Instruments of the Orchestra

While I'm a decent amateur musician, I see no reason why a person needs formal training or experience to appreciate classical, or really any form of, music. My wife can't sing a note or play an instrument, but she loves music and listens to it all the time.

Hi Aroc, I'm an example of a classical music lover and audiophile who has no formal musical training whatever (totally self-educated through listening and reading), has never learned to play an instrument let alone plya in a group, and cannot read a musical score. Yet I have a passion for classical music of all genre, an extensive classical music collection and attend live classical music concerts regularly.

Also, I enjoy introducing others to classical music and the sounds of different instruments that make up the range and variety found in classical music. I do this with various music selections, have used Howard Hanson's Mercury LPs "The Composer and his orchestra," Britten's "Young Person's Guide..." but a simple resource like the one Texasdave has found has eluded me.
.

Prokofjev Peter and the Wolff also a nice piece with various distinct groups of instruments playing.