The present book is the outgrowth of a fragmentary syllabus for classes that was issued in 1897. It is meant to be distinctly a book of reference for students rather than a literary or critical survey of a few salient aspects of the subject, or a specialist's report of original research. Aiming at a certain degree of encyclopædic fullness, it brings together facts and conclusions from a great variety of sources. Much labor has been expended in grouping the material in such a way as to give a systematic impression of the enormous field in view. In many cases somewhat full lists and summaries of details are given, partly to provide means for easy reference, partly to suggest how multifarious are the facts, and sometimes to indicate upon what sort of data are based the general statements that are offered. At every point an effort is made to emphasize the leading tendencies or movements of musical advance, referring to particular styles and composers as illustrations.
It was originally intended to include fairly exhaustive bibliographies, and a great amount of material was collected; but the magnitude of this branch of the subject precluded its presentation in this volume. In connection with each period in the history, however, a brief statement is made concerning the musical literature of the time, but without any attempt at completeness.
This is not in any sense a history of instruments, but some hints are given of the range and interest of the topic, both by statements in the text and by illustrations of selected specimens. The latter are drawn from the well-known collections of the Metropolitan Museum in New York and of the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor, to the custodians of which the heartiest thanks are due for multiplied courtesies.
