Orchestras vs. Bands

[Beholder1995]

The other day, a friend of mine (who is a violin player and is in an orchestra) and I ended up discussing just which was better: Orchestras or Bands. I'm a trumpet player, so I'm egotistical and arrogant to begin with, but this violin player friend of mine really pissed me off, saying bands were 'just noisy and annoying', and that trumpets sounded like 'dying ducks'. I was a bit too annoyed to keep arguing. :smallannoyed:

To be honest, the school band I play in could probably put my friend's orchestra to shame, but it still really annoyed me how orchestra players think that orchestras are so much better than bands. What do the forumgoers have to say on this matter? I don't think so, but are orchestras automatically better than bands?

[Exeson]

Personally I think it depends on the situation. Some music an orchestra can pull off but some music I feel goes better with a band set up. It is not possible to just say one is better than the other all the time.

[LordVader]

I'm an orchestra man.

Band just strikes me as easier because the instruments are so loud it's a lot easier to cover up the mistakes, and they're just really loud in general.

I do love symphonic pieces, though. And Exeson's basically right.

[wxdruid]

I prefer stringed instruments. I can play the violin, piano and harp.

But, alas, catlover's school only has a band, so she will try out the clarinet.

[EndlessWrath]

Quite frankly. Neither is better than the other. It's completely different.... thats like saying.. which is better? Romeo and juliette? or Brittany spears?

Sure their both music...buts its different type of music. Bands tend to take more people in than orchestra. The majority of band is wind instruments and few percussion. No strings (cept jazz band)... orchestra is just a different sound, different everything. The only thing they have in common, is being organized musicians.

I love our orchestra... but I'm not in it. know why? cause I'm too busy playing Trumpet in the Jazz band (hoping to play brass machine this year :smallamused:)

thats my two cents anyways. Although i do prefer band over orchestra.

[Gwyn chan 'r Gwyll]

I always preferred Orchestra over band, because, IMHO, orchestra's are more flexible than the big band, as well as more subtle.

But no, orchestra's are not inherently better than big bands, and vice versa.

[RTGoodman]

I'm a trumpet player, so I'm egotistical and arrogant to begin with, but this violin player friend of mine really pissed me off, saying bands were 'just noisy and annoying', and that trumpets sounded like 'dying ducks'. I was a bit too annoyed to keep arguing. :smallannoyed:

Does he, perchance, realize that trumpets are a nearly REQUIRED part of an orchestra? At least every one I've seen has had a couple of 'em, and as a fellow trumpet player I look for that sort of thing (so I can remark on how much better I would have played it :smallwink:).

I prefer bands, but neither is really BETTER. Bands are more versatile, I think, depending on the setting. Concert bands and pops groups usually do a lot of upbeat things and not-quite-as-hard stuff, but wind ensembles can do all the best band literature AND a lot of orchestra stuff (assuming the clarinets and other woodwinds are up to the string parts). Orchestras, though, do get most of the famous pieces and some of them are pretty hard to duplicate without the winds. We did a few orchestra transcriptions while I was in high school ("Marche Slav," "Light Cavalry Overture," something from 'Schwanda the Bagpiper,' etc.) and they were pretty difficult.

I really miss playing nowadays, though. I used to play trumpet in wind ensemble and jazz band and euphonium/baritone in concert band, plus mallets in indoor percussion ensemble.

[Rare Pink Leech]

This is like comparing apples and oranges: other than the fact that they're both fruit, you can't compare them on any objective level. It's the same with bands and orchestras: they're both still musical groups, just catering to different tastes.

[Beholder1995]

This is like comparing apples and oranges: other than the fact that they're both fruit, you can't compare them on any objective level. It's the same with bands and orchestras: they're both still musical groups, just catering to different tastes.

Just what is the difference?

Orchestras have a string section, and bands don't. Am I missing anything? :smallconfused::smalltongue:

[13_CBS]

I'm an orchestra man.

Band just strikes me as easier because the instruments are so loud it's a lot easier to cover up the mistakes, and they're just really loud in general.

.

