Widor-Technique of Modern Orchestration

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THE

TGCHDJQUe OF THE

MODERN 0PGHESTRfl A

^O-4-JJ

-OF

Practical Instru

TRANSLATED BY

6dward Suddard 'iNET

Copyright 1906

L

JOSEPH

tiy

Jnspph

Vi/illiama.Ltd.

ON DON.

WILLIAMS.I.IMITE.O,

32.GREAT PORTLAND STREET.

HENRY LEMOINE&C'"

ED.

NtW VORK SCHUBERTHiCO

Mr 70

Ill

DEDICATED TO

SIR

ALEXANDER

C.

MACKENZIE,

Principal of the Royal

J.

Mus.

D.,

Academy of

W. Iii>fi7.

LL.

D.,

Music.

D. C. L.

IV

Any

reader coming- across

a.

mistake, either in Hit tfxt or in the musical examples, will

greatly oblige by communicating

tm'ih

the translnin-r:

London H

r .

E. Suddard, 32, Great Portland St.

Preface.

years the mechanism of most instruments has been materially improved, and, concurrently, the orchestral palette has been enriched with a variety of tone -color formerly unknown. Hence the necessi-

Within the

ty for a ments:

last fifty

new manual

their

setting forth the present 1

compass and

state of orchestral

capabilities.

Characteristic features of the present book are the

Shakes and Tremolos Quadruple Stops

for the

works on Instrumentation. manual will fully meet the

Strings.

We

of Double. and Triple, has always seemed to us that

It

somewhat too summary a manner venture to think the

tion

Organ

in most

lists contained in this

requirements of the student, and

casionally be of service to the accomplished the

Complete Lists of

Woodwind, and

for the

these matters are dealt with in

To

instru-

may

even oc-

composer.

a special section has been devoted, in which, not to men-

a few hints that

may prove

useful

to

deavored to give such information as will

organ -builders, we have be of assistance to

en-

musicians

wishing to write for the Organ and Orchestra combined.

CH-M. WIDOR.

J. VT.

14267.

VII

Contents.

PAGES.

CHAPTER i. THE WOODWIND The FLUTE List of Shakes and Tremolos

PAGES.

The The

11

...

Transposing Flutes

NATURAL TRUMPET. ... VALVE -TRUMPET

66 67

15

List of Shakes

71

18

Muted Trumpets

71

The

TRUMPET CORNET A PISTONS .... TROMBONES TENOR TROMBONE BASS TROMBONE CONTRABASS TROMBONE SAXHORNS SOPRANINO SAXHORN ... SOPRANO SAXHORN .... ALTO SAXHORN BARYTONE SAXHORN. ... BASS - TUBA BOMBARDON

The

CONTRABASS -TUBA

The

PICCOLO

19

The BASS

73

The

OBOE

20

The

75

.23

The

26

The

List of Shakes and Tremolos

The OBOE

.

.

D'AMORE

The

COR ANGLAIS

26

The

The

BARYTONE OBOE CLARINET

27

The

29

The

34

The

37

The

The

List of Shakes and Tremolos.

The

The

...

ALTO CLARINET SMALL CLARINET

The

CLARINET BASSOON

The BASS

37

The

39

The 45

List of Shakes

......

The

BASSON-QUINTE

The

DOUBLE -BASSOON. SARRUSOPHONE

The

The

37

n.

49 50

THE BRASS INSTRUMENTS

The Theory of their Tone-Produc -

The

90 91

92 92 93

93

94 96 96

MENTS The

KETTLE-DRUMS SIDE DRUM

98 106

Muffled Drums

108

TENOR DRUM 108 The TAMBOURINE 109 The TABOR 109 The TRIANGLE no CASTANETS The CYMBALS ......... 113 ANCIENT CYMBALS 117 The

-tion The

87

CHAPTER m. THE PERCUSSION INSTRU-

The

CHAPTER

....

78

47

47

Shakes

.

78

51

NATURAL HORN VALVE -HORN. .......

55

57

Muted and Overblown Notes .... 58 Shakes.

61

The Horn in the Orchestra

63

J.

W. 14267.

.

.

m

.

.

vm PAGES.

PAGES.

The BASS

DRUM

117

The VIOLONCELLO.

175

The

GONG

121

Thumb

The

GLOCKENSPIEL

122

Pizzicato

177

The

CELESTA

123

Double Stops

178

The

XYLOPHONE

123

Triple Stops

179

124

Quadruple Stops

180

Bowing's

181

Harmonics

181

BELLS

CHAPTER

iv.

176

Positions

The

SAXOPHONES SOPRANO SAXOPHONE ALTO SAXOPHONE TENOR SAXOPHONE BARYTONE SAXOPHONE

The

HARP

128

Harmonics

188

Glissandos

129

Bowings

189

Harmonics

132

Runs

189

The ORGAN.

139

The The

The The

.

.

CHAPTER

v.

.

The Violoncello

125 .

.126

The

in the Orchestra

.

.

DOUBLE-BASS

184

126

Tremolos

186

.

.

126

Pizzicato

187

.

.

127

Double Stops

187

THE STRINGS

The

MUTE

190

The

BRIDGE BACK OF THE BOW.

190

The

.

.

.

.

VIOLIN

148

Double Stops

150

expressions used in connection with

151

the Strings

The

Triple and Quadruple Stops

...

List of French^ Italian, and

191

158

Compass of

Bowings

161

Shakes possible on Woodwind

Pizzicato

163

-struments.

VIOLA

166

Harmonics possible on Stringed

Double

167

Stops.

Triple and Quadruple Stops.

...

the various instruments. 192 In-

194 In-

195

-struments

168

Use of Double Stops in the Orchestra

Harmonics

174

List of

Bowings

174

CONCLUSION

APPENDIX TO CHAPTER

iv.

Note on the origin of the Swell, Pedal -board, Manuals, and Stops of the

200

Organ J.

w. 14*67.

196

196 .

.

199

Harp

.

Modern Composers

Further remarks concerning the employment of homophonio strings on the

191

German

Harmonics

The

182

197

IX

Order of

Chapters

In the present work, the order in which the instruments are usually ar-

ranged in orchestral scores has been followed, beginning with the

most

acute -toned:

(CHAPTER

Then, after

/)

a-

^

FLUTES,

(Piccolo)

OBOES,

(Cor Anglais)

CLARINETS, (Bass clarinet) (Double -Bassoon) BASSOONS, SARRUSOPHONE,

short Theory of the tone-production of Brass Instruments,

the following are dealt with:

HORNS, \ TRUMPETS, \ /

(CHAPTER

77)

^^^

(

TUBAS,

(Cornets a Pistons)

(Saxhorns)

Next come

(CHAPTER in) Then,

The PERCUSSION

so to speak, in parentheses,

The

The

SAXOPHONES, HARP, ORGAN,

The

STRINGS.

(

(CHAPTER IV)

The j

(

And

INSTRUMENTS,

lastly,

(CHAPTER v)

J.

W. 14267.

X

Memento. The velocity of sound is about 1100 f* per second. The deepest tone we are able to perceive is produced by a 64 ft pipe (Organs of St Louis, U. S. A., and Sydney, Australia, in which the low C=8 vibrations per second).

A

64

_ _

32

fl

pipe corresponds to 8 vibrations per second.

16

An

8

A _

4 2

_

_ _ _ _ _ _

_ _ _ _ _ _

1

_ _ _ _ _ _

16

32 64 129

258 517

The low C which the Double-bass ought to be able obtained on some recently constructed

instruments)

Double C on the Violoncello

C on

Tenor

Viola

the

(Standard French Pitch

\_Diapason

to produce

(and which can be

is

equivalent to a 16 ft pipe.

is

equivalent to an 8

fl

pipe.

is

equivalent to

a 4

ft

pipe.

Normal]

=435

vibrations).

The most acute tones perceptible to the ear are produced by 15,000, vibrations, and even more.

20,000,

30,000

Timbre (Quality or Color of Tone Klangfarbe) depends on the manner in which the column of air is set in motion, rather than on the material of which the instrument is made.

In the case of the

mines the mode the mouthpiece

depth, as

which, the air

of the Trumpet

set

is

mouthpiece, to a great extent, deter-

motion.

in

Compare

with that of the Horn;

these

the little cup which forms

two cups

are, in respect of

Cavalry Trumpet;

the deeper the cup of the

the tone,

as

Horn, the mellower

timbre. It

is

only possible to sound the various harmonics

ments, provided there tube. the

instruments, the

1:2, and the shallower the cup of the Trumpet, the shriller

be seen by the

may its

in

brass

If

is

a suitable

ratio

the diameter is too small

high and low

on brass instru-

between the diameter and the length

the tube too

narrow

it

is

impossibe

to

of

the

obtain

fundamental tone.

The subdivision of the column of fifths,

sixths,

etc...

air contained in a pipe

into halves, thirds, fourths,

(harmonics), corresponds to the subdivision of a string into the same

aliquot parts.

J.

w. 14267.

;

11

I.

Chapter *

The Woodwind.

THE FLUTE* (Ital.,

1.

Flauto.

The three- octave chromatic scale

Some

of the

players are able to sound a few

ceptional,

Ger, Flute.

still

and music should be written not

Fr, Flute)

embracing 37 degrees, extends from

Flute,

higher notes, even reaching

few out

for a

of the

El>; this,

however,

way virtuosi, but

is

quite

ex-

for the ordinary

run of performers.

The scale

of the

Flute

is

the player to take any special care:

at will, without requiring

Piano

the first 35 notes can be attacked and sustained./brfe or

fairly even;

PP

J? The 36th and 37\h degrees can only be produced

8

1st

too

Remark.is

V

l^^l

excellent forte.

36 37

In case of need, the 36tl? degree can be played piano by some performers, but this

As

exceptional.

2nd Remark:

for the

37t2?

degree,

is

it

perfectly impossible to obtain

it

piano.

All intervals can be played leg-ato on the Flute, save two:

Dangerous; piano e legato

impossible.

By saying that

this

scale

is

The E

Jfci "'

*~y *)

2-

A '

*L

Impossible piano

with some difficulty, and are inevitably harsh:

fairly

"-~

even,

I

I

,

mean

harsh.

is

I

that the composer

degrees as being sufficiently in tune with the others, and defects of a few of the notes.

need

not

may consider each

trouble

to

think

of

about

its

the

* L

3.

These defective

The three Cs flat. D!>

notes are eight

(NJ 2,6,8)

tent

4.

in

hardly concern

(fo

sharp,

emission,

L

j

(N?

El>

and

Ns

1),

4,5,7

on the other hand,

rather

are difficult to attack.

anyone but the performer, whose

talent to a

great ex-

corrects them.

Flute

Although the

eorsi.vuently

those

excels

the execution of florid passages,

in

whose signatures contain few sharps or

*The Boehm Flute with

*

number:

are somewhat too

(N9 3) requires special care

However, these defects

in

flats

*

~

descending:

Copyright 19O6

l>y

yet

cylindrical bore, adopted nowadays by most performers,

Avoid, however, the tonics D,E[>,Es aspiyots of ra-pid arpeggios,

especially

*,

and

:

'

'

Joseph Williams, Ltd.

J.

\v.

14267.

its favorite

keys are

when called upon to is

alone referred to here.

the following intervals being difficult,

THE FLUTE.

ern compositions afford sufficient proof.

Dk

Of this several charming modlikewise an excellent key, as may be seen by the

breathe forth a sweet, loving melody, no key suits A!? is

better than

it

for following example, which also illustrates another point calling

Andan-te

We

comment.

C pianissimo, so sweet and pure that it would seem Flute, despite the remark made above (3):

finishing on a

the best notes of the

here

see

an

be

one

of

to

Andante.

-/>/> (Widor, Conte d'Avril)

(By kind permission

The reason

is

C

that this final

not obtained

is

F fingering

case makes use of the

of Heugel et CSS, Editeurs-Proprietaires).

in

the usual manner.

The performer

in

this

(inferior twelfth), the pressure of the lips producing the third

upper partial, like the finger on a violin-string.

The only harmonics

5.

are

employed

the

following:

1

-'

fundamentals

the

being

the

14 degrees

first

of

the

soale:

i

is

It

impossible

to

obtain

higher notes.

any

As Gevaert very judiciously remarks

6:

in

his

Treatise on Instrumentation:"W\\en a Flute

doubles a melody assigned to a Soprano, or to a wind is an octave above the voice."

When an

organist

wishes to brighten the tone of a group of

which merely strengthens the harmonics a transposition in the octave. Likewise, the office of the Flute

monic

of the

instrument of

in

Oboe or the Clarinet.

of the

8ft. stops,

like -pitch,

8ft. stops,

without at

all

the orchestra frequently consists If,

in

a group of wind

in

its

natural position

he adds a 4ft. flute-stop,

creating the impression of

reinforcing the first har-

instruments, the Flutes doubling the up-

be suddenly suppressed, everything will immediately become dull and gloom); and weak; yet on reading the score, the Flutes would seem to be perfectly needless desperately poor

per parts

luxury,

in

mere

the octave

filling-up.

Articulation. Tonguing" is to wind instruments what bowing is to stringed instruments. Flute-players make use of three kinds of tonguing, which they call single, double, znA triple

7.

articulation.

Single -articulation

is

obtained by pronouncing the consonant t (as in "tut!"). It is with maximum strength of tone and greatest intensity of color are ob-

this species of tonguing that the

tained; c

,

.

it

corresponds to detached bowing on the Violin:

,

single -articulation:

f,

Andantino.

