The orchestra both countered itself and the vocals. The wind ensemble and stringed instruments played in a call and response manner in the absence of vocals, and the low brass and bass played off of the treble instruments, and the music’s up and downbeats were easily felt. The orchestra would accommodate each vocalist. When Papageno sang, the supplementary music was mainly soft chords to provide harmonies to the bass vocals without overpowering him. When the Queen of the Night sang, the higher instruments played the staccato melody to amplify the high notes, and the lower instruments played staccato fills in intervals of once or twice per measure almost as a response to the melody.