Music Trade Review
Issue: 1897 Vol. 24 N. 7 - Page 6
Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
4
WHAT IS AN ORCHESTRA?
Seated in a concert hall ,a few evenings
ago the writer chanced to overhear scraps
of conversation between two fellow-
auditors, who passed the time unoccupied
by the music agreeably enough. It was
not an unintelligent talk, either.
It
touched lightly and with considerable
knowledge on various works and per-
formers. Presently, however, the intelli-
gence appeared not quite so thorough as
was desirable, when the gentleman, nod-
ding toward the stage, observed: " I t is
wonderful, isn't it, that you have to write
for sixty or seventy different instruments
nowadays, if you are composing a first-
class symphony or a big concert overture?
Too many different kinds, isn't it? I
wonder how Wagner's head held them
all."
The notion of even the most impersonal
"you" in the way of genius, nay, of
Wagner or of any one else, writing for
"sixty or seventy different instruments"
was rather startling. It alarmed, even in
recalling the most tremendous and compli-
cated of scores. Yet in smiling at it, the
thought came, says E. I. Stevenson in the
" Independent," that many constant hearers
of concerts have not too clear ideas of how
many different species of instruments—not
merely different instrumentalists—a large
modern orchestra usually contains. They
are not clear for how many sorts of music-
making vehicles a modern score of dignity
is apt to be planned out. Perhaps it may
be well to take the thought as a question. are revolutionized there will be no essential
Speaking broadly, the concert orchestra of changes.
our day that plays us Mozart, Haydn,
Moreover, these, generally speaking, six-
Beethoven, Schubert, Schumann, Brahms, teen sorts of instruments" subdivide so
Rubinstein, Wagner, Berlioz and the con- nearly and simply into four groups, in
temporary French and German masters, membership so closely akin, that one might
calls for some sixteen kinds of musical, in- say there are in an orchestra really only
struments—not more. They are not more four or five different instruments—exactly
numerous than that, sixteen; except where as the human voice is ever the human
special varieties of some particular instru- voice whether soprano, contralto, tenor or
ment are needed by some particular com- bass, or partaking of two registers. The
poser who found that he could not obtain all-important strings in the orchestra are
an effect of tone or of sonority by the usual three—as violins, violas and contrabassi,
representatives. To be sure, that sort of or double-basses. The second group, the
exigency is now grown very common. wood-wind, include the flute, the oboe, the
The new tone-painters want all the shades clarionet and the bassoon, or fagotto. The
and sub-shades on the orchestral palette. brass wind gives the composer his trumpet
Consequently they increase the size of the (not a cornet, if you please—that belongs
strong and complete concert band. But it out of doors, and only slips inside by im-
is merely this fact and the more imperative pudence, or by sheer luck), his horns, his
one, the need of a mass of tone of a certain trombones. After this group add the in-
sort—as in case of all the stringed instru- struments of percussion and embellishment
ments—that makes the orchestral force run in rhythm, such as we have with the
up toward, indeed, its usual "sixty or drums, including the difficult kettledrums,
seventy " or a much larger array of men. or tympani, which have their scale and are
The old groups of instruments, as Haydn tuned so painstakingly during the perform-
and Mozart (for useful examples,) knew ance; and the cymbals, the triangle, the
them, though the wood and brass choir are tambourine, and so on—a merry and rather
vastly bettered, are not substantially dif- bohemian little contingent. The drums,
ferent to-day. One may go even further indeed, hardly belong in such irresponsible
back. Brass bands and military bands society. They are better counted as the
have been almost revolutionized within a natural bass to the brass choir. To this
a few dozen years, but the symphony or- let us add the harp. Thus the pith of the
chestra has not found it needful to be so. greatest orchestra in the world is at your
And the chances are that until our present service. The rest is all merely the need of
• deas and system of melody and harmony numerical strength, or of subdividing the
POPULAR /
'EASE li
/ IANOS
Proof of Quality
T h i s name-plate with our trade-
mark of "lion's head in wheel"
is on every genuine Monarch Bicy-
cle, and is recognized the world
over as a proof of quality. t>* It is a
guarantee of strength, speed and dur-
ability. <2* It represents the best prod-
uct of the finest equipped bicycle
factory in the world. <£ There's
safety, comfort and satisfaction in
possessing a . j t j * ^
Pease Piano Go.
