The sun., 1896-07-20
IMIrArIVE s1AGE SOUNDS.
Some OF tho Various Contrivanoeu Used
for Producing Them.
From Pdrsor's Weekly,


The orchestra attache ed to q theatre which Is
in the habit Of playing realistic drama, thus
reducing upon its its boards board. steam engines
ties, uses some very queer Instruments. whereby
certain sounds necessary TO the surroundings Of
None Of the ordinary brass instruments will
a special apparatus must be used. technically
known as "lion-roarer." This is large.
sheet iron. Two thin tongues Of tin run down
the middle. which, when tho instrument is
blown. vibrate and produce an excellent coun-
Instruments which initiate tho notes Of birds
are to be found in most orohestras. A wooden
esU crow Of - cock 4ho note Of CUCKOO is ike
some short time ago. an ingenious piece of
mechanism was brought out whereon tha,n9'-11
Of lark innet and tho nnohes could be =; :
To produce the effect Of horse galloping
way. simple 1t is effective. is to take cocoa
nut shells cut In two. and strike them upon
boast Of specially made instruments for this
shape OF a horses hoof, to which real horse
shoe. are attached. and this somewhat queer
contrivance Is played by striking the shoes upon
piece of mar BILE or stone
One would have thought that the hagplpe.
with all Its horrorsof discordance. might have
escaped imitation. Yet such Is nowlse the case.
very excellent imitation. we are Informed.
can be produced By means Of a brass horn with
a graGually narrowing bore. the instrument be-
ing furnished with finger holes and playe after
tho manner of a tiageolet.
One OF the most ingen ious and successful con-
trivances for initiating the sound OF a pumnR
engine. an effect which, in the provinces, inva-
riRbly brings down the house. Is as follows:
The player holds in each hand an implement
somewhat like brick. composed OF steel wires,
and In order 10 produce the puf-pun of a loco
motive strikes a semi-cyclinder of sheet iron
with each alternately. When the train first
starts the operator strikes slowly, and Rradu-
ally increases the pace until. when the engine 10
Supposed to have got up steam ho strikes the
cylinder rs quickly as he can.
The noise made by tho screw of a steam boat.
rs well AS the putting of q locomotive, has also
been successfully produced by the aid of special
instrument. In appearance this Ia something
like a large drum. with this difference that its
two ends are OF wood, the rest being of parch-
ment holding several quarts of dried peas This
is fitted to an AK Is upon which IL revolves. From
the wooden ends project long pegs. and as the
drum revOlves the peas strike against the parch-
ment thus giving II fair imitation of the sound
made by the screw of a steamboat.
As rule. 1t is the gentleman in charge of the
drum. cymbals, and triangle to whose lot II falls
to operate upon the abuve and similar orchestral
curlosites. II is true that 1t does not require
vast knowledge of music TO play tho horse
Galloper. the pnf-pur or the lion roarer, yet we
informed that II Ia necessary to practise even
upon these instruments before anything ap-
preaching efficiency can be attained Nor is
knowledge OF the instruments alone sufficient,
for one has not only got to know how. but when
to play them.