Standing or Sitting Orchestras??

[Hawk Henries]

On youtube there are a few videos featuring the Freiburg Baroque Orchestra playing Bachs Brandenburg Concerti. For me what is remarkable about these videos is that the orchestra is standing while playing. Though they have music stands/sheet music in front of them it does not appear that they are reading from it.

I was chatting with a woman who is a former recorder player in a baroque orchestra and she suggested that in the past this is how baroque orchestras played - standing...

The FBO also moved/danced quite a bit while playing which was beautiful to watch kind of like a human vu meter to the music.

Was this practice of standing more common in early baroque as opposed to middle or late? Did the practice wane as orchestras became much larger towards the late baroque early classical?

Are you aware of any orchestras who routinely stand while playing today?

One last question: The FBO appeared to be not reading from their music sheets. If this is the case the music must have been memorized. Was memorizing music more of a common practice historically?

[dll927]

Could it be that they were "putting on" for the videos? If you listened to a CD, you wouldn't know if they were standing or lying down. On the other hand, soloists on some instruments (violin) routinely stand up during a performance.

[clara]

Even the cellists?

[Hawk Henries]

Clara the cellists were not standing though quite an amusing image when reading your query... Imagine shoulder strap of some vivid neon color cello by the side like some wild guitar Neither was the harpsichordist standing...

dll I also thought it may have been for the video but after speaking with the former recorder player who said that was the way of the time I am not sure if it was for the video...

[Contratrombone64]

So what? The Australian chamber orchestra always plays with all players standing (except of course the celli and double basses).

[JHC]

So what? The Australian chamber orchestra always plays with all players standing (except of course the celli and double basses).

The basses must be lazy or tired they should stand.
While not an orchestra the NZSQ always play standing I don't know why

[dll927]

I said SOME instruments. I assume people know the routines.