L A T R AV I ATA I N S T RU M E N TAT I O N The instrumentation in Verdi’s La traviata is much like other operas written in the 1850’s. He uses instruments that can be found in most orchestras and opera orchestras. There are four instrument families that make up Verdi’s orchestra: Strings, Woodwinds, Brass and percussion. Below are the groups with their respective instruments. Woodwinds: 1 piccolo, 2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, and 2 bassoons Brass: 4 french horns, 2 trumpets, 3 trombones, and 1 tuba Strings: violins (two groups), violas, cellos, and double bass. Percussion: timpani, cymbals, bass drum, and triangle.
Each group of like-instruments sit together in the theater’s pit, which is located underneath the stage. The arrangement of instruments can be seen in the diagram below:
Interesting fact: Verdi originally wrote the lowest brass part for an instrument called the Cimbasso, which is the predecessor to the Tuba! The instrument looks like a very large trombone with valves instead of a slide to change the pitch. Active Learning 1. Which woodwind instrument in Verdi’s orchestra can play the highest pitch? 2. Which family of instruments does the clarinet belong to? 3. Which one of Verdi’s percussion instruments can change pitch?
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