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The Story of the Incredible Orchestra: An Introduction to Musical Instruments and the Symphony Orchestra
Have you ever seen an orchestra perform? What are all those different instruments and how do they all play just the right note at just the right time? In this fact-filled and entertaining picture book, Bruce Koscielniak gives us a lively look at the history of the orchestra and all the instruments that make up this wonderful gathering of sound. From the "tooter, strings and beaters" of the 1600s to the keyboard synthesizers of today, this playful exploration follows the developments and trends of music and instruments over the past four hundred years.
40 pages, Hardcover
First published April 24, 2000
About the author
Bruce Koscielniak
13 books4 followersBruce Koscielniak is the author and illustrator of several books for children; he is also a musician who has played the violin and jazz guitar for many years. He lives in the Berkshires region of Massachusetts.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
November 9, 2021
I was pleasantly surprised that these instruments were drawn correctly and the musicians are depicted playing the instruments correctly too. It's so frustrating when illustrators don't take a few seconds to look at what they are depicting, I've noticed this happens the most with musical instruments, Bruce Koscielniak did a good job!
There's a lot to fit in with a book about an orchestra, I would have loved to have seen this bigger, with more pages. A good introduction for a child interested in music.
Read on open library.
There's a lot to fit in with a book about an orchestra, I would have loved to have seen this bigger, with more pages. A good introduction for a child interested in music.
Read on open library.
December 19, 2017
I'm a big fan of E.D Hirsch's Core Knowledge Series. Each grade level book contains a music section. The idea is that your child would become familiar with basic musical concepts as part of their education. And of course, a key component of that is the orchestra.
To facilitate teaching this concept to my children, we read the book The Story of the Incredible Orchestra: An Introduction to Musical Instruments and the Symphony Orchestra by Bruce Koscielniak.
Koscielniak is an author, illustrator, and musician.This book provides the historical development of modern orchestras emphasizing how they changed in size and scope with the introduction of new instruments. For instance, the story begins pre-1600 when there were no orchestras, only small groups of musicians who played string or pipe instruments. Yet, the story develops through modern day where we have large groups of musicians who play woodwind, brass, string, and percussion instruments as well as taking advantage of computer synthesizers. Koscielniak describes how each major evolution in the orchestra resulted from the introduction of a new instrument or the profound genius of a historical composer.
Koscielniak begins his book with the question: "How did this wonderful gathering of sounds made by blowing air, bowing or plucking strings, and beating drums come about?" As he tells the story, Koscielniak illustrates the pages with instruments of the periods and a depiction of what the orchestra would have looked like - both in number and costume.
The orchestra is first noted in 1597 when Giovanni Gabrieli (1557-1612) wrote the Sacre Symphoniae. It then evolves in the Baroque period with the standardization of the violin and the introduction of the oboe. During the Classical period, brass instruments are added to the orchestra as are timpani and pianos. Woodwinds did not take center stage until the Romantic period of the 19th century. Finally in the 1900's, additional percussion instruments are used, jazz emerges, and computers are used to enhance sound.
I personally found the book to be a bit boring. Frankly, I never asked, nor wondered, how the orchestra came to be. I'm more interested in what the orchestra is now and the pieces of music that they perform. However, I can appreciate the historical context and also what can be described as the rapid evolution of the orchestra in less than 500 years.
Koscielniak was obviously able to combine his three passions for writing, illustrating, and music in the creation of this book. But I think tht next time, I might choose a book, such as Story of the Orchestra : Listen While You Learn About the Instruments, the Music and the Composers Who Wrote the Music!by Robert Levine, which provides the reader with a compact disc to listen to music while they learn about the orchestra. And when it comes to an orchestra, it's the music that makes it all worthwhile!
To facilitate teaching this concept to my children, we read the book The Story of the Incredible Orchestra: An Introduction to Musical Instruments and the Symphony Orchestra by Bruce Koscielniak.
Koscielniak is an author, illustrator, and musician.This book provides the historical development of modern orchestras emphasizing how they changed in size and scope with the introduction of new instruments. For instance, the story begins pre-1600 when there were no orchestras, only small groups of musicians who played string or pipe instruments. Yet, the story develops through modern day where we have large groups of musicians who play woodwind, brass, string, and percussion instruments as well as taking advantage of computer synthesizers. Koscielniak describes how each major evolution in the orchestra resulted from the introduction of a new instrument or the profound genius of a historical composer.
Koscielniak begins his book with the question: "How did this wonderful gathering of sounds made by blowing air, bowing or plucking strings, and beating drums come about?" As he tells the story, Koscielniak illustrates the pages with instruments of the periods and a depiction of what the orchestra would have looked like - both in number and costume.
The orchestra is first noted in 1597 when Giovanni Gabrieli (1557-1612) wrote the Sacre Symphoniae. It then evolves in the Baroque period with the standardization of the violin and the introduction of the oboe. During the Classical period, brass instruments are added to the orchestra as are timpani and pianos. Woodwinds did not take center stage until the Romantic period of the 19th century. Finally in the 1900's, additional percussion instruments are used, jazz emerges, and computers are used to enhance sound.
I personally found the book to be a bit boring. Frankly, I never asked, nor wondered, how the orchestra came to be. I'm more interested in what the orchestra is now and the pieces of music that they perform. However, I can appreciate the historical context and also what can be described as the rapid evolution of the orchestra in less than 500 years.
Koscielniak was obviously able to combine his three passions for writing, illustrating, and music in the creation of this book. But I think tht next time, I might choose a book, such as Story of the Orchestra : Listen While You Learn About the Instruments, the Music and the Composers Who Wrote the Music!by Robert Levine, which provides the reader with a compact disc to listen to music while they learn about the orchestra. And when it comes to an orchestra, it's the music that makes it all worthwhile!
May 2, 2015
A little overly ambitious. I would have preferred less expansiveness with a more detail. Some information is dubious: "Viola: A little larger and deeper in tone than the violin" - what does "deeper in tone" mean? Are we talking about timbre? Or pitch? Such terms are not defined. The idea of register is not explained well. A page or two on the basics of sound production and harmonics would have helped.
What else? "Basso continuo" isn't just the bass; it's the chordal (typically keyboard) part as well. Information on the trombone "played with seven fundamental slide positions called pedal notes" is off-base and confused. No mention of the pipe organ. No mention of baritone horn, euphonium, alto horn. Xylophones do not have metal bars. The endpapers are not drawn to scale, so flute, alto flute, and bass flute all appear around the same length. I might quibble that the basset horn doesn't need to appear with the modern woodwinds (E-flat sopranino and E-flat contralto and BB-flat contrabass are far more commonly used).
At least, unlike many picture books, the instruments are drawn accurately and the playing positions are correct.
What else? "Basso continuo" isn't just the bass; it's the chordal (typically keyboard) part as well. Information on the trombone "played with seven fundamental slide positions called pedal notes" is off-base and confused. No mention of the pipe organ. No mention of baritone horn, euphonium, alto horn. Xylophones do not have metal bars. The endpapers are not drawn to scale, so flute, alto flute, and bass flute all appear around the same length. I might quibble that the basset horn doesn't need to appear with the modern woodwinds (E-flat sopranino and E-flat contralto and BB-flat contrabass are far more commonly used).
At least, unlike many picture books, the instruments are drawn accurately and the playing positions are correct.
March 22, 2020
I like the back cover and all of the pictures of instruments.
July 29, 2020
The illustrations are nice but the content is all dry facts with no life or clear flow.
September 4, 2025
I love music-related books!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 22, 2016
This is an informational book about all the different instruments in a symphony orchestra. It tells a brief history of when orchestras were first assembled and chronologically moves through the classical musical periods in history highlighting when certain instruments were invented and added to the orchestra.
I recommend this book for grades 1-4. I would use this book in conjunction with a science unit on sound and vibration. Students could explore how sound is produced in the different types of instruments. Groups could research a different type of instrument and present their finding to the class.
I recommend this book for grades 1-4. I would use this book in conjunction with a science unit on sound and vibration. Students could explore how sound is produced in the different types of instruments. Groups could research a different type of instrument and present their finding to the class.
March 12, 2013
An interesting look at the instruments of the orchestra. Read this as part of my son's education process.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews