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| ensemble (music) | |
|---|---|
| Name | Ensemble (music) |
| Background | group_or_band |
| Origin | Various cultures |
| Genres | Classical, chamber, orchestral, jazz, chamber music, choral |
| Years active | Ancient–present |
| Notable members | See section "Notable Ensembles and Traditions" |
ensemble (music)
An ensemble in music is a group of performers who collaborate to realize a musical work, ranging from small chamber groups to large orchestras and choirs. Ensembles function within traditions such as Baroque music, Classical period (music), Romantic music, Jazz, and Contemporary classical music, and frequently bridge cultural practices exemplified by institutions like the Vienna Philharmonic and festivals such as the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. They serve artistic, educational, and social roles in contexts including conservatories like the Juilliard School, opera houses like the La Scala, and community organizations like the Glastonbury Festival.
The term derives from the French word ensemble, meaning "together", adopted into English during the 18th century alongside the rise of salon culture in cities such as Paris and Vienna. Early usage appears in accounts of performances at venues like the Salle Pleyel and within patronage circles of the House of Habsburg, where musicians from court chapels and chamber groups were described collectively. The definition emphasizes coordination among distinct parts, a concept central to practices at institutions like the Conservatoire de Paris and during events like the Wiener Konzertverein concerts.
Ensembles take forms defined by instrumentation, repertoire, or function. Common classical categories include the string quartet, piano trio, wind quintet, chamber orchestra exemplified by groups such as the Academy of St Martin in the Fields, and full symphony orchestras like the Berlin Philharmonic. Vocal ensembles range from small madrigal groups associated with the English Madrigal School to large choirs such as the King's College Choir, Cambridge and professional choral societies like the Monteverdi Choir. Jazz ensembles include small combos tied to scenes in New Orleans, Harlem, and Greenwich Village, as well as big bands propelled by leaders such as Duke Ellington and Count Basie. World music and folk traditions produce ensembles like Balinese gamelan groups in Bali, West African drum ensembles exemplified by ensembles from Mali and Senegal, and Indo-Pakistani classical jugalbandis linked to gharanas such as the Gwalior gharana.
Ensemble practice evolved from medieval guild and liturgical contexts typified by ensembles at cathedrals like Notre-Dame de Paris and courts such as the Medici court. The Renaissance saw growth in consorts and vocal ensembles tied to patrons like the Este family and institutions like the Venetian School. The development of the modern orchestra occurred in concert life centers such as London and Vienna during the 18th and 19th centuries, with milestones including premieres at the Gewandhaus and the influence of composers like Haydn, Mozart, and Beethoven. The 20th century expanded ensemble possibilities through movements centered on Serialism, Minimalism (music), and improvisation associated with figures such as Arnold Schoenberg, Steve Reich, and Ornette Coleman, while institutions like the BBC Proms and the Lincoln Center fostered new ensemble models.
Performance practices vary by tradition: historically informed performance advocates at organizations like The English Concert use techniques and instruments modeled after periods tied to composers such as Bach, Handel, and Vivaldi. Romantic and modern orchestral practice developed interpretive conventions embodied by conductors from Hector Berlioz to Leonard Bernstein and institutions such as the New York Philharmonic. Repertoire includes canonical cycles—string quartets by Ludwig van Beethoven, symphonies by Gustav Mahler—and 20th-century works premiered by ensembles like the Kronos Quartet and Ensemble InterContemporain. Jazz ensembles balance composition and improvisation in traditions propagated by venues like Birdland and festivals like the Montreux Jazz Festival.
Instrumentation is dictated by genre, venue, and composer intent. Chamber scoring practices are discussed in treatises like those of Jean-Philippe Rameau and in conservatory syllabi at schools such as Conservatoire de Paris and the Royal College of Music. Orchestration techniques refined by composers like Hector Berlioz and Maurice Ravel inform modern scoring conventions used in symphony orchestras including the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and film music ensembles associated with studios like Hollywood's Los Angeles Philharmonic collaborations. Non-Western ensembles employ distinctive tunings and timbres—Indonesian gamelan instruments curated in ensembles linked to institutions like the Ethnomusicology Programme at UCLA and West African percussion groups maintained by cultural centers such as the National Theatre of Ghana.
Ensembles are central to pedagogy at conservatories such as Curtis Institute of Music and community music initiatives like those supported by the El Sistema program in Venezuela, which emphasize orchestral playing, chamber music, and choir participation. School ensembles—from high school marching bands competing in events like the Bands of America—to university ensembles at institutions like Oxford University provide training and civic engagement. Community ensembles foster local identity through partnerships with civic institutions like city councils and festivals such as the Edinburgh Festival Fringe and the SXSW music showcases.
Well-known ensembles span centuries and styles: the Vienna Philharmonic, Berlin Philharmonic, New York Philharmonic, London Symphony Orchestra, Juilliard String Quartet, Amadeus Quartet, Beaux Arts Trio, Kronos Quartet, Ensemble InterContemporain, The Tallis Scholars, King's College Choir, Cambridge, Monteverdi Choir, Duke Ellington Orchestra, Count Basie Orchestra, and traditional groups such as Bali's gamelan ensembles and Mali's kora ensembles. Festivals, conservatories, and venues—Bayreuth Festival, Salzburg Festival, Glyndebourne Festival Opera, La Scala, Carnegie Hall, and the Royal Albert Hall—have shaped ensemble identities and repertoires across eras.
Category:Music ensembles