Band instruments, especially brass instruments, are more difficult to play than stringed instruments in terms of technique. Any skilled musician will know that. Also, while being louder could mean that other people cover up for your mistakes more, you're also louder as well. A stringed instrument player has an easier time hiding among the sounds of their peers than a band instrument player.

A violin is amazingly easy to play when compared to a trumpet. Which is partly why violins get all the fast, technically difficult parts.

As for preference...well, I'd have to say I prefer music played by stringed instruments, but that's because I'm a violinist of 14 years, and thus I'm a bit biased. Band players have my utmost respect, however, though I don't often like what they play or how they sound.

[SDF]

Band instruments, especially brass instruments, are more difficult to play than stringed instruments in terms of technique. Any skilled musician will know that. Also, while being louder could mean that other people cover up for your mistakes more, you're also louder as well. A stringed instrument player has an easier time hiding among the sounds of their peers than a band instrument player.

A violin is amazingly easy to play when compared to a trumpet. Which is partly why violins get all the fast, technically difficult parts.

As for preference...well, I'd have to say I prefer music played by stringed instruments, but that's because I'm a violinist of 14 years, and thus I'm a bit biased. Band players have my utmost respect, however, though I don't often like what they play or how they sound.

Wut? I've played the trumpet for 12 years, and I find it easier to play technically complex pieces on that than the guitar or cello.

[13_CBS]

Wut? I've played the trumpet for 12 years, and I find it easier to play technically complex pieces on that than the guitar or cello.

That's because most pieces on stringed instruments are relatively more difficult in terms of technique than most pieces on band instruments. It takes a very highly skilled flute player to pull off Paganini Caprices made for the violin, but I can play a lot of band instrument tunes by year with my violin.

Stringed instruments, especially those in the violin-viola-cello-double bass group, are more responsive than almost any other instrument, especially band instruments (though flutes and piccolos come pretty close). Thus, many composers like to give stringed instruments the technically demanding parts, since they can handle the speed a better.

Edit: Stringed instruments are actually easier to play; they just seem more difficult because they're given technically harder pieces.

[Atomsized]

Yeah, i would agree that it really comes down to opinion if you're asking for preference. I for one like bands better, mostly because i have been playing the trumpet for around 4-5 years now.

[Phae Nymna]

*cough*

If you think strings are harder than brass and woodwind, meet the french horn...

I have the opportunities to play in a band and audition for orchestra, but I'm too lazy to join the orchestra. Unfortunately, I hate my band for not being an orchestra. AUX INSTRUMENTS CITOYENS! FORMEZ VOS ORCHESTRA!

[13_CBS]

I'd like to point out that much of the orchestral snobbery my (former) peers express(ed) towards band players comes from the fact that, since band instruments are more difficult to play, high school band musicians mess up a bit more often and more noticeably than their orchestral counterparts. Because of this, orchestral players look down on band players, saying that "they suck" and so forth. I know this from personal experience.

Edit:

To clarify....

Stringed instruments are, in general, easier to play than band instruments in terms of technique. Pieces designed for stringed instruments are, in general, more technically demanding.

I've never said that stringed instruments were harder to play than band instruments; in fact, I believe quite the opposite.

[SDF]

It depends on what you are playing, though. My trumpet for instance can play arpeggios all day and sound great doing it. On, say a guitar, that is MUCH harder to do. But the guitar can pull off a lot of things that is very difficult on the trumpet without much difficulty.

[Pyro]

I prefer bands because they have greater texture to me than orchestras. I've listened to several of my school's orch concerts and I become bored with them fairly quickly. Violins, violas, cellos and basses all seem like the same instrument but with different ranges. Someone will probably shout "nuh huh" at me, but I feel that a low violin would sound extremely similar to a high viola.

That said I would love to a play a string instrument because by themselves they sound so purty.

[Xeluu]

Really.... I can't say I prefer one over the other.

I've found that both groups generally play very different pieces from one another... and I like listening to both. XD

If anything, and I'm a bit biased here: percussionists are one of the groups that have it hardest. If they screw up, there's no one to cover for them, and many pieces have them switching instruments back and forth. (But it is quite fun.)

My high school music classes were weird. I played in both the concert band and symphonic band, but was often in the room during Orchestra. In our bands, we actually had guitarists (I know, right?) who played random parts given to them. And before I was there, I know there was a harp player in one of the classes. (I would assume Orchestra.)

