Partituralis

The Instruments

Gli strumenti dell’orchestra.

The orchestra, surveyed in four families. Each entry will, in time, lead to its own study — for now, those already linked have one.

Woodwinds

I legni

A choir of cylindrical and conical bores — air columns coaxed into voice by reed or lip.

Brass

Gli ottoni

Lipped tubes of brass, voiced by buzzing breath and the slow craft of slide and valve.

Percussion

Le percussioni

Membrane, metal, and wood — struck, shaken, and scraped. The orchestra’s articulators.

  • TimpaniTimpani
  • Snare DrumTamburo militare
  • Bass DrumGran cassa
  • CymbalsPiatti
  • TriangleTriangolo
  • TambourineTamburello
  • GlockenspielCampanelli
  • XylophoneXilofono
  • MarimbaMarimba
  • VibraphoneVibrafono
  • CelestaCelesta

Strings

Gli archi

The voices that bind the orchestra together — bowed and plucked, hewn from spruce and maple.

  • ViolinViolino
  • ViolaViola
  • VioloncelloVioloncello
  • Double BassContrabbasso
  • HarpArpa