The Orchestra App For iPad Will Definitely Be Music To Your Ears
December 8, 2012
A few weeks ago, Apple came out with "Orchestra," a TV ad that highlights the iPhone 5's noise cancellation feature. For its part, a couple of days ago, Touch Press came out with The Orchestra, an iPad app that highlights three centuries of symphonic music. Now that's surely something you won't want to cancel out.
Touch Press has had considerable success with its previous iOS app offerings. These include The Waste Land, X is for X-Ray, Barefoot World Atlas, Leonardo da Vinci: Anatomy, and The Elements. Now, it's set to reap more applause with the release of The Orchestra.
The Orchestra contains extracts of eight famous works as conducted by Esa-Pekka Salonen and performed by the Philharmonia Orchestra. The performances are, of course, available in audio, but they are also showcased through multi-camera videos.
The eight pieces featured in The Orchestra are: Haydn's "Symphony No. 6," Beethoven's "Symphony No. 5," Berlioz's "Symphony Fantastique," Debussy's "Prélude à l'après midi d'un faune," Mahler's "Symphony No. 6," Stravinsky's "The Firebird," Lutosławski's "Concerto for Orchestra," and Salonen's "Violin Concerto."
If you can't see the video embedded above, please click here.
The Orchestra also includes the following impressive features:
Compatible with any iPad running iOS 6.0 or later, The Orchestra is available now in the App Store for $13.99. Note that the app tips the scale at a whopping 1.81 GB, so make sure to make room for some great classical music on your device. [gallery link="file" order="DESC"]
- Mesmeric synchronised BeatMap highlights each and every note played on a graphical representation of the orchestra
- Optional audio and/or subtitle commentaries on every piece from both the conductor and the players
- Discover how each instrument works, and read, watch and hear the musicians themselves explain their role in the orchestra
- Insightful text on the pieces, composers and instruments specially written by Mark Swed, music critic of the LA Times
- Stunning fully interactive video playback allows complete real-time control of the iPad screen in both landscape and portrait orientation