.

^*^T^==="

{t

"

t

*

l

^j

i

J

I

= J-W. 145J67.

13

THE FLUTE. However, great speed cannot be attained to

make use

of other, so to speak,

in this manner. In florid passages the performer has mechanical means, allowing of neither the same intensity of

tone, nor liberty of expression. In

such cases

double -tonguing,

he resorts to

alternately articulating the consonants t and

k, or to triple -tonguing, which involves the use of the three letters t(ut),

8.

mer

i.

e.

t

As an instance

Night's

k

t

t,

as

in

t(ut),

c(ut\

and k are pronounced according to the phonetic system.

of

double -tonguing, let

us take the Scherzo of

Mendelssohn's

Midsum-

Dream;

Single -articulation would

not, considering the

rate of movement, allow of producing

the

lower notes; so they are played as follows: Vivace.

Double - tonguing:

"

-gr

*

was written quires G in altissimo). instrument

This

The compass

2.

comprising tense, their

lone

the

not

is

modern

of

whole

the

of

varying

shades

becoming

thin

still

Oboe

of

be found

to

Beethoven,

in

Oboe, and,

French Oboe

Siegfried, Wagner quite

difficult,

others

to

from joy to sorrow,

and losing something

from

is

attack

exceptionally

their

idyllthe two highest degrees a-

-

J-

as to

Ctf

and

sustain, either

Highest.

r-

f

or

#fi

ft

D in alt} are

piano

inall

timbre:

Medium. m

'

re-

to

w

from tragedy to

of

J

(save two:

degrees

Schu-

homogeneous timbre, the lower ones being admirably medium register capable of expressing the human feelings in

Registers of the Oboe:

as easy

Weber,

impossible:

Upper.

the

most Ger-

tolerably

Low.

All

In

compass:

some shakes are

perfect;

of the

34 notes

for the

f

one

well

,=

r

in

tune,

flexible,

clear,

and

forte.

*.

Remark: point ly

The two notes

of quality,

but

referred to above

they are difficult

(CK and D) attack

to

are not inferior to the

suddenly,

very difficult tremolos:

i (to be avoided)

J.

W. 14267.

as, for

others

in

instance, in these two real-

21

THE OBOE.

Articulation. 3.

Oboe

The

a melodic

is

Flute.

from the

instrument,

the reed

Flute

not being capable of any great execution; it slower of speech than the mouthpiece of the

in

being "Tristesse de Rome'o" the very characteristic, pathetic wail, which, slowreaches its maximum intensity on the vibrating sonorous E in alt:

V.

in

rising,

ly

differs

the

Larg/ietto espressiro.

,

4.

being

The

Oboe exclusively employs single -articulation,

made use

tonguing, and 5. in

It

!s

of.

Double -tonguing

advisable

whichever register

not it

give a

impossible

iteration

rapid

to require the

Oboe

of

the

for the

the

same

to articulate

in

letter

is

(as

in

likewise

Oboe; note

t

beyond

quicker

its

tempo

p.

36)

"tut")

triplepower.

than

J:120,

be playing:

may (J

We now

any

consequently

is

Rome'o et Juliette,

=

120)

few examples from

Professor Georges Gillet for the use

W. Ferling's Etudes, with metronomic rates fixed by of his pupils

at the

Conservatoire:

*

*--

^_^

(By kind permission

And here follow three examples of speeds exceeding to their alternately legato and staccato character, the pensated for by the easy nature of the following bar: J.

W. 14267.

of Costallat ft ClS, Editeurs-Proprietsires.)

120, which are possible, thanks difficulties of one bar being com-

=

THE OBOE.

(J

r

140)

(J

=

156)

-if

~

I_L_J_

P-|

1

W

_J

W

(very difficult.)

The

last

bar, with

its

wide skips,

is

extremely

Slurred 6.

Ascending

ones, All

intervals

are,

difficult

Notes.

speaking,

generally

to play.

more easily slurred

than

descending

more easily contracted than distended. octave skips can thus be slurred, from middle C to E, a tenth above. the

lips

being

Vivo.

The same slurs would be much more awkard descending, as which is dangerous beyond 120:

Or this one,

impossible

in

the following

passage,

beyond 112:

(very difficult.)

On the other hand, here cluding not

very

cadence. great,

Despite

passage, with a very expressive conthe quick rate of movement, the difficulty of execution is here is

a perfectly

because this cadence

practicable

allows the lips time to prepare for the wide skip:

Vivo.

J.

W, 14267.

THE OBOE.

Length of Breath. 7.

timbre

intensity and

in

to all the other

woodwind

instruments, possessed of such carrying -power that it formerly constituted the main element in military bands, while if we once fix our attention on it in a modern orchestra we can finally hear nothing else, unrivalled as regards the ease with which it can swell and diminish its tone, the Oboe moreover

Superior

excels

comsumes

and

oboists

selves

all

far

it

less

defeated,

their

more convincing,

examples

alone,

of

the

the

Prelude

to

length of the

among the woodwind

them-

would soon

be compelled to acknowledge long before that of their rivals.

wind -supply being exhausted

Second Concerto, and

formance, on account

Oboe

these latter players

flautists,

There are few del's

congeners in sustaining-power. Despite the strength of its vibrations, it wind than the Flute, for example. If a competition were started between

in

the

this

of

than

the

Tannhauser,

Largo

of

so difficult of

Hanper-

and the impossibility of taking breath. The

phrase

instruments,

connection,

3C^ act

is

equal

to

the task.

Shakes and Tremolos. 8.

Nowadays

all

major and minor shakes can be executed on the French Oboe, from:

to

Every

modern French Oboe allows

of

finishing

off

a shake

on the lowest

semitone above) with a turn, but this was formerly impossible! ^fc_ 1g

^^

Bt|,

j

J

or on .

nowadays quite easy

Complete List of Shakes and Tremolos. +

+

etc...

All tremolos possible up to the octave.

etc...

etc...

All tremolos possible up to the octave.

All tremolos possible up to the octave.

J.

W. 14267.

C

(a

THE OBOE. All tremolos possible up to the octave, except:

etc...

diffcult.

etc...

etc...

All tremolos possible up to the octave.

All tremolos possible up to the octave.

All tremolos possible up to the octave.

etc...

an excellent shake.

All tremolos possible exce pt:

c fc

up

to the. octave,

possible in moderate

risky.

tempo. All tremolos possible up

etc...

etc...

\a

c-- -

etc...

(Y) Nowadays an excellent shake.

to the octave.

All tremolos possible up to the octave.

All tremolos possible except: up to the octave,

~ difficult.

very

difficult.

All tremolos possible up to the octave.

etc...

This tremolo can etc...

All tremolos possible up

to

be executed by means

the octave,

of cross -fingering.

...

^

Nowadays an excellent shake.

All tremolos possible up to the octave.

(#)

All tremolos possible *

*

it.,,

L

T

^

All tremolos possible except: up to the octave,

excellent on

^-^--(^ Risky

except:

and

rather heavy,

modern French Oboe. jf)

difficult.

(*)

(*) Risky notes. etc...

up

;...

to:

up

to:

up

to:

:

as well as all above.

very

difficult,

very

difficult, as well as all above.

(y) Nowadays excellent shake. very difficulties well as all above.

an

df -

etc...

very difficult^ as well as

J.W. 14267.

all

above

.

note.

THE OBOE.

25

Very

difficult,

very

difficult, as

well as all above.

difficult, as well as all above.

Very difficult beyond, but

is

possible with special fingering.

Very difficult beyond, but shake is executed by (*)This

is

possible with special fingering.

means of

a special key.

Impossible beyond,

~ difficult.

?_ ^

Impossible beyond.

Impossible beyond.

Impossible beyond.

Impossible beyond.

9.

Some

working

sixty years

upon the

was ingeniously perfected by Triebert (of Paris \ the Covent Garden a soloist in orchestra; despite Barret,

ago, the Oboe

suggestions

of

these improvements, however, true of intonation. Our modern

all

many shakes were instrument,

still

constructed

impossible, and others in

accordance

with

the

not

quite

views

of

Georges Gillet, is perfect as regards truth of intonation, and allows of executing all shakes, major and minor, throughout its entire compass, up to F, either piano or forte. 10r

AUTHORS AND WORKS TO BE CONSULTED:

Bach (Cantatas)-, Mozart (Quartet); Handel Beethoven (Trio, Quintet); Schumann, Dvorak (Pieces);

(Concertos, Trios, Sonata); Theodore Dubois (Pieces en canon, Hautbois, Violoncelle); Pieces by Paladilhe, Busser, Ferling, Vogt

etc.

Transposing Oboes. 11.

To

the Oboe

Anglais, and

family belong

three transposing

the Barytone Oboe.

J.

W.

14267.

instruments:

the

Oboe d'amore, the Cor

26

THE

OBOE.

The Oboe d'amore. This instrument

12

lower

pitch than the standard instrument,

in

its

from

is

compass

a minor third

is

to

w

sounding:

(The low

Bt> is

wanting).

f

r-

homogeneous quality, why is it not habitually used in our orchestras? To the Oboe d'amore Bach assigns his most pathetic cantilenas; for mezzoforte effects nothing can equal the charm of the upper register: Remarkable as

for its

is

it

(Actual sounds)

i

Each time the the

the

instrument

a

skips by

sixth

to

the accented beat,

in

sedes.Afass in

B

the last three

minor.)

bars

of

See also, in the same example quoted above, the effect is truly exquisite. Mass, Bass air: Et in spirit um sanctum, accompanied by two Oboi d'amore. In this

connection

the Magnificat,

same mechanism

and

etc.

to St.

should

Matthew,

the

Christmas

can

Oratorio,

be studied.

is played in the same manner as the ordinary Oboe; execute the same shakes, save two:

Oboe d'amore

The

13.

Passion according

the

too,

the Cantatas,

it

has

the

'

_(*)

good.

These two ted

+

00 +

impossible,

shakes (x, y)

on to the instrument,

difficult.

be rendered

will

if

very

ever

it

comes

possible

to be

used

All major and minor shakes excellent, up to D in by in

alt.

means of a special key, easily fitthe orchestra.

The Cor Anglais. Mr

The Cor Anglais

the old Oboe da caccia, so much simply the Alto of the Oboe a fifth lower in pitch than the standard instrument, with the same relative compass as the Oboe d'amore (the B!> being wanting as in the case of this latter instru-

used

in

is

former times

_*

ment).

Compass:

Lacking lais

upper

Sounding:

both the strength and the

exhibits register

three

distinct

weak and

homogeneous quality of the Oboe d'amore, the Cor Angvarieties of timbre. The lower register is very powerful, the

sickly.

and

The

best

register lies

sounding:

J.W. 14267.

between

THE COR ANGLAIS. All

the

figures

gravitating

a

to

special

-A-

shake

this

Formerly

thanks

one of the worst

this being

performer,

15:

around the highest C#

all

key,

T

for

notes on the instrument.

was impossible on the Cor Anglais; nowadays,

~j

shakes from

A

are very troublesome

j

low

B^

to

high

Dq can be executed:

(

(All possible, both major and minor)

Remark:

The two shakes x and

y,

mentioned as being impracticable on the Oboe d'atnore (see because this latter instrument actually pos-

paragraph 13), are quite easy on the Cor Anglais, sesses the special key of which I spoke.

Les Huguenots, Guillaume Tell, Lohengrin, TrisTannhauser, Manfred, Le Carnaval Romain, La Prise de Troie, Henry VIII, Samson et Dalila, Sigurd, Salammbo, Le Cid, Beethoven (Trio for two Oboes and Cor Anglais). Thais, etc. WORKS TO BE STUDIED: tan und Isolde, Siegfried, 16.

The Barytone Oboe. An

17.

octave

below the standard

instrument, with the following compass:

-

sounding:

(Bt

is

wanting)

The fingering and mechanism are those of the ordinary Oboe. The Barytone Oboe will form an admirable bass when all the instruments of the same family are concentrated inat the heart of the orchestra, in the imto a focus of intense, almost bellicose quality,

mediate 18

I

need

two varieties mitted with

of

neighborhood

into

hardly of

the

the Small

the

the Horns.

refer

same

either to the

kind

orchestra.

But

Clarinet

El>,

in

of I

in

instrument,

must

at

any time required.

or to the differing

only

men'tion

in

Pastoral Oboe the reed,

Soprano Oboe

the

military bands;

an extremely piercing upper register,

Oboes were

Musette

this

is

in

Et,

(in

for neither

used,

At), is

together

a very sonorous instrument

and would prove very useful compass is from

if

a complete

ad-

family

with of

Its

to

sounding:

The fingering and mechanism are the same as for the other instruments of the Oboe family. So far, the Soprano has only been used once in the orchestra: by Vidal in La Burgonde. J.

W. 14267.

28

THE BARYTONE OBOE.

19.

Remark:

The timbre

of the Oboe

is

so characteristic

or for background effects,

and predominating that, when uscare must be taken to employ the

ing it for holding- notes, for chords, best register only, and to choose the most euphonic intervals, the very aggressive notes of the in a word, the Oboe must never be "lost sight of." lower register being scrupulously avoided

If,

of

for

these

instance,

two

ways

the of

following

scoring

Oboes.

Clarinets.

it

common chord has is

w

preferable:

to

be written

in

four parts,

the first

29

THE CLARINET. (Ital., Clarinetto.

The compass

1.

of the

Clarinet

Ger., Klarinette.

42

is

notes, from

Fr.,

Clarinette.)

