Introduction
Part I: A Comprehensive Text Every orchestral instrument is described and discussed in detail - its mechanism, range, tone, timbre, techniques and limitations. Informative illustrations, photographs, graphics and musical scores are presented. Period instruments, the predecessors of the modern makes, are discussed in the context of their usage and existence. The combined effects of each ensemble - the string quartet, the woodwind choir, the brass choir and percussion ensemble are presented as unique entities. Part II: What is Orchestration? Beyond instruments, from the mature Baroque to the twentieth century, representative works of the greatest orchestrators are presented, with annotations that analyze and discuss their prominent features. The mystery soon unravels, as the author guides the readers through these timeless works. Instrumental sounds are combined, with melody, harmony, timbre and the composers musical responses to narratives, literary works, pictures, scenes, moods, personal experiences, emotions and a whole range of artistic intentions. A 21st Century Treatise In an age of which information can easily be obtained from the internet, this volume is a treatise for the time. The science and art of music are presented within the progressive chapters which trace the journey of the intriguing musical minds. With quotes of Berlioz, Rimsky Korsakov and several modern writers, this publication is an agglomeration of musical ideas, complete with foreign terms, abbreviations, signs, symbols and glossary of performance directions.