The Woodwind Section

Question 1

Which instruments are included in the woodwind section of the orchestra? (6)

Answer 1

Flute, Piccolo, Clarinet, Oboe, English Horn (Cor Anglais), Bassoon.

Question 2

What was the flute originally made of?

Answer 2

Bone or wood.

Question 3

Name the two instruments held differently in the woodwind section, and how they’re held:

Answer 3

Flute and Piccolo.

Horizontally.

Question 4

When playing a flute, you blow …. the mouthpiece.

Answer 4

Across

Question 5

What are flutes made of (currently)?

Answer 5

Metal-nickel, silver, sometimes gold.

Question 6

Piccolo means what in Italian?

Answer 6

Small.

Question 7

True or false;

The piccolo is a standard orchestral instrument.

Answer 7

False;

It is not a standard orchestral instrument? But is used quite often.

Question 8

Clarinet is a single/double reed instrument?

Answer 8

Single.

Question 9

What happens to the reed because of the players breath?

Answer 9

The reed vibrates.

Question 10

The clarinet is a …… instrument.

Answer 10

Transposing.

Question 11

The clarinet is pitched in …. or …..

Answer 11

B flat or A.

Question 12

By how much does a B flat clarinet transpose down?

Answer 12

A tone.

Question 13

By how much does a clarinet in A transpose down?

Answer 13

A minor 3rd.

Question 14

What are clarinets made out of?

Answer 14

Originally wood, but now can be made out of plastic too.

Question 15

What is the clarinet sometimes called?

Answer 15

The liquorice stick.

Question 16

What is a reed?

Answer 16

A flat piece of cane attached to the mouth piece with a metal band (ligature).

Question 17

Is the oboe a transposing instrument?

Answer 17

Nope.

Question 18

What’s special about the oboe’s reed?

Answer 18

It’s a double reed instrument.

Two reeds vibrate together

Question 19

Which instrument does the orchestra tune to?

Answer 19

Oboe.

Question 20

What is the oboe made out of?

Answer 20

Ebony or rosewood.

Question 21

What is the Cor Anglais (English Horn) a larger version of, and how’s it pitched?

Answer 21

It is a larger version of the oboe and is pitched a 5th lower.

Question 22

Is the Cor Anglais a standard instrument in the orchestra?

Answer 22

Nope.

But it’s used in certain works.

Question 23

Name three differences between the Cor Anglias and the oboe.

Answer 23

• The Cor Anglais is longer than the oboe.
• The Cor Anglais has a pear shaped bell.
• The Cor Anglais has a curved reed.

Question 24

What is the lowest of the woodwind instruments?

Answer 24

Bassoon.

Question 25

What type of reed does the bassoon have?

Answer 25

Double reed.

Question 26

Is the bassoon a transposing instrument?

Answer 26

Nope.

Question 27

Name two double reed instruments.

Answer 27

Oboe and bassoon.

Question 28

What does the Italian name for bassoon-fagotto mean?

Answer 28

Bundle of sticks.

Question 29

What is the total length of a bassoon? (the tube is doubled back on itself)

Answer 29

More than 2.4m.

Question 30

What has the bassoon been called?

Answer 30

The “clown of the orchestra.”

Question 31

Which instrument is pitched an octave lower than the bassoon that is rarely found?

Answer 31

Contrabassoon.