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THE INSTRUMENTS OF AN ORCHESTRA
Since the early years of the 20th century the orchestra has been arranged with the first and second violins to the left of the conductor. The violas, in turn, are seated next to them. Traditionally, the cellos are situated to the conductor’s right, with double basses behind them. Although the MPO adheres to this pattern, it's not necessarily follwed by all orchestras or conductors. Indeed, other seating plans are also adopted depending on the repertoire and the composer’s directions.
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As the name implies, the four members of this family comprise a hollow tube made of metal (usually brass). All these instruments require the players to make a buzzing noise with their lips into a small mouthpiece, which then vibrates along the length of the tube. The tubes are narrow at the mouthpiece-end, opening out to a larger bell-shaped end, out of which the amplified sound emerges.
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“The trombones are too sacred for frequent use” (Felix Mendelssohn 1809-1847)
Dating back to the 14th century, the trombone used to be known as a “Sackbut” (from the French sacque-boute meaning “pull-push”), and is instantly recognisable by its long slide, which is pulled and pushed by the player to allow the instrument to produce the full range of notes. It was common in church music until the early 19th century, when Beethoven introduced the instrument to the orchestra for his Fifth Symphony. A slightly larger trombone, called a bass trombone, is frequently seen being played by members of the MPO. |
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