318 to 322 W. 43d St.
New York
46 E. Jackson St
Chicago
Casb, jEycbange, IRentefc, also
5ifc on i£a$£ payments
<£%!*<£<£
Monarch
NEW YORK
FOR FIFTY YEARS I
MRS. WINSLOW'S
SOOTHING SYRUP
has been used by Millions of Mothers
for their children while Teething for over
Fifty Years. It soothes the child, softens the
gums, allays all pain, cures wind colic, and
Is the best remedy for diarrhoea.
Twenty-five Cents a Bottle
SO YEARS'
EXPERIENCE.
"RIDE A MONARCH
AND KEEP IN FRONT"
Lake, Halsted and Fulton Sts.,
CHICAGO, ILL.
l
& 36 University PI.
$75and$J00_
...Tandems $ J50
Monarch Cycle Mfg. Co.,
THREE DOORS W K T O F BROADWAY
FACTORY AND WAREROOMS
•«The World's Favorite"
If you cannot afford to buy a Mon-
arch, the next best are our Defiance,
thoroughly high-grade wheels and
cheap in price only. <£ Six styles for
children and adults — $40, $50 and
$60. <£ Fully guaranteed. J* Send
for Catalogue. J& <£ <£ J* <£ <£*
fc 54 EAST13 T - H
Hazelton
Piano- Fortes
83 Reade St.,
NEW YORK.
TRADE MARK8,
DESICNS,
COPYRICHTS &.C.
Anyone sending a sketch ana description may
quietly ascertain, free, whether an invention is
probably patentable. Communications Btrictly
confidential. Oldest agency for securing patents
in America. Wo have a Washington office.
Patents taken through Muun & Co. reeolv©
special notice in the
SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN,
beautifully illustrated, largest circulation of
any scientific journal, weekly, terms$3.00 a yeirj
§1.50 six months. Specimen copies and HAi40
BOOK ON PATENTS sent free. Address
MUNN &
CO.,
361 Broadway, New York.
THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
4
WHAT IS AN ORCHESTRA?
Seated in a concert hall ,a few evenings
ago the writer chanced to overhear scraps
of conversation between two fellow-
auditors, who passed the time unoccupied
by the music agreeably enough. It was
not an unintelligent talk, either.
It
touched lightly and with considerable
knowledge on various works and per-
formers. Presently, however, the intelli-
gence appeared not quite so thorough as
was desirable, when the gentleman, nod-
ding toward the stage, observed: " I t is
wonderful, isn't it, that you have to write
for sixty or seventy different instruments
nowadays, if you are composing a first-
class symphony or a big concert overture?
Too many different kinds, isn't it? I
wonder how Wagner's head held them
all."
The notion of even the most impersonal
"you" in the way of genius, nay, of
Wagner or of any one else, writing for
"sixty or seventy different instruments"
was rather startling. It alarmed, even in
recalling the most tremendous and compli-
cated of scores. Yet in smiling at it, the
thought came, says E. I. Stevenson in the
" Independent," that many constant hearers
of concerts have not too clear ideas of how
many different species of instruments—not
merely different instrumentalists—a large
modern orchestra usually contains. They
are not clear for how many sorts of music-
making vehicles a modern score of dignity
is apt to be planned out. Perhaps it may
be well to take the thought as a question. are revolutionized there will be no essential
Speaking broadly, the concert orchestra of changes.
