String instruments (53 people), woodwind instruments (16 people), brass instruments (12 people), percussion instruments (3 to 4 people).

String instruments

A string instrument is a band within a band and can be performed individually as a string band. The string orchestra includes:

The violin is divided into two parts: first violin and second violin. The former is often used to play themes in music. The violin is an instrument with the highest midrange and rich expressiveness among string instruments. It is elegant, deep, passionate and resolute at the same time.

The viola is slightly larger than the violin and has a slightly darker timbre, giving people a soft and obscure feeling. It is mainly used for accompaniment, serving as the alto part of the string ensemble, and occasionally as a soloist.

The cello is larger than the viola, the music is beautiful and profound, and it is good at expressing sincere and warm feelings.

The double bass is the largest in size and is as tall as a human being. It needs to be played standing up. It is the instrument with the lowest mid-range in the string orchestra and is also the foundation of the entire symphony orchestra - the deepest bass part, which can make The rhythm of the music is firm and prominent, and the tone is low and murky.

The harp is an ancient musical instrument played with two hands plucking the strings. It has a bright and clear tone and is good at playing chords. It is used to express the artistic conception of rippling water.

Woodwind instruments

Woodwind instruments are another family in the symphony orchestra, and each member of them has a very rich and diverse color.

The flute has a crystal-clear tone, as crisp as a silver bell, and is both gentle, elegant and passionate. The flute can play both fast and lively phrases as well as soft and beautiful lyrical passages, and is often depicted in title music. Various natural scenery, such as flowing water, birdsong, wind, rain, lightning, etc. The introduction to the violin concerto "Butterfly Lovers" uses the flute to describe the singing of birds, the fragrance of flowers, and the colors of mountains and waters in the Jiangnan water town.

The piccolo is one octave higher than the flute. It is a decorative instrument with the highest alto range in the symphony orchestra. It has a sharp sound and is often used to depict scenes of troops marching or howling winds.

The oboe has a bright and fresh tone, which is very similar to the reed flute. It can easily remind people of rural scenes. It is good at expressing gentle and sincere feelings. The oboe can not only play lyrical, cantabile, soft and moving musical passages excellently, but can also express those humorous, grotesque, melancholy and contemplative emotions. Some musicians even believe that the simplicity and frankness of the oboe cannot be expressed by any orchestral instrument. We can hear the wonderful oboe solo passage in the "Morning" of Grieg's "Peer Gynt" Suite No. 1.

The timbre of the English horn is slightly darker than that of the oboe. It has a meditative mood and gives people a feeling of melancholy and loneliness. It is most vividly used to describe the emotions of looking back on the present and recalling the past.

The clarinet is one of the instruments with the widest range, richest expressiveness, and most brilliant skills among the woodwind instruments. It is both gentle and warm, and some parts of its sound are as gentle as the oboe and as gentle as the oboe. The flute is so clear and has a unique melancholy at the same time. It is best at revealing the deep feelings hidden in people's hearts. There is a bass clarinet with a dark and slightly mysterious tone.

The bassoon is the bass instrument in the woodwind instrument group. Its mid-range has a rich sound, and its high-pitched and low-pitched areas have a somewhat dull tone. Especially its high-pitched area has a very dramatic timbre, with " Known as the "Joker of the Orchestra", he is good at expressing joking and sarcastic emotions. Players who play humorous roles often choose the bassoon. The theme of the interlude in the second act of Bizet's opera "Carmen" and the "Dance of the Four Little Swans" in Tchaikovsky's dance drama "Swan" all have wonderful clips of bassoon performance.

Brass instruments

The strength of the brass instruments in the orchestra exceeds the sum of the woodwinds and string instruments. They are indispensable instruments when it is necessary to show the power of the band. They generally include French horns, Trumpet, trombone and tuba. Among them, the French horn is the link between the "copper" pipe and the "wooden" pipe. In symphony orchestras, brass instruments often appear independently. The brass section has a unique personality.

It has a unique function in music that expresses magnificent, majestic, sacred and passionate moods. It can also create a deep, solemn, gloomy and terrifying atmosphere. Sometimes it is also good at lyrical, praising, nostalgic and narrative music. music.

The French horn is an alto instrument and is the gentlest and most poetic brass instrument. Its timbre is sweet and charming, and it often brings a sense of tenderness and nostalgia to the audience. The French horn is suitable for playing long and cantabile melodies, as well as for playing majestic and even angry call-sign-like melodies. It is also suitable for expressing severe and solemn atmospheres or expressing humorous, witty and bizarre musical images. In some title music, French horns are often used to describe natural scenes, such as sunrise, night, forests, rivers, oceans, etc., or to imitate hunting horns, bugles and distant echoes.

The sound of the trumpet is exciting and loud, with a golden color, and is good at expressing the call to battle, the advance of the army, and the scenes of victory and triumph. In "Thus Spoke Zarathustra" it outlines the magnificent scene of a red sun gushing out.

The timbre of the trombone is similar to that of the trumpet. They both have bright, powerful timbre, majestic momentum and majestic power. It is often used to play those majestic, resolute, unrestrained, magnificent and epic melodies. The trombone can also describe a solemn, solemn, deep, and sinister atmosphere. For example, the theme representing "feudal forces" in the middle expansion of the violin concerto "Butterfly Lovers" is played on the trombone.

The tuba is the lowest part of the brass instrument group. It has a serious and heavy sound. If used exaggeratedly, it can also make people feel funny and ridiculous. In his "Night on Barren Mountain", Mussorgsky used tubas and trombones to play eerie tones, symbolizing the image of the "Lord of Darkness" being sacrificed by demons.

Percussion instruments

Percussion instruments are an important part of the modern orchestra. In the orchestra, they mostly play the role of decorating and strengthening the rhythm, and are used to emphasize or highlight the music. General outline. It is divided into two types according to its musical performance. One is with a fixed pitch, such as timpani; the other is without a fixed pitch. What they emit is a kind of music that can make people feel happy and give something something. A noise with a unique personality.

Timpani, symphony orchestras usually use a set of (3 to 4) timpani with different pitches, which have rich dynamics. Timpani is often used to crescendo and decrescendo the sound of the entire band. When crescendoing, it can create an overwhelming and majestic momentum; when decrescendoing, the grand sound can be reduced to a faint audible sound. The rolling timpani is extremely expressive. When played strongly, it is as deafening as the thunder in the distance. When played weakly, it can vividly express various artistic conceptions such as gloom, terror, mystery, and remoteness.

Triangular iron, a triangular steel bar, is struck with a metal rod to produce a crisp and pure sound, which is extremely penetrating. It can make the orchestra's sound more elegant and beautiful, and give the music a clear and brilliant color.

The bass drum can be used to imitate the turbulence of the waves and the roar of cannons, or to create a warm atmosphere.

The snare drum has a strong, clear and diverse rhythm effect, which is used to increase the rhythm of the music. In marches, the distinctive rhythm of the snare drum makes the pace more determined, and the rhythmic beats of the snare drum are often used to create scenes of galloping war horses.

In addition, percussion instruments also include tambourines, castanets, cymbals, gongs, bells, glockenspiel, xylophone, celesta, etc.