=

AT

to

f ' -

and

is

con-

sequently more extensive than that of the Flute or the Oboe.

It

is

reach

always difficult

to

fix

the extreme limit of any

A in altissimo

heights inaccessible to others.

the scale,

because such

it

proves to

be

in .

players.

In

any case, C in altissimo

most performers, and

in

piano passages G

the case

of

instrument,

as some virtuosi can

here given as the upper limit of the great majority of clarinet-

is

*p"j

T

^

is

'

beyond the most persevering efforts of should be considered

the

extreme

limit.

Every degree of the Clarinet's extensive scale is excellent, but the timbre of the instrument varies considerably in the different registers, of which it may be said there are three:

.


and A are alone emThe former are more brilliant in tone; virtuosi have adopted them for their ployed. 4:

The

concert- pieces.

latter,

lower by a

timbre, but are also able as the B? Clarinet stops at D. noble

to

not

semitone,

descend as low as

only possess Cjl

an extremely rich and

(an inestimable advantage),where-

Clarinet

sounding:

in B\>

^

Clarinet in

A

sounding:

Clarinet -players

5.

complain

of

accidentals

to

to

replace an

instrument

another

few

bars the

new

composers who prefer involving them

the instrument.

changing

instrument,

of

which

It

is

true

quite

has been gradually

that

warming up

colder, and therefore less accurately instrument will be found doing duty

in

in

it

is

in

a thorny

bush

to

have

annoying

the performer's hands by

tune.

as properly

But and

at

the

end

efficiently

of

a

as the

and the performer is satisfied. It seems to rest his lips and give him new life. Of course, am now speaking of the theatrical orchestra and of long musical performanin ces; symphonies, which are of relatively short duration, such substitutions are very selold

one,

I

dom necessary. It and that Allegro, in

the course of a

6.

with a

Among forte

the

latter:

of

the in

is

of

true that the use of the

the A Clarinet

movement;

the

in

the

B!>

following

same remark applies

is

frequently prescribed

Adagio, but no change bravura pieces.

i.s

in

ever

an

made

to

wood -wind instruments, the Clarinet alone is able to contrast a piano marked manner that the former would really seem to be the echo

such a

Allegro. Clarinet in

Clarinet

Hi.

J.

W

r .

14267

81

THE CLARINET.

The pianissimo of the Clarinets (in the low and medium registers) represents the minFlutes imum of sound obtainable from wind instruments. Compared with Clarinets, would be in mezzoas a as intense and metallic in their lower register seem Trumpets

forte.

a whiff of

but

which

allows

of

mistaken

be

tone

its

blending

other

no

for

a Second

of

place

pianissimo; the instrument has almost

lost

its

timbre:

'tis

air.

Another characteristic

7.

of

hardly even a

is

It

the

of

with

Clarinet

almost

Flute, or

of

every

the

instrument,

a Second

an unrivalled

is

its

neutral in

group

Clarinet

can,

tone-color

the medium register,

While the Oboe can

orchestra.

the

without

Horn, or even of a

in

attracting its

Bassoon,

take

notice,

rich

full,

the

quality

with that of any other

instrument. power blending In his Piano Mozart a wrote Flute two Clarinet and Concertos, single frequently part parts, treating all three instruments in the same manner, as if they were three Flutes. In the Overture to Egmont, Beethoven has ventured to assign the dissonant note of the chord

possessing

a

to

balance

of

and

single in

Clarinet,

treated as

the whole of his

two A\>'s

is

really

very

of

it

if

orchestral

were a second

writing,

for

the

Horn,

this one G\>

only instance of want

against one

E't>,

four

C's

weak:

*

Clarinets.

fe

Bassoons.

Actual sounds.

a@

Horns

^

.

Egmont

?

(Breitkopf

&

Hartel's edition)

must have noticed the "poetic Bassoon" effect produced by the Clarinet in the Ballet des Sylphes. A real Bassoon would have been ridiculously dry, and a Horn All

musicians

The Clarinet thus marking the accented Harp, sounds truly exquisite; it would seem to leave

too

heavy.

beats, beneath in

its

the harmonics

wake, as

it

were, a

the

of little

spray

of sound.

And what Note tremolo

shall

we say

the admirable of

the

of

the

orchestral

effect produced

Violins:

Clarinet

by

peroration to the duet

associating

the tremolo

in

Beatrice et Benedict!

of the

Clarinets with

the

THE CLARINET.

8_ ly

to

All

should

passages

(J

=

Oboe,

exceed

hardly

articulation

the

J

=

maximum speed in

120,

be

of

the

Oboe (3,4, 5) applies equal-

for

:

,

120)

p dfr

the

in

found

in

(Widor, Introduction

of the

case

Etudes and

(J

and

staccato

examples

Concert- pieces,

of

-. frf.fj *'> /f ft '

passages exceeding this

ff

\

speed

e.g.

B!.

in

:

numerous

Oboe,

notes

articulated

one of the registers.

any

,, (J

Clarinet

t

the

120)

But, as

may

the

case of

the

in

been said about

Clarinet.

the

As

that has

132)

Rondo)

(By kind permission of Heugel

Many rapidly

Clarinets

composers treat as

these

latter

instruments

Symphony:

as in

if

they

very quick

All Flutes.

14 8 Clarinets in

A.

Bassoons.

Horns in A.

-g-

'i'"

fl

were

vivace.

* 1

/P &i

Flutes,

obliging

t

C!, Editur-Proprie'tir.)

them

to

tempo, witness the opening

articulate of the

as

Italian

33

THE CLARINET. 9:

the matter of

In

instruments

phrase

be

may

played

the

by

sustaining -power, the

on a par. the Adagio

considered in

Horn,

can

Clarinet

Take, of

for

the

rival

the the

instance,

Oboe;

in

return to

fact the

two

after

the

Ai>,

Septet:

Bk

Clarinet in

dolce.

(Beethoven.)

good clarinet player does not take breath after the crescendo (marked two bars later, after the A. -

a

Here

+),

but

only

another example:

is

Moderate.^

A

Bk

Clarinet in

g

P

|^_

I

dimin.ed agitato poco a poco

cresc.

Professor

could

Turban

(of

Paris

the

be sustained piano,

the

in

Conservatoire)

medium

and

register,

for

myself

40

calculated

or

that a holding- note

45 seconds.

Shakes and Tremolos. 10.

the

Since

Clarinet,

system, perfected by Buffet, has been applied to the mechanism major and minor shakes have become possible, from:

Boehm's all

of

to

A

few

of

these

shakes

are

not

very

brilliant,

others

rather difficult, and

consequently

heavy:

rather harsh. JJ?

* difficult.

The fingering of the Clarinet repeats itself in the twelfth, so that the special key which now allows of executing the shake B Cjt in the low register also renders the shake F| G(t practicable in the upper register. N. B.

possible with a special key.

#(Djt somewhat

flat.)

notvery good. (Gjt somewhat

flat.)

This shake occurs in Meistersinger.

-heavy. J.

W. 14267.

THE CLARINET.

34 As a matter

11

pecially

of

these shakes

fact, all

when other simultaneous

may be

shakes more or

written,

less

even the doubtful

ones

(es-

conceal their defects), up to:

*This

G)t is somewhat flat, but might be used to reinforce the Flutes, say.

-

dangerous.

12r

We

now give a complete

list

of

shakes and tremolos:

Complete List of Shakes and Tremolos. All tremolos become heavy bevond the fifth.

N. B.

difficult.

etc...

All tremolos possible up to the octave.

etc...

etc...

All tremolos possible up to the octave.

All tremolos possible up to the octave.

All tremolos possible up to the octave.

All tremolos possible up to the octave.

rfC

All tremolos possible CXCept: p to the octave,

-

pg^

,

etc...

All tremolos possible except: up to the octave,

All tremolos possible except: up to the octave,

^= y

=

e tc

A11 tremolos possible

up

to the octave, J.

W: 14267.

-" N.B. **> Bt,and A, o^anu B are alwavs &1 Bl?* ?S -"

_M? zL^ Pf~ vv^ ,

I

All tremolos possible up to the octave,

gpi

heavy

1

difficult to attack.

THE CLARINET. All tremolos possible except: up to the octave,

etc...

All tremolos possible

etc...

up

I

M

1

ff^Otr

||

=J |

to the octave,

except:

All tremolos possible except: up to the octave,

etc...

I

35

etc...

All tremolos possible except: up to the octave, heavy.

possible.

All tremolos possible except: up to the octave,

etc...

^ ffg=

B R

etc...

*^Ji?~ possible.

=^

is Ulllll somewhat Higher tremolos should be avoided.

almost impossible,

possible,

difficult.

Higher tremolos should be avoided.

Higher tremolos should be avoided.

heavy

1

difficult.

Higher tremolos should be avoided.

Higher tremolos should be avoided.

It

is

dangerous to rise higher. (See J.

W. 14267.

11,

page 34).

87

THE CLARINET.

Transposing. We

13.

writing

exclusively

for Clarinets

that the

Clarinet

in

A.

and

Bt>

in

C

has been said about either instrument

that

All

(4)

have already seen

no longer

is

in

modern

use,

applies equally to both,

for

composers have

they

the

The only difference same mechanism, the same qualities, and the same little imperfections. lies in the timbre, the richness of tone, the sweetness and fulness of the A Clarinet, not to the B? which Clarinet is unable to sound in the lowest mention the valuable C| register.

The Alto Clarinet. The Alto Clarinet

14.

sidered the normal key).

from

is

compass

tuned

is

in

member

This

a fourth below the standard instrument

F,

of the Clarinet

not

is

family

much

in

be con-

B!>

(if

use nowadays.

Its

__^ sounding:

No higher notes can be obtained. Mendelssohn has written two Duets

for

The Small 15. in

This, also,

Clarinet.

an instrument rarely used, save

has employed

Berlioz in

Wagner

it

the

in

Nuit de Sabbat

the Finale of the Walkiire.

but the performer

transposes

frequently

J.I

In

his

this

part,

The Bass Clarinet

16.

in

is

compass

written

is

of

latter

military

bands, for which

like

his

tuned

is

it

&

and

Symphonic Fantastique, the Small

work,

Clarinet

playing on the ordinary

(By kind permission of Schott

The Bass its

Clarinet.

B.>

sounds a minor third higher than written.

it

E>;

is

and

Alto Clarinet

is

tuned

instrument

in

in

D,

Ek

(WalkUre^

p. 442.)

but sounds an octave

lower;

C9, Publishers-Proprietors.)

Clarinet.

the Bl

or

A

Clarinet,

from

\>

to

*

No higher notes can be obtained. The

lower

register,

which

The mechanism

valuable.

contains the richest the

of

Bass

Clarinet

and is

fullest

identical

notes,

is,

of

course,

most

the

with that of the standard

in-

strument.

The

Bass Clarinet

to bring

it

is

admirable

an

into notice (in the

Bass Clarinet as an almost the

Bassoons,

the 20^ act of

Meyerbeer was the

Huguenots

constant

Liszt's

Lohengrin,

Note the effect

first

composer and the Prophete). Afterwards, Wagner used the bass to the other wind instruments, as. an auxiliary to instrument;

and now and then also for melodic purposes.

son et Dalila, that

melodic

Dante -Symphony

(See the 31^ act

(Purgatory),

the

2!

of

Tannhiiuser,

act of

Sam-

etc.)

produced

by the holding -notes

form the accompaniment

to

Elizabeth's J.

for Clarinets,

prayer.

W. 14267.

Bass Clarinet, and

Bassoons,

38

THE BASS CLARINET.

The Bass Clarinet can pass from a forte to a pianissimo as easily as the standard If it were necessary to have a phrase instrument itself. repeated in slowly-dying echoes, the effect 17.

be obtained required could probably

Bassoon.

(Actual sounds).

*)

(

s

the three following by employing

Horn.

wind instruments in succession: Bass Clarinet.

39

THE BASSOON. Fagotto.

(Ital.,

The

1.

In

Bassoon has a compass

the

for

writing

piece the performer

firstly

with,

and

and

to

37

of

is

may be required

Wagner once even ventured case,

it

orchestra,

Fr.,

Basson)

notes, from

to

dangerous to exceed this upper to play up to D, a third

write

because his theme was

Ger., Fagoit.

of

was justified

he

but

E,

higher

such a nature

bravura

a

limit, but in 4

~|g~~

doing so in that special the high E could not be dispensed

that

in

secondly because the intensity of the Violoncellos and Violas, playing in unison doubling the Bassoon part, was likely to neutralize any mistake made at such a height. Allegro.

(Tannhauser, Overture,

former times, the Bassoon was seldom required to descend lower than Gamut G

In

became possible to obtain Bl>, but neither Bq nor Cs could be produced, so that scale was diatonic for the first few notes, only becoming chromatic from E\> upwards:

Later the

it

0"

TT

.chromatic..

.diatonic..

who wrote so admirably

Mozart,

y

tween

in

stance,

and

2

In

good;

j

;

so

in

register

A?

quality,

the

for

Bassoon,

was only very

Don Giovanni

usually kept

and

(Double D)

wrote

he

that

rarely

in

within

it

in

piano

all

the

37 notes

passages,

the

of

lowest

Bassoon may be looked

the

D

Bq and

being

somewhat sharp, the four following degrees the highest

register

unsatisfactory,

(El],

difficult F,

Fij,

and the highest

paration:

to

somewhat

difficult to

In

.poor and thin..

bad.

sharp,

is

attack,

followed

an exquisite finally, after

by a fairly good

seventh,

a bad

with a

Ai>,a dull

medium

timbre

fourth

register closely

?

