The Catechism of Musical Instruments while dealing primarily with the compass the technical
possibilities and the aesthetic effects of the single instruments concerns itself also with
the more important and usual combinations of instruments into special contrasting groups
(strings wood wind brass) and makes occasional references to the role these groups as well
as the single instruments play in the Orchestra and the Ensemble. It is thus the subtitle Guide
to Instrumentation is justified. If therefore in the present little volume I give a special
introduction to Instrumentation a few explanatory remarks may be required. In the first
instance then it is easy to see that the fundamental difference of arrangement the diversity
in the starting point and in the total treatment of the material makes this book a kind of
practical application and proof of the former. [...] Reprint of the great work by Hugo Riemann
initally published in 1900.
