My first contest I saw live was ESC 2000 but when I've seen clips from past contests I prefer it when the singers are accompanied by a live orchestra instead of a recorded backing track. It can be argued that advances in technology that an orchestra isn't needed. Any thoughts?

My thoughts about an orchestra is exactly the same as about language - free choice. I would like to hear ballads acompanied by orchestra live, but there are always some songs, that would sound ridiculous with an orchestra

I doubt any country would use an orchestra if they could choose. It's so out of time.

Out of time?

Is the San Remo Song Contest in Italy out of time?? They still use an orchestra and THIS mother of the Eurovision Song Contest managed to stay an intimate but large festival on which big names like Grace Jones and David Bowie did participate!

I prefer the pre-1999 song contest era. Because only then you won't see overcommercialised song contests.

I liked the orchestra,but still i prefer this system with recorded backing track.

Imagine ,,Hard Rock Hallejuah'' with orchestra

that would be so cool ... (really!)

it would be like lise darly crossed with Lordi

Well there's good points and bad points to an orchestra. They can make a song sound great....but they can also ruin a song completely (the best example of this was the disgraceful orchestra (in particular the saxophone player) in Rome in 1991 and the complete mess they made of I Anixi (Greece))

I agree, I think it should be an option to use an orchestra if people would wan't to. At least a band with as many members as needed. Small or a big one.

Somebody mentioned it would be out of time. - No, not at all, using an orchestra doesn't mean all the songs would have a classical style. I mean, what Eurovision song today doesn't have at least some classical intstruments. And the orchestra wouldn't only contain classical intstruments? There would also be the regular guitar, base, keyboards, drums and stuff..

It would also bring more charachter to the competition and it would be more fun to both listen to and watch. Besides, it would be much more fun to write and arrange eurovision songs.

ijm123 wrote:Well there's good points and bad points to an orchestra. They can make a song sound great....but they can also ruin a song completely (the best example of this was the disgraceful orchestra (in particular the saxophone player) in Rome in 1991 and the complete mess they made of I Anixi (Greece))

Yes, thats the single perfect argument for not having an orchestra.

On the other hand Belgium 1983 is an argument FOR having an orchestra, they made a song that I didn't think much of from the previews into a masterpiece on the night itself.

I'd go for the 'orchestra should be there if wanted' option.

Bugs Bunny wrote:I liked the orchestra,but still i prefer this system with recorded backing track.

Imagine ,,Hard Rock Hallejuah'' with orchestra

Ever heard Metallica´s "Nothing Else Matters" performed by London Philarmonic orchestra?...Superb...Much more epic.
Hard Rock and Orchestra match very very well

An orchestra sounds really nice, but I think that it's hard to implement with most pop/dance songs nowadays...

NinjaLove wrote:An orchestra sounds really nice, but I think that it's hard to implement with most pop/dance songs nowadays...

exactly

Euroskeptik,i didn't heared it,but i will......

lota wrote:My thoughts about an orchestra is exactly the same as about language - free choice. I would like to hear ballads acompanied by orchestra live, but there are always some songs, that would sound ridiculous with an orchestra

i agree with it,,,

I for one would love to see an orchestra back. I mean look at 1998 the last year an orchestra was used. There where lots of moden upbeat songs and the orchestra contained drums, guitars and lots of other modern instruments. I doubt it would be brought back nowadays unless one of the Western European countries host it and even then I doubt it.

Without question would love to the music played live again. Would restore a lot to the contest and even though cost/organisation etc would increase its worth every penny

Is the orchestra still an option? Can a host broadcaster have one anymore?

I think that it can,but it is better without if you ask me.

Imagine orchstra performing ,,DJ Take me away''

DanielFullard wrote:Without question would love to the music played live again. Would restore a lot to the contest and even though cost/organisation etc would increase its worth every penny

More topics brought back from the dead again Daniel
I loved the orchestra, there was always something more alluring about an orchestra and the songs always sounded more dramatic. But looking at it now, funny as it is, Bugs has a good point! Then again we could always have the option of letting them have backing tracks.

aceactor wrote:I for one would love to see an orchestra back. I mean look at 1998 the last year an orchestra was used. There where lots of moden upbeat songs and the orchestra contained drums, guitars and lots of other modern instruments. I doubt it would be brought back nowadays unless one of the Western European countries host it and even then I doubt it.

Already in 1998 it was possible to have only a tape playing instead of the orchestra, resulting in about two thirds of the show with orchestra, rest only tape. Then we would only have an orchestra for a few songs nowadays, would that be worth it?

NinjaLove wrote:

aceactor wrote:I for one would love to see an orchestra back. I mean look at 1998 the last year an orchestra was used. There where lots of moden upbeat songs and the orchestra contained drums, guitars and lots of other modern instruments. I doubt it would be brought back nowadays unless one of the Western European countries host it and even then I doubt it.

Already in 1998 it was possible to have only a tape playing instead of the orchestra, resulting in about two thirds of the show with orchestra, rest only tape. Then we would only have an orchestra for a few songs nowadays, would that be worth it?

Well ninjalove your nations best placing since 1975 came in the 1998 contest and I seem to recall Edsilla used orchestra to very good effect .

I'd say no to bringing back orchestra

it can be good for songs like ballads
like Hungary 2008

Barish wrote:it can be good for songs like ballads
like Hungary 2008

Well with something like a voilin it would make it more dramatic. Ger Ronings entry in 2005 would have been more dramatic!

aceactor wrote:

NinjaLove wrote:Already in 1998 it was possible to have only a tape playing instead of the orchestra, resulting in about two thirds of the show with orchestra, rest only tape. Then we would only have an orchestra for a few songs nowadays, would that be worth it?

Well ninjalove your nations best placing since 1975 came in the 1998 contest and I seem to recall Edsilla used orchestra to very good effect .

True though, but the songs today are different than the songs back in 1998. And I do not know whether songs with an orchestra ranked better in the end... For a few songs it would be good, like Finland 2005 and Hungary 2008 indeed, but most would not stand a chance with an obligatory orchestra.
But I am getting more and more interested in Dima's Believe with an orchestra.

That stradivarius if played live would have really swepot the floor. By using the backing track we are denying the music the real chance of shining through.