;

K in

m exquisite.

bad. J.

thin.

W. 14267.

Wood-

^=

be-

notes,

poor and thin.

requires preparation.

comes

-^"^^^

diameter.

^ fairly satisfactory.

entire

weak

then, after four

resembling that of the Horn

admirable.

pre-

p'vr^'

produced by a tube constantly diminishing

I>TT

thin

some

requires preparation.

i

(n^J-"

equally in the

Ei>

it

Bassoon, although it usually constitutes the sole bass of the an instrument of very uneven quality, its admirable low fifth y i..4

ing

upon as

fact, the

group,

be-

Concerto

the

requiring

attack piano.

wind

of

and G) poor and

D

l,^

i|TF

3,

limits,

lower notes, as, for in-

Andante

the

old

its

(Double C).

forte passages

not

medium

it

Overture to

the

C minor

in

in

p. 25.)

=,

and

THE BASSOON. The

lowest

duction

such

of

could

Trombones.

the

bass of

fifth

intense

that

in

However, sounds would

such a manner as not to

in

Bt might even form the point of tone-power; on the involved in the prothe strain case, lungs

with the Brass

vie

in

need to be taken exhaust

completely

the

account, and

into

the part

written

performer.

it could just often been required to play down to A; Wagner, the Bassoon has of the tube. Doubtless in the length as well be made to descend still lower by increasing a few years all Bassoons will be able to sound this A, but for the present it is well not to write lower than B!>, this being the last note on the great majority of instruments.

4

Since

Articulations. 5

B? to the highest

lowest

the

Oboe and the

the

Like

the Bassoon employs only

Clarinet,

single -articulation. From

can be rethroughout a compass of three octaves, all notes or piano, almost as easily as on the Cello.

B!>,

peated or detached, either forte For instance, in the low register: (J

In

1526)

medium and

the

138)

-

(J

:

Of course,

high registers:

when

effects

soon falters,

avoided, as the tongue into

the

to

quired

abound since

wind If

of

in

lightness

of

articulation

is

play very rapid tempo, the scores of Wagner, Berlioz,

Brahms, Tschaikowsky, Glazounow, Borodine: been a composer who has not thus contrasted the Wood-

Beethoven there has hardly with

the

Strings,

in

the

ing all together

The

Liszt,

tempo.

very quick

each member of the group

course),

tune,

reof wind instruments, even when they are a matter for both surprise and admiration; instances

a mass

of

in

examined separately (with the exception of the Flutes, of some of timidity, heaviness, and even absolute inaccuracy

were

most astonishing

When

them would be discovered.

7.

must be

and the instrument must not be brought too conspicuously

foreground.

The

6.

kind are employed, all prolonging of the difficulties

this

of

^f^JT

f__j

r*^--7rpij-|

isolated

become nervous and frightened, but when

they

they are the very image of assurance and

Bassoon, as we have already

whose defects

all

it

seen (2), has several

the

skill

play-

self-confidence. in notes, not quite but when these notes

doubtful

to

requires conceal, performer's by the Violoncellos they seem excellent. Here are four bars whose bass had been given by an inexperienced composer to a solo soon:

are doubled

Andantino.

K

*- j-1

i

,

P .

f-

Now, this bass, being (3), sounded feeble and the

timbre

of

the

in

the register of

out

instrument

of

tune,

was

in

the

not

J.

J

?=*

m

fairly good

through any

itself

Bas-

fault

unsatisfactory.

W. 14267.

medium of

and of the

^ weak notes

the performer's, but because

41

THE BASSOON. As soon as the composer had concealed these defective notes beneath the pizzicato the

Celli,

the

sounded

passage

quite

mm

Bassoon.

-

^^^w~^m

33 m

Cello.

of

different:

Pizzicato.

The

instruments

all

blended

in

a pleasing

ensemble,

perfectly

as to truth

satisfactory

of

intonation.

7.

In

the matter

more easily than

it

slurred

of

can

notes,

Bassoon

the

like

Oboe and Clarinet,

the

can

rise

descend:

Allegro.

However, descending slurs are practicable the intervals are small:

in

Staccato on the

notes, skips of an octave, a tenth, a Bassoon with incredible ease and rapidity: ft

8.

i

e

Descending slurs

as well as lowest

slow tempo,

all

slurred

twelfth,

and even

a

tempo

quick

*

when

can be played

fifteenth, etc.

* i

fi>

in

a

^

to be avoided:

intervals

starting

downwards from

register: J.

W. 14267.

G'b,

E>,

D,

Cjt,

and

Cq

in

the

THE BAbSOON. Rad:

Bad:

9.

slow

In

tioned

tempo, descending

slurs

can

are

used

in

above),

any

one

chromatically,

but

Taking

10.

Is

able

which It

none

is

of

alike;

can

of

not

is

somewhat

astonishing

its

as a fulcrum,

notes

its

this

notes

deep

available

Strings It

it

sound

to

they

provided

of

neighbors

an

that

such can

reinforce

suspected:

Allegro

of

the

speed

of

is,

the

scale

course, entirely precluded.

descending lower even than the Horn, and should also be capable of acrobatic feats

intensity,

What services

perform?

blends

every combination; may be put to all kinds

accent

Bassoon can thus descend

the

men-

instrument

it

an

(always excepting the intervals ensemble, and not in a solo: played

dangerous, and

for it

be an

with

renders

it

every

in

orchestra!

the

Woodwind, Brass, and

group

work.

of

Strings, without

its

presence

being

even

so

much

as

molto.

Bassoons.

lit Violins.

"d Violins.

Violas.

Celli.

Double-basses. (j. Hamelle,

PP

Editeur-Proprietaire.)

Widor,

(

It

from

may

complete

the

Horn

group,

blending

so

perfectly

the Brass: J.

W.

145J67.

that

it

2 nJi Symphony,

cannot

be

p.

130.;

distinguished

THE BASSOON. Clarinet in

A.

43

tranquillo.

=M

J J Bassoons.

Horns

in E.

HM^-^^&H^ J9___ =3= ^EEiEE 9= A f~ ::

'

-

n~

Basses.

PP Without the

the

least

weakness,

it

can

(Mendelssohn, Sommernachtstraum?)

bear upon

its

Atlas shoulders the

whole weight

of

harmony: Flutes.

Bassoons.

(Wagner,

pp

Meistersinger, p. 354.) Figures played by the Violoncellos and Double-basses, or even by the whole group of Strings, gain verj? much in^ energy and intensity when^ doubled^ by the Bassoon; Flutes.

J.

W. 14267.

(Beethoven, 4th Symph.}

44

THE BASSOON.

The staccato

Bassoon

the

of

Strings:

Flutes and Oboes.

P

(J

=

be as

when necessary,

can,

light

as the pizzicato

of

the

69).

^qJz;

* I

I

_J

???

Bassoons.

feE5 E^

Violins.

*

Pizz Basses. Pizz.

(Meyerbeer, Struensce.) not

Is

staccato

this

the

of

Bassoon,

in

the

Serenade

of

Mephistopheles, fully as

supple

a pizzicato?

as

Oboe.

Bassoon. _.

x'

r

i

T

_.

*

r ^ *

.

Violins.

Pizz.

Violas

.

Mt'phist. Aiii.si

ton ga.lantt'ap

.

pel

lo.

.

Basses. Pixz.

By

(Gounod, Faust.}

combining the Bassoon with the Flute, at a distance of two octaves, the sweetest and richest timbre in the orchestra. Sometimes he Bassoon two octaves below the Violin:

tained the

Mozart even

obwrites

Flute.

Bassoon

.

(//

Flauto Magico, Overture.)

Violins.

Bassoon.

di Figaro.)

Any serve

score, opened all

kinds

of

at

random,

purposes

with

will

afford

unrivalled J.

instances of facility

and

W. 14267.

the

Bassoon's

efficiency.

singular

ability

to

45

THE BASSOON.

Length of Breath. General

11.

required to

The lower the pitch of the instrument,

rule:

play

The sustaining -power to

of

a

-.

80)

^^

2

1

4

2

XTJ X

playing

3

80)

in

the

it

forte,

proportion

higher register, this

still

to

its

is

4

3

p\>*

Even

is

Bassoon, playing in the lower and upper registers,is limited with the assistance of Mf Eugene Bourdeau, Professor at as follows: respectively

(J

:

more breath

experiment made

according the Conservatoire

(J

the

it.

7

6

-*

-v

the

diminished,

considerably

,Tf

5

maximum

is

bars.

9 bars.

seldom exceeded, and, of course, when of the sound in inverse being

duration

intensity.

Shakes and Tremolos. 12.

From

From

Double

Double

B't>

F to B?

to

in

Double

F no shakes are possible, save the two following:

the Treble

staff "

nearly all

are

possible, except:

e

.very bad.

.impossible..

not good..

Complete List of Shakes. .

Possible.

not good, but possible..

Eg

Impossible.

good, but heavy.

somewhat sharp.

Possible.

Impossible,

^p (impossible, as well as in the octave above.)

Good.

Bad. (bad, as well as in the octave above.)

(possible, but not good.)

(impossible, as well as in the octave below.) J.

V. 14267.

46

THE BASSOON. gp

"iar?

P '(

&

Good.

Bad.

Good.

Bad. (possible, but not in tune)

(bad, as well as in

the octave below) &--

Good.

Higher shakes are hardly available

for

orchestral

purposes.

Bad.

The major shake on E (E F)t) was formerly reckoned one of the most awkward, but the modern virtuosi, having carefully " practised it since Bizet's time, caji now execute this

Remark:

***

all

shake

brilliantly.

Moderate.

Bassoon.

'

J

^!

,

with

Satisfactory.

i

a

nasal

twang

,

Actual sounds: ^J

j bassa

loco.

Timbre growing more and J.

ike that of

W. 14267.

like

that

of

Altogether inferior to Ihe Bassoon.

a,

Toy Trumpet

a

toy

48 The

THE DOUBLE -BASSOON. octave

low

first

the

or even

Woodwind, The manner in which the tone

pedal-notes tirely eschewed.

the

but

Bassoon,

staccato passages are very Symphony, it

passages to play, which

rapid

sound

reed, being

ineffective

instrument

treats this

bravura

like

very it

when used

satisfactory,

fairly

the

sustaining

case of

alone

is

the is

larger,

on

is

Horns,

slow

in

produced is slower to vibrate, so that

Double -Bassoon.

the

carelessly,

to

tempo

first

cannot possibly execute in on a bad Harmonium:

a

to be enin

the

and

florid

Beethoven, in the 9tb to A, and then giving

rise

it

making

deep

play

staccato notes are much the same as

but

manner;

satisfactory

they

effects performed

(All? maestoso.)

V'

Contrafagotto.

L \\

(All? energico.) Contrafagotto.

Contrafagotto.

These weak notes

upper register and these florid passages, which would be difficult ordinary Bassoon, are lost in a compact mass of sound, where the most experear can distinguish nothing. Beethoven cared very little about details; besides he the

of

even for an ienced

was deaf when he wrote not

his

immortal

work.

I

mention

this

all

as a caution

to

young

be too

composers venturesome, unless they happen to have Beethoven's genius. into Here, on the other hand, is a fine effect produced by a Double -Bassoon brought prominence; nothing can sound richer and deeper than its Double 6 beneath the low 6 of the Horns: Allegro. to

s

Flutes.

PPP /TV

H

Piccolo.

P

V J

Solo.

Oboe.

PPP /T

Cor Anglais.

m

Bk

Clarinets in

PP Double - Bassoon.

Horns

1

in F.

~V5 (Saint

3rd (By kind permission

Robust a deal

lungs

of

breath.

moderato. write

in

are

needed

The

So, care

to

play

maximum

must be

such a manner as to

the

of Messrs A. Durand et

fils,

.

p. 124)

Editeurs- ProprieUires.)

Double- Bassoon; the low notes, especially, consume of a low holding- note cannot exceed two bars

duration

taken, when this instrument allow it the requisite intervals

J.

W.

14267.

is

of

placed rest.

in

the foreground, to

49

THE SARRUSOPHONE. over which it possesses disSarrusophone is a rival of the Double -Bassoon, tinct advantages as regards both facility of emission and intensity in the low register. The column of air contained in its very wide tube is set in motion by means of a double- reed

The

1.

that

like

the

of

instrument

which

Bassoon,

the

Sarrusophone also closely

resembles

in

its

mechanism. The

Sarrusophone so

tone,

that

say

vibration,

sometimes accused

is

the vibrations

pipe,

when the ear

just

criticism.

a

like

as distinctly as those

be perceived

of

reedy

quality

Each a

of

separate

32 -ft.

organdetractors, This is most unis in the immediate proximity of the striking reed. When the instrument is in the hands of a player accustomed to the bas-

It then a great measure disappear. produces a full rich tone, since it can descend without hesitation of the Wood -wind group, the Bassoon: below octave of the an orchestra, depths

soon-reed, these defects forming an excellent bass extreme

to the

sound can

its

having a rather nasal and succession of little shocks.

of

in

sounding:

Compass:

f

loco

fjta bassa....:

The

2:

Sarrusophone

is

written

When used in conjunction effect of a Gamba-bass or

The Sarrusophone

very sweet

family

Soprano

Bk

Tenor }>,->.

Bass in

to

corresponds

and

Bombarde;

organ-pipe,

just as the

-

Basses, the Sarrusophone produces the gives them a very characteristically pen-

Double it

a 16-ft.

