The orchestra
Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can identify the instruments of the orchestra and can explain how the orchestra developed through the Baroque, Classical and Romantic periods.
Key learning points
- Between 1600 and 1910 the number of players and variety of instruments in the orchestra increased dramatically.
- The Baroque orchestra was mostly strings with a few woodwind or brass instruments and a harpsichord.
- The Classical orchestra was larger, with more woodwind, brass and percussion and no harpsichord.
- The huge Romantic orchestra had large woodwind, brass and percussion sections, giving composers many timbres to exploit.
- As the orchestra increased in size, woodwind, brass and percussion took on more important roles.
Keywords
Orchestra - a large ensemble that is central to the Western Classical Tradition, consisting of strings, woodwind, brass and percussion instruments
Strings - instruments with strings that are normally played with a bow, including the violin, viola, cello and double bass
Woodwind - instruments that produce sound through blown air, including the flute, clarinet, oboe and bassoon
Brass - metal instruments with valves or slides that produce sound with air, including the trumpet, trombone, French horn and tuba
Percussion - instruments that produce sound by being struck or hit, including drums, cymbals, xylophones and many others
Common misconception
The orchestra has only grown through the adding of more of the same instruments.
The number of players has increased, but the variety of instruments has also increased. Many different instruments have been added to the orchestra since the 1600s, including brass, woodwind, percussion and keyboard instruments.
Teacher tip
Ideally pupils should deepen learning by seeing a performance (recorded or live) of an orchestra. This will put this lesson into context and give them a greater sense of what an orchestral performance looks like. Consider showing pupils clips (or more) of an orchestral performance to achieve this.
Licence
Lesson video
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Prior knowledge starter quiz
6 Questions
Q1.What is an orchestra?
Q2.Which family of instruments includes violin, viola, cello, and double bass?
Q3.Which family of instruments produces sound by blown air, such as flute, clarinet, oboe, and bassoon?
Q4.Which instrument family includes trumpet, trombone, French horn, and tuba?
Q5.Which instrument family includes drums, cymbals, and xylophones?
Q6.Which instrument was central to the Baroque orchestra but disappeared in the Classical period?
Assessment exit quiz
6 Questions
Q1.Which best describes the Baroque orchestra?
Q2.Which best describes the Classical orchestra?
Q3.Which best describes the Romantic orchestra?
Q4.Match the period to the orchestra:
small, mostly strings with harpsichord
larger, more woodwind, brass, percussion, no harpsichord
huge, dramatic, wide variety of instruments
Q5.Which instrument family took on more important roles as the orchestra grew?
Q6.Which is the correct order of the three periods?
To help you plan your 10 music lesson on: The orchestra, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your 10 music lesson on: The orchestra, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
We use learning cycles to break down learning into key concepts or ideas linked to the learning outcome. Each learning cycle features explanations with checks for understanding and practice tasks with feedback. All of this is found in our slide decks, ready for you to download and edit. The practice tasks are also available as printable worksheets and some lessons have additional materials with extra material you might need for teaching the lesson.
The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
Our video is a tool for planning, showing how other teachers might teach the lesson, offering helpful tips, modelled explanations and inspiration for your own delivery in the classroom. Plus, you can set it as homework or revision for pupils and keep their learning on track by sharing an online pupil version of this lesson.
Explore more key stage 4 music lessons from the The Western Classical Tradition (1600-1910) unit, dive into the full secondary music curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.