Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-06-06
REALISTIC NOISES.

Instruments for Producing Them in
Thcnfcrs and How They Are Played.
From Pcarson's Weekly.
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 SINH
lar startling novelties. uses some very
queer Instruments. whereby certain sounds
Necessary to the surroundings OF the scene
may be successfully produced.
Take. for instance, the roaring of lion
None of the ordinary brass Instruments
will give this effect. To produce the de-
sired sound a special apparatus must be
used. technically known lion roarer.
Ihis Is a large. trumpet-shaped instru-
ment. usually made of sheet iron. Two
thin tongues of tin run down the middle,
which. when the instrument Is blown. vi
brate and produce excellent counterfeit
OF Hons roar
Instruments which initiate the notes of
birds to be found in most orchestras.
A wooden tube, down the middle of which
runs reed. joined to tin cup. Is used for
Initiating the crow of a cock. The note of
a cuckoo is likewise produced by a reed in
strument; while some short time ago an
ingenious piece OF mechanism was brought
out, WhereOn the notes of lark. linnet and
the tinches could be initiated 20 the life.
70 produce the effect of horse galloping
along road several contrivances exist.
one way. as simple as it Is effective, Is to
take cocoanut shells cut in two and strike
them upon some hard surface: but some or
chestras can boast of specially made in
struments for this purpose. These are
wooden blocks cut into the shape of a
horses hoor, to which real horseshoes are
attached. and this somewhat queer con-
trlFance 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 imi-
tation. we are informed, can be produced
by means of a brass horn with a gradually
narrowing bore, the instrument being fur
nished with finger-holes and played after
the manner of fageoIet
One Of the most ingenious and successful
contriVances for initiating the sound of
putting engine. an effect which, in the prov
inces, invariably brings down the house. Is
as follows: The player holds in each hand
an Implement somewhat like q brick COM
posed Of steel wires. and in order to pro-
duce the puff-puff of a locomotive strikes
d semi-cyiinder of sheet iron with each al
ternately. When the train first starts the
operator strikes slowly, and gradually in
creas@S the pace until when the engine is
supposed 10 have got up steam. he strikes
the cylinder as quickly as he can.
The noise made by the screw of a steam
boat, as we'll the putting of a locomotive
has also been successfully produced by the
aid OF special Instrument. In appearance
this Is something like a large drum. with
this difference. that It's two ends are of
wood. the rest being of parchment, holding
several quarts OF dried peas. This is fitted
TO an axis upon y hIch 1t revolves From
the wooden ends project long pegs. and
the drum revolves the peas strike against
the parchment. thus giving fair imitation
of the sound made by the screw of a steam
boat
As rul;. it is the gentleman in charge
OF the drum. cymbals and triangle to whose
lot II falls to operate upon the above and
similar orchestral curiosties. 1t is true
tnat 1t does not require a vast knowledge
OF music to play the horse-galloper the
puf-puH o. the Hon-roarer yet we are in
formed that 1t IS necessary to practice even
upon these instruments before anything
approaching 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.