Third, there were two obligato instruments, the pipe used in the duet of the two shepherds, and the "lira" played by Orpheus.

Fourth, there was probably an instrumental accompaniment, at least to the choral parts.
In regard to the choruses, then, we must bear in mind the well established characteristics of the madrigal dramas of the sixteenth century.

In these works the choruses were set to music in the madrigal style and they were frequently of great beauty.

But the Italian madrigal had not been well developed at the time of the production of Poliziano's "Orfeo," while the frottola was the most popular song of the people.
The frottola was a secular song, written in polyphonic style.

The polyphony was simple and the aim of the composition was popularity.