Probably the best one that I’ve encountered is Peter and the Wolf by the Russian composer Serge Prokofiev. I’ve attached a link where the conductor discusses the instrumentation before the concert begins and also has the different instrumentalists demonstrate what their instruments represent in the actual composition in terms of animals and themes. As an oboist, I think all oboists know that our beloved instrument is eternally tethered to the image and sounds of a duck quacking thanks to and compliments of Monsieur Prokofiev. If you remove the oboe reed from the instrument proper and play it, it does seems to give a fair verisimilitude of a duck’s quacking; thus there’s the element of humbling truth to it. I even ran into a crossword puzzle last week that had as its clue, “instrument that’s a duck”, and of course they meant an oboe. I play several instruments, including clarinet, trumpet, recorder, violin, viola and piano, and I think Prokofiev really did hit portray the essence of these instruments (and all the other orchestra instruments) well in terms of the story of the piece, which is narrated and meant for children. Each instrument has a different personality, not too unlike humans having different personalities, as we can witness revealed in the Myers’ Brigg Personality Inventory. If I were younger and had more time on my hands, I’d write a dissertation that related the “personalities” of the different instruments to human “personalities” so that people could get an insight or indication from the outset about which instrument family they are drawn to the most. For me, it is the woodwinds. For my son, it is the string instruments like violin, cello and guitar, of which he’s actively playing all of them. However, that doesn’t mean I don’t love ALL instruments, and am presently focusing on the viola. It’s just that I seem to have more talent and predilection for the woodwinds. If you’re not a musician already, Peter and the Wolf will increase your awareness and enjoyment of future concerts. I’ve told many older friends that it is “never too late” to learn a new musical instrument. I’m taking my own advice by taking up viola at age 68, and my late mother – who was already a pianist – took up guitar and recorder in her 90s. The great German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche said that “Life without music would be a mistake”, and I think Mr Prokifiev and all who play or listen to his fine composition, no matter their age, would agree.