Benjamin Britten composed The Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra in 1945, to introduce young people to the instruments of the orchestra. In this new recording by the London Symphony Orchestra, Ben Kingsley guides us through the music, explaining the role of the four families, then, once each instrument has had its turn, the entire orchestra plays a grand finale. To complement the musical guide, the book gives more detailed information about the instruments and their history, with colour photographs and clear fact boxes. There are sections about the history of the symphony orchestra, from its beginnings in the 17th-century to the orchestra of today. It also contains biographies of great composers, as well as information about orchestral groups from around the world.