From the earliest beginnings of the horn as a primitive tool of man to the sophisticated valve instruments of today, the authors trace the development of the horn and its uses. The hunting horn led to the Waldhorn and thence to the Inventionshorn, Russian horns, and ultimately, the modern French horn. Technical discoveries, such as the law of harmonic series, and the technique of manufacturing long conical metal tubes that could be coiled, are all covered here, as well as curiosities such as the cors omnitoniques. The authors also refer to the key figures involved in the progress of the horn, such as Count Van Sporck, Anton Joseph Hampel, Rudolph, Leutgeb and Punto, as well as modern players such as Dennis Brain and Barry Tuckwell. The growth of the repertoire of works for the horn is also traced, to its culmination in the works of Wagner, Richard Strauss and Hindemith. Kurt Janetzky has played with the Dresden Philharmonic and the East German Radio Symphony Orchestra.