In A Quiz Last Night The Question Asked Was "what Instruement Does An Orchesta Tune Itself To

[gollob]

The answer given was the oboe yet the majority of the answers given was the first violin. which is correct

[BlackadderV]

Oboe

[Baldric]

An orchestra tunes itself to a very particular frequency, usually 440 hertz, a note known as A 440. The note is played by the oboist, and the rest of the orchestra tunes their instruments to match it. The oboe leads the tuning because of all the instruments, it is least affected by humidity or other weather conditions.

[Baldric]

^^^^^
Taken from

http://www.exploratorium.edu/music/movies/tuning_hi.html

[Tilly2]

I, too, would have sworn it was the first violin.

[The Builder]

"International A", as it's known.

I always find that rather odd if a piano is involved. It's possibly the only instrument that can't be tuned on the spot.

[BlackadderV]

I think that if a piano is involved the oboe tunes to the piano and the rest follow suit.

[jim360]

Most online sources say that it's tuned by the oboe, although the first violinist will lead the tuning -- not by playing his/ her instrument, but by deciding if sections have tuned correctly or not and asking the oboist to play another A if necessary.

[follyfancier]

it is the Oboe
I should know I used to play it

[AlwaysConfused]

Oboe. I used to be first violin, we tuned to the oboe.

[saxy_jag]

It's the oboe because it's the most consistent in tone and is also the most difficult to adjust to tune to other instruments. It plays an A.

The 'lead' first violin (because there's usually more than one on the first violin part) is the one who initiates the 'everybody stand' move when the conductor enters. He/she is also the orchestra 'boss' after the conductor.