February 18, 200818 yr Hi all! Greetings from Switzerland! I'm new in this forum and I hope that I'm posting my question in the right section! I have a big problem and I hope that someone can help me with it. As I'm very new to the subject of composing and orchestration, I would like to know how do I calculate the strings in a symphony orchestra ? What I mean is... if the scores for example says this: 2-2-2-2 -4-2-3 (Richard Wagner Symphony No 2) or 2-2-2-2-2-2 (Franz Schubert Symphony No. 3) how do I know how many strings I will need to perform this piece ? Thank you for your help!
February 18, 200818 yr Those numbers aren't referring to strings, they are referring to the winds and brass. 2-2-2-2-4-2-3 = 2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons, 4 horns, 2 trumpets, 3 trombones. Etc.
February 18, 200818 yr Strings are normally denoted as follows: 1st violins / 2nd violins / violas / celli / double basses. 10/8/6/4/2, 12/10/8/6/4, etc.
February 19, 200818 yr Yeah. And most of the time the number of strings isn't prescribed in the composition at all. (Or it just says something along the line of "a lot of them" :P) Generally an orchestra just takes how many strings they have, unless the style of a composition asks for a small orchestra, or an especially large one (also taking in account how large the winds section is, for balance). Most pieces work with much fewer strings than "intended", it just won't sound as full, and most composers are quite used to the fact that they have to accept whatever an orchestra can offer them.
February 19, 200818 yr Haha! Someone else says "celli" ! Finally! Except I noticed no one uses the apostrophe. 'Celli.
February 19, 200818 yr Using an apostrophe with the word "celli" (or indeed "cello") is pretty superfluous nowadays. No more mandatory than 'piano or 'phone. :)
February 19, 200818 yr One could argue that when you use "celli" you should also say "viole". (Not that I do it, myself, mind you.)
February 22, 200818 yr ...if the scores for example says this: 2-2-2-2 -4-2-3 (Richard Wagner Symphony No 2) or... Wagner only wrote one symphony
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