New-York tribune., 1896-05-24
REALISTIC NOISES AT TIE THEATRES.
INSTRUMENTS FOR PRODUCING THEM AND HOW
THEY ARE PLAYED.
From Parsons Weekly.

From Pearsons > w cekly
The orchestra attached 10 a theatre which Is In
the habit o. playing realistic drama thus INTRO
ducing upon It's boards steam g engnes s&mps & saCe a
very queer Instruments whereby certain SOUNDS
necessary TO the surroundings OF the scene may be
Take for instance, the roaring Of lion No1s .o OF
To produce the desired sound special apparatu:
mus, be used. technically known as lion r0arer
n,ade of sheet iron. Two thin tongues OF tin run
down the middle. which. when me lnsruments II
blown vbrate and produce an excellent counterfeit
o' rnstrUmSnts which initiate the notes OF birds
down the middle OF which runs reed, joined to a
tin cup is used for initiating the crow OF ID eusn rsad
instrument: while some short time ago an ingenious
piece Of mechanism was brought out @ wnereon M & one
notes Of lark. linnet and the inches could oe i-
To nrodmce the effect Of horse galloping along
road several contrvances exist one way, as
simple as is effective. is to take cocoanut shels
face: but some orchesras can boast Of specially
oo5en blocks cut into the shape OF horses hoof,
70 which real horseshoes are attached. and this
,bn sbnes upon a niece OF marble or stone
one would have thought that the bagppe. with
imitation Yet such is nowise the case very ex-
cellent imitation. We are informed can be pro-
duced by means OF brass horn With graduaany
narrowing bore. the instrument being turnshed
with finger holes and played after the manner or
one of the most ingenious and successful CON
trivances for Initiating the sound OF putting en-.
CINE an effect which. in the provinces, invarlaoly
brings down the house. is as follows: The player
holds in each hand an implement somen hat ike a
brick composed Of steel wires and IN order TO pro
duce the pun pun OF a locomotive strikes semi
cylinder OF sheet-iron with each alternately. When
tho train first starts the operator strikes SLOWLY,
and gradually increases the pace until when the en-
CINE is supposed to have got up steam, ne strikes
The cyltnder quickly az he can.
The noise made by the screw or a steamboat as
well as the putting OF a locomotive. has also been
successfully produced by the aid OF a special in
strument 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 quarts OF dried peas. This is fitted TO an
axis upon which It revoves. From the wooden snds
project long pegs. and the drum revolves the
peas strike against the parchment. mus giving
fair imitation Of the sound made by the screw OF
As a rule It is the gentleman In charge OF the
drum cvn,bals and triangle TO whose lot II falls 10
operate upon The above and similar orchestral curl
osites Ii is rue that It does not require vast
Knowledge of music play the horse gaioper. the
puff- puff or the lon-roarer. yet we are informed
that IL is necessary TO practise even upon these m
strunents before anything approaching efficiency
can be attained Nor is a knowledge OF the instru-
ments alone sufficient for one has not only got 10
know how, but when, to play them.