Education and Outreach

Not-So-Frequently Asked Questions 

1. 
   What’s the difference between a trumpet and a cornet?
   The trumpet and cornet are nearly identical. The cornet may be
   distinguished by its more compact shape and more mellow tone quality because its
   tubing is more conically shaped (inside) than that of a trumpet. Both
   instruments have tubing of the exact same length (if straightened), however, the
   trumpet’s tubes are 2/3 cylindrical (straight bore) and 1/3 conical (expanding
   bore) while the cornet’s tubes are 2/3 conical and 1/3 straight. The cornet was
   most popular during the Civil War Era and into the early 20th century. There was
   even a brief debate about the need to replace orchestral trumpets with cornets,
   but the trumpets prevailed.
   
    


2. 
   When did female musicians begin to play in
   orchestras? Did some conductors allow them in earlier?
   Vivaldi conducted an orchestra of all women and girls, who were orphans. But
   depending on the area and country, women in orchestras were quite rare until
   after World War II. Even now, women in European orchestras number fewer than
   men. But in the United States the numbers are fairly even.
   
   
   Most modern orchestras (and bands) employed men almost exclusively on all
   instruments until the middle of the 20th century. During the 1960s, U.S.
   orchestras began adding women as positions became available. Still, it took
   awhile before women were hired in principal chairs or in the brass section. When
   Anne Martindale Williams joined the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra as Principal
   Cello in 1979, she made history. SSO conductor, Dr. Jeffrey Schoyen, later
   studied with Williams as a graduate student at Carnegie Mellon University. The
   idea that women can lead an orchestra is now accepted and it is no longer
   uncommon to experience a performance by fine conductors such as Marin Alsop
   (Baltimore Symphony Orchestra) or JoAnn Falletta. Nadia Boulanger became the
   first woman to conduct the London Philharmonic Orchestra in 1936 followed by the
   Boston Symphony, Philadelphia Orchestra and New York Philharmonic Orchestra.
   Interestingly Czech composer Antonin Dvork conducted an all female orchestra in
   New York City shortly after the Los Angeles Woman’s Orchestra was founded in
   1893.
   Top
   
   
   
    


3. 
   Conductors used to conduct from the harpsichord.
   When and why did they move to a podium?
   Conductors actually led from the violin as well.
   John Baptiste Lully was famous for leading by hitting his
   staff on the floor. He was so good at it he stabbed his foot
   and died of gangrene. With the advent of more complicated
   and virtuosic music (Beethoven for instance), the need for a
   conductor became greater. But relatively speaking, the job
   of “conductor” is quite new.
   
   
   Two examples of orchestras without conductors exist in New
   York City. One is the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra which is a
   Grammy Award-winning ensemble known for its collaborative
   style of rehearsing and performing. The other involves the
   New York Philharmonic Orchestra’s annual tribute to the late
   Leonard Bernstein. Whenever they perform his “Overture to
   Candide,” they do so without a conductor. The concertmaster
   stands and starts the orchestra at the beginning and once
   again near the end following a pause. This is a difficult
   piece to perform (even with a conductor) and they do so at a
   very brisk tempo!
   Top
   
   
   
    


4. 
   What’s the difference between a piano and a
   piano forte?
   The piano was invented around 1700 by an Italian
   instrument maker Bartolomeo Cristofori and is now over 300
   years old. One of the most popular instruments in the world,
   it has many different sizes and shapes. When the piano was
   first invented, it was called the Fortepiano because it
   literally could play loud (forte) and soft (piano) sounds
   unlike the earlier keyboard instruments—the harpsichord and
   the clavichord. By the mid-nineteenth century, the piano
   lost the title of fortepiano and became known simply as the
   piano.
   
   
   For 200 years, instrument makers experimented with the size,
   shape and design of the piano. The piano grew to have more
   keys, increasing in size and sound. To create more depth in
   dynamics, piano makers began designing the casing out of
   iron for a louder effect. The piano was soon incorporated
   into orchestras, and quickly became a popular source of
   entertainment.
   
   Pianists were very much in vogue by the mid-19th century and
   were in demand much like rock stars are today. People came
   with flowers to attend concerts all over Europe and
   eventually the United States and many other parts of the
   world. One of the most famous early pianists was Franz
   Liszt, the first to perform music by memory. The piano has
   remained a popular instrument for children to study since
   the mid-18th century.
   Top
   
   
   
    


5. 
   The French horn is in the orchestra. What about
   the English horn? Is there an Italian or German horn?
   Instrument names are often misleading. Orchestral
   horns are descendants from “natural horns” (no valves) which
   evolved out of hunting horns. When valves were invented and
   added (around 1815) various adjectives were used to describe
   the type of valves or size of horn being used such as:
   French horn, Vienna horn or German horn. What we commonly
   refer to as a “French” horn in the United States and Canada
   is actually a German horn (slightly larger tubing bore with
   rotary valves that was developed in Germany). Since 1971,
   the International Horn Society has recommended simply using
   the term “horn.” Different size horns are used for different
   purposes such as Horn in F or Horn in E flat for example,
   which indicates the general pitch of the instrument. To
   further confuse people, there is also an “English” horn
   which has nothing to do with a brass instrument. The English
   horn belongs to the woodwind family (very similar to an oboe
   but larger and more mellow in tone) and its name resulted
   from misunderstood translations of cor anglais. This
   instrument was actually invented in Silesia but Germans
   referred to it as “engellisches horn” or angelic horn. Since
   “engellisch” also meant English during the early 16th
   century, the name was confused.
   Top