So, it all really varies. I enjoy bands when they play pieces like Vesuvius - Frank Ticheli, or Pilatus - Stephen Reineke and just generally enjoy Orchestras, can't recall any favorites right off the top of my head though.

[13_CBS]

It depends on what you are playing, though. My trumpet for instance can play arpeggios all day and sound great doing it. On, say a guitar, that is MUCH harder to do.

Much harder? Maybe not. My violin teacher makes her students learn arpegios and scales on our instruments to the point where we can play them as easily as most people can walk. It's all muscle memory. The primary technical advantage that band instruments have over stringed instruments is that they're louder, have superior projection, and possibly have more clarity.



But the guitar can pull off a lot of things that is very difficult on the trumpet without much difficulty.

Like chords :smallbiggrin:



I Someone will probably shout "nuh huh" at me, but I feel that a low violin would sound extremely similar to a high viola.



Not quite. We have a quality of sound that we call "tamber".

If you listen closely, a viola and a cello playing the exact same note (not an octave apart, but the EXACT same) will sound slightly different due to the way the instruments are made. Cellos have a deep, rich sound that violas cannot replicate.

Likewise, there are times when a violinist might choose to play a note on a lower string to preserve tamber, because it's jarring to play on the A string then suddenly switch to the brighter E string.

There are exceptions, of course. On my violin, a perfectly in tune A played on the D string sounds almost identical to the A played on the open A string.

[Rare Pink Leech]

Just what is the difference?

Orchestras have a string section, and bands don't. Am I missing anything? :smallconfused::smalltongue:

No, I think I was missing something. When I read "orchestra vs band", I was thinking of a orchestra (classical music) versus band (rock/pop) type of thing. I think I'll leave this discussion to people who actually know what they're talking about now....

[Dispozition]

As a member of a Symphony Orchestra and a Symphonic Wind Band, I can say...They're both way too different to be compared.

Personally I prefer playing in the Symphonic Wind, but that's just because they generally have more upbeat songs, however Orchestra has my favourite song so far this year.

[skywalker]

No, I think I was missing something. When I read "orchestra vs band", I was thinking of a orchestra (classical music) versus band (rock/pop) type of thing. I think I'll leave this discussion to people who actually know what they're talking about now....

I thought we were talking about String Ensembles(Orchestras). Am I wrong?

Anyway, cellos are the prettiest(and most versatile instrument) :smallbiggrin: No correlation between my saying that and being a cellist. Nope, none at all. No prejudice against 13_CBS, but we have longer strings, which means more opportunities. Ever heard Apocalyptica? Every sound you hear is made by a cello.

I meant to chime in earlier, internet ate my post :smallannoyed: Anyway, gotta say that Orchestras make the prettier music, on the whole, but that bands have a hell of a lot more fun. Trumpeters, are, overwhelmingly, far too confident in their own abilities(kinda like violinists :smallbiggrin:) It's really a matter of what sort of mood you're in, Orchestral music very seldom can convey the brightness or "fire" that band music can, likewise, bands rarely have the smoothness and intricacy of a great orchestra.

[ColonelFuster]

Oh, the age-old debate. I am a band trumpet player, and I prefer the band feel, because I usually did football game pep stuff. An orchestra would just seem out of place in the stands, somehow....

(BTW, There seem to be quite a few trumpet players here... we should form a club. Trumpet Players in the Playground, unite!)

[EvilElitest]

orchestras are better than bands simply because i say so. Now i could go into massive detail backing up my option with lots of niffty comments and interesting ideas, but honestly, i'm not going to convice anybody because of my personal taste. However, i've found bands to be more likely to produce bad stuff than orchestras, but again, personal feelings
from
EE

[Executor]

Oh my god, EE ISN'T making this into the kind of vs thread in which he thrives? The world must be ending!!! :smalltongue:

Oh I know what'll get you riled EE: Sauron vs Bands :smalltongue:

Okay, all joking aside: I generally prefer orchestras. But that's only really because of my preference for Baroque, Classical and Romantic music over modern styles.

