for these orchestras is written by Soviet composers. They also play transcriptions of classical works and arrangements of folk songs. In our time, orchestras of folk instruments exist in many union and autonomous republics. Of course, they are very different: in Ukraine they include banduras, in Lithuania - old kankles, in Caucasian orchestras zurnas play ... Variety orchestras are the most diverse in composition and size - from large, similar to symphony, such as, for example, orchestras All-Union and Leningrad radio and television, to very small ones, more like ensembles. Variety orchestras often include saxophones, ukuleles, and many drums.

Watch value Orchestra in other dictionaries

Orchestra- m. ital. a complete assembly of musicians, for playing together, that in voice music a choir; | fenced off in the theater and generally arranged somewhere for musicians. ow........
Dahl's Explanatory Dictionary

Orchestra M.- 1. A group of musicians who jointly perform a piece of music on various instruments. 2. Ensemble of musical instruments. // Part of the ensemble of musical ........
Explanatory Dictionary of Efremova

Orchestra- orchestra, m. (from the Greek orchestra - a place for dancing in front of the stage). 1. Ensemble of musical instruments. Symphony orchestra concert. Piece for string orchestra. Wind........
Explanatory Dictionary of Ushakov

Orchestra- -a; m. [French. orchestra from the Greek. orchēstra - platform in front of the stage in the ancient Greek theater]
1. A group of musicians or a combination of various instruments involved in the performance ........
Explanatory Dictionary of Kuznetsov

Orchestra- This word came into Russian from French, being borrowed from Latin, which also borrowed it from Greece, where orchestra meant "a place for dancing." Romans........
Etymological Dictionary of Krylov

Big Symphony Orchestra of the State Television and Radio Broadcasting Company- them. P. I. Tchaikovsky, academic, founded in 1930. Conductors headed: A. I. Orlov, N. S. Golovanov, A. V. Gauk, G. N. Rozhdestvensky. Principal Conductor and Artistic Director........

Military Band- see Brass band.
Big encyclopedic dictionary

State Symphony Orchestra- created in 1936 in Moscow. Since 1972 academic. Conductors headed by: A. V. Gauk, N. G. Rakhlin, K. K. Ivanov, since 1965 the chief conductor E. F. Svetlanov.
Big encyclopedic dictionary

Brass band- a group of musicians-performers on wind and percussion instruments. A similar composition is typical for military bands.
Big encyclopedic dictionary

Chamber Orchestra- a small orchestra, the basis of which is a string group, supplemented by a harpsichord, spiritual, now also percussion. The repertoire is predominantly music of the 17th-18th centuries. (concerts........
Big encyclopedic dictionary

Orchestra- (from the orchestra) - a group of musicians (12 people or more) playing various instruments and performing musical works together. The term "orchestra" in the 17th-18th centuries.........
Big encyclopedic dictionary

Horn Orchestra- (horn music) - the orchestra was created in Russia in the middle. 18th century Consisted of improved hunting horns. Each instrument produced 1 sound of a chromatic scale.
Big encyclopedic dictionary

Russian National Symphony Orchestra— was founded in 1991 in Moscow. The main conductor is M. V. Pletnev.
Big encyclopedic dictionary

Symphony Orchestra- a large group of musicians performing symphonic musical works. includes 3 groups of instruments: wind, percussion, bowed strings. Classic (double, ........
Big encyclopedic dictionary

String Orchestra- an orchestra consisting of stringed bowed instruments - violins, violas, cellos, double basses, as well as folk instruments.
Big encyclopedic dictionary

Orchestra- a group of musicians. Replaced in the XVII-XVIII centuries. common in Europe, the term "chapel". O. string, wind, symphonic, etc., pop, jazz, military.
Historical dictionary

Horn Orchestra- - horn music - an orchestra created in Russia in the middle of the 18th century. Consisted of improved hunting horns. Each instrument produced one sound of the chromatic scale.
Historical dictionary

Russian Folk Orchestra named after N.p. Osipova- created in 1919 on the initiative of B.S. Troyanovsky and P.I. Alekseev (art director until 1939) as the First Moscow Great Russian Orchestra; since 1936 - the State Folk Orchestra ........
Historical dictionary

Symphony Orchestra- - a large group of musicians performing symphonic musical works. Includes 3 groups of instruments: wind, percussion, bowed strings.
Historical dictionary

