Reprint of the 1925 edition with some corrections.  This well-known study by an eminent musicologist constitutes one of the best mid-level explorations of the nature and function of the orchestra.  Tracing the beginnings of modern music from the seventeenth through early twentieth centuries, the survey presents forty-four musical excerpts and thirteen sketches of instruments, plus appendices and quotations related to conducting methods.  Featured composers include Purcell, Scarlatti, Bach, Handel, Gluck, Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert, Berlioz, Wagner, Debussy, Elgar, and many others.  Paperback, 360 p.