# Which section of the orchestra is your favourite?



## Fabulin (Jun 10, 2019)

Mine is brass. If only it is supported by at least two more groups to make things more interesting, I could listen to the main melodic line being played by brass at least 80% of the time. Some compositions I love have brass playing the main melody whole the time.

Tall jazz chords voiced in trombones and trumpets are magical. So are runs of all kinds. 

If I had to make a video introducing various composers, each would be introduced by his most exciting fanfare.

I wanted to play the trumpet since I was 10, and succeeded doing that in high school. Since then I never played it again, although one day maybe I will buy a new one and practise a bit again.

I do not like the anglo-saxon school marching bands, or other cacophony like that, however. 

Only professional classical or jazz orchestras.

The second would be woodwinds.
Third would be strings.
Percussion is something I don't care too much about.

Do you have a favourite section too?


----------



## Allegro Con Brio (Jan 3, 2020)

I love huge, expanded percussion sections and the depth they can add to orchestral works - the huge white noise peals in Mahler's 2nd, the Javanese gamelan ensemble in Messiaen's Turangalila, the creepiness of Shostakovich 15. Few sounds are more satisfying to me than a big bass drum blow or tam-tam smash picked up on a well-engineered recording. Then strings, woodwinds, brass in order - I don't like blasty, in-your-face brass sections like how Solti used to conduct the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. I like richer, blended brass - something that European orchestras do much better than American ones.


----------



## mbhaub (Dec 2, 2016)

Strings - it's the only section that can play a vast amount of classical repertoire by itself. Strings are the basic group that separates an orchestra from a band - they're the fundamental building block of any orchestra. And they're what distinguishes a world-class orchestra from a regional group. String sections like Cleveland, Boston, Berlin, Vienna are really rare - they play in tune, bow together and have a rich sound that reaches into your soul.


----------



## Orfeo (Nov 14, 2013)

mbhaub said:


> Strings - it's the only section that can play a vast amount of classical repertoire by itself. Strings are the basic group that separates an orchestra from a band - they're the fundamental building block of any orchestra. And they're what distinguishes a world-class orchestra from a regional group. String sections like Cleveland, Boston, Berlin, Vienna are really rare - they play in tune, bow together and have a rich sound that reaches into your soul.


I voted brass (almost as flexible as strings, but falls short in that regard), but your argument is well taken.


----------



## HenryPenfold (Apr 29, 2018)

Brass ..........


----------



## Open Book (Aug 14, 2018)

Strings are the backbone of the orchestra but I'm fascinated by the color that the brass adds.


----------



## Mykul (Mar 26, 2020)

Has to be woodwind.....so many different colours & textures either dovetailing together or playing as one. Although has to be said that conductors can be a bit fussy......they want perfect ensemble, precise dynamics, colours blending and if that's not enough they expect it to be in tune as well.....


----------



## Kopachris (May 31, 2010)

I voted strings, but really my favorite are all the low-register instruments: bassoon, cello, double bass, and tuba

Edit: Oh interesting, this marks my 1000th (non-off-topic) post!


----------



## Malx (Jun 18, 2017)

Woodwind.......


----------



## Heck148 (Oct 27, 2016)

As a bassoonist, I like woodwinds the best, but I like the brass a lot, too...


----------



## Judith (Nov 11, 2015)

Love the strings. Feel when listening to the sonatas or concertos that they are very soothing reassuring instruments. It's as though they're singing


----------



## Merl (Jul 28, 2016)

I love the strings but the blast of a great brass section just clinches it for me.


----------



## Totenfeier (Mar 11, 2016)

Woodwinds, from a former clarinettist and buffoon- sorry, bassoonist.

I love big and bold and lush as much as the next man (and I should know; I just asked him). But what really floats my boat are those tiny, silent moments in the midst of Sturm und Drang, maybe only one voice all alone in the concert hall, heroically carrying the thread of the symphony, the whole weight, on its shoulders. And that voice is usually a wind.


----------



## Malx (Jun 18, 2017)

Totenfeier said:


> Woodwinds, from a former clarinettist and buffoon- sorry, bassoonist.
> 
> I love big and bold and lush as much as the next man (and I should know; I just asked him). But what really floats my boat are those tiny, silent moments in the midst of Sturm und Drang, maybe only one voice all alone in the concert hall, heroically carrying the thread of the symphony, the whole weight, on its shoulders. And that voice is usually a wind.


Eloquently put Sir.


----------



## Manxfeeder (Oct 19, 2010)

I play woodwinds, but I like brass. And not the over-vibratoed overly nice French brass; I like the wide-gutted manspreading brass of the US who are usually one step away from being blotto and who live for Wagner and Bruckner. Just personal preference, though.


----------



## Heck148 (Oct 27, 2016)

All the sections are wonderful to hear, if they are good!! Perfectly matched tone, great balance, unanimity of phrasing and articulation.
I love the woodwinds because the combinations are so great-sounding - flute/bassoon, flute/oboe ("floboe"), clarinet/bassoon, etc, etc..bassoon sounds great with everything!!....given great players who use full, rich tone, the possibilities are near endless.


----------



## Brahmsian Colors (Sep 16, 2016)

Strings, but the woodwinds are very close. Favorites individually are cello and clarinet.


----------



## mahlernerd (Jan 19, 2020)

I love the percussion section because many composers become very creative and even use regular objects as percussion instruments. I enjoy the variety of sounds that can be made with dozens of different percussion instruments. There was once a performance of a piece by the Detroit Symphony where a wine bottle was used as a percussion instrument, as well as a front desk bell. It's a very good performance.

https://livefromorchestrahall.vhx.t...rown-how-to-relax-with-origami-world-premiere

Another good performance by them is Joan Tower's Sequoia, which uses 64 percussion instruments.

https://livefromorchestrahall.vhx.tv/2018-19-season/season:10/videos/joan-tower-sequoia


----------



## Fabulin (Jun 10, 2019)

I like how every section has fans who love it the most. This is what makes orchestras great


----------



## Shosty (Mar 16, 2020)

Strings are my favorite because I love the collaboration of string instruments.


----------



## Open Book (Aug 14, 2018)

mahlernerd said:


> I love the percussion section because many composers become very creative and even use regular objects as percussion instruments. I enjoy the variety of sounds that can be made with dozens of different percussion instruments. There was once a performance of a piece by the Detroit Symphony where a wine bottle was used as a percussion instrument, as well as a front desk bell. It's a very good performance.
> 
> https://livefromorchestrahall.vhx.t...rown-how-to-relax-with-origami-world-premiere
> 
> ...


Even non-percussion instruments are used as percussion instruments in some modern pieces. I don't usually like to see that, not when it's a string player banging away on the body of her fragile-looking instrument. But that string player always looks like she's having a good time using her instrument in an unconventional way.


----------



## SONNET CLV (May 31, 2014)

*Which section of the orchestra is your favourite?*

The mid seat about seven rows from the front of the band. Especially on days when a Beethoven, Bruckner, or Mahler symphony is being performed.


----------



## mahlernerd (Jan 19, 2020)

Open Book said:


> Even non-percussion instruments are used as percussion instruments in some modern pieces. I don't usually like to see that, not when it's a string player banging away on the body of her fragile-looking instrument. But that string player always looks like she's having a good time using her instrument in an unconventional way.


Col legno and snap pizz are two of my favorite all time techniques in music. I am sure that composers such as Mozart, who used col legno in his 5th violin concerto, who were string players would not put that in their scores if they thought that the instrument was too fragile. And if the string players thought so, they could just ask the conductor. However, I think that col legno, and snap pizz add great textures to many pieces.


----------



## mahlernerd (Jan 19, 2020)

I did mention how I think the percussion section is the best to hear, however, I think that the strings are the best to watch, because especially when there are those fast loud moments when all of those strings play together, it is really a memorable sight.


