# Most noble instrument (and not)



## KenOC (Mar 7, 2011)

A double-barreled question: Which is the noblest orchestral instrument? And which is the most ignoble, absurd, and ridiculous?


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## Bettina (Sep 29, 2016)

In my opinion, the noblest orchestral instrument is the cello. Its rich, full tone give it a majestic character. The least noble instrument might be the piccolo. Its sound can be dazzling, even virtuosic in some contexts, but I consider it charming rather than noble.


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## deprofundis (Apr 25, 2014)

Im definitive Lute or Theorbos or my favorite and horns, have a nice day
orchestral i would says a gong a tibetan gong large thick since im mystical(no kidding)


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## Tchaikov6 (Mar 30, 2016)

The horn easily wins as most noble. Runner up: I'll agree with Bettina with cello. 

Least? That's a bit harder... perhaps the trombone? It can be bombastic, brash, and quite effective, but not exactly noble. Runner up: Clarinet- quite sarcastic at times, other times mellow and filled with love and desire, but not very noble.


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## Phil loves classical (Feb 8, 2017)

Yeah, the French Horn the noblest, the least is the Tuba


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## Portamento (Dec 8, 2016)

The cello and timpani tie for noblest (with runners-up to the bassoon and French horn). The 'most absurd' - I will have to give that title to the _English_ horn.


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## Becca (Feb 5, 2015)

Ignoble ... the Ophicleide
_
The Ophicleide, like mortal sin
Was fostered by the serpent.
Its pitch was vague, its tone was dim;
Its timbre rude and burpant.

Composers, in a secret vote,
Declared its sound non grata;
And that's why Wagner never wrote
An Ophicleide Sonata.

Thus spurned, it soon became defunct,
To gross neglect succumbing;
A few were pawned, but most were junked
Or used for indoor plumbing._

Prof. Cabbage aka Brian Holmes of San Jose State University


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## KenOC (Mar 7, 2011)

A smashing poem! More, I say, more!


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## Dan Ante (May 4, 2016)

The most noble? perhaps the Harp just ask the Angels as for ignoble gota be the Electric bass, a tool of the devil.


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## Woodduck (Mar 17, 2014)

Noblest? It depends on the music. Least noble? The helicopter, which to my knowledge has been used only once:


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## Pugg (Aug 8, 2014)

Woodduck said:


> Noblest? It depends on the music. Least noble? The helicopter, which to my knowledge has been used only once:
> 
> ]


Put me in for the vacuum cleaner.


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## Becca (Feb 5, 2015)

Portamento said:


> The cello and timpani tie for noblest (with runners-up to the bassoon and French horn). The 'most absurd' - I will have to give that title to the _English_ horn.


It is worth noting the origin of the name 'English horn' ... it has nothing to do with England at all but is a corruption of the medieval German for '"angel's"' as the instrument often used in paintings of that period look very much like what came to be called the english horn


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## KenOC (Mar 7, 2011)

Not sure how anybody can consider the English horn "ignoble" after hearing Haydn's Philosopher Symphony.


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## Woodduck (Mar 17, 2014)

KenOC said:


> Not sure how anybody can consider the English horn "ignoble" after hearing Haydn's Philosopher Symphony.


Or Sibelius's _Swan of Tuonela_, or the "alte Weise" from Wagner's _Tristan._ In such music it becomes one of the most eloquent of instruments.


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## Woodduck (Mar 17, 2014)

Becca said:


> It is worth noting the origin of the name 'English horn' ... it has nothing to do with England at all but is a corruption of the medieval German for '"angel's"' as the instrument often used in paintings of that period look very much like what came to be called the english horn


It's really best to call it the cor anglais. That way only French speakers will languish in etymological ignorance while the rest of us feel sophisticated.


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## brianvds (May 1, 2013)

Woodduck said:


> Noblest? It depends on the music. Least noble? The helicopter, which to my knowledge has been used only once:


I think we have a winner. Runner-up: the typewriter (also not used all that often).


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## Art Rock (Nov 28, 2009)

Sticking to regular orchestra instruments:

Noble: oboe (wistful, melancholic, beautiful)
Ignoble: trumpet (simply don't care for the sound)


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## Dan Ante (May 4, 2016)

Woodduck said:


> Noblest? It depends on the music. Least noble? The helicopter, which to my knowledge has been used only once:


A good idea for a new thread: Is the Helicopter a musical instrument?


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## shangoyal (Sep 22, 2013)

Another great piece with the English horn is the Largo from Dvorak's 9th symphony.


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## Xaltotun (Sep 3, 2010)

Just saying that I think we need both, both noble and non-noble sounds in music. Noble is always noble and that makes you feel noble all right, but the non-noble must be used so that you actually love to hate it, not just hate to hate it (which spoils the work itself). Art can use things like irony, sarcasm, the grotesque, even ugliness, as long as these things are used so that the viewer/listener is not distracted from observing the whole work in its entirety. So - no for "shock value", yes for more tools for the disposal of art.


