The Well-Tempered Ear

Classical music: A new world record is set for the largest symphony orchestra ever assembled

By Jacob Stockinger

This past week, a new record for the world’s largest symphony orchestra was set.

The very big orchestra (below) featured more than 7,500 players, mostly from Europe. who gathered at a soccer stadium in Frankfurt, Germany and played for 45 minutes.

The music included music by Ludwig van Beethoven and Antonin Dvorak as well as lighter fare and pop music by Andrew Lloyd Webber and John Miles.

The new record – which surpassed the previous one set in Australia in 2013 — has been verified by the famous Guinness Book of World Records and by the German Institute of Records.

Here are links to some stories:

http://www.euronews.com/nocomment/2016/07/11/world-s-largest-orchestra-performs-in-germany/

http://www.reuters.com/video/2016/07/11/new-record-for-worlds-largest-orchestra?videoId=369228409

And here is a link to videos and sound samples:

http://www.classicfm.com/composers/dvorak/news/biggest-orchestra-world-record/#slo5bbxtfTAP7WuQ.97

http://qz.com/729230/watch-the-worlds-largest-orchestra-perform-with-over-7500-musicians/