Violin
What makes the OAE a ‘period instrument orchestra’ is that the players use either original instruments or copies of original instruments from the Age of the Enlightenment (17th/18th centuries). This...
View ArticlePeriod Instruments. Some frequently asked questions
1. Why is the orchestra called “The Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment”? We are a period instrument orchestra named after the age in European history known as The Enlightenment, an era spanning the...
View ArticleHorn
Today’s horn, what is often known as the French horn, is a descendant of the natural horn, which in turn is a descendant of the hunting horn. Small and circular in shape, the hunting horn was easy to...
View ArticleOboe
“Majestical and Stately, and not much Inferior to the Trumpet.” So wrote Henry Playford of the oboe in The Sprightly Companion, an oboe ‘how to’ published in 1695. Handel’s ‘favourite’ instrument,...
View ArticleHarpsichord
With its unique plucked sound, stately shape and often beautifully adorned exterior, the harpsichord is one of the most recognisable sounds and images of the glorious baroque. Its sprightly tone...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Sackbut
The sackbut is a trombone from the Renaissance and Baroque eras and, along with the cornetto and organ, was one of the most important instruments in Baroque polychoral (a Venetian style of music which...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Countertenor
The countertenor is the highest male adult voice. Peter Giles, a professional countertenor and noted author on the subject, defines the countertenor as a musical part, rather than a vocal style or...
View ArticleCimbasso
James Anderson, OAE musician, tells us a bit about his Cimbasso which he’ll be playing at our Glyndebourne performances of Falstaff this summer… My Cimbasso was made for me by Heinrich Thein, and...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Clarinet
The clarinet was a relatively late developer compared to many orchestral instruments. Reed instruments had been used throughout history across the world, in Ancient Greece, Egypt, the Middle East, and...
View ArticlePedal Harp
Frances Kelly and her 18th century, single action pedal harp. The post Pedal Harp appeared first on Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment.
View ArticleTrombone
Philip Dale talks us through the romantic trombone that he plays in Bruckner’s sixth symphony: The post Trombone appeared first on Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment.
View ArticleClik here to view.
Flute
The flute has appeared in many guises over the ages, making it the orchestral instrument with the richest history. Here we will take a brief look at its story. The oldest instruments in the world date...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Theorbo
With its very long neck and large size, the theorbo is easy to spot in any ensemble. Developed in the late sixteenth century in Florence, the Italian name is ‘tiorba,’ but the English found that too...
View ArticleOphicleide
John Elliot introduces a rarely seen instrument – the Ophicleide, and talks about its role in Berlioz’s Symphonie Fantastique. The post Ophicleide appeared first on Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment.
View ArticleTimpani
Timpani are a type of drum and are therefore part of the percussion family. Before we look at the history of the instrument, we should get the name sorted. The word ‘timpani’ is an Italian word and is...
View ArticleIntroducing the Baroque Theorbo
“People complain a lot about the space that I take up”. Lutenist Elizabeth Kenny explains how and why the theorbo was developed in the 17th century, what it was used for, and what it’s like to carry it...
View ArticleIntroducing the 19th Century Horn
Why play a new instrument when we make music for old instruments? Our Principal Horn Roger Montgomery performs a section from Schumann’s showstopping Konzertstück for Four Horns, and introduces a new...
View Article