String Orchestra- - an orchestra consisting of stringed bowed musical instruments - violins, violas, cellos, double basses, as well as folk instruments.
Historical dictionary

Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra- it. symp. orchestra. Main in 1882. The predecessor of B. f. about. was prof. orchestra organized by B. Bilse (1867, Bilsen Chapel). Since 1882, on the initiative of conc. Wolf agencies are carried out........
Music Encyclopedia

Large Symphony Orchestra of the Central Television and Radio Broadcasting- (B. c. o.). Main in 1931. The first leader of the orchestra was AI Orlov (1931-37). An important role in the formation of the team was played by N. S. Golovanov, who headed the B. with. about. in 1937-53. Replaced him....
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Boston Symphony Orchestra is one of the oldest symphonies. US orchestras. Main in 1881 by patron G. Lee Higginson. The orchestra included qualified musicians from Austria and Germany (originally ........
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Great Russian Orchestra- Russian orchestra nar. tools. Created in 1887 by V. V. Andreev, originally as a "Circle of balalaika lovers" (an ensemble of balalaikas consisting of 8 people); first concert...
Music Encyclopedia

Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra— (Wiener Philharmoniker) - the first prof. concert orchestra in Austria, one of the oldest in Europe. Main on the initiative of the composer and conductor O. Nicolai, critic and publisher A. Schmidt, ........
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military band- spirit. an orchestra, which is a regular unit of a military unit (see Brass band). In the Sov. Army V. o. exist in combat units and formations (in regiments, divisions, ........
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State Russian Folk Orchestra. N. P. Osipova- see Russian folk orchestra.
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State Symphony Orchestra of the USSR- Created in Moscow in 1936 on the basis of the 1st symphony. brigade of the All-Union Radio. The first concert took place on 5 Oct. 1936 in the Great Hall of the Conservatory; were performed - "International", 1st ........
Music Encyclopedia

Brass band- a group of performers on wind instruments (wooden and brass or only copper, the so-called gang) and percussion instruments. D. o. able to perform in a wide variety of acoustic...
Music Encyclopedia

Chamber Orchestra- an orchestra of a small composition, the core of which is an ensemble of performers on strings. instruments (6-8 violins, 2-3 violas, 2-3 cellos, double bass). In to. often includes a harpsichord, ........
Music Encyclopedia

An orchestra is a group of musicians who play various instruments. But it should not be confused with the ensemble. This article will tell you what types of orchestras are. And their compositions of musical instruments will also be consecrated.

Varieties of orchestras

An orchestra differs from an ensemble in that in the first case, the same instruments are combined into groups playing in unison, that is, one common melody. And in the second case, each musician is a soloist - he plays his part. "Orchestra" is a Greek word and translates as "dance floor". It was located between the stage and the audience. The choir was located on this site. Then it became similar to modern orchestra pits. And over time, musicians began to settle down there. And the name "orchestra" went to groups of performers-instrumentalists.

Types of orchestras:

• Symphonic.
• String.
• Wind.
• Jazz.
• Pop.
• Orchestra of folk instruments.
• Military.
• School.

The composition of the instruments of different types of orchestra is strictly defined. Symphonic consists of a group of strings, percussion and brass. String and brass bands are made up of instruments corresponding to their names. Jazz can have a different composition. The variety orchestra consists of brass, strings, percussion, keyboards and

Varieties of choirs

A choir is a large ensemble of singers. There must be at least 12 artists. In most cases, choirs perform accompanied by orchestras. Types of orchestras and choirs are different. There are several classifications. First of all, the choirs are divided into types according to their composition of voices. It can be: women's, men's, mixed, children's, as well as boys' choirs. According to the manner of performance, folk and academic are distinguished.

Choirs are also classified by the number of performers:

• 12-20 people - vocal and choral ensemble.
• 20-50 artists - chamber choir.
• 40-70 singers - average.
• 70-120 participants - a large choir.
• Up to 1000 artists - consolidated (from several groups).

According to their status, choirs are divided into: educational, professional, amateur, church.

Symphony Orchestra

Not all types of orchestras include. This group includes: violins, cellos, violas, double basses. One of the orchestras, which includes a string-bow family, is a symphony one. It consists of several different groups of musical instruments. Today, there are two types of symphony orchestras: small and large. The first of them has a classical composition: 2 flutes, the same number of bassoons, clarinets, oboes, trumpets and horns, no more than 20 strings, occasionally timpani.

