The Washington times., 1935-12-21

article also studied percussion
instruments, including the
drums, tympani, triangle
and cymbals.
This series is acclaimed as
being Of inestimable value to
music lovers, both those al
ready conditioned to an ap-
probation Of Symp h MIC
music and those who wish to
be.
of harp without pedals. outside
of France this type Of harp has
not found many supporters.
The glockenspiel or bells, shown
last Saturday, are made Of steel
bars which are struck with small
malletS and produce a bell-like
tone which is bright and car.
ries through the full orchestra.
A more pretentious form Of the
glockenspiel is found in the
celeste, which is shown above.
The celesta has a keyboard and
action similar to the piano. The
hammers strike steel bars which
have wooden resonatorS. The
reSonators hold the tone longer
than in the case of the bells. The
celesta was first recognized by
Tschaikowsky in 1892 when he
used it in the Sugar Plum Fairy, +"
in the "Nutcracker Suite" The
tinkling sound of the celesta may
be used for variety, but too much
Of it becomes monotonouS.
A more recent development Of
this type of instrument is known
as the vibraphone. The steel bars
are struck with malletS as in the
bells, but there art tubular metal
resonators under each bar. The
resonators have butterfly valves
which are turned slowly by an
electric motor, giving a pleasing
vibrato effect. The vibraphone is
most popular with dance orcheS'
tras and radio stations.
These instruments with the
metal bars give a more precise
tone than the bells which they
initiate. A regularly shaped bell
will sound partial and minor third
tones which do not harmonic well
with the orchestra.
XylOphOne
The xylophone uses wooden bars
instead Of metal to produce the
various tones. The tones of the
xylophone are not so bright as
those Of the metal bar instru'
ments; the tone is more weird and
sombre. In Saint-Saens' "DanSe
Macabre," the xylophone Is used
to initiate the rattling Of bones in
the graveyard.
The xylophone has the bars ar
ranged in the same order as the
keys of the piano, organ or the
bars of the glockenspiel. There
are metal tubular resonators un'
der each bar. In the case OF the
marimba, the resonatorS are made
of wood with the lower hole GOV.
cred with a small parchment like
a drum head.
The glockenSpiel Is seldom made
with a range greater than two and
one-half octaveS. The celesta is
four octaves. The xylophone and
marimba may be built in different
sizes from two and one'haH oc'
taves to five octaveS.
Chimes
The tubular chimes, made Of
varying lengths Of brass pipes,
are used to initiate large bells.
They are from two to five feet
in length, the tops closed and the
bottoms open. The chimes are
hung by gut strings from q frame
and are struck with q mallet at
the top.
The harmonium, in a case SINH
lar to that of the celeste, is moth
ing more than a high;grade parlor
organ. The bellows supplying the
air are pumped by the feet Of the
players. Occasionally full pipe
organ may be used with the
orchestra.
More often the piano is used,
especially by soloists with orches-
tral accompaniment. The harp is
used more than the piano In regu-
lar symphony scores, although the
latter is sometimes used in the
absence Of the harp.
While the harmonium and pipe
organ can hardly be classed with
the percussion instruments, the
piano and harp are frequently in.
cluded by conductors and COM
poserS in this category.
AS intimated at the outset,
various composers may call for
almost any type of noise-making
device in order to produce some
special effect. The instruments
named in this series are practi-
cally all that are in common use.
The next and final instalment
will consider the manner in which
a conductor plays upon the or.