Symphony No. 4 (Shostakovich) - Orchestration

Orchestration

Shostakovich uses an immense orchestra in this work, requiring well over one hundred musicians. This, combined with the extreme technical and emotional demands placed on the performers, makes the Symphony No. 4 among his least-performed scores, yet it ranks as one of his most important and personal works.

It is scored for the following instruments:

Woodwind: 2 Piccolos; 4 Flutes; 4 Oboes (4th doubling on Cor anglais); 1 E-flat clarinet; 4 Clarinets; 1 Bass clarinet; 3 Bassoons; 1 Contrabassoon

Strings: 2 Harps; 16-20 1st Violins; 14-18 2nd Violins; 12-16 Violas; 12-16 Violoncellos; 10-14 Double basses

Keyboard: Celesta

Brass: 8 Horns; 4 Trumpets; 3 Trombones; 2 Tubas

Percussion: 6 Timpani (two players); Bass drum; Snare drum; Cymbals (crash and suspended); Triangle; Wood block; Castanets; Tam-tam; Xylophone; Glockenspiel

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