[Doran_Liadon]

The other day, a friend of mine (who is a violin player and is in an orchestra) and I ended up discussing just which was better: Orchestras or Bands. I'm a trumpet player, so I'm egotistical and arrogant to begin with, but this violin player friend of mine really pissed me off, saying bands were 'just noisy and annoying', and that trumpets sounded like 'dying ducks'. I was a bit too annoyed to keep arguing. :smallannoyed:

To be honest, the school band I play in could probably put my friend's orchestra to shame, but it still really annoyed me how orchestra players think that orchestras are so much better than bands. What do the forumgoers have to say on this matter? I don't think so, but are orchestras automatically better than bands?

I believe band is better because im in band. Also trumpets are my favorite brass instruments.

[Don Julio Anejo]

*Mandatory comment about how both bands and orchestras are for music snobs who think they're better than everyone who listens to Tiesto and Timbaland* :biggrin:

[randman22222]

Y'know what sounds best?

Not an orchestra, not a band, but a jazz band, complete with bassist and trumpet.

[JettWilderbeast]

Well I'm not sure which would be best. I've played in both (Bass guitar jazz band) and Double bass in various other orchestras but do know what would be best -
Everyone joined hands and made a ska-punk band.
I've seen these bands have horns and strings come together and sound amazing.
Heck I've seen a cello being played in a ska-punk band! Mental!
Just listen to this before you shun me!

Clickylink (http://www.myspace.com/thejunglists)
Listen to the song sorry dave, it has trumpets and violins and is amazing!

Also listen to this;
Clickylink (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oHg5SJYRHA0)


I realise I got a bit off topic - I think both are excellent and both should enjoy the credit they deserve!

[Beholder1995]

Y'know what sounds best?

Not an orchestra, not a band, but a jazz band, complete with bassist and trumpet.

Yeah... gotta love the Jazz band...

'cause I always get first trumpet part! :smallbiggrin:


I always preferred Orchestra over band, because, IMHO, orchestra's are more flexible than the big band, as well as more subtle.

Are you saying that seven trumpets, six trombones, two french horns, a baritone, and a tuba can't be SUBTLE?! (:smalltongue:)

To be honest, though, I've found bands to be just as, if not more flexible than an orchestra. Particularly school bands, particularly my school band, which usually gets upwards of a dozen very different pieces every year. (This year we're shooting for twenty.) As for the subtle thing...

er...

there's always the woodwinds...

[randman22222]

Yeah... gotta love the Jazz band...

'cause I always get first trumpet part! :smallbiggrin:



Are you saying that seven trumpets, six trombones, two french horns, a baritone, and a tuba can't be SUBTLE?! (:smalltongue:)

To be honest, though, I've found bands to be just as, if not more flexible than an orchestra. Particularly school bands, particularly my school band, which usually gets upwards of a dozen very different pieces every year. (This year we're shooting for twenty.) As for the subtle thing...

er...

there's always the woodwinds...

A decent band can be subtle. Too bad there aren't many school bands capable of subtlety. :smallannoyed:

[Beholder1995]

A decent band can be subtle. Too bad there aren't many school bands capable of subtlety. :smallannoyed:

You should know that I was joking for that last part. :smalltongue:

I can do subtle!... the horns can do subtle!... the trombones can do... loud.

[13_CBS]

Anyway, cellos are the prettiest(and most versatile instrument) :smallbiggrin:


Versatile how? :smalltongue: And I agree that cellos sound very pretty, but I wouldn't call it the prettiest...:smallamused:



No prejudice against 13_CBS, but we have longer strings, which means more opportunities.


What, more opportunities to mess up? :smallamused:

I'm joking. A lot of my best (and former best :smallannoyed:) friends were cellists, and I love(d) getting a rise out of them. I like cellos, I really do, but I also love making fun of them.

Them and those silly violists :smalltongue:




Ever heard Apocalyptica? Every sound you hear is made by a cello.


Apocalyptica, while awesome, sounds like four cellos playing heavy metal.

Ever heard of the Kronos quartet? When they want to, they sound like electric guitars. Seriously, I found their sound hard to distinguish from that of an electric rock instrument.




Anyway, gotta say that Orchestras make the prettier music, on the whole, but that bands have a hell of a lot more fun.

