Inside the Music: Instrumentation Details
The instrumentation of an orchestral work of music—that is to say, the combination of instruments the composer chooses for a particular piece—is a major part of what makes each piece unique. The choice of instrumentation often reflects the time period in which the music was written, the composer’s ambitions and innovations, or the limitations of the premiering ensemble.
In works of Western classical music, the most common scoring of an orchestral composition is winds in pairs—meaning two each of flutes, oboes, clarinets and bassoons—along with four horns, three trumpets, three trombones, tuba, timpani, a small handful of common percussion instruments and a full string section. Works from before the 1800s generally used fewer instruments, while Romantic, 20th-century and contemporary scores are more likely to add an enlarged percussion section, harp, piano, or auxiliary woodwind instruments such as piccolo, English horn, bass clarinet and contrabassoon—or even electronic instruments and pre-recorded sounds. In many cases throughout music history, orchestral composers have opted for smaller ensembles, or the addition of soloists and human voices. Musicians are sometimes called to play more than one instrument during the course of a composition—a concept known as “doubling.”
Instrumentation Details
Following is a listing of instrumentation details for Minnesota Orchestra concerts from May 30-June 19, 2025.
OTT PLAYS BEETHOVEN: May 30-31, 2025
Carl Maria von Weber: Overture to Oberon
Instrumentation: 2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons, 4 horns, 2 trumpets, 3 trombones, timpani and strings
Ludwig van Beethoven: Concerto No. 4 in G major for Piano and Orchestra, Opus 58 (PLEASE NOTE: Beethoven's Piano Concerto No. 4 replaces the originally scheduled Beethoven Piano Concerto No. 3.)
Instrumentation: solo piano with orchestra comprising 2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons, 2 horns, 2 trumpets, timpani and strings
Robert Schumann: Symphony No. 2 in C major, Opus 61
Instrumentation: 2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons, 2 horns, 2 trumpets, 3 trombones, timpani and strings
FEI XIE PLAYS JOLIVET: June 5-6, 2025
Wynton Marsalis: Selections from Blues Symphony
Instrumentation: 3 flutes (1 doubling piccolo), 3 oboes (1 doubling English horn), 3 clarinets (1 doubling bass clarinet), 3 bassoons (1 doubling contrabassoon), 4 horns, 3 trumpets, 3 trombones, tuba, timpani, snare drum, small and large bass drums, cymbals, ride cymbal, sizzle cymbal, splash cymbal, small, medium and large suspended cymbals, agogo bells, bongo bell, cabasa, congas, cowbell, guiro, hi-hat, pandeiro, tambourine, tamtam, timbale bell, timbales, tom-toms, triangle, washboard, whistle, glockenspiel, chimes and strings
André Jolivet: Concerto for Bassoon and Orchestra
Instrumentation: solo bassoon with orchestra comprising harp, piano and strings
George Enescu: Symphony No. 1 in E-flat major, Opus 13
Instrumentation: 3 flutes (1 doubling piccolo), 2 oboes, English horn, 2 clarinets, E-flat clarinet, bass clarinet, 3 bassoons, contrabassoon, 4 horns, 2 trumpets, 2 cornets, 3 trombones, tuba, timpani, bass drum, cymbals, tambourine, triangle, 2 harps and strings
SØNDERGÅRD CONDUCTS RACHMANINOFF: June 12-14, 2025
Carlos Simon: Four Black American Dances
Instrumentation: 2 flutes, piccolo, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons, 4 horns, 3 trumpets, 3 trombones, tuba, timpani, snare drum, bass drum, cymbals, splash cymbal, suspended cymbal, 2 hand claps, shaker, tambourine, tamtam, tom-toms, triangle, 2 whips, wood blocks, large wood stick on a wooden floorboard, xylophone, marimba, vibraphone, chimes, harp and strings
Sergei Prokofiev: Concerto No. 3 in C major for Piano and Orchestra, Opus 26
Instrumentation: solo piano with orchestra comprising 2 flutes (1 doubling piccolo), 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons, 4 horns, 2 trumpets, 3 trombones, timpani, bass drum, cymbals, castanets, tambourine and strings
Sergei Rachmaninoff: Symphonic Dances, Opus 45
Instrumentation: 2 flutes, piccolo, 2 oboes, English horn, 2 clarinets, bass clarinet, alto saxophone, 2 bassoons, contrabassoon, 4 horns, 3 trumpets, 3 trombones, tuba, timpani, snare drum, bass drum, cymbals, suspended cymbal, tambourine, tamtam, triangle, glockenspiel, chimes, xylophone, harp, piano and strings
JUNETEENTH WITH THE MINNESOTA ORCHESTRA: June 19, 2025
James Price Johnson: Victory Stride
Instrumentation: 2 flutes (1 doubling piccolo), 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons, 4 horns, 4 trumpets, 3 trombones, tuba, timpani, drum set, harp, piano and strings
Mary D. Watkins: Soul of Remembrance, from Five Movements in Color
Instrumentation: 2 flutes, piccolo, 2 oboes, English horn, 2 clarinets, bass clarinet, bassoon, contrabassoon, 4 horns, 3 trumpets, 3 trombones, tuba, harp and strings
Michael Abels: Delights and Dances
Instrumentation: string quartet and string orchestra
George Gershwin/arr. John Lowe: Summertime, from Porgy and Bess
Instrumentation: 2 flutes, piccolo, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons, 4 horns, 2 trumpets, 3 trombones, timpani, bass drum, suspended cymbal, congas, drum set, tambourine, piano, electric bass and strings
Abel Meeropol/arr. John Lowe: Strange Fruit
Instrumentation: 2 flutes, piccolo, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons, 4 horns, trumpet, 3 trombones, timpani, bass drum, crotales, harp, piano and strings
Erroll Garner/arr. John Lowe: Misty
Instrumentation: 2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons, 4 horns, 2 trumpets, 3 trombones, timpani, suspended cymbal, drum set, piano, acoustic bass and strings
James Lee III: Freedom’s Genuine Dawn
Instrumentation: 2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons, 4 horns, 2 trumpets, 3 trombones, tuba, timpani, snare drum, bass drum, cymbals, suspended cymbal, large ride cymbal, tambourine, temple blocks, triangle, xylophone, marimba, glockenspiel, vibraphone and strings
Valerie Coleman: Umoja, Anthem for Unity for Orchestra
Instrumentation: 2 flutes, piccolo, 2 oboes, English horn, 2 clarinets, bass clarinet, 2 bassoons, 2 horns, 2 trumpets, trombone, bass trombone, tuba, timpani, snare drum, bass drum, cymbals, large ride cymbal, suspended cymbal, tambourine, temple blocks, triangle, glockenspiel, vibraphone, xylophone, marimba, harp, piano and strings
Carlos Simon: Ring Shout, from Four Black American Dances
Instrumentation: 2 flutes, piccolo, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons, 4 horns, 3 trumpets, 3 trombones, tuba, timpani, snare drum, bass drum, cymbals, splash cymbal, suspended cymbal, 2 hand claps, shaker, tambourine, tamtam, tom-toms, triangle, 2 whips, wood blocks, large wood stick on a wooden floorboard, xylophone, marimba, vibraphone, chimes, harp and strings, marimba, harp, piano and strings
