How many members was in an orchestra long ago?

Answer 1

Long ago, orchestras typically had significantly fewer members than modern ensembles. In the Baroque period, for example, orchestras often consisted of around 10 to 30 musicians, primarily featuring strings, woodwinds, and a few brass instruments. By the Classical and Romantic periods, the size began to expand, but it still varied widely depending on the composer and specific work. Overall, early orchestras were much smaller and more intimate compared to the large symphonic orchestras of today, which can have 100 or more musicians.