You sir, have obviously never played Holst's "Mars" or Berlioz's "Symphony Fantastique". :smallamused:



Trumpeters, are, overwhelmingly, far too confident in their own abilities(kinda like violinists :smallbiggrin:)

Violinists are like Paladins: a stick up the arse is a class feature. :smallbiggrin:



It's really a matter of what sort of mood you're in, Orchestral music very seldom can convey the brightness or "fire" that band music can, likewise, bands rarely have the smoothness and intricacy of a great orchestra.

Depends on the skill level. In high school level ensembles, that may be true. The higher up the skill ladder you go, however, the line blurs. I've heard skilled string sections play with dazzling fire, and skilled band sections play with heart-rending smoothness.



orchestras are better than bands simply because i say so. Now i could go into massive detail backing up my option with lots of niffty comments and interesting ideas, but honestly, i'm not going to convice anybody because of my personal taste. However, i've found bands to be more likely to produce bad stuff than orchestras, but again, personal feelings
from
EE

Assuming that you're not joking, I;m going to have to ask you to elaborate.


Y'know what sounds best?

Not an orchestra, not a band, but a jazz band, complete with bassist and trumpet.

Ugh! Jazz bands! I respect the musicians for their incredible skill (and, from a classically trained musician's point of view, their mastery of seemingly arbitrary rhythm), but I cannot STAND the sound of a sax. :smallannoyed:

[randman22222]

<snip>

Ugh! Jazz bands! I respect the musicians for their incredible skill (and, from a classically trained musician's point of view, their mastery of seemingly arbitrary rhythm), but I cannot STAND the sound of a sax. :smallannoyed:

Heh, a lot of jazz musicians try to glorify jazz by saying 'it all comes from the heart' and other hashish, and that the rhythm comes from inside, and all that nonsense, but it's all based on some methods. The rhythms just aren't arbitrary. At all, really.

Oh, and I play tenor sax, and love its sound. :smallannoyed: :smalltongue:

[Beholder1995]

Heh, a lot of jazz musicians try to glorify jazz by saying 'it all comes from the heart' and other hashish, and that the rhythm comes from inside, and all that nonsense, but it's all based on some methods. The rhythms just aren't arbitrary. At all, really.

Oh, and I play tenor sax, and love its sound. :smallannoyed: :smalltongue:

I couldn't resist. (http://www.geocities.com/sax411/humor/saxjokes.html) :smallamused::smallbiggrin:

I, personally, just love the Jazz bands 'cause I get solos. :smalltongue:


Assuming that you're not joking, I;m going to have to ask you to elaborate.


Seconded. :smallconfused:

[randman22222]

I couldn't resist. (http://www.geocities.com/sax411/humor/saxjokes.html) :smallamused::smallbiggrin:

Those were awesome. :smallbiggrin:

[Beholder1995]

Those were awesome. :smallbiggrin:

Thank you. *bows* Now don't go pulling any trumpet jokes on me. I know 'em all. :smalltongue:

[Destichado]

Bigger is better. Having a larger selection of instruments is automatically better, so orchestras are automatically better.

To put it another way, orchestras can easily play Rock&Roll Pt.2, Vehicle, Tusk, the Rocky theme and your school fight song (I think every school band must have played at least two of those...); but bands can not play Flight of the Bumblebee or Ride of the Valkyries.

This has nothing to do with skill, however. If he was saying that a musician in a band must have less talent than one in an orchestra, he's got his head up his butt.

[13_CBS]

Oh, and I play tenor sax, and love its sound. :smallannoyed: :smalltongue:

Well, uh...you suck! *runs off*



Bigger is better. Having a larger selection of instruments is automatically better, so orchestras are automatically better.



I heartily disagree on several points:

1) String ensembles have 4 instruments and 5 sections. 1st and 2nd violins, violas, cellos, and double basses.

Bands have at least:

Trumpets
Trombones
Tubas
Flutes
Piccolos
Oboes
Clarinets
Bassoons
Cornets
Timpanis
Xylophones
A million other percussion instruments

2) A bigger variety of sound does not necessarily mean "Better". What if I wanted to listen to Vivaldi's Four Seasons? I wouldn't want band instruments blaring out their sounds during the tense 1st movement of Winter. And I really like Bach's unaccompanied pieces a well, such as Partita no. 2, Allemanda for the violin, or his cello suites.

