Instruments of the Orchestra

An excerpt from the first chapter: THE orchestra takes its name from the place it occupies in the modern theatre. In the theatre of the ancient Greeks, the orchestra was the semi-circular dancing space for the chorus, between the audience and the stage. Early in the nineteenth century the name of the place was used to designate the body of musicians who occupied it. This connection of the name with the theatre is significant, for the progress of modern orchestral music...
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An excerpt from the first chapter:

THE orchestra takes its name from the place it occupies in the modern theatre. In the theatre of the ancient Greeks, the orchestra was the semi-circular dancing space for the chorus, between the audience and the stage. Early in the nineteenth century the name of the place was used to designate the body of musicians who occupied it. This connection of the name with the theatre is significant, for the progress of modern orchestral music dates largely from the performance of the first opera at Florence in the year 1600.

Before the time of opera it was customary for groups of instruments to support, or respond to, music sung by a chorus. Instrumental music was written in the old choral or polyphonic manner. The birth of opera was a revolt against the contrapuntal style. Opera brought into use a new melodic style in which the solo voice sang to the harmonic accompaniment of instruments chosen for their dramatic color. In those days many instruments of the lute class, from which the mandolin and guitar are descended, as well as harpsichords and small organs, were in use. The need of a treble viol to support the high voices brought about the perfection of the violin about 1650. In this early development a very important part was taken by the composer, Monteverde, who made the violin a regular member, and the strings the main body, of his orchestra. As instruments improved the tendency grew to write for the orchestra without voices. This led to the Suites or collections of dances for orchestra, a typical example of which is Bach's "D-Major Suite". The suite developed into the symphony of Haydn, who, more than a century and a half ago, perfected the symphony orchestra with its four groups of instruments.