Editorial Review
Probably best general book on the subject. Thorough discussion of 57 instruments, technical aspects of writing for each, much else.
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Customer Reviews
The best book on the subject 
2007-05-18
Rimsky-Korsakov said that the best way to learn orchestration is to listen to an orchestra, score in hand. Artistically this is true, but no education can come this way in learning about the instruments that perform them -- their capabilities, difficulty in playing certain passages, and practical ways of composing for them. Forsythe's book deals with the history, design, capabilities, and techniques of performing for each of the instruments, providing an encyclopedic volume that has yet to be parallelled, even after nearly a century. Anyone wishing to learn orchestration will find this indespensible.
Dated, but full of knowledge. 2006-11-24
The book is old, however, the information is great. Lots of references to common instruments, as well as more obscure instruments. (You never know when you will be writing for a serpent!) Definatley a great buy for the money.
A tour of the instruments...but how to combine them? 
2006-06-21
This book is organized as a tour of the many instruments that comprise an orchestra, together with description about how each instrument sounds, and how it might be used. Its primary focus is the instruments, not their arrangement.
My interest was more the latter. I am an amateur, novice composer of short works, working to arrange and orchestrate my own music. I want to understand better when oboes are best used over strings, how strings sections "against" each other are sculpted, when interplay between brass instruments is most appealing, etc.
I respect this man, but his book is not for me.
Excellent book, slightly misleading title... 2006-01-02
This book is superb, very indepth. I bought it, however, thinking it was going to discuss topics such as instrumental combinations, balance of tone, and other concepts more typically associated with 'orchestration'. It turns out, it deals more with the various characteristics and capabilities of each instrument in the orchestra...EXCELLENTLY! Though it could've been titled 'Instrumentation', it is an essential, valuable book. This may not be the definitive 'orchestration' book your looking for, but buy it anyway - you'll be glad you did!
Historical interest 2005-11-24
While Forsythe offers a great deal of depth and detail, much of it I found superfluous unless you are a musicologist, and I am a musicologist. But now my primary interest is orchestrating. The author includes too much historical background on the various instruments, such as the evolution of the horn, which you only need to know if you are analyzing Hadyn symphonies. If you are orchestrating a new symphony, you need to know current instrumental capabilities and practices, and the Forsythe book is now nearly 100 years old. Most of his information remains valid, but how will you know what isn't?
I read this and a few other classics (Berlioz/Strauss, Rimsky, Piston) -- all of which are worthwhile -- before getting some coaching from a composition professor, who recognized that I needed a newer text. He recommended Adler or Kennan. So I bought the fourth edition of Kennan's orchestration book, a good place to start. Continue later with Forsythe and the others once you've acquired the up-to-date basics.
Delightful as it is useful 2003-02-19
Probably best general book on the subject. Thorough discussion of 57 instruments, technical aspects of writing for each, much else.
2001-04-18
I've got a small shelf of orchestration books and this is easily the best of the lot. While it doesn't talk as much about combinations of instruments as Rimsky-Korsakoff's book, it provides detailed and practical information on each of the instruments it covers. Yes, it's old and the state of the art has advanced on some instruments, but that has little impact on just how wonderful this book is.
I'd suggest also picking up Essential Dictionary of Orchestration (The Essential Dictionary Series) by Dave Black and Tom Gerou to fill in some of the gaps on contemporary orchestration.
excellent 2000-05-25
An excellent and authoritative text. There have been some changes in the capabilities of the instruments that are not reflected in the text, and of course it is missing all of the more modern and electronic instruments (this has the same unabridged text as the 1935 edition), but it's still very useful and well-written.
One (small) lack: after reading the section on the harp, I still greatly prefer the standard on that subject, "Harp Scoring" by Stanley Chaloupka, for discussion of composing or orchestrating for the harp.
I feel this book should be in the library of anyone serious about orchestration or composing for an orchestra.
Very Good Read 1999-12-22
I am an amateur orchestrationist and I loved this book. The history of the instruments gave me a greater understanding of each group and their strengths and weaknesses. I hope everyone who has an interest in instrumentation would read and study this book.
Orchestration by Forsythe 1999-12-21
In Los Angeles, among the top composers (Henry Mancini, Jerry Goldsmith to list 2) on the A list, this is THE book. Forsythe covers the subject with characteristic dry British wit, but his referencing is impeccable, including covering specialty instruments (like the Serpent, Wagnerian tubas, and many more) that are simply not covered in the other titles. His explanations are indepth, accurate, and still very usable. If you can only afford one book, get this one.