[Copacetic]

Orchestra's are better. Then again, I may be biased seeing as I have been playing violin since the age of 9. :smalltongue:

Seriously though, Orchestra's are better. bands are too loud and complex.

[Beholder1995]

Orchestra's are better. Then again, I may be biased seeing as I have been playing violin since the age of 9. :smalltongue:

Seriously though, Orchestra's are better. bands are too loud and complex.

How is 'complex' a bad thing?

And I hate how people seem to think bands are incapable of playing quietly... :smallannoyed:

[randman22222]

How is 'complex' a bad thing?

And I hate how people seem to think bands are incapable of playing quietly... :smallannoyed:

Well, on the other hand, I can see where they come from. I have not been in a decent school band, except for a varsity band. Which was good, naturally, as it consisted of the best from each school.
That was a good performance.
We played Carmina Burana, some Abba stuff (:smallyuk:), and some other stuff that is evading my memory.

[Beholder1995]

We played Carmina Burana, some Abba stuff (:smallyuk:), and some other stuff that is evading my memory.

We get to do the soundtrack from Mama Mia! this year... :smalltongue::smallannoyed:

[RTGoodman]

If you don't think bands can play quietly, then you haven't been listening to particularly good ones. My high school band was one of the top in the state (we scored straight Superior ratings at the state concert band contest like 17 years in a row or something ridiculous like that, with at least 7 or 8 of those being just Grade 6 music, the hardest there is), and we spent a LOT of time on dynamics and just trying to play quietly. If you can, go online and find a good recording of a wind ensemble doing "Salvation is Created" or something like that. That'll show you real dynamics.


We played Carmina Burana, some Abba stuff (:smallyuk:), and some other stuff that is evading my memory.

That, sir, is heresy. Carl Orff is rolling over in his grave.

Of course, some of the stuff from "Carmina" is called "When We Are in the Tavern" or includes lines like "If a boy lingers with a little girl in a cellar, their meeting is fortunate. As Love increases and for both boredom is dispatched far from their midst, an indescribable game occurs with limbs, shoulders, lips," so he might not be THAT mad... :smalltongue:

[randman22222]

The :smallyuk: was at the ABBA stuff, not the Carmina Burana. Carmina Burana was amazing. :smallbiggrin:

[13_CBS]

The :smallyuk: was at the ABBA stuff, not the Carmina Burana. Carmina Burana was amazing. :smallbiggrin:

And a nightmare to play on the fiddle :smalleek:

[randman22222]

And a nightmare to play on the fiddle :smalleek:

I played Bassoon on it, and it was tricky, but not that bad. Some odd rhythms (I forget what the term is for when they put 3/4 patterns into 4/4 bars...)

[13_CBS]

I played Bassoon on it, and it was tricky, but not that bad. Some odd rhythms (I forget what the term is for when they put 3/4 patterns into 4/4 bars...)

:smallredface:

I'm being silly. I got Carmina Burana and Carmen Fantasy mixed up. Doh!

[Beholder1995]

*cough*moveittothemusiciansthreadpeople*cough*

[skywalker]

@^Once you start the thread, it is no longer just yours, and you cannot steer it, no matter how hard you try.

Apocalyptica, while awesome, sounds like four cellos playing heavy metal.

Ever heard of the Kronos quartet? When they want to, they sound like electric guitars. Seriously, I found their sound hard to distinguish from that of an electric rock instrument. I'm not a huge Kronos fan. Not sure why *shrug.* My point was that Apocalyptica are coaxing sounds out of their cellos you never would expect. I've seen a violinist(my school's best, actually) find the solos challenging.


You sir, have obviously never played Holst's "Mars" or Berlioz's "Symphony Fantastique". :smallamused: Nope, I never have :smallfrown: Many, many pieces I've never played.

I did get to play Autumn AND Winter tho. Those were both really fun.