It can be of any composition. It can include 60 or more string instruments, tubas, up to 5 trombones of different timbres and 5 trumpets, up to 8 horns, up to 5 flutes, as well as oboes, clarinets and bassoons. It may also include such varieties from the wind group as oboe d "amour, piccolo flute, contrabassoon, English horn, saxophones of all types. It can include a huge number of percussion instruments. Often a large symphony orchestra includes an organ, piano, harpsichord and harp.

Brass band

Almost all types of orchestras have a family in their composition. This group includes two varieties: copper and wooden. Some types of bands consist only of brass and percussion instruments, such as brass and military bands. In the first variety, the main role belongs to cornets, bugles of various types, tubas, baritone-euphoniums. Secondary instruments: trombones, trumpets, horns, flutes, saxophones, clarinets, oboes, bassoons. If the brass band is large, then, as a rule, all the instruments in it increase in quantity. Very rarely harps and keyboards may be added.

The repertoire of brass bands includes:

• Marches.
• Ballroom European dances.
• opera arias.
• Symphonies.
• Concerts.

Brass bands perform most often in open street areas or accompany the procession, as they sound very powerful and bright.

Orchestra of Folk Instruments

Their repertoire includes mainly compositions of a folk character. What is their instrumental composition? Each nation has its own. For example, the Russian orchestra includes: balalaikas, gusli, domra, zhaleika, whistles, button accordions, rattles and so on.

military band

The types of orchestras consisting of wind and percussion instruments have already been listed above. There is another variety that includes these two groups. These are military bands. They serve to sound solemn ceremonies, as well as to participate in concerts. Military bands are of two types. Some consist of brass and brass. They are called homogeneous. The second type is mixed military bands, which, among other things, include a group of woodwinds.

ov, as a rule, performing instrumental works.

• ru (music)
• The sun played on the armor, the copper of the military orchestras called to battle.

Synonyms for orchestra

• • ensemble

Hyponyms for orchestra

• • chapel

Hypernyms for orchestra

• • ensemble
  • Group
  • team
  • room

Root words for orchestra

• Verbs

  • orchestrate

  adjectives

  • orchestral

  nouns

  • orchestration
  • orchestra player
  • musician

  umlask

  • orchestra

Phraseologisms for the word orchestra

• • military band
  • brass band
  • chamber orchestra
  • Symphony Orchestra
  • string orchestra
  • orchestra man

An orchestra is a large number of musicians who simultaneously play different musical instruments. The orchestra differs from the ensemble by the presence of entire groups of certain types of musical instruments. Quite often, in an orchestra, one part is performed by several musicians at once. The number of people in the orchestra can be different, the minimum number of performers is fifteen, the maximum number of performers is not limited. If you want to listen to a live orchestra in Moscow, you can order concert tickets at biletluxury.ru.

There are several types of orchestras: symphony, chamber, pop, military and folk instruments orchestra. All of them differ from each other in the composition of musical instruments.

A symphony orchestra must include string, wind and percussion musical instruments. Also, in a symphony orchestra, there may be other types of musical instruments that are necessary for the performance of a particular work. A symphony orchestra can be large or small, depending on the number of musicians.

In a chamber orchestra, musicians play wind and string instruments. This orchestra can perform musical works even while moving.

The pop orchestra, in addition to the instruments used in the symphony orchestra, includes electronic musical instruments. For example, synthesizer, rhythm section, etc.

The jazz orchestra uses wind and string musical instruments, as well as special rhythm sections, which perform only jazz compositions.

The folk music orchestra uses ethnic musical instruments. Russian groups use balalaika, button accordion, zhaleika, domra, etc.

The military band includes performers who play percussion as well as wind musical instruments, namely brass and wood. For example, on pipes, trombones, serpents, clarinets, oboes, flutes, bassoons and others.

Dictionary of Efremova

Orchestra

1. m.
   1. A group of musicians performing a piece of music together on various instruments.
   2. :
      1. Ensemble of musical instruments.
      2. Part of an ensemble of musical instruments in complex musical works.
   3. The place in front of the stage where the musicians are placed.

Culturology. Dictionary-reference

Orchestra

a large group of musicians performing musical works together. Depending on the composition of musical instruments, orchestras are distinguished: symphony, consisting of bowed, wind and percussion instruments; string (or chamber) - from bowed instruments; wind - from wind (wooden, copper and percussion); various types of orchestras of folk instruments, pop, jazz, etc.

encyclopedic Dictionary

Orchestra

(from the orchestra), a group of musicians (12 people or more) playing various instruments and performing musical works together. Term "orchestra" in the 17-18 centuries. replaced the common European term "chapel". The composition differs in the orchestra of strings, folk instruments, wind, symphony, etc.; by genre - pop, jazz, military. The chamber orchestra is distinguished by a small number of performers.

Ozhegov's dictionary

ORC E STR, a, m.

1. A group of musicians who play music together on various instruments. Symphonic, brass, string, jazz o. Chamber about. O. folk instruments.

2. The place in front of the stage area where the musicians are placed.

| adj. orchestral, oh, oh. Orchestral music. Orchestra pit (recessed place for the orchestra in front of the stage).

Dictionary Ushakov

Orchestra

orke str, orchestra, husband.(from Greek orchestra - a place for dancing in front of the stage).

1. Ensemble of musical instruments. Symphony orchestra concert. Piece for string orchestra. Brass band.

| A group of instrumental music performers. Played orchestra.

| Ensemble part in complex musical works ( music). Concerto for piano and orchestra.

2. Room for musicians in the opera house. Places in the orchestra.

Etymological Dictionary of the Russian Language

Orchestra

French - orchestra.

German - Orchester.

Italian and English - orchestra.

Latin - orchestra (place for dancing).

In Russian, the word "orchestra" has been known since the middle of the 18th century, probably coming from French.

In ancient Greece, an orchestra was a place for dancing in front of an audience or a choir. In ancient Rome, the front seats in the theater, intended for senators and noble citizens, were called the orchestra. In Russia, the orchestra began to be called the place where the musical ensemble was located, and then the musical ensemble itself.

Derivative: orchestral.

Encyclopedia of Brockhaus and Efron

Orchestra

(orchestra - Greek) - in a modern theater a room for performing musicians, between the stage and the auditorium. This name was transferred to the performers of instrumental music, as well as to the composition of the instruments played by those participating in O. Orchestrating or instrumenting means writing a composition for the orchestra (see Instrumentation). O. is large and small. A large modern symphony orchestra includes all the orchestral instruments currently in use (see Instrument); the small o. includes a string group, flutes, clarinets, oboes, bassoons, horns, and timpani. There is also a stringed O., composed exclusively of stringed instruments. Military O. includes only wind and percussion instruments. They also talk about O. of the 17th century, O. Handel, Beethoven, etc., to signify the nature and composition of O. and the orchestration of this or that time, this or that composer. The composition of O. XVII Art. included, for example, lutes, cymbals, harps, which were subsequently excluded from it. Under Francesco Cavalli, the importance of violins as guiding instruments begins to rise. Instrumentation received a completely new meaning under Joseph Haydn and later composers (see Instrumentation).

N.S.

Glossary of musical terms

Orchestra

(gr. orchestra - platform in front of the stage in the ancient Greek theater)

1. The place in front of the stage, where in ancient Greece the choir was located, which accompanied the stage action of the tragedy.

2. The place in front of the stage in a musical theater where the orchestra is placed (orchestra pit).

3. A group of instrumental musicians united to perform music together.

According to the composition, orchestras are divided into the following main types:

1) Symphonic - small or classical; large symphony (opera-symphony). These orchestras include instruments from all groups.

2) String - consisting only of stringed instruments.

3) Wind - consisting of wood and metal wind instruments and a percussion group: small (copper), small mixed, medium mixed, large mixed.

4) Orchestras of folk instruments - Russian, Ukrainian, Kazakh, Uzbek, etc., Neapolitan orchestra.

5) Noise orchestras, which mainly include percussion instruments.

6) Variety orchestras.

7) Orchestras of electromusical instruments.

The development of orchestras was determined by the evolution of instruments (the invention of new ones, the improvement of old ones, the disappearance of obsolete ones, etc.), the development of orchestral performance, and the change in composers' orchestral thinking. The work of L. Beethoven, G. Berlioz, R. Wagner, N. Rimsky-Korsakov, I. Stravinsky, A. Scriabin, G. Mahler and others had a great influence on the development of orchestras. The desire to enrich the timbre palette of orchestras led to the inclusion of electric instruments, the use of tape recording, the division of orchestras into spatial groups, etc.