The New Grove Dictionary of Musical Instruments 3 volumes Hardcover - 1985

From the publisher

The New Grove Dictionary of Musical Instruments is the definitive guide to over 12,000 musical instruments from around the world. It encompasses western, non-western, and developing-world cultures, and includes classical, folk, and popular music. It also covers instruments of all ages--from the ancient water organ to the synthesizer.
The Dictionary describes each instrument individually and in the context of instrument families. It charts the history, development, musical function, and inter-cultural links of each instrument as well as its construction, performance practice and technique.
The New Grove Dictionary also explores the cultures and societies that have created these instruments and the various non-musical functions of certain instruments.
The New Grove Dictionary of Musical Instruments includes: - Unprecedented coverage of Western musical instruments--from early European instruments, to the development of the organ and the violin, and continuing into the twentieth century with computers and synthesizers - 6,000 articles on non-western developing-world and folk instruments - Detailed catalogs of the world's private and public instrument collections, a survey of forgery, and a study of restoration and maintenance techniques - Articles on performance practice and technique--such as tuning, ornamentation, fingering and improvisation - Biographies of instrument makers--from the Greek inventor Ctesibius to the violin makers of Italy to today's manufacturing giants