The Chat Thread

Started by mn dave, June 17, 2008, 11:28:17 AM

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mn dave

Quote from: Brian on June 17, 2008, 07:59:44 PM
Dang, I was going to recommend this one:



:o I. Must. Have. It.

greg

Quote from: M forever on June 17, 2008, 03:43:35 PM
Orchestras can have anything from a handful to 10 or sometimes even 12 basses, depending on the type of orchestra, the availability and the occasion, as well as the literature of course. Standard "romantic" literature is typically played with 8 basses if the string section is 16-12-14-10-8 (in the US big orchestras often have 9), in Germany the standard is 14-12-10-8-7 and 16-... for "bigger" pieces, rarely 18-16-14-12-10, or other numbers if explicitly defined by the composer (e.g. Strauss often asks explicitly for the "Bayreuth" string section size: 16-16-12-12-8).
Wow, that's awesome to know.
"16-12-14-10-8"- That's exactly what it has in the orchestration books i've read, although it's been so long i can remember which ones.
I'm guessing that the setup in Germany is more often 14- when doing Mozart, but 16- when doing Mahler. And perhaps the American orchestras just keep to the 16- even with Mozart. Must be a traditional thing.

ChamberNut

In a nutshell, everything leads bach to Bach.   :)

M forever

Quote from: GGGGRRREEG on June 18, 2008, 05:08:07 AM
Wow, that's awesome to know.
"16-12-14-10-8"- That's exactly what it has in the orchestration books i've read, although it's been so long i can remember which ones.
I'm guessing that the setup in Germany is more often 14- when doing Mozart, but 16- when doing Mahler. And perhaps the American orchestras just keep to the 16- even with Mozart. Must be a traditional thing.

No. "Classical music" is typically played with 12- or 10- or slight variations such as 10-10-8-6-4, and that applies to American orchestras as much as to European ones because it's mostly what the conductor asks for and most ocnductors still have that cliché idea that Mozart and Haydn must always be "light and delicate". In Germany, 14-12-10-8-7 is the typical string section for the vast majority of "romantic" repertoire and only some of the "really big" pieces are typically played with 16- or other string sections (again, typically when these are explicitly asked for as in the examples I gave) while in America, the bigger orchestras play nearly everything "bigger" with 16-14-12-10-9 so in many cases, they use slightly larger string sections than e.g. German orchestras but that's OK since, as was recently discussed in another thread, it doesn't make that much of a difference to begin with and German string sections produce a whole lot more sound than their American colleagues anyway (esp. at the bottom end). But then the winds also make more sound, so it all balances out in roughly the same ways.

greg

Quote from: M forever on June 18, 2008, 07:00:31 PM
No. "Classical music" is typically played with 12- or 10- or slight variations such as 10-10-8-6-4, and that applies to American orchestras as much as to European ones because it's mostly what the conductor asks for and most ocnductors still have that cliché idea that Mozart and Haydn must always be "light and delicate". In Germany, 14-12-10-8-7 is the typical string section for the vast majority of "romantic" repertoire and only some of the "really big" pieces are typically played with 16- or other string sections (again, typically when these are explicitly asked for as in the examples I gave) while in America, the bigger orchestras play nearly everything "bigger" with 16-14-12-10-9 so in many cases, they use slightly larger string sections than e.g. German orchestras but that's OK since, as was recently discussed in another thread, it doesn't make that much of a difference to begin with and German string sections produce a whole lot more sound than their American colleagues anyway (esp. at the bottom end). But then the winds also make more sound, so it all balances out in roughly the same ways.
ah, i see..... i had to reread your previous post. Makes sense now.

karlhenning

Discussing musical detail in The Chat Thread?

I mean, no law against it or anything . . . .

mn dave

I'm feeling like my avatar today.  >:(

ChamberNut

Quote from: mn dave on June 19, 2008, 09:14:41 AM
I'm feeling like my avatar today.  >:(

Did anyone crap in your porridge this morning?

Keemun

Quote from: karlhenning on June 19, 2008, 09:11:39 AM
Discussing musical detail in The Chat Thread?

I mean, no law against it or anything . . . .

We must counteract it with more one-liners.  ;D
Music is the mediator between the spiritual and the sensual life. - Ludwig van Beethoven

karlhenning

You mean, I contributed one line more than quite advisable?

Perhaps you're right at that!  ;D

Keemun

Quote from: karlhenning on June 19, 2008, 10:09:40 AM
You mean, I contributed one line more than quite advisable?

Perhaps you're right at that!  ;D

4 out of 5 dentists agree: Posts in The Chat Thread are best limited to one line.  ;)
Music is the mediator between the spiritual and the sensual life. - Ludwig van Beethoven

ChamberNut

Minnesota and North Dakota will become a part of Canada, within the next 100 years.

;)

karlhenning

Quote from: Keemun on June 19, 2008, 11:06:42 AM
4 out of 5 dentists agree: Posts in The Chat Thread are best limited to one line.  ;)

Copped for being out of compliance again!

karlhenning

Quote from: ChamberNut on June 19, 2008, 11:21:16 AM
Minnesota and North Dakota will become a part of Canada, within the next 100 years.

You mean, they're not Canada already?

ChamberNut

Quote from: karlhenning on June 19, 2008, 11:21:49 AM
You mean, they're not Canada already?

Ohh, and Alaska too.  ;D

ChamberNut

Quote from: karlhenning on June 19, 2008, 11:21:49 AM
You mean, they're not Canada already?

Dave says Eh like we do, so may as well.  :D

mn dave


karlhenning

Fine av, Dave!  Most chic facial hair.

mn dave

Quote from: karlhenning on June 19, 2008, 12:31:37 PM
Fine av, Dave!  Most chic facial hair.

Very nice of you, old man.

Brian

Whet's this all aboot then, eh?