Berlin State Orchestra

Berlin State Orchestra, German symphony orchestra based in Berlin. Its antecedents were Berlin’s court orchestras, beginning from a 1542 ensemble with 12 trumpeters, a cornett (zink) player, and a drummer. Its early history was marked by alternating periods of ascendancy and decline. Conductor Johannes Wessalius introduced string players into the ensemble in 1582, and in the early 17th century it was, with 37 musicians, one of the largest orchestras of its time. Dispersed in the...