Music To Your Ears

Band

A concert band is a performing ensemble consisting of several members of the woodwind, brass, and percussion families of instruments.

 

In the 18th century, military ensembles started doing double duty as entertainment at the royal courts. Composers, like Mozart, wrote chamber music for these groups, which evolved to a standard instrumentation of two oboes, two clarinets, two horns, and two bassoons.

 

In addition to original compositions, these groups also played transcriptions of opera music. Contact with the music of the Turkish Janissaries contributed to the expansion of the Western European wind band. The splendor and dramatic effect of their percussion prompted the adoption of bass drum, cymbals, and triangle, as well as piccolo to balance the increased weight of the percussion section. More clarinets were gradually added and brass instruments were further developed. By 1810 the wind band had reached its current size.