... and bassoons were used a lot, but the other woodwind instruments were developed later. The clarinet appeared later still, at the beginning of the 18th century. It was not used much until Mozart realised its possibilities, and wrote his clarinet quintet and concerto. Brass instruments date back to beyond the Middle Ages, but animal horns being blown in pre-historic times were really the first 'brass' instruments. Today the brass family consists mainly of trumpets, French horns and trombones. There are other brass instruments which are not often found in the orchestra, but make up part of a brass band, such as the tuba, euphonium, and cornet. All of these instruments now use a system of valves and tubing to achieve their different notes, except the trombone, which has a slide. On any brass instrument the player can play several notes (harmonics) just by altering the shape of his lips. By making ...

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