What exactly is a Chamber Orchestra?
Chamber music in general was written for more intimate performances in a home, with a small number of players, one on a part, as in a string quartet. The concept of a chamber orchestra was developed during the 19th century as the composer’s demands expanded the orchestra in size and instrumentation. Composers of the earlier eras, Bach, Vivaldi, Handel, Haydn, and Mozart, required smaller orchestras. Many contemporary composers have responded to the challenge of writing for the smaller, more intimate chamber orchestra.
