Download Woodwind Section

The Wvoodwind Section Classroom Resource
The
resorts
Woodwind
Section
Where did the woodwind section
come from?
The woodwind section of the orchestra
settled into its present form in the early
classical period [dates?]. Before that,
woodwind instruments came and went as
they were required for individual pieces
of music. It is generally agreed that the
composer Beethoven was responsible for
establishing the standard complement of
wind instruments; pairs of flutes, oboes,
clarinets and bassoons. He occasionally
asked for additional instruments, such as
the piccolo (the smaller, higher pitched
version of the flute), when he required
specific musical effects such as the storm
in his sixth symphony. As composers
began to use these extra instruments
more often, they became settled parts of
the orchestra.
Repertoire that
features the
woodwind section
Many composers have written pieces just for
groups of woodwind players (called a wind
ensemble). In Mozart’s time there were
Harmonie bands, made up of two flutes, two
clarinets, two horns and two bassoons, that
played in military services, at the royal courts,
and even for operas. Military bands eventually
grew into Concert Bands made up of wind,
brass and percussion instruments. Classical
composers including Mozart, Beethoven,
Dvorak, and Strauss composed masterpieces
for wind ensembles which were based on the
instrument arrangement of the orchestral
woodwind section.
Beethoven
What is tonguing?
Tonguing is a technique used by woodwind players to articulate or define different
notes by using their tongue on the mouthpiece or reed. Tonguing refers to how
the player starts a note; either with an emphasis (accent) or smoothly, and to how
they release the note. If the music being played has a lot of very fast notes in quick
succession then the player might use the double-tonguing or even triple-tonguing
technique.
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