Bk

is

complete:

Compass:

Sounding':

Compass:

in

and

tone.

etrating

in

C,

corresponds to an 8 -ft. pipe. with the Celli

Bassoon

3.

in

w

Contralto in

& p*

Ek

Barytone in

A w

Ek

Double -Bass

w

in

Ek

t>

have yet been used in the orchestra, Saxophones being cannot de-toned instrument of the Saxophone group As, however, the deepest preferred. -Bass the size of the Double scend lower than the ordinary Bassoon Saxophone making it exthe Sarrusophone in C stands without a serious rival in the practically inconvenient treme depth of the orchestra.

None

4.

of

This

these

interesting

instrument

varieties

possesses .

^?=

two really

full

excellent quality.

-toned and remarkably powerful octaves (XY):

50

THE SARKUSOPHONE. ease.

qua)

bottom

are

following,

notes

can

as

the

the

All

scale

the

of

at

produced Even top.

same clearness and precision at like quick tempo, staccato passages, the

with

be

in

practicable: (

A

Double- Bassoon overcomes

phone

the

the

the

would

case

such a

in

almost

difficulty

Sounding an octave

have no tone-power whatever, while the as easily as an ordinary Bassoon.

lower.)

Sarruso-

Articulation. maximum speed

The

5.

attainable

about

is

as

follows:

(Actual sounds.)

(For 2 consecutive bars.) bassa

(J =

^

116)

(Actual sounds.)

(For 3 consecutive bars.)

loco.

(Actual sounds.)

(For 4 consecutive bars.)

The breath can be held about as long for sustained as for detached notes. In moderate the lowest C can be sustained for or for three bars: tempo, forte two, piano, (J =

The C an

88)

octave

"}

above

^

I


.

10

11

12 13 14 15 16

*"

a

" H*

10

11

,,

5

7

6

, .

j,,

i

(jK

9

8 ,

I

\m

l>

12 13 14 15 16 * ^*

l"

h.. \J p

"

^"

1"

.

VI

2nd 4 3rd or (

piston depressed. All notes lowered by 2*^ tones.

4 3 rd (or 1st 2 nd 4 3 rd) or 2nd & 4 th pistons depressed. All notes lowered by 3 tones. 1st

VII

1234

5

6

7

8

9

10

1234

5

6

7

8

9

10 11

3

VIII

IX

2

3

45

4l_h

7

6

*

*

16

it" #

:

8

9

10

*

11

12 13 14 15

,

'

\>m

hn

16

-

pistons depressed. All notes lowered by 3^ tones.

15*

2d

23 456

1

& 4th

pistons depressed. All notes lowered by 4 tones.

:

1

pistons depressed. All notes lowered by 4^ tones.

1st

3rd

23

4

5

AU

L

6

10

11

12 13 14 15 16

7

8

9

10 11

12 13 14 15 16

L.

7

8

7

8

9

10

11

^

!>

^"

'"'

12 13 14 15 16

""

1

4 4th

pistons depressed. notes lowered by 5^ tones.

9

,

123456 ~ .

8

~

2nd 3rd 4 4th pistons depressed. All notes lowered by 5 tones.

7

-*

3rd 4 4th

XII

14 15

I?*

rr

XI

12 13

" , jt0 f

a >-fllt

1

4

15 16

~'J'

t>

1st

12 13 14

11

(better) 4th

~

2

3

4

5

L

6

l>o

,

10 11

**^..

ETw

U

12 13 14

15 16

*" ^"

"

12 13 14 15

16

l"

1>*

^ 1st

XIII

2nd 3rd 4 4th

pistons depressed. All notes lowered by an octave.

" ~

1

2 -

3

4

5

,,

.11^:

6^

^

7

* tr~

__

J.

W. 14267.

8

9

10

11

l~-

j?

*>

t~ r-

53

BRASS INSTRUMENTS. Such

the

is

compass of five chromatic octaves, which might even be exceedmust add at once that no single performer is able to travel over

theoretical

ed upwards. But we extensive such ground;

the

most

cannot

skilful

embrace more than three and a

half oc-

taves.

Excepting the Tuba, Contrabass -Tuba, Valve -Trombone, and a few Barytone Saxhorns, all the other instruments have only three valves, so that the number of combinations tabulated above is reduced, in their case, to seven VI. VII.), (I. II. III. IV. V. 5.

possible

only concern mental.

6. into

on the

instruments

at

Looking three

seven positions of the Slide -Trombone. Such are the seven comContrabass -Tubas in E.> and Bi? of military bands. The others

the

to

corresponding binations

the

used, and

little

natural

scale

of

which, besides, cannot

harmonics, we see that

descend

the

brass

11

12

funda-

the

to

instruments

fall

groups:

.

Horns and Trumpets.

'fro

(*)

10

9

or

13

15

14

16

TV

(#)

In the orchestra of

day a small Trumpet is employed, whose har monies sound an octave with higher, in unison those of Cornets and High

to

Cornets and Bugles.

Saxhorns. (See

P.

68,

6)

figures,

taking

as

Trumpet

in Bl basso

an

Tubas and Bombardons. -4^-

If

a

we now compare

standard

Cornet

the

key

the

of

B\>,

Bt

in

length

common

the

of to

all

(in

B!>

C.-B Tuba

of

we get

_ _

basso)

.

the

following

them

length of tube

Trumpet * Horn

tubes,

4

ft.

5

in.

8

ft.

5%

in.

*

octave below the

17

ft.

7

in.

17

ft.

8

in.

modern

Trumpet.

So that Cornets correspond to 4 ft., Trumpets to 8 ft., and Horns and Contrabass -Tubas to 16 ft. Organ stops. However, in practice, things are somewhat different. at pretty play Trumpets, enclosed within the same limits, much the same pitch, and in such a parallel fashion that, in many secondary orchestras, without regard for the composer's intentions or the difference of timbre, the Cornet rethe latter being much more risky and dangerous to play. places the trumpet, In

reality,

Cornets

and

J.

W. 14267.

54

BRASS INSTRUMENTS. The

7.

between

distance

become so minute that

the tube the

lips

may cause

Take

this

theme:

of

The old

Trumpet

The Cornet and

harmonics diminishing as they

the

in

least

the

hesitation,

mistake

least

in

the

of

pressure

accidents.

will

B?

the

the subdivisions

rise,

play

making use

it,

sound the same

will

harmonics 4 to 12:

the

of

notes,

making use

of

the harmonics

between

2

6:

(The notes marked with crosses could not be obtained but for the pistons.) The

theme

produce this to

perior

and

runs

or a

whose best notes

Cornet,

the

a

child's

the

high

We

8.

which

ought

sound tube

its

of

emit

it

about

lips

the

size

and

shape

more or

less

easy emission

acting

efficiently of

when the diameter and law),

and

a

the

in

The

tube

its

of

the of

is

Horn has

the

lowest

mouthpiece, which

length

special

the

Tuba,

length,

low?

quite as

the

Coll's

Horn, whose

the

of

Contra- bass

from

of

timbre,

it

the

same

especially, power, no-

classed Trumpets and Horns in the category of instruments fundamental tone. This is comprehensible in the case of the

descending fundamental tone, because

the

scales, shakes

intensity?

the

what

allow

to

su-

as much execution as a Flute

of

capable

chromatic

altogether

re-

(6)

have just

but

Trumpet,

is

it

compare with the Trumpet in point where it becomes poor and colorless? Has

dramatic

cannot

and

register, "diatonic

Cornet:

rapidity

will

.'

register,

bleness, and

an ease and

harmonics,

1

On the other hand, can in

the

6^

2"d and 5* n or

the

articulation,

medium

this

for

play

of

lightness

In

Trumpet.

are

Clarinet

with

between

lie

is

answer

a slim

not

W. 14267.

the Contrabass -Tuba,

Horn

the

that

cannot

contrast with the bellying

In

figure

Besides, there

is

which

prevents the question of

merely the timbre, but also the

bear a suitable required,

of

and elegant

register.

instruments.

J.

is

too narrow.

affects

also

that

to

The fundamental

notes.

the tube

mouthpiece

equal

tone ratio

varying

can only be sounded each other (Cavaille-

to

according to the family of

55

THE NATURAL HORN. Corno.

(ital.,

1:

is

It

from

only

the

Waldhorn.

Ger.,

historical

adays almost universally discarded. Without artificial aid, the Waldhorn

between

Horn

2 and

16

in Bl> basso.

view

of

point

Fr.,

can

that

Cor simple?)

mention

I

sound

hardly

Natural

the

notes

any

Horn, now-

the harmonics

but

inclusively.

*J

^

:

/?

(*)

^ 2

"

^^

7

8

9

_ Ut

I"

li=

4

3

l>o

5

6

\ (

10

11

o

(-*)

^0-

^

12

13

14

15

16

Sounding:

Remark: to use

two

Horn-players read the F clef an octave lower than they

ought really to be written in the

Thanks the

to

supplementary fundamentals available

Horn

lowest

note

F

(about

in

obtainable

Bt> Si;

C D! Dl|

Et El]

a

"crooks',"

dozen

basso,

in

length

_ _ _ _ _ _

G

_

At

_ _

Bl>

C

is

the

harmonic

number)

not ridiculous

=,




may

be transposed,

follows:

ft.

tube

9 9

the

series

17

of

_ _ _ _

F

At)

it

clef alone

tubes, called

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ The

y

these four notes of the harmonic series

clefs to write

is

ou.t^ht;

in.

in.

in.

basso,

i.

e.

Bl

for

the

56

THE NATURAL HORN.

The

G

the

is

highest

Horn

in

Horn

the

of

(*1

in

the

half

off

cutting

bell,

ear.

4

3

6

5

7

8

9

10

^$* horn -player

intervals, the

intermediate

the

get

the

for

(o)

in g=

To

E

e.

=2E

A.

2

2.

i.

A,

and

air,

flattening

the

inserts

notes

open

11

12

n

*E:

his

by a

hand

right

the

in

semitone:

Good stopped notes:

10

Remark: As der

to

The

to

dealing

The

notes

the

the

produced

inequalities

monic plest

to

the

are

be

come across

means the most

resources

of tune

out

14

15

in our

16

the player, in or-

scale,

speak

of

notes

open

valuable, on

very

will

the

of

them

account at

are

greater

Muted

excellent.

the

of

length

in

color

of

variety

the

following

Valve-Horn.

by

met two

of

which at

conjunct

powerful

the

half

column

of

are

air

dull, not quite

/(.._, ~

with

Weber has created

than

production:

3p

for

more

off

cutting

difficult

instrument to

also

we

Very bad

is

each

below

are

stopped notes:

Such

are

13

them by "stopping."

obtained notes

orchestra;

with

intonation, and

of

and 14th partials

)

flatten

to

thus

overblown

impart

section

true

them, has

semitones

and

notes they

the 7th, Ilth,l3th

utilize

12

11

I

,

the

I

classic

every

degrees are

effects

masters

step, and of

it

the

frequently

masterpieces.

Three

/7s

in D:

"

r J.

W.

14267.

is

wrote;

breaks,

impossible

same

timbre.

obtained,

notes

deficiencies,

below

and

suffice for

the

7lb

and

har-

True, with the sim-

with

such

limited

Oberon's magic Horn:

57

THE VALVE -HORN. (ital.,

used:

is

The in

are

Valve -Horns

1.

the

indications

are

G)

in

F,

Horn

made

keys: E, Eb,

several

in

met with

be

to

Ger.,Ventilhorn.

at

every page not so much

convenience

the

prefers (supposing there is a sudden ther than of numerous accidentals.

He writes The

of

change

simply as possible, and chromatic scale of the Valve -Horn

as

the

is

it

extends to

Its

the

es

Cor a pistons)

Fr.,

but

D, etc.,

nowadays

only one kind

F.

in

fop

Corno cromatico.

in

modern compositions (Muta

of

the

key)

to

D, in

in

E,

performer as of the composer, who make use of the natural notes ra-

understand him aright.

to

part

player's

from:

"

-Kir-

(actual sounds)

38 notes are perfectly homogeneous, and its compass, as will be observed, is much same as that of the Bassoon, which, although it can descend a semitone lower, los-

by

with

comparison

Bassoon.

~y

r

TJF^P

^

2r

We may

Horn

the

an

notice

upper register:

~

i"

R.I*

Thin

here

the

in

Horn.

3

notes.

Good

1

between

appreciable difference

the

notes.

capabilities

two

the

of

instruments.

While the

compass

on

pianist

assume

a

instrument, and

his

perform all kinds of acrobatic feats throughout the entire can pass from one register to the other as easily as a horn -player has to choose between the high and the low

the keyboard, cannot play satisfactorily

his

register, as

can

bassoon-player

of

he

according

shape

particular

both

at

the

to

extremities

register what the

The 111 horn-player is to the 2H^ Trombone. The First Horns (of the two or three the Second Horns the low notes. notes, tises.

3.

To meet

the

now construct cation

scend

in

the

two 3!^

of

Horns:

sufficing

piston

both

of

requirements kinds

categories

ascending enable

to

one

of

Horns kind

horn -player chiefly

Trombone

Tenor

our

in

pairs

scale, because the

the

of

which the

is

orchestras)

to

descending

rise

easily

the

and

Bass

play the high

instrument

horn -players,

and

to

lips

prac-

-

makers

Horns, a modifithe other to de-

easily.

N. B. The 3*4 piston raises the whole scale of the ascending- Horns by one tone, and lowers the scale of the descending- Horns to an equal extent.

