The instruments of the orchestra : the orchestra / Jeremy Siepmann, written and narrated [grabación sonora]

1. The grouping of instrumental families. An additive approach. First, two violins.
2. Bartok: 44 Duos: IV. Midsummer Night Song
3. A greater contrast, of both pitch and character, violin and viola
4. Mozart: Duo for Violin and Viola in B flat major, K. 424: finale: variations 1 and 2
5. Arrival at the standard string trio: violin, viola and cello
6. Schubert: String Trio in B flat major: III. Menuetto
7. The string quartet: two violins, viola and cello
8. Beethoven: String Quartet in F major, Op. 18, No. 1: III. Scherzo
9. The string quintet - when the extra instrument is a second viola
10. Mozart: String Quintet No. 5 in D major, K. 593: II. Adagio
11. The string quintet - when the extra instrument is a second cello
12. Schubert: String Quintet in C major: III. Scherzo
13. The string sextet: two violins, two violas, and two cellos
14. Brahms: String Sextet No. 1 in B flat major: II. Andante ma moderato
15. The string octet: the standard string quartet times two
16. Mendelssohn: Octet in E flat major, Op. 20: movement 1
17. Double the string octet: a fully fledged string orchestra
18. Mendelssohn: String Symphony No. 2: III. Allegro vivace
19. The massed strings of a symphony orchestra
20. Vaughan Williams: Fantasia on a Theme of Thomas Tallis
21. Contrasts of pitch and instrumental 'colour' in the woodwind section
22. Reicha: Wind Quintet in A minor, Op. 100, No. 5: Theme
23. In the First Variation it's the horn that gets the lion's share
24. Reicha: Wind Quintet in A Minor, Op. 100, No. 5: Variation 1
25. In Variation Two the torch is handed to the bassoon
26. Reicha: Wind Quintet in A Minor, Op. 100, No. 5: Variation 2
27. In Variation Three the oboe leads
28. Reicha: Wind Quintet in A Minor, Op. 100, No. 5: Variation 3
29. Variation Four: conversation before returning to a solo - dominated texture
30. Reicha: Wind Quintet in A Minor, Op. 100, No. 5: Variation 4
31. And Variation Five is dominated by the clarinet
32. Reicha: Wind Quintet in A Minor, Op. 100, No. 5: Variation 5
33. The next to be featured is the virtuoso flute.
34. Reicha: Wind Quintet in A Minor, Op. 100, No. 5: Variation 6
35. Individual farewells and a closing chorus
36. Reicha: Wind Quintet in A Minor, Op. 100, No. 5: Variation 7
37. A mixed group: clarinet, bassoon, horn, string quartet, and double - bass
38. Schubert: Octet in F major, D. 803: III. Trio
39. The early classical symphony orchestra of Haydn and Mozart
40. Mozart: Symphony No. 29 in A major, K. 201: IV. Allegro con spirito
41. Strings, wind, but no brass. What Haydn and Mozart never knew
42. Gabrieli: Canzon 28
43. Beethoven's Fifth: two horns, two trumpets, and three trombones join the team
44. Beethoven: Symphony No. 5: IV. Allegro 00:04:28
45. From Beethoven to the massive orchestras of Berlioz, Wagner, and Mahler
46. Beethoven changed the face of the symphony and the orchestra forever.
47. Mahler: Symphony No. 6, "Tragic": I. Heftig, aber markig
48. The cult of orchestral elephantiasis reaches its peak
49. Brian: Symphony No. 1, "Gothic": VI. Te ergo quaesumus
50. When large doesn't necessarily mean loud: Debussy
51. Debussy: Images: I. Gigues
52. A crisis of confidence; the orchestra's survival hangs in the balance, but it still develops. The ondes martenot:
53. Messiaen: Turangalila Symphony: II. Chant d'amour I
54. The advent of the "early music" movement brings a new vitality and freshness
55. Lully: Ballet de Xerxes: Gavotte en rondeau 00
56. Computer and synthesiser: friends or foes
57. Bach: Concerto in D minor for two violins: II. Largo ma non tanto
58. Bach: Mass in B minor: Dona nobis pacem

Instruments of the orchestra, yes. But not just instruments in the orchestra. This is a set of portraits in depth, featuring individual instruments in many contexts (orchestral, chamber, folk, solo, operatic, cinematic, even jazz and avant-garde music) and in pieces from the Middle Ages to the present. Joining regular orchestra members are such exotic visitors as the eerie ondes martenot, the wind machine, banjos, bagpipes, coconuts, typewriters, six-shooters, taxi horns, and migrating swans - and the hundreds of examples range from illustrative snippets to entire movements. The first CD is devoted entirely to the violin, and the last to the greatest instrument of all, the orchestra itself.

This intoxicating, energetic, and remarkably informative survey of musical instruments is unprecedented in its scope and achievement. All the lively descriptions are followed by striking musical examples, of which there are over 200, spanning all eras, styles, and genres. As well as a full transcript of the text, the comprehensive booklet contains clear illustrations and background historical information on each instrument.