orchestra and orchestration

CE5

Typical seating plan of a symphony orchestra

orchestra and orchestration, an orchestra is a musical ensemble of mixed instruments based on strings and winds, under the direction of a conductor, employing four classes of instruments: strings, woodwinds, brass, and percussion. It is the principal large instrument ensemble of Western music from the 18th to the 20th cent. Orchestration is the scoring of a piece of music so that it can be played by specific instruments.

Sections in this article:

• Introduction
• Orchestras of Note
• Innovations of the Twentieth Century
• Orchestras in the Nineteenth Century
• The Eighteenth-Century Classical Orchestra
• Early History of Orchestras and Orchestration
• Instruments of the Orchestra
• Bibliography

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