The compass, Ascending- Horn:

in

actual

sounds, of

our two chromatic

r*^r

.-''

*)'

,

Al),

and

B\>

fiHi (Berlioz,

difficult.

^,

G,

F#,

La

reine Mab.)

;

ti

i

i

(Beethoven, 7th Symphony)

The

crook

crook

a

of

coil

single

the

to

corresponding

F

of

key

inferior

slightly

has two

8 inches

coils

and the

diameter,

in

crook

At|

the Al> diameter, a coil only Scinches

diameter.

in

How

in

the

for

harmonics,

Horn

Schumann venture

could

F V4^

|

^

j

the

of

first

up to such giddy

write

to

4 Horns

his

in

"~

rehearse too

!y

so much

are in

it

great

the

afraid

orchestra,

of

that

it

Horn

in

because

or fear,

it

gradually nearer to

getting

altho'ugh

to

play

it

they are willing enough to in public: the danger isreal-

16*!)

upper partial, goes

straight

ahead,

without

moves forward by regular degrees, and because the goal, where it expends its full force:

it

any feels

F sempre

Schumann's

But

(69 Finale)

!

hesitation is

never venture

will

they

4 Horns.)

Concerto that,

this

of

Siegfried's horn, which reaches the kind

between the 8lD and 20

Concerto?

interesting

very

(Concerto for

Virtuosi

heights,

accel. e cresc. (By kind permission of Schott

Concerto

far

is

more

&

C9, Publishers

dangerous;

-

there

Proprietors.)

not a page without a stumb-

is

ling-block. 10. D, E,

In F,

paragraph

1

we spoke

G, etc.),

rather

for

the

the indications

of

performer, who usually transposes into Indeed, he plays everything in F, save ticed

to

be

found

in

convenience of the composer than the key of F. the exceptional

in

modern scores (Muta in

the

cases which

interest

of

we have just

in

the

no-

(9).

If

then, voiding too

in

the

many

course flats

piece, the composer thinks it necessary, for the sake of asharps, to change the key of the Horns, he may do so without the means by which the change can be effected. Take, for inof

a

or

troubling himself about stance, this passage beginning

in

F and

finishing

in

E.

F

Here are two modern ways /i

Horns

in

it:

writing i

i

in i

E

*

F

The result the

of

change accustomed

the same; it is only a matter of determining the most favorable place for it is a mere question of neat key; appearance for the eye. Performers are this sort of The composer may and taken are never exercise, by surprise.

is

of

to

implicitly trust

to

them. J.

w. 14267.

68

THE HORN IN THE ORCHESTRA. When

the

make an admirable quartet.

Horns

Four

11.

is

Horn-quartet

added to the Woodwind,

the volume

of

sound

is

more than

doubled.

A

Solo Horn moving softly through the Strings blends with them most harmoniously. It one of Wagner's favorite devices. When blended with the Celli and Double-basses, the Horn acquires a singulary penetrating quality of tone, which one might fancy to be that of a soft Trombone:

is

Moderate. Solo.

Horns.

Violoncellos

Double-bass.

_,

^

,

_ (Liszt.)

The four Horns playing piano or forte can be heard through the whole mass of the orA Adagio. 4 Horns

chestra:

in E.

(Widor, 3Td Symphony.)(J. Hamelle, Editeur- Proprietaire.)

The

Horn and

Clarinet

in

unison

are exquisite:

dim. (

(i.

In

very

the

choral

following

efficiently:

given

to

Hamelle, Editeur-Proprietaire.)

the

Brass, the

Solo

Adagio sostenuto.

15*

Horn

in F.

$---> Trombones.

Tuba.

P^

C. Franck , Symphonie.)

^=*=

Horn

doubles

the

first

Trombone

64

THE HORN.

but

two

following combination so often used since, is very of

The

even

admirably:

and

Clarinets in

quality,

two Horns, little known before Mozart, the two kinds of tone-color blending

Clarinets in

Horns in

.^i

J-

Andaniino. B!>.

El>.

Strings.

(Flauto Magical)

The

next

behind

leave

the Roi de Lahore, that example shows some light, bounding chords from them a vibration as pleasing to the ear as the white mist of a summer's

morn to the

eye:

Allegretto

.

inEl>

Horns


.

Horns in F.

3

Bassoons.

3 Trumpets in

F.

3 Trombones.

(Wagner, Siegfried.) (By kind permission

of

Schott

&

C9, Publishers -Proprietors.)

Remark: When the Horns are written in four parts, the bass is naturally obliged to expend more wind than the other parts, and to take breath oftener, being at the same time less sonorous. It is better, when sustained notes are needed, to make use of the Bassoon, which is less fatiguing for the player and forms a more solid basis to the harmonic group: 1*1

Tranqvillo.

Horns

in F.

Bassoons.

(By kind permission

of Schott

&

C9, Publishers-Proprietors.)

(Humperdinck, Hansel Und Gretel.)

2nd Remark:

As we have usually four Horns in the orchestra, it must be remembered that Horn of each pair is an ascending Horn, and the second a descending Horn; consequently, the high register must be confined to the !$t and 3J Horns, and the low register to the 2"d an d 4th. the first

12. AUTHORS AND WORKS TO BE STUDIED: Mozart (Quintet); Beethoven (Sonata, Schumann (Concerto); Brahms (Trio); Quintet, Sextet and Septet); Schubert (Octet)} Saint -Saens (Romance); Friedr. Gumbert (Solobuch Dauprat, Gallay, Mohr (Schools);

fiir Horn), etc. Read Handel, Bach, phony),

all

Weber,

all

Mozart,

Beethoven

Wagner, and

all

the J.

(who writes down modern authors. W. 14267.

to

double

B\>

in

the

9th

Sym-

66

THE NATURAL TRUMPET. (Ital.,

We

1.

allow with

the

low

have

seen

already

Trumpet E (actual

to

sound

Tromba.

(P. 51, its

2)

E

has

Manfred, Schumann ually

transfer Flute.

I

a

from

Allegro. |

>

tone,

narrow its

diameter

scale

in

the

of

its

practice

tube would only

not

beginning

j>m

fL.

always been regarded as the inferior limit ventured to write El>, a semitone lower,

note

this

the

Fr, Trompette.}

_^

pitch):

nearly

that

fundamental

Average compass:

This

Ger., Trompete.

intimidated

*Tj r-^-8

Trumpet

the

to

!

i

of

but 1^l

the

instrument.

In

prudent conductors usTrombone:

*LJ" k^

i

:

1

THE NATURAL TRUMPET.

^Tr

*>

TI

TV

3=

^ 4

T &

*

9^

a-"'"*

3 _

rj

in Ak.

8

t>o

f

*

Sounding:

67

68

THE TRUMPET.

4

THE TRUMPET. Remark:

The Trumpet

in

D

(#)

required for Bach's

is

is not used otherwise, for, genof the Trumpet, and produce the

works;

it

erally speaking, notes above Bt (actual pitch) lose the timbre sensation of a large Flute rather than of a brass instrument.

cannot be attacked piano, and still less B and C J^T '*/ high a key? The true compass of the Trumpet is two octaves, from

and within these limits nothing E, according to tonal

in

Compared with sounds

almost

is

l~~

G

so fine and so powerful

to

what need

tf

there

as the

old

in

Trumpet

so

for

(actual sounds.)

G

]*

.

F

(in

F

or

little

modern Trumpet

of

that

and

exceptionally

quite

is

A

necessities).

the Cornet a Pistons. Wagner scrupulously avoids making too free use of the ly, and to produce a special effect, that he writes up to It is likewise ual pitch):

-i

so

manly and imperious instrument, the tone of the

this

like

Besides, Gjt and

in a

ff that

it is quite exceptionalin alt (actual pitch) in Parsifal. he sends the F Trumpet up to BP (act-

high notes;

C

li F

in

Trumpet

J

r

ff* (By kind permission

However, the the

high

basso;

Et>

of

it

when

Manfred,

to

Ei>

play the

2!

C,

in

of

it

but

have

to-day

even

B?, have

D

(actual

the

all

a

all

for

-

adopted the Trumpet in C, easy to play in have Nearly tuning- slide which allows of falling one tone below is to the necessary for the Second Trumpet to descend still lower instance it takes the B\> crook, and its tuning -slide not only allows

performers

register.

Rf

(March for the Centenary of American Independence^} & C9, Publishers Proprii-tors.)

of Schott

so

pitch),

that

enormous

following

Tuning-Slide.

the

2

Trumpets

of

a

pair,

the

^

in

compass: ..--"''Natural

Scale.

in C.

-

TY

Trumpets:

(Actual

-in

Remark:

The tuning- slide

is

not used

-

for

keys lower than Bt.

Articulation 8.

and

Like the

triple

Flute, the Trumpet articulation, so that

Trumpet

in

is

of

capable

.

three of

kinds

great

of

tonguing: single, double, of emission:

rapidity

E.

(By kind permission

(J :

Trumpets

makes use it

Sounds.)

.....--"Natural Scale.

Tuning-Slide. 2

of

HeuKl

et CIS,

Editeurs-PropriMairts.)

(l)elibes, Sylvia?)

88)

in D.

Flutes.

Oboes. Clarinets

.

Bassoons. (Berlioz,

Menuet des p.

J.

W, 14267.

259.

Follets.)

THE TRUMPET.

70 (J

Presto.

Trumpets

=

160)

in E.

f

?

f

f

f

\

\^f

^L^

_^(By kind permission of Heugel

et CIS,

.

.

,1

/

%

^^ f

f

f

^JL^

Editeurs-Proprietaires.) (L/alo,

Le Rot

d'Ys.)

Andantino. Solo

(Meyerbeer,

March e aux Flambeaux.)

Trumpet

in

Trombones.

Violins.

Basses. (By kind permission

The

are

following

(J =

120) ^{k-ft

(J =

144)

about

1~~

of C.F.Peters,

Editeur

maximum speeds

the

:^~~~~

-

(Wanner,

Proprie'tMre.)

attainable

in

the

low and medium registers:

the

fatigue

^_j~~~

3

However, the passage must not be very consequent heaviness of articulation.

long, on

account

of

of emission and

Length of Breath. 9-

bars

Piano, the

in

the

low

Trumpet

can,

with

the

,

,

same rate

It

is

the

needless

holding -note

67

&

of

movement,

can

it

hold

a

note

in

the

of

8

or

9

8

TVTTTrTYTTTTT*

bars:

1

medium

? register for 12

.

(J

then

8_ _*

*

p^f or 14

tempo, sound a

register:

J?

and

moderate

in

to

expenditure

r

120)

observe of

that

breath

o

(

is

numbers

these

doubled.

J.

W. 14267.

are

halved

in

forte passages,

because

THE TRUMPET.

71

Shakes. We

10.

the

have

Trumpet,

The

seen that

the

Horn

does

just the reverse: are those which may

is

it

following

it

be

make use of the pistons only use its pistons.

not

can

used:

(the cross

for shakes.

means bad; the double

With

cross im-

possible).

18

14

15

16

17 possible.

C)|

somewhat sharp. 18

19

20

21 difficult,

OlO

10 difficult

very

difficult.

HltpOf:

and

unsatisfactory. 11

12

24

Impossible

beyond

.

Muted Trumpets. Neither

11.

them they

into

are

Beethoven

nor

Weber made use

of

muted Trumpets.

fashion by employing them in Siegfried and in constantly to be met with in modern scores:

Wagner has brought Since then, Meistersinger.

_... ., Allegro. (mit Dampier.) ^ .

Trumpet in

^

Bk

Violins.

..|WH1

i

I

^ 1

^

y

J

)

Basses.

(And Wagner

]'']' [iV^rM^ll^V^IT^'^'^'vlJVj* blow very (Meistersinger,

directs the performer to

J

W

hard).

14267

iy kind permission of Schott

p.

&

460.)

C9, Publishers- Proprietor*.)

THE TRUMPET. There

is

no modern

Strauss,

Vincent

following

exquisite

composer

who

does not

d' Indy,

use

Bruneau, Debussy. of muted Trumpets:

Richard use the Trumpet con sordino: will abound: only quote the Examples I

Flutes.

Clarinets in A.

Horn

in

Trumpets

F.

in

C

(muted)

Triangle.

Celesta.

Harp.

15*

"

Violins.

Violins.

PPP The an

articulations

of

(By kind permission of Heugtl

the

et Clf,

Editeurs-Proprietaires.)

(Charpentier,

Louise.)

Trumpets loom through the surrounding veil of orchestral haze; detect them under the tremolo of the Violins and the

experienced ear can only just silvery notes of the Harps.

J.

W. t4J267.

73

THE The

12.

tone

of

quality

BASS Bass

the

of

TRUMPET.

Trumpet

is

admirably

and even, from:

rich,

full,

to

tube

Its

7

is

ft.

writes

Wagner

8^

in.

in

it

long.

El>, D,

&

C:

Written:

~S

9

10

7

11

10

9

8

12

14

13"

12

11

15

13

n

ktv **~^

D

--

34567

8

9

a /c

whatever

posing

when

"

4

the

key

necessary),

5

6

indicated

Bass

7

8

by

the

9

in

11

17

18

19

**

fr-

17

18

19

12

13

__i

1 ~ . h* *>" diT^o""!^o H"

t> it" -** it

Trumpets

I

in El-

mp*

f *j

10

12

11

composer, D Et> and

Bass Trumpet

"

16

Im im

15 krrr

14

16

15

it

13

is

not

14

15

always being

16

Avoid

though

'

17

played

18

in

C

20

19

(trans-

made.