----------



## pianozach (May 21, 2018)

Allegro Con Brio said:


> I love huge, expanded percussion sections and the depth they can add to orchestral works - the huge white noise peals in Mahler's 2nd, the Javanese gamelan ensemble in Messiaen's Turangalila, the creepiness of Shostakovich 15. Few sounds are more satisfying to me than a big bass drum blow or tam-tam smash picked up on a well-engineered recording. Then strings, woodwinds, brass in order - I don't like blasty, in-your-face brass sections like how Solti used to conduct the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. I like richer, blended brass - something that European orchestras do much better than American ones.





mahlernerd said:


> I love the percussion section because many composers become very creative and even use regular objects as percussion instruments. I enjoy the variety of sounds that can be made with dozens of different percussion instruments. There was once a performance of a piece by the Detroit Symphony where a wine bottle was used as a percussion instrument, as well as a front desk bell. It's a very good performance.
> 
> https://livefromorchestrahall.vhx.t...rown-how-to-relax-with-origami-world-premiere
> 
> ...





mahlernerd said:


> I did mention how I think the percussion section is the best to hear, however, I think that the strings are the best to watch, because especially when there are those fast loud moments when all of those strings play together, it is really a memorable sight.


For me too; the percussion section, when used well, adds dimensions to an orchestral work.

The first that comes to mind, as I'm often a pit player for musicals, is Bernstein's *West Side Story*.

There's a thread here *Great orchestral works with m a s s i v e percussion sections...* Great orchestral works with m a s s i v e percussion sections...


----------



## Simplicissimus (Feb 3, 2020)

I've played woodwind instruments for 50+ years, so how can I not vote for them? But I have my favorite artists in all the sections. I'm a devoted fan of piano within the orchestral repertoire, too. One of my kids is a string player and the other a brass player. My uncle was the principal cellist of the National (Washington, DC) Symphony Orchestra, so you can be sure I've got a lot of string stuff going on.


----------



## Open Book (Aug 14, 2018)

mahlernerd said:


> Col legno and snap pizz are two of my favorite all time techniques in music. I am sure that composers such as Mozart, who used col legno in his 5th violin concerto, who were string players would not put that in their scores if they thought that the instrument was too fragile. And if the string players thought so, they could just ask the conductor. However, I think that col legno, and snap pizz add great textures to many pieces.


You're right that pizzicato (plucked strings) is a percussive effect.

I know the Mozart violin concerto #5 but I don't remember anything that would sound like col legno (which I just looked up) used in it. What part of the piece?

I've seen violinists and cellists strike the body of their instruments as percussion in some modern pieces.


----------



## Heck148 (Oct 27, 2016)

IIRC, there is "col legno" section in Berlioz "Symphonie Fantastique" mvt V....


----------



## mahlernerd (Jan 19, 2020)

Open Book said:


> You're right that pizzicato (plucked strings) is a percussive effect.
> 
> I know the Mozart violin concerto #5 but I don't remember anything that would sound like col legno (which I just looked up) used in it. What part of the piece?
> 
> I've seen violinists and cellists strike the body of their instruments as percussion in some modern pieces.


Listen to the 3rd movement in the A minor trio, the cellos and DB's use col legno.


----------



## mahlernerd (Jan 19, 2020)

^Look at 26:37, you'll find it there.


----------



## Xisten267 (Sep 2, 2018)

This really depends on my mood, but overall I think that I prefer the string section.


----------



## Open Book (Aug 14, 2018)

mahlernerd said:


> ^Look at 26:37, you'll find it there.


Thanks for the illustration.

The definition of col legno I found says that the strings are struck with the back of the bow. But it looks to me in this concerto that they are striking the strings with the horsehair side of the bow. It's still forceful.


----------



## Open Book (Aug 14, 2018)

"Has to be woodwind.....so many different colours & textures either dovetailing together or playing as one."

"I love the woodwinds because the combinations are so great-sounding - flute/bassoon, flute/oboe ("floboe"), clarinet/bassoon, etc, etc..bassoon sounds great with everything!!"

There's many a remarkable tone achieved with various combinations of woodwinds. A flute and oboe together can produce a wonderful, uncanny, glowing sound. Bassoon is a funny instrument heard alone but in combination works beautifully.

Woodwinds probably have more inventive combinations within than any other section.


----------

