What instruments would you expect to hear in a Baroque orchestra and roughly how many players?
The Baroque orchestra consisted principally of the string section (violins, violas, cellos, double basses) with a keyboard instrument (usually harpsichord or organ). You would sometimes hear natural trumpets – particularly the upper register (clarino) in works by Handel and Bach. You would also hear oboes and bassoons doubling the string parts. The maximum size would normally be 30 players, and they were conducted by the keyboard player or the first violinist.
