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Four Colours Over the Orchestra

An orchestra is built from four instrument families, and each family sounds and moves differently. Here the strings, woodwinds, brass and percussion each send their own colour of line toward the conductor’s baton.

In the picture

  1. The conductor’s raised baton at the centre, where the four strands meet
  2. Silver threads rising from the violin bows, a thin bright line
  3. Amber bands pouring out of the horn bells, a broad warm line
  4. Round golden puffs over the timpani, short separate bursts

Examples

  • A film scene where soft strings sit under a single trumpet line.
  • A school concert where clarinets, trombones and a drum kit play the same tune together.

Carry on in the app

Three questions on this lesson. It has left the free week, so its quiz is for subscribers.

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Age 15