The clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1883-1888, 1886-07-14
TRICK INSTRUMENTS.
Ingenious Devices to Meet the Require
ments of the Modern Stage.


The requirements of modern operetta.
musical extravaganza, and such pieces
as are advertised TO be "a nonsensically
musical whimsicality' have BROUGHT
many strange musical instruments into
use Trick instruments" would be a
better name for some of the curious in
ventions shown to Brooklyn Union re-
porter recently in the orchestra room of
a theater by Simon Davis. the drummer
of the orchestra.
Mr. Davis, although called the drum
mer to distinguish him. might be termed
with equal justice one of twenty-five or
thirty other names, for he PLAYS and
operates that many instruments besides
the drums. There is something of
trick even about the bass drum PLAYING.
Tor it is operated by pedal which with
one action plays the cymbals at the
same time, leaving the operators hands
free to use any other instrument which
the music or the action on the stage
may require.
One of the instruments which Davis
plays is commonly called the bells, or
orchestra bells; in Germany called the
''plockenspiel. 1t consists of a number
of short bars of steel resting on straw
ropes. The bars are played upon by
short hammers, the metals of which are
connected with the wood handles by
whalebone. The full chromatic scale,
two and half octaves. ara represented
by the bars, which are toned by size
The instrument most like the bells is
the xylophone, which consists of a
number of pieces of wood strung to-
h d.
ropes of straw. The method of tuning
a xylophone is curious. If a note be
flat it is corrected in tone by having a
section sawed off; if sharp, it is notched
on the under side by saw cut.
The anvils in an orchestra are far
from being such as smiths play upon by
the side OF forge, though their tones
are remarkably like those of the real
article. The anvil which Mr.. Davis has
are two pieces of hemi-octagonal brass.
hollow. and about eight inches long.
Hemi-octagonal may not be the scien-
titic term for describing a tube which
would be octagonal if alike on both
sides, but which looks as if it had been
octagonal and sliced down its length
and the flat side covered over. That
is what they are. They are contained
in little plush-lined case, and might
be carried in an overcoat pocket, but
when struck with little hammer give
out sound ike an anvil 1t tells
story of the times that there has been so
much music written of late relating to
champagne drinking that instruments
have been devised and patented to
initiate the pop of champagne cork.
Mr. Davis has two such instruments.
One is a simple wooden cylinder. piston
working in one end and captive cork
in the other. 1t is as simple as boys
popgun, but the sound has a S5-a-bottle
bang that is most captivating. The
second pop imitator, recently invented.
can be worked more rapidly and made
to initiate the sound around a race
course bar just after the field has won
against long odds. This is a long
brass cylinder, the piston running
through the cork and having bolt on
that end to prevent the cork from flying
off and hitting the ringer in the eye.
The piston, pushed in rapidly, causes a
deceptive pop" and beng as rapidly
pushed back, plugs the cork tight in
again ready for another bottle, which
action can be kept up faster than the
thirstiest crowd could cut the wire.
The crack of a whip is a noise that is
heard under very different circum-
stances on the stage. 1t may a chorus
describing rollicking sleigh-ride,
Lady Gay Spanker, who emphasizes
story with a flourish of whip. or the
overseer in Uncle Toms Cabin
Whatever the occasion the man sitting
at the end of the orchestra supplies the
''crack." Mr.. Davis does this with
little instrument that looks like a big
razor-strap split down the handle. and
there hinged. 1t is worked with one
hand. for very frequently. at the same
time, sleigh-bells must be heard, and
the other hand is employed in shaking
belt of silver bells right merrily.
The castenets used in the orchestra
are not played, as by the dancers in the
palms of the hands, but are fastened
1.-TWO pairs) on a fan-shaped piece of
castenet player who could get more
rattling out of the genuine article than
does the drummer with this prosaic
cedar fan waved with one hand while
the other rattles and raps tambourine.
When, in sensational play or bur-
lesque, or orchestra number, the sound
of a locomotive should be heard, the
drummer turns to his assortment of
trick instruments and selects three.
The first represents the whizz and whirr
and puff and snort and rattle. 1t con-
sists of an arch of sheet-iron, the ends
of which are rolled in under the arch.
making two supports for it to stand
upon. This is played upon by two
bundles of steel wires, fastened at one
end by clasp of tin, and otherwise