Sounding:

'

Ij.

Sounding:

-JF

*

j>

-

Bass Trumpet in

20"

C 3

but,

10 _,

-^ty-vr

in

19

3456

in

Sounding

18

14 -brr

1

1?5~T7

C

Sounding an octave lower.

falling F,

a

as

low

semitone

as the above,

3fj! is

partial,

possible

J.

or

and

rising

higher

tolerably

W. 14267.

than

sonorous.

E,

the

20tt>

partial,

74

THE BASS TRUMPET. AUTHORS AND WORKS TO BE CONSULTED:

13.

as

the

instrument

"Lately, an

a

blem; be

4

to

the

raised

that

assembly octave

an

Where

How

ft.

is

than

this

Bi>,

D.

At

preserved

time

of

little

been

a

meeting the

it

a question

merely

specialists

"The of

radical

Soprano

ployment his

the

been

of

the

of

by

able

was due

to

Trumpet

Soprano

So

one

would

it

think from a pass-

-

can

slide,

before

notes

of

pro-

an

sounding

Trumpets!'

been

have

should of

&

Breitkopf

discovered,

and

Trumpets

employed, as

use?

current

in

formerly

kinds

all

the

it

played

emission

agreeable

solves

a tuning

of

Rosleck

Berlin,

ordinary

mouthpiece

although

Trombones

from

we the

Eichborn supposed by and the majority of Ha'rtel) is

consult?

by

scientific

to

their

mouthpieces, whose

various

in

and

easy

specimen

single

made

mistake

Trumpets

of

lips,

have

I

far

Was

Trumpet.

Heidelberg, which

at

held

(Die Trompete in alter und neuer Zeit, the

C?

in

instrument

the

specimens onwards?

V

and

(as

manner dif-

their

prehistoric

found, which, by means

has

numerous

Charles

Bach

curiosity

them,

imitating

almost

their

made

been

produced Is

this

only

about

Trumpet

has

admired

those

Trumpet?

that

it

it

in

unanimously

have

Was

of

key

of

of

style.

discovery

long,

idea

the

out

musicales:

Curiosites

higher is

our

to

with

more

read

be

since

published

Everything

should

information

little

important

tube

than

modern

our

analogous

Deldevez's

in

age

from

we have

Technically,

masters

illustrious

concerned)

is

Trumpet altogether

fering

an

iwo

These

Handel.

men consists

tube very

obliged

the high tone

exclusively

to

the

to

player

much smaller mouthpiece than

a

having

bore

that

thinking

was due

it

No,

narrow

in

the

the

em-

contract

ordinary

Trumpet'.'

The

truth

is

for

practised

inaccessible. its

own The

Beethoven,

G

to

in

employment a

limited

we must

Besides,

of

part

note

a

very

that

narrow

the

of

scale

Bach's

mouthpiece enables reach

to

Soprano

heights

hardly

ever

lips

generally plays

specially

deemed

outside

of

octave.

Trumpet Weber,

begins

with

Wagner, and

Haydn Berlioz,

and

the

Mozart,

neither

too

high

imperious nor

too

and manly Trumpet of

two octaves

low:

from

G:

This

is

Perfect

ought

the

playing

special real

that

the

ancient

Consonances, to

Trumpet, the

Fifth

the

and

oldest

instrument

the Octave.

It

write.

J.

W

14267.

in is

for

the

world, unchangeable like the

this

kind

of

Trumpet that we

75

THE CORNET A PISTONS. (ital., Cornetto.

Ger., Kornett.

Fr.,

Cornet a pistons)

For nearly half a century, in French, Belgian, and Italian orchestras, the Cornet a This was due to the fact Pistons took the place of the Trumpet, gradually ousting it. that the Cornet was easier to play, requiring less talent and artistic intelligence. Trum1.

pet

became rarer and

virtuosi

were

cornet -players

while

rarer,

be met

to

with

every-

where. Although the timbre of the two instruments could not for one moment be compared, the same the one being thick and vulgar, the other noble and brilliant, as they had of so the worse in tone was much sensithe difference for ignored; compass, quality ears!

tive

However, since the invention of the little modern Trumpet, which can rise as easily as Cornet, makes use of the same harmonic series, and is not much more risky in its

the

2

Cornet

the

emission,

Cornets

are in

little

Trumpets the same C in

has gradually

tuned

B;>

in

B? and

and

A:

and

A,

the

the

before

retreated

their

length of

scale, which

their

reinstated

starts

tube

Trumpet.

same as

the

is

from the same

Fjl,

that

of

rises

to

alt.-

Cornet

in

Bt>

length of tube

A

4

ft.

5

in.

4

ft.

8

in.

Compass:

Need we again highest ful

the

or

the

of

quality

call

lowest

to

notes

brass

first

weakness and

creasing

danger incurred by too frequently using either the instruments? We must ever bear in mind the doubt5 or 6 degrees in the low register, from F# to C, and the inthinness of the timbre from the sixth partial (G) upwards. the

attention of

High register where I

I

6

good register.

the tone gradually

8

becomes thinner.

S:

.

The highest notes can only be produced which is relatively easy. It

and

is

dangerous

surer

cadence

notes the

like

to

attack

precede

these

them

following, for

the

with

extreme danger

some

without

degrees is

except

difficulty,

obviated.

B!>

preparation,

Nothing

A

but

when

easier

is

more

frequent than a

C

(2!

upper

instance:

Cornet in Bt

and the B? thus prepared is excellent. So we see that the best notes of the and G (6ti? upper partial). 3:

Cornets

same possible gle,

and Valve -Trumpets have and impossible shakes.

double, and

mouthpiece,

it

tonguing. Still can perform the wildest triple

instrument

the

same

Like

the

more

lie

between

mechanism, Trumpet,

the the

same Cornet

partial

capabilities,

makes use

)

the of sin-

easily than the Trumpet, thanks to the shape of its acrobatic feats: runs, iterated notes, chromatic scales, etc. J.

W.

14267.

76

THE CORNET.

"But ondary

technical

its

forms

instrument."

art

of

See

military

Alex.

However, we must

and

says

resources,"

Luigini's

not

forget

used

their

and

Gevaert,

Cornets

best

the

where

it

advantage in the sectreated as a bravura

is

Gounod, Meyerbeer, in the orchestra. Trumpets the West of Europe wrote for 2

rendered; instead of

contemporaries Till within the last few years, composers in is only quite recently pets and 2 Cornets, and it into

to

Caprice.

interesting

services

"show

bands

brass

Berlioz,

that

4

Trumpets

have

Bizet,

Trum-

come

again

vogue. Allegro. a 2.

Trumpets

in B'.

Cornets in

E\>.

Trombones.

-

gs

_C_fr!

HE (Kerlio/,

L'Enfance du Christ^}

Andante. Orchestra.

Cornets in At.

Trumpets

fit^

in E\>.

Trombones. Ophicleide.

Hy-

-j>

*'

--

-

(Meyerbeer, Le Propkete.)

Allegretto. Flutes. (Orchestra).

3 Cornets in

B\>.

a J iyi P

J

JJJJ JJJ

l

I

T

I

Bassoons.

Triangle.

(Gounod, Faust)

i.

W.

14267.

77

THE CORNET. Moderate.

Trumpets

A.

in

J? Cornets in A.

"Jl V

*

ff 3E=

Trombones.

Orchestra

.

fl

V

{

I'Arlesienne.) (Chondena, Editeur- Propriotaire.)

Flutes.

(Orchestra)

Trumpets in

^

E.

^

y

t

F

Cornets in A.

/I

Pizz.

Orchestra.

^=!

7

:

3E$

5fe

Violins. I

ff

T^r^r

^

i

,

Trombones. (By kind permission of Heugel

At ing

present, Cornets their

place,

thus

are

gradually

resuming

et Cif, Editeurs- Proprietaires.)

disappearing

their

legitimate

J.

W.

from

the

position.

14267.

(Widor, Ouvertum Espagnole)

orchestra, and

Trumpets are tak-

78

THE TROMBONES. (ital., 1.

Bach,

bones

Mozart, and Tenor, and Bass.

more or less obsolete,

now become most

a duplicate

that

of

his

(in

to that

of

because

its

timbre, akin

admirable

its

Posaunen.

Get.,

Beethoven

Gluck,

Alto,

Despite

Tromboni.

Fr.,

Trombones)

youth)

the

wrote

always

in

Trumpet

the

F,

3

for

Trom-

Trombone

Alto

compass being much the same,

al -

is

it

has

instrument.

magnificent

Alto Trombone:

Trombone

Trumpet and the

section,

in

necessary so

indispensable

2

In

with

last

the

played

a

Its

Trumpet. from taking

it

soprano

kind

conjunct

the

quartet

part in

part

produce

in

any

the

brass

It

but

was

higher

Alto Trombone was

Trumpets,

started

the

not

is

it

the the

but

"//

in

connection

natural harmonics pre-

never

instruments,

unknown.

almost

nowadays

the

were,

two

than

theories

notes

polyphony. of

it

the

If

Trumpets.

mentioned

I

to

inability

high Trombone

of

13)

chapter (P. 74,

Bach's

vented

else

the

four

or

more

had

never

we have three

now that

as

section

of yore, which

orchestras

the

each other, the former being, of a single keyboard.

complete lower

the

latter

was

Trumpet

that

Cornetto, or a characteris-

German custom,

on Sundays and Church holidays, to have the Choral the for day played by a band of Cornet and Trombone players, standing in the tower of the principal church. Bach introduced this effect into his Cantatas, the brass instrument group playing alone or doubling in unison each of the vocal parts" (Cantata N9 25}. tic

So, the

an

indispensable

The

old

minor. on

Cornetto

one

and

voice

formula

the

never

Trombones robust

this

Alto,

were

exceeding

remained the

adopted the

grouped

together,

became

and

the

the

Symphony

Alto

quartet.

Tenor, Bass

Beethoven

Afterwards, staff,

in

limits

of

in

system of Tenor

the

force

till

writing

two

the

Trombones,

and

first

in

C

Trombones

Weber

and

his

successors

followed his example. 4 Trumpets came to be used in the orchestra, the Trombones being ever when Then, more confined to the lower parts of the harmony, the Alto became more and more obsolete.

THE TENOR TROMBONE. ( Ital.,

3.

Its

Compass:

mechanism

displaces

the

Trombone tenore.

35

is

Get.,

notes,

from

y

simple;

the

slide,

harmonic

series

each

Tenorposaune. =

which

time

J.

by

Trombone

tenor.)

to

can a

Fr.,

be

drawn out

semitone.

W: 14267.

to

seven different

lengths,

THE TROMBONES. &*"* ,.

66789

84

=_ 10

79

IS* Position. The instrument is, so to speak, closed, the tubes fitting into each other. The fundamental tone, termed pedal-note, is practicable.

m

ii

a

^

IV

4

ip ro

-n

1

to

56

9

8

7

fundamental tone

10

The "? lengthening of the slide. fundamental is no longer so practicable

10

The lengthening of the slide. fundamental is still less practicable.

10

The lengthening of the slide. fundamental tone cannot be sounded.

three

is

practicable.

.

Position.

4th

4

8

7

I

o

o

9

> :

5

6

7

i

9

o

j|o

^ 56 78

the

complete

scale, with

7M

fr*

Position.

The lengthening of the slide. fundamental tone cannot be sounded. 6ti?

9

10

above each note showing the position which seen, some degrees are common to two or

indications

As

note.

said

10

* Position. The lengthening of the slide. fundamental tone cannot be sounded. sth

will

be

positions:

VII VI

V IV

VII VI V IV III VII VI VII VI

V IV

VII VI VII VI

1

V

oflo

IV

III II

I

VII VI

V IV

This

but good

and

is

above,

possible, avoid

therefore

which

III II

III II

V IV

V IV III

III II

II

II

III II

I

I

I

I

I

I

jt" (*)

When

The

10

3ld

66

allows of sounding the even

9

5 th

^ is

8

7

1

^

Here

Position. of the slide.

?*

lt lengthening

86789

^

VII

I**

-

o

HW3 3

VI

I

56

234

.

,

o

B!>j-

284

^

in

^

L

can

the onl_y

the

most be

7*1]

Bli

is

of indifferent quality in a rapid passage, for some time.

when held

which

position,

difficult

of

all,

produced

in

this

J.

requires the

the

two

notes

position, are

W. 14267.

maximum Double the

worst

extension of the slide,

E + and

B+

a

fifth

on the instrument.

80

THE TROMBONES. The

4.

Trombone: and

the

It

is

in

in

the

P.

both

case of

the

low register,

as

after

will F,

E:

As a matter B!
.)

Trombones,

Symphony

J^T^

which he and in the

J

rau

Horns in

PP

Trombones.

H

b

r

T

**

"

M-

r

r

Bassoons.

f Note

extreme

the

lip

-tension

required

to

sound

the

high

El>

+

of the

r

Horn

and Trom-

in

our modern

bone.

This

is

orchestras,

certainly

we have players the

Trombone, ware of the breathe

freely

Let

us be

7.

In

ferent

with

15*

the

not

public

danger,

when careful

feel

the

it

is

the Trombone

example

skilful

even

a

so

thrill

difficulty

not

preceding

positions;

net, etc.,

a striking

to write

paragraph,

of

dangerous to sound this enough

much as suspecting of

has

suspense at the been overcome.

Yet,

composition.

very

Ei>

the

on

harmoniously difficulty,

beginning

of

but the

their

Tenor

professionals, a-

piece,

and

only

so high.

