Are violins supposed to be on the left or right?

[Circlotron]

Not sure if my left and right channels are the right way around.

-/Circlotron - musical Barbarian.

[tschrama]

from left to right:

violins, alt-violins, cello, contra bass... at least the last time I was at a concert... whos know.. maybe in england it is the ohther way around..

[jackinnj]

don't they play upside down in Australia?

here's how they stack up at the Met Opera:

the range of strings will continue its sweep to the right past the conductor.

the reed instruments are to the rear/right
the brass to the right
the percussion to the far right

if there is a harp, harpsichord, it will usually be in the rear on the left.

[pinkmouse]

Originally posted by Circlotron
Not sure if my left and right channels are the right way around.

Stage left, or audience left

[cbrodersen]

It's almost always the first violins that are on the far left (audience left) when viewing the stage from the audience.

The most common concert seating arrangement has firsts far left, then the second violins, then the violas (called alto in France and Bratsche in Germany) and then the 'cellos far right. The double basses are usually behind the 'cellos on the far right.

An interesting alternate to this seating plan, used by many conductors including Mahler, Mengelberg and Klemperer, has the first violins far left and the second violins far right, with the violas and 'cellos in between. This is often called "European seating" and it has the advantage of allowing the antiphonal writing between firsts and seconds to heard more clearly.

[jackinnj]

but "the first" violin is the "concert master" and he (or she) sits "first chair".

[cbrodersen]

The violin parts in a typical orchestral score are almost invariably labeled "first violin" (violino primo) and "second violin" (violino secondo). The concertmaster ("leader" in England) is simply the first chair, or principal, of the first violins.

So what's your point?

[Circlotron]

Let's put it this way then... If I play a DVD that has something going from left to right on the screen and I set the speakers so the sound follows the picture, then I can only presume it would then be right for audio CDs too.

Here in Australia we play instruments like lagerphones, carpenter's saws, spoons etc. Symphony orchestras are basically unknown. That fancy and famous so-called Opera House overlooking Sydney Harbour is in fact an office complex for high-end government paper shufflers.

[cbrodersen]

Let's not forget the digereedoo, eh mate?

[earsandeyes]

It could very well be that lots of thinks change down under. If look at the sun and your watch, east and west have changed positions as well at your end of the world. So I would not trust the dvd versus cd argument.

living in the country that has a large Mahler, Mengelberg and Klemperer (the only one available in stereo) tradition I do agree with you that the number of concert halls per capita in your country is limited. But you do have a lot more sport facilities and nice weather.

I have once been to the Sydney Opera House. I did not find any paper pushers, only people wanting your money. Probably the Melbournians still envy the Syndonians for heaving suh an out of space beautifull piece of architecture. It is a pity that it almost seems that the cultural develoment/history stops there.