In this book, the author explains how composers have used the orchestra to express every mood, from the most sublime to the most witty, showing how they have blended its tones and extended its capabilities, from the earliest groupings of instruments, through the flowering of the concerto grosso under Bach and Handel, to the growth of the modern symphony orchestra. Having introduced the instruments and discussed their history, range and uses, Antony Hopkins guides the reader through well-known pieces of orchestral music by Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert, Berlioz, Tchaikovsky, Debussy and Britten.