I

referred to

to

only

add

hardly necessary can emit a succession

that, of

slurs

between

like

the Horn,

harmonics

having

one single articulation.

Position:

Oth

J.

W.

14267.

Position:

notes

belonging to difthe Trumpet, the Cora common fundamental

83

THE TROMBONES.

This

8.

breath

at

which

instrument,

every note,

is

is

short-winded

so

in

remarkable,

piano

in

forte

passages,

and obliged to take

passages,

for

its

astonishing

sustaining-

power:

Moderate. Violins.

Violas.

Trombones.

Violoncello

Double-bass.

marcato. (By kind permission

Through eight giving ing

its

long

cf Sehott

&

C9, Puhlishers-Proprietors.)

without respective notes quietly, and then the sound vanishes like mist, without our so much as notic-

Trombones hold

bars, the

any sign of fatigue; slow tip-toe exit.

their

Articulation. 9.

It

becomes.

goes without saying It

is

that of the

like

evidently

lower the Trombone

that the to

difficult

sound

Tenor Trombone (Bb), or 12

descends, the heavier the emission the fundamental tone of a tube 8ft. 10 in. long, ft.

H

in.

long, like

that of the Bass Trombone

Not only did the classic masters dispense with these voided

anything

that

looked

like

a

bravura

effect.

low notes, but they carefully Nowadays, thanks to the skill of

strument-makers, many things formerly forbidden have become possible. Berlioz and Weber always wrote in semibreves, minims, and crotchets, school

are not

afraid

of

much

which come out very

ages,

well,

livelier

on

While

and

(F).

ain-

Beethoven

the

modern

movement, or even of prolonged florid passcondition they are written in the sonorous medium re-

rates of

gister:

Allegro.

Mephistopheles suddenly appearing.

(88

=

J)

(Marche Hongroise.) a 3. J.

W.

14267.

THE TROMBONES. No one would

formerly

ddmmerung:

have

of

thought

using

the

articulations, from Gotter-

following

Allegro.

Tromb.

(By kind permission

Or these, from

of Schott

C?, Publishers -Proprietors.)

Parsifal: y

T*y

I

j

(The low

(By kind permission

(138

&

G+

of Schott

difficult to repeat.)

is

& C9,

Publishers -Proprietors.)

:

a 2.

i (By kind permission

3^

(Saint- Saens. 5E^ Sympk.) Svn (Saint-SaenS,

>ires.v of HeuRtl et C!f, Editeurs-Proprietaires.)

Violins.

Tromb.

^

^^ (By kind permission

of Hen^el et Clf, Kditeurs-Proprietaires.)

>,. *

*

,

'

The performers of to-day look upon these passages as mere child's play. ask them for Mozart's long susBut set them to play the Scene of the Commander collect their to tained tones; you will see them shake their heads and beg for time strength,

and

indeed

they

have

need

of

it

all:

Andante. Violins.

4-

i

f

Trombones.

P Violoncellos.

Double-basses.

it

fp

^

ta:

^ J.

W.

14X67.

THE TROMBONES.

85

(Don Giovanni}

The matic

whole than

or anything

be studied, note by note. Can there be anything more drain octaves under the chromatic harmony of the orchestra, rising than the of crescendo these sounds of brass? impressive

scene the

more

should

Trombones

Allegro. Orchestra.

Trombones.

Remark:

The low Et

(*)

is

possible

on the Bass

Trombone, for which instrument Mozart wrote

the part. J.

W. 14267.

86

THE TROMBONES.

Shakes. impossible with the slide; they can only be produced by the lips: the stand between degrees of the scale which one tone in are ones only practicable apart the harmonic series, i. e. when the 71!), 8*1?, and 9il? partials can be employed.

Shakes are

10.

34587 In

the only

reality,

possible

(l?t Position.) 10

shakes are as follows

(the

positions

being

indicated):

\f^T IV

VI

VII

III

II

I

was passing near a public ball-room, heard such strange bellowings esthat went in and asked the Trombones caping performers, as soon as the dance was over, to show me their music. This was what they had been playing: Lately,

as

I

from

I

the

I

Tempo di marcia. Trombones.

Side Drum. Kettle-drum.

and

to

wind up:

3 Tromb. -^fc-]

One would

thought it was the Beast in Revelations, "Fire!" tail, roaring through a speaking-trumpet. that this effect will ever be used in a symphony, any more

Astounding effect! cracker tied to its not

is

It

and

likely

have

with

than

a the

only mention it here on account of its rarity. fantastic howl is produced by the combined action of the slide and the lips, as a glissando is performed It is by the finger on a stringed instrument. very easy to execute, and suitable for a nigger dance.

shake, This

AUTHORS AND WORKS TO BE CONSULTED:

11

the

I

Trumpet;

read

all

the

scores

I

since

must repeat the advice given in connection with the time of Bach and Handel; the special

published as poor as that of the but all the masters have Trumpet, written for both each one them in his own and it is instruments, treating personal manner, these various manners which must be studied. The brass instruments of Bach and Handel are written very high; those of Mozart, Schumann's sometimes too high, sometimes too Beethoven, Weber, in their true register; literature

of

the

Trombone

is

low;

Wagner's low

usually

in

the

rich

medium

register, but

not

pets,

We

a secret

predilection for the Trombones); those of the

(Bass Trumpets, Tuben, Bass Trombones, Contrabass contemporaneous school with just the contrary tendency, especially as regards Truma tendency to be for it is antiinstrumental. regretted, must read, compare, and take our advantage of the

register

young

without

experience acquired

ors. J.

W. 14267.

by

predecess-

87

THE BASS TROMBONE. Trombone

(ital.,

12.

Tenor

the

is

It

^' Ifcl*

Trombone

4

3

5*

Get., Bassposaune.

8

7

1

22*

^3^

--84578 456

fc>

5**

5E

5

lower.

Position. l$t JTVSlllUn. 6

5

basse.)

Jli."

j|

~J'

Trombone

Fundamental tone theoretically practicable.

bii.

t) :

FT.,

.

1

TT

a fourth

transposed Z^

4^

" EE

basso.

Position.

Fundamental tone theoretically practicable.

78

Fundamental tone impracticable.

(HF) i

TV V A

h--

ii-

7

8

*>:

4

3

TV

5

6

Fundamental tone impracticable.

2

.

C-*) -

i^

1,^

bTT

2

11

"

4j):

^

Position.

Fundamental tone impossible.

7 *~ Position Fundamental tone impossible. -

VII

1=*7 2

Trombone

The Bass and

special

Its

is

^

with

the

as

admirable

to

but

tone,

to

difficult

requiring robust lungs

play,

lips.

compass

has

that

All

is

as

follows: 3

2

FFy been

restrictions, other referring to

the Tenor

the

first

the

difficulty

concerning

}

J

j

>J

about

said

two

j

Trombone

experienced

in

equally

applies

slowness

the

of

speech

producing

the

to the of

Bass

a tube 12

pedal- notes

Trombone, ft.

long,

(fundamental

tones). If

the Tenor

Double

Trombone

?

A

-

j

\

V of

Bass

the

Not indulge

than

Et

in

too "f

,

barely

the

sound

lower

as

notes

Double

and

pedal -notes anything

but

not

less can the pedal-notes

coming out,

still

B:>

Trombone be obtained:

have

only

can

the

free

great

a

use

masters of

the

but they are very careful not to never employed them, lowest notes of the real scale. They rarely write lower

^^ J.

W.

14X67.

THE TROMBONES. for

Take,

a

in

dulges

Once

only

the

instance,

score of

Tristan-, do you

know how

many times Wagner

Bi? +

(P.

76), and

just

see whether

he

tires the

performer by the length of the

note:

Oboes.

Clarinets in Kb.

W^

ff

dim.

/f

dim.

Cor Anglais.

Jf

Horns in

in-

m

F.

p

^

cresc.

Bassoons. cresc.

Tenor. cresc.

Trombones.

Bass.

e"

I" 9

fe

& cresc.

V

Violins.

cresc.

/

cresc.

f

Violas.

Basses.

J.

W.

14267.

,

register:

in

Actual ^ "^Ac

the

low one)

very

................. .

is

the general

used,

is

unfortunately

I

=

I

On rich

the in

most

register

interesting

but

b*

it

is

can, with

the

imprudent, when

,

and

even

this

in

the

third

X

note

#^

Y

\*

performers

other hand, the

in

C.

(the

Ai

:

should

be

z .

5-piston

scoring

TT

comprised

the

the Tuba

for

Ful1 tone-power. I.

I

$

t>3

exceptional ,

that

write

to

is

;

Less sonorous.

II

x

=

find

practice

weakest:

..........................................................

Sonorous. H

Some

the

sounds.)

..................................................... .

; '

instrument

performer transposing when necessary. we consider this extensive scale, we

If

possessing two extra semi-

key

i

Bass-Tuba

But, whichever

latter

High

Bass -Tuba, descend

for the

sparingly

register.

as

orchestra, to write

used,

as well as

all

as

low

D

than

lower

the

;

degrees

Y.

two

octaves

between

Y

quality. J.

W. 14J467.

and

Z

are

remarkably

intense

and

THE SAXHORNS. The Tuba, which has factory a substitute blend well; the soft

with great advantage replaced the Ophicleide, is not so satisfor the Bass Trombone, for the two kinds of tone -color do not thick

tone

of

the

Tuba jars

with

the

bones, and the comparison is altogether to the disadvantage But let us try to be content with what we have got, and

Weber had these deep bass notes the use that can be made of them: showing

hoven

jd

nor

Trombone Tuba.

*p-n

f

1=?

at

their

metallic of

timbre

remember that

disposal.

of the

Trom-

the Tuba.

We

give

neither Beet-

some

examples

THE SAXHORNS.

THE DEEP BASS SAXHORN. (BOMBARDON)

tuned

is

It

Tuba

German:

In

11

either

in F, in Es.

F or

in

in

E!>.

inF. :

Compass;

^

sounding: in

instrument

This

is

between

necting

link

usually

doubles.

not

used

in

the

Tuba

and

orchestra, but only in military bands, as a conthe Double-bass Saxhorn in By, which latter it

the

THE DOUBLE-BASS SAXHORN. (CONTRABASS -TUBA) 12.

In

tuned

is

It

Kontrabass-Tuba.

German: in

Bi>.

Compass:

written

is

It

sounding:

like

a

16

ft.

stop,

*)'

e. g.

Double -bass Saxhorn in Bl>.

be seen, this is, of the whole family, the member that has the most limited All the notes of the compass, but, on the other hand, it is perhaps the most sonorous. scale come out well, down to G, and the execution is satisfactory, despite the great of the notes. depth

As

will

Wagner had to

16

when

ft.

a

Contrabass -Tuba

These

El>.

forte

played

Contrabass -Tuba.

extremely (V. P.

low

186).

in

C

constructed

notes Their

are

not

effect

is

for

Rheingold, which as could

as

satisfactory better mezzo -forte:

could

be

descend wished,

m

"}' " \b,\> 1>

Lento.

Bass -Tubas.

Contrabass -Tuba

J-n-y^J-jn^^f^^ MM- bil!ll> ,,13 |W-

in C.

(Sy kind permission

It

is

mf

also

that

he gives this

F

low J.

to

the

W. 14267.

of Schott

&

Contrabass -Tuba:

W C?, Pnbllsherii-Proprietorij

THE SAXHORNS. Bass Trumpet

98

Chapter III. Instruments.

Percussion

THE KETTLE - DRUMS. Timpani.

(ital.,

"The Kettle-drum

1.

The

made

usually

loosen

or

This

last

some

the

proposition

well

the

to

the

to

are

shell,

over

kind

of

which

is

or

flaw

makers curried,

homogeneous,

means

of

can

be

a

skin.

"head"

the

goat- skin,

employ

by

stretched

dint;

shell

better

of

Fr, Timbales.)

action

dimensions

notes

deep is

be

attached

No precise

-

instrument

must

obedience

in

expanding

Kettle-drums

large

is

It

membrane.

the

hemispherical from any

The skin

thickness.

and

contracting

but

skin,

a

of

brass, free

good

calf- skin.

uniform

of

consists of

ass's

of

sheep-skin, or

and

be

should

shell

Pauken.

Ger.,

dog-skin,

without

cracks, screws; an iron ring,

of

these

screws, serves

given

for

to

tighten

Kettle -drums,

but

on

(Kastner)

quality!'

self-evident.

Nowadays, all Kettle-drum heads are made of well curried calf -skin, usually from the animal's back, that being considered the most serviceable part of

2.

lected

is

sethe

hide.

As the

a

the

skin

rescue,

is

uniform

absolutely

parts, and may sometimes

the

sparing

thin

drummer

conscientious

much

not of

beating be seen

out

drummer's

the

thickness,

the

ones.

thick

out

hammering

experience comes to Before a rehearsal,

parts

the

of

head, very

a

like

gold-beater. It sometimes takes 4 or 5 years to "mellow" a Kettle-drum. The instrument - maker constructs it, but the performer gives it the finishing touches, which take more time, as we have just seen, than the making of the Drum.

A

made

well

accident

Kettle-drum

happen to

performer

on

this

it,

a

lasts

about

as

instrument

in

time.

long

"On the

long as the drummer," the Colonne Orchestra;

average,

says

and

Mr

and

if

Henri

accidents

no

untimely

Vizentini,

the

rare

the

are

in

orchestra.

3.

The ed

in

Kettle-drums are made largest

the

can