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## MarkW (Feb 16, 2015)

Most: horn
Least: glockenspiel


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## sloth (Jul 12, 2013)

Becca said:


> It is worth noting the origin of the name 'English horn' ... it has nothing to do with England at all but is a corruption of the medieval German for '"angel's"' as the instrument often used in paintings of that period look very much like what came to be called the english horn


Or maybe from the old French "anglé" in the sense of being bent at an angle


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## Heck148 (Oct 27, 2016)

Trombone is very noble, majestic - at least it can be - try Tannhauser Overture, Schubert Sym #9, Brahms symphonies, Mahler, Bruckner symphonies....many more..


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## Totenfeier (Mar 11, 2016)

What - no hate for the piccolo?


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## Bettina (Sep 29, 2016)

Totenfeier said:


> What - no hate for the piccolo?


In my post (I think it's the first or second response to the OP), I nominated the lowly piccolo for the role of most ignoble instrument.


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## Totenfeier (Mar 11, 2016)

Bettina said:


> In my post (I think it's the first or second response to the OP), I nominated the lowly piccolo for the role of most ignoble instrument.


Oops - after you, my dear!


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## Woodduck (Mar 17, 2014)

Xaltotun said:


> Just saying that I think we need both, both noble and non-noble sounds in music. Noble is always noble and that makes you feel noble all right, but the non-noble must be used so that you actually love to hate it, not just hate to hate it (which spoils the work itself). Art can use things like irony, sarcasm, the grotesque, even ugliness, as long as these things are used so that the viewer/listener is not distracted from observing the whole work in its entirety. So - no for "shock value", yes for more tools for the disposal of art.


Rightly observed. Still...If I never heard another snare drum my musical life would not be impoverished in the least.


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## hpowders (Dec 23, 2013)

shangoyal said:


> Another great piece with the English horn is the Largo from Dvorak's 9th symphony.


Yes!! I was thinking the same thing! Nothing more noble orchestrally than that glorious solo!!


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## hpowders (Dec 23, 2013)

Bettina said:


> In my post (I think it's the first or second response to the OP), I nominated the lowly piccolo for the role of most ignoble instrument.


The *low*ly *piccolo* would be a bass piccolo. No?


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## topo morto (Apr 9, 2017)

Dan Ante said:


> A good idea for a new thread: Is the Helicopter a musical instrument?


Can't we just skip to "What is the greatest helicopter?"


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## JAS (Mar 6, 2013)

topo morto said:


> Can't we just skip to "What is the greatest helicopter?"


Favorite Helicopter Poll:

.... O . A-B Helicopters
.... O . Aerodyne Systems Engineering
.... O . AirScooter Corporation
.... O . American Eurocopter
.... O . American Helicopter
.... O . Aviodyne U.S.A.
.... O . Bell/Agusta Aerospace Company
.... O . Bell Helicopter

Vote only once


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## Heck148 (Oct 27, 2016)

hpowders said:


> The *low*ly *piccolo* would be a bass piccolo. No?


bass piccolo ?? wouldn't that = flute?? or maybe alto flute??


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## hpowders (Dec 23, 2013)

topo morto said:


> Can't we just skip to "What is the greatest helicopter?"


You do realise/realize that nobody's forcing you to participate on this thread.


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## hpowders (Dec 23, 2013)

I would say that the orchestra is an example of being something much greater than the sum of its many parts. A 'collective" nobility, so to speak.

The nobility is in the confluence of 100 + musicians and conductor all coming together to do their part in making an inspired performance. Nothing more noble than that.

In sum, the most noble instrument of the orchestra is the collective orchestra itself.


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## MarkW (Feb 16, 2015)

JAS said:


> Favorite Helicopter Poll:
> 
> .... O . A-B Helicopters
> .... O . Aerodyne Systems Engineering
> ...


What? No Sikorsky?


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## hpowders (Dec 23, 2013)

So if I'm playing my clarinet with a faulty embouchure, the air leaking out the corners of my mouth could be deemed to be noble gas?


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## JAS (Mar 6, 2013)

MarkW said:


> What? No Sikorsky?


In the tradition of TC polls, the choices are necessarily perplexing and incomplete.


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## Jacred (Jan 14, 2017)

hpowders said:


> So if I'm playing my clarinet with a faulty embouchure, the air leaking out the corners of my mouth could be deemed to be noble gas?


Wouldn't say that, unless you've been inhaling helium. And in that case, I would not recommend playing the clarinet at all.


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## Dan Ante (May 4, 2016)

hpowders said:


> So if I'm playing my clarinet with a faulty embouchure, the air leaking out the corners of my mouth could be deemed to be noble gas?


Just a load of hot air..


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