Why is the oboe used to tune an orchestra? And other questions about tuning, answered

The iconic sound of an orchestra tuning is highly recognisable, even for those who’ve never set foot in a concert hall. Many of us first heard it while watching a Looney Tunes cartoon.

By the 1800s, the size and instrumentation were much like the modern orchestra. An order was added to the tuning ritual, with each ‘family’ of instruments taking its turn to tune with the oboe.