Welsh National Opera’s Spring 2025 Season sees Benjamin Britten’s Peter Grimes brought to the stage in a thrilling new production. Inspired by his composition The Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra, we’ve chosen four pieces that we think act as a perfect introduction to the sections of an orchestra, ideal for young people or anyone who wants to understand the sections a little better.
The Woodwind Section - Ravel Boléro
The typical woodwind instruments found in an orchestra are the flute, clarinet, oboe and bassoon. Ravel’s Boléro has made it onto our list because it opens with easy to identify solos from woodwind instruments. In order, the first five solos listeners can hear are the flute, clarinet, bassoon, E flat clarinet and oboe d’amore, all playing variations of the same theme. Listening to this piece should help you to recognise the difference in their pitch (how high or low they are) and their timbre (each instruments distinctive sound and character).
The Brass Section - Berlioz Symphonie Fantastique
A standard orchestral brass section features trumpets, French horns, tubas and trombones, and Berlioz’ Symphonie Fantastique is a great example to show the power of the brass section and the role it plays in the orchestra. The fourth movement March to the Scaffold features strong, rhythmic brass fanfares that drive the music forward, and the contrast in tone between the trumpet's bright, clear sound and the trombone's deep, heavy notes is especially noticeable.
The Strings - Barber Symphony for Strings
The string section is usually the largest in the orchestra, and consists of violins, violas, cellos and double bass. Harps are also string instruments and are sometimes seen in an orchestra but are not part of a standard string section. Samuel Barber’s Adagio for Strings is a great example of the role that strings play in the orchestra. The piece opens with the first violins playing a slow, expressive melody, followed by the violas, cellos, and basses gradually joining in with supporting harmonies. As the music continues, each section of the string family becomes more involved, with the violins carrying the main theme and the lower strings adding warmth and depth. This piece highlights the way the different string instruments work together to create a rich sound.
The Percussion - Nielsen Symphony No 4
Percussion is a term that can cover a wide variety of instruments and can be broken down into two sub-sections; tuned, and untuned. Tuned percussion includes instruments such as timpani, the piano and xylophone, and untuned percussion includes instruments such as snares, triangles and base drums. Percussion sections aren’t limited to these instruments, though; Tchaikovsky featured cannons in his 1812 Overture, and Verdi wrote for anvils in Il trovatore. You won’t find cannons or anvils in most orchestra pits, but one instrument that is often used and stands out is the timpani, showcased in this epic timpani battle in Nielsen’s Symphony No 4. You can distinctly hear the different pitches of the piece and the depth and rumbling they add to the sound.
We hope that this guide has been a useful and thorough introduction to the instruments of the orchestra. If you’d like to learn more, join our presenter Tom Redmond and WNO Orchestra this Spring for a fun and relaxed introduction the world of opera and classical music in Play Opera LIVE.