[RTGoodman]

The :smallyuk: was at the ABBA stuff, not the Carmina Burana. Carmina Burana was amazing. :smallbiggrin:

Oh, I got it - the heresy is that anyone would consider demeaning "Carmina" by playing ABBA music with it. I guess it's not as bad if they weren't at the same concert, but still... ABBA? Really? :smallsigh:

[randman22222]

Yeah... Really. I am not a fan of ABBA. At all. :smallsigh:

[Jorkens]

1) String ensembles have 4 instruments and 5 sections. 1st and 2nd violins, violas, cellos, and double basses.

Bands have at least:

Trumpets
Trombones
Tubas
Flutes
Piccolos
Oboes
Clarinets
Bassoons
Cornets
Timpanis
Xylophones
A million other percussion instruments
Erm,
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Symphony_orchestra#Instrumentation

Generally, though, what sort of repertoire does a really good band play? I'm from the UK and I don't think we have such a strong tradition here - for instance, most universities have a concert band of some sort but they mainly play fairly easy cheese and often aren't taken anywhere near as seriously as the orchestra. But for me the big excitement of playing in an orchestra is getting to play fantastic things like symphonies by Mozart, Beethoven, Brahms, Mahler, Shostakovich, Sibelius, suites by Stravinsky, Debussy, Ravel, concertos by Bartok, Rachmaninov... you get the picture. As a listener, the only band pieces that spring to mind are a couple of odds and ends of Stravinsky, Holst, John Adams, but that might be because I'm very stuck in the european classical tradition...

[Destichado]

Thank you for that link. Yes, that's what I meant by bigger is better. An orchestra =/= a string ensemble; although one might say it is a band with the addition of a string ensemble.

[thestarvingpoet]

As a member of a chorus that sings with a symphony orchestra, I can say that to listen to I like a full orchestra best (see the wikipedia link posted above by Jorkens) - Walton's Belshazzar's Feast has a huge horn section and it's an amazing piece to listen to. As a singer however I much prefer the brass section to be *small* - whenever there are more than two trumpets the effort involved in projecting over them becomes that much more difficult!

[Jarade]

I play percussion in my highschool band, (timpani mostly, I am the only one who has a clue on how to play it, so the instructor makes me play that or nothing at all) and i must admit while both orchestras and bands have their moments, the band is usually the one that I would rather listen too.

I do however get the "Timpani must be one of the easiest instruments to play" which annoys me to no end. There are several different techniques required to sound at least halfway decent, which most people don't understand.:smallannoyed:

Meh, just my two cents.

[Moff Chumley]

I go to an art high school. Our jazz band, concert band, and orchestra win awards CONSTANTLY and play near perfectly. (Really difficult pieces, some of them written by the students.) However, I can't hear them over my synth in the rock room next door. :smallamused:

To get around a state regulation, "rock band" is officially "contemporary electric chamber music", which is pretty awesome imho. :smallsmile:

[13_CBS]

I play percussion in my highschool band, (timpani mostly, I am the only one who has a clue on how to play it, so the instructor makes me play that or nothing at all) and i must admit while both orchestras and bands have their moments, the band is usually the one that I would rather listen too.

I do however get the "Timpani must be one of the easiest instruments to play" which annoys me to no end. There are several different techniques required to sound at least halfway decent, which most people don't understand.:smallannoyed:

Meh, just my two cents.

I asked my church orchestra conductor if I could try my hand at the timpani set for the weekly hymnals once.

Once I realized that I had to smack two drums with both of my hands at different beats WHILE ADJUSTING STUFF WITH YOUR FEET, I went to a corner and wept, knowing that I could never play it.

[snoopy13a]

I prefer orchestras simply because I like the sound of the string instruments. My opinion isn't that educated as the only instrument I've ever played was the recorder :smalltongue: but I do know what I prefer (as ignorant as my ear is).

[Jarade]

I asked my church orchestra conductor if I could try my hand at the timpani set for the weekly hymnals once.

Once I realized that I had to smack two drums with both of my hands at different beats WHILE ADJUSTING STUFF WITH YOUR FEET, I went to a corner and wept, knowing that I could never play it.

:smallbiggrin: Ya, we use FOUR of the things in our band..... but in retrospect its only the trumpets that come over and chide my instrument... I guess thats to be expected..:smalltongue: