The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-06-03
REALISTIC NOISES AT THEATERs.
Instruments For Producing Them
and How They Are Played.

The orchestra attached to a theater
which is in the habit of playing realistic
drama, thus introducing upon its boards
steam engines, ships, race horses and sim
liar startling novelties, uses some very
queer instruments whereby Certain sounds
necessary to the surroundings of the scene
may be successfully produced
Take, Tor instance. the roaring of a
lion. None of the ordinary brass instru-
ments viii give this effect. To produce
the desired sound a special apparatus must
be used, technically known as a "Hon
roarer' This is large, trumpet-shaped
instrument, usually made of sheet iron.
Two thin tongues of tin run down the
middle, which, when the instrument is
blown, vibrate and produce an excellent
counterfeit of a lions roar
Instruments which initiate the notes of
birds are to be found in most orchestras.
A wooden tube, down the middle of which
runs reed, Joined to a tin cupis used for
initiating the crow Of a cock. The note
of cuckoo is likewise produced by a reed
instrument; while some short time ago an
ingenious piece of mechanism was brought
out wherein the notes of a lark. linnet
and the hnches could be initiated to the
life.
To produce the effect of a horse. galIcp-
ing along a road several contrivances exist.
one way, is simple as it is effective Is
TO take cocoanut shells cut in two, and
strike them upon some hard surface; but
some orchestras can boast of specially
made instruments for this purpose. These
are wooden blocks cut into the shape Of
a horses hoOt to which real horseshoes
are attached, and this somewhat queer
contrivance is played by striking the shoes
upon piece of marble or stone.
One would have thought that the bag
pipe, with all its horrors of discordance,
might have escaped imitation. Yet such
IS nowise the case. A very excellent irni-
tation, we are informed, can be produced
by means of a brass horn with a gradu-
ally narrowing bore, the instrument be-
ing furnished with finger holes, and play
ed after the manner of a hagolet.
One of the most ingenious and success
full contrivances for initiating the sound
Of putting engine, an effect, which in
the provinces, Invariably bring down the
house, is as follows: The player holds in
each hand an implement somewhat like a
brick, composed of steel wires, and in
order to produce the puff-puf of a locomo-
tive, strikes a semi-cylinder of sheet iron
with each alternately. When the train
first starts the operator strikes slowly
ana gradually increases the pace until
when the engine is supposed to have got
up. steam, he strikes the cylinder as
quickly as he can.
steamboat, as well as the putting of a 10
connective, has also been successfully pro-
IN appearance this is something like a
large drum, with this difference, that its
two ends are of wood, the rest being of
parchment, holding several quaS-s of
which it revOlVes. From the wooden
ends project long pegs, and as the drum
m tne Psas me
paTchmenl, mus ewing Ialr hmltatlon
Of the sound made by the screw of a
steamboat.
AS a rule, it is the gentleman in charge
of the drum, cymbals and triangles TO
whose lot it falls TO operate upon the
above and similar orchestral curiosities
1t is true that it does not require a vast
knowledge. of music to play the horse
ganoper, the puff-puff, or the lion-roarer,
yet we are informed that it is necessary
to practice even upon these instruments
before aDDrOaGllDg ef1ctenCV
can be attained. Nor is a knowledge Of
the instruments alone sufficient for one
has not only got to know how. but when.
to play them.