our day that plays us Mozart, Haydn,
Moreover, these, generally speaking, six-
Beethoven, Schubert, Schumann, Brahms, teen sorts of instruments" subdivide so
Rubinstein, Wagner, Berlioz and the con- nearly and simply into four groups, in
temporary French and German masters, membership so closely akin, that one might
calls for some sixteen kinds of musical, in- say there are in an orchestra really only
struments—not more. They are not more four or five different instruments—exactly
numerous than that, sixteen; except where as the human voice is ever the human
special varieties of some particular instru- voice whether soprano, contralto, tenor or
ment are needed by some particular com- bass, or partaking of two registers. The
poser who found that he could not obtain all-important strings in the orchestra are
an effect of tone or of sonority by the usual three—as violins, violas and contrabassi,
representatives. To be sure, that sort of or double-basses. The second group, the
exigency is now grown very common. wood-wind, include the flute, the oboe, the
The new tone-painters want all the shades clarionet and the bassoon, or fagotto. The
and sub-shades on the orchestral palette. brass wind gives the composer his trumpet
Consequently they increase the size of the (not a cornet, if you please—that belongs
strong and complete concert band. But it out of doors, and only slips inside by im-
is merely this fact and the more imperative pudence, or by sheer luck), his horns, his
one, the need of a mass of tone of a certain trombones. After this group add the in-
sort—as in case of all the stringed instru- struments of percussion and embellishment
ments—that makes the orchestral force run in rhythm, such as we have with the
up toward, indeed, its usual "sixty or drums, including the difficult kettledrums,
seventy " or a much larger array of men. or tympani, which have their scale and are
The old groups of instruments, as Haydn tuned so painstakingly during the perform-
and Mozart (for useful examples,) knew ance; and the cymbals, the triangle, the
them, though the wood and brass choir are tambourine, and so on—a merry and rather
vastly bettered, are not substantially dif- bohemian little contingent. The drums,
ferent to-day. One may go even further indeed, hardly belong in such irresponsible
back. Brass bands and military bands society. They are better counted as the
have been almost revolutionized within a natural bass to the brass choir. To this
a few dozen years, but the symphony or- let us add the harp. Thus the pith of the
chestra has not found it needful to be so. greatest orchestra in the world is at your
And the chances are that until our present service. The rest is all merely the need of
• deas and system of melody and harmony numerical strength, or of subdividing the
POPULAR /
'EASE li
/ IANOS
Proof of Quality
T h i s name-plate with our trade-
mark of "lion's head in wheel"
is on every genuine Monarch Bicy-
cle, and is recognized the world
over as a proof of quality. t>* It is a
guarantee of strength, speed and dur-
ability. <2* It represents the best prod-
uct of the finest equipped bicycle
factory in the world. <£ There's
safety, comfort and satisfaction in
possessing a . j t j * ^
Pease Piano Go.
318 to 322 W. 43d St.
New York
46 E. Jackson St
Chicago
Casb, jEycbange, IRentefc, also
5ifc on i£a$£ payments
<£%!*<£<£
Monarch
NEW YORK
FOR FIFTY YEARS I
MRS. WINSLOW'S
SOOTHING SYRUP
has been used by Millions of Mothers
for their children while Teething for over
Fifty Years. It soothes the child, softens the
gums, allays all pain, cures wind colic, and
Is the best remedy for diarrhoea.
Twenty-five Cents a Bottle
SO YEARS'
EXPERIENCE.
"RIDE A MONARCH
AND KEEP IN FRONT"
Lake, Halsted and Fulton Sts.,
CHICAGO, ILL.
l
& 36 University PI.
$75and$J00_
...Tandems $ J50
Monarch Cycle Mfg. Co.,
THREE DOORS W K T O F BROADWAY
FACTORY AND WAREROOMS
•«The World's Favorite"
If you cannot afford to buy a Mon-
arch, the next best are our Defiance,
thoroughly high-grade wheels and
cheap in price only. <£ Six styles for
children and adults — $40, $50 and
$60. <£ Fully guaranteed. J* Send
for Catalogue. J& <£ <£ J* <£ <£*
fc 54 EAST13 T - H
Hazelton
Piano- Fortes
83 Reade St.,
NEW YORK.
TRADE MARK8,
DESICNS,
COPYRICHTS &.C.
Anyone sending a sketch ana description may
quietly ascertain, free, whether an invention is
probably patentable. Communications Btrictly
confidential. Oldest agency for securing patents
in America. Wo have a Washington office.
Patents taken through Muun & Co. reeolv©
special notice in the
SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN,
beautifully illustrated, largest circulation of
any scientific journal, weekly, terms$3.00 a yeirj
§1.50 six months. Specimen copies and HAi40
BOOK ON PATENTS sent free. Address
MUNN &
CO.,
361 Broadway, New York.
Future scanning projects are planned by the International Arcade Museum Library (IAML).