Guide to the Orchestra

In music, instruments perform the function of the colors employed in painting.

—Honoré de Balzac

The Symphony Orchestra

A small taste of the Adventures in Classical Music series.

These lecture segments examine the timbre (tone color) of the instruments of the standard orchestra.

Topics covered:

• what is timbre?
• orchestra instruments

Objectives:

• listening closely to each musical instrument
• distinguishing one timbre from another

Lecture 4.2 
Instruments of the orchestra

Lecture 4.3 
Andrew Davis on orchestral instruments

Lecture 4.4 
Benjamin Britten's Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra