How long does it take to read Orchestration?
Cecil Forsyth
Orchestration by Cecil Forsyth takes about 9 hours 43 minutes to read at 250 words a minute.
About 9 hours 43 minutes
A week or two of reading
First published 1914. 530 pages, about 145,750 words.
20 days at 30 minutes a day
Estimate based on 275 words per page.
At other speeds
| Slow, 150 words a minute | 16 hours 12 minutes |
| Average, 250 words a minute | 9 hours 43 minutes |
| Fast, 400 words a minute | 6 hours 4 minutes |
The page count is the median across 13 editions, so your copy may differ. How we calculate.
About the book
Although titled Orchestration, this tome is more instrumentation than orchestration. Forsyth goes into considerable detail with regards to how the different instruments of the orchestra work and what they are capable of, as opposed to how they are used in an orchestral context, which is mostly implied. Copious examples are provided throughout the book from classical repertoire, though given the original publishing date, these do not include anything composed after 1914. Forsyth also includes many instruments rarely composed for, either due to rarity or to obsolescence, such as less common transpositions or antiquated instruments. This thoroughness is appreciated however, as they contribute not just to completeness, but to the overall theory of the various instrument types. Throughout the book, Forsyth speaks in an irreverent tone, especially for the period, and will often discuss at length topics for which he is passionate, especially when he dislikes something. Following the initial printing, he even begrudgingly included an additional chapter on the highland bagpipes, having received a letter from a reader who was offended by their initial exclusion.
Subjects: Classical Music, Instrumentation, Orchestration, Music Theory, Music Composition, Instrumentation and orchestration
