Orchestras are intricate and captivating musical groups about which the listeners of any level of musical knowledge develop interest. To facilitate your learning, this section briefly responds to some common questions about orchestras and their roles in today’s society.
What is the difference between a symphony and a philharmonic?
There is often confusion between the terms proused as symphony and philharmonic, though there are distinctions between the two:
- Symphony Orchestra: Refers to an orchestra that performs symphonies, a type of large-scale orchestral composition typically in four movements.
- Philharmonic Orchestra: Essentially means “music-loving” orchestra and is often used to distinguish one orchestra from another in the same city.
For instance the New York Philharmonic, and the London Symphony Orchestra are both large orchestras, which play similar styles of music but they have different names. Regardless of the terminology, both types of orchestras serve the same purpose: to make the best orchestral music available to the people.
How do musicians prepare for performances?
Concerts are always the outcomes of many rehearsals and each member needs to practice individually in addition to common practice sessions.
- Individual Practice: Musicans dedicate several hours to rehearsing, working on the execution of a song, from the manner in which the notes are played to the rhythm. Those people study it to realize where their instrument best fits into the bigger picture of things.
- Sectional Rehearsals: Instrumentalists of the same category play in a section in order to refine the articulation, dynamics, phrasing etc of a piece of music.
- Full Orchestra Rehearsals: A conductor brings harmony to the overall sound, determines the dynamics and tone of the performance and facilitates finding the best solutions by everybody in the group.
Preparation for a concert is a combination of talent and hard work meaning that the performer has really rehearsed and prepared themselves.