The Encyclopedia of Music: Instruments of the Orchestra and the Great Composers

This book gives a very good perspective of western music(although stressing on the classical side even though it is called the The Encyclopedia of Music).There are brief references to other styles of music and music of other cultures.A good buy!

Both my granddaughter and I have played several musical instruments and share a strong bond with music. At fifteen she is ready for a greater understanding of music history and theory, and this book provides it. Too many kids just learn to play in the high school band, then give up music once they leave school. I want music to be part of my granddaughter's life for the rest of her life, and this book is a tool toward that end. (Adult music lovers will enjoy the book, too.)

A big coffee table book with endless superb illustrations and a lot of meaty text. Instruments get as much attention as the history of music itself. One reviewer found minor flaws - a mispelling here and that, a century of musical history covered too quickly. I can't speak to that. I think it's an amazing book to have and browse on any quiet evening.

I am a high school music teacher and I use this book for my music appreciation class. It is extremely accurate and very helpful with instruments, composers, and time periods!

This book is fabulous because of its grasp on very many topics in this very diverse world of music. It begins by defining music and its universal qualities and then tells of the different insturments of ancient cultures and tells of how music was originally structured. I find this book great for people who are well knowledged of music and equally so for those who want to become well knowledged of music. This books massive variety of information is both usefull and informative. It gives thousands of beautiful pictures and offers detailed information on 100s of instruments organized by section. It also gives wonderful descriptions of composers who are grouped by their eras. It gives very informative information on each of the eras (a big plus!). This is a great book that no music lover should be without.