The purpose of this study is to trace the invention and development of a greatly abused instrument, the saxophone, and its use in the symphony orchestra. The first chapter concerns the instrument's invention and acceptance. The second chapter discusses physical characteristics of the saxophone. The third chapter deals with the particular methods of using the saxophone in orchestral literature by various composers, from its use in the nineteenth century through the present. An appendix provides a comprehensive listing of orchestral literature in which the saxophone is utilized.