# Are there any ensembles or instruments that you haven't listened to?



## Classical Saxophonist (Oct 11, 2013)

Hello,

Are there any ensembles or instruments that you haven't listened to? Are you unfamiliar with any ensemble/instrument in the list below? I'll admit I'm not familiar with a lot in this list. What about you?

Orchestra
String orchestra
Concert band
Brass band
Flute
Oboe
Bassoon
Clarinet
Saxophone
Horn
Trumpet
Trombone
Euphonium
Tuba
Violin 
Viola 
Cello 
Double bass 
Percussion
Organ
Piano
Wind quintet
Reed quintet
Brass quintet
Saxophone quartet
Brass quartet
String quartet
Piano trio

Some of the wind chamber ensembles you may have never listened to. You may have heard a wind quintet and a saxophone quartet, but have you ever heard a reed quintet?

A reed quintet is made up of:

Oboe (doubling English horn)
Bb clarinet
Alto saxophone (doubling soprano saxophone)
Bass clarinet
Bassoon

Here's a video of the Calefax reed quintet playing a transcription of a piece by Robert Schumann:






Have you listened to many wind instruments? You may have heard the oboe concerto by Mozart, but have you ever heard a saxophone concerto? Here's the Glazunov Concerto in Eb major for Alto Saxophone and String Orchestra:






And have you listened to a trombone concerto? How about the euphonium or double bass?


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## violadude (May 2, 2011)

Yes to everything?


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## Mahlerian (Nov 27, 2012)

violadude said:


> Yes to everything?


I was going to say that, but then I realized I probably haven't heard anything written for solo euphonium. I don't think Berio wrote a Sequenza for that one!

I also have yet to hear any instruments that haven't been invented yet. Get on it, people!


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## Classical Saxophonist (Oct 11, 2013)

violadude said:


> Yes to everything?


You've heard at least some of every ensemble and instrument on the list? If so, impressive.


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## violadude (May 2, 2011)

Classical Saxophonist said:


> You've heard at least some of every ensemble and instrument on the list? If so, impressive.


In some capacity or another, yes.


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## violadude (May 2, 2011)

Mahlerian said:


> I was going to say that, but then I realized I probably haven't heard anything written for solo euphonium. I don't think Berio wrote a Sequenza for that one!


It's a really strange concerto instrument. Doesn't project much and has a wobbly ghostlike quality.


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## Classical Saxophonist (Oct 11, 2013)

violadude said:


> It's a really strange concerto instrument. Doesn't project much and has a wobbly ghostlike quality.


The euphonium is my favorite brass instrument. I think it has a beautiful tone.


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## science (Oct 14, 2010)

Never heard a duo for steel drum and pipe organ. I'd like to though. 

And I wouldn't mind a trio for steel drum, pipe organ, and baritone sax. 

I'm actually not joking. One of the pleasures of relatively modern music is the experimentation with nontraditional ensembles.


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## violadude (May 2, 2011)

Classical Saxophonist said:


> The euphonium is my favorite brass instrument. I think it has a beautiful tone.


You're right, that was pretty good. The one I heard must not have been very good.


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## Classical Saxophonist (Oct 11, 2013)

science said:


> Never heard a duo for steel drum and pipe organ. I'd like to though.
> 
> And I wouldn't mind a trio for steel drum, pipe organ, and baritone sax.
> 
> I'm actually not joking. One of the pleasures of relatively modern music is the experimentation with nontraditional ensembles.


Nor have I ever heard either of those ensembles. 

But I was thinking about fairly established ensembles when making this thread.


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## Chris (Jun 1, 2010)

I've never heard Chopin's Ballade no. 4 played on bagpipes


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## Weston (Jul 11, 2008)

I too would say I've heard all of the OP list. It's not some kind of impressive feat. I am just getting old.

I'd still like to hear a concerto for banjo . I understand Bela Fleck wrote one. Haven't heard it, and I usually think of Fleck as a jazz musician which of course doesn't preclude him from writing classical. I generally hate the way banjo is normally used in folk or country or bluegrass, but I could see it as an interesting ensemble or solo classical instrument the same way saxophone gets a very different treatment with classical than with jazz.

If you want weird combinations check out Peter Schickele's (slightly) more serious works.


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