{"id":1790,"date":"2019-05-06T09:47:32","date_gmt":"2019-05-06T13:47:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/?p=1790"},"modified":"2019-05-06T09:52:05","modified_gmt":"2019-05-06T13:52:05","slug":"classical-music-101-what-does-period-instrument-mean","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ludwig-van.com\/toronto\/2019\/05\/06\/classical-music-101-what-does-period-instrument-mean\/","title":{"rendered":"Classical Music 101 | What Does Period Instrument Mean?"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Orchestra
Nearly every instrument in an orchestra has changed over the past three centuries. Some differences are obvious, others more subtle. Photo: Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, Principal Horn Roger Montgomery)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra calls itself a period-instrument orchestra that follows period performance practice. This means that they go back down the evolutionary ladder in the history of musical instruments to play violins, bassoons, oboes and horns (just to name a few) from the time of the composer in question.<\/p>\n

Nearly every instrument in an orchestra has changed over the past three centuries. Some differences are obvious: a harpsichord, in which the strings are plucked by a mechanical quill, evolved into a piano, where the strings are struck by a felt-padded hammer; the French horn sprouted valves; the bassoon grew larger.<\/p>\n

A Baroque violin looks much the same as a modern one from the distance of balcony to stage. Look closely, and you’ll see, among other details, the period violin has gut strings instead of metal ones, the bridge is lower and, most importantly, the player is using a shorter bow.<\/p>\n