"Symphony" or "Orchestra?"

[Tubajug]

I got an interesting question from a friend today regarding the use of the word symphony or orchestra regarding the ensemble itself. He was under the impression that "orchestra" was just strings, and that "symphony" meant everyone else too (brass, woodwinds, percussion). So that made me wonder....when did "symphony" start being used as part of the name for ensemble itself (instead of the musical work), aka, the "Nowheresville Symphony Orchestra." Was "symphony" just tacked on to "orchestra" at some point to become a "symphony orchestra" or is there some distinction?

Discuss! Please and thank you!

[bisontuba]

Hi-
You mean like 'The Count Basie Orchestra?'
Just kidding....
Mark

[bort]

I don't know if this is right, but it's at least interesting...

http://mentalfloss.com/article/52912/wh ... ilharmonic

[ppalan]

I don't know how much this will add to the discussion but this from Dictionary.com:

Word Origin and History for symphony
n.
late 13c., the name of various musical instruments, from Old French symphonie "harmony" (12c.), from Latin symphonia "a unison of sounds, harmony," from Greek symphonia "harmony, concert," from symphonos "harmonious," from syn- "together" (see syn- ) + phone "voice, sound" (see fame (n.)).

Meaning "harmony of sounds" is attested from mid-15c.; sense of "music in parts" is from 1590s. "It was only after the advent of Haydn that this word began to mean a sonata for full orchestra. Before that time it meant a prelude, postlude, or interlude, or any short instrumental work." ["Elson's Music Dictionary"] Meaning "elaborate orchestral composition" first attested 1789 ( symphonic in this sense is from 1864). Elliptical for "symphony orchestra" from 1926.

Perhaps at some point there was a distinction between orchestras that played this new, more elaborate form of music and those that were "dance orchestras"??? just speculation though...

This could be a very interesting discussion.
Pete

[hup_d_dup]

Philadelphia Orchestra
Cleveland Orchestra

San Francisco Symphony
Seattle Symphony

Chicago Symphony Orchestra
Boston Symphony Orchestra

New York Philharmonic
Los Angeles Philarmonic

They all do more-or-less the same thing.

Hup

[iiipopes]

...ensemble...

A French word used to avoid the low Anglo-Saxon-sounding word, "band"

Oh, as in the Sir Macca lyric: "Sont les mots qui vont tres bien ensemble, tres bien ensemble."

[windshieldbug]

Concert band or wind ensemble?

Technically depends on the number of players on a part...
But practically depends on the marketing!

[eupher61]

What's in a name? One and the same. One means less money one means less fame. Or something.

[sousaphone68]

What about symphonic band and wind band?

According to our musical director St James Brass and Reed went from military band to concert band when we added an oboe and eb clarinet to our line up and for a brief moment we were a symphonic band when we had a basson and a bari sax as well.