Principles of Orchestration is the classic treatise by Nikolay Rimsky-Korsakov, the Russian composer renowned as one of history’s great masters of the orchestra. Illustrated throughout with examples from his own scores, it explains the character and capabilities of each instrument and the art of combining them into a rich, balanced ensemble.
Left unfinished at his death and completed by his pupil Maximilian Steinberg, the book has become a standard text studied by composers and arrangers worldwide. Rimsky-Korsakov treats melody, harmony, and tone colour in the orchestra with the authority of a supreme practitioner. It remains one of the most influential and practical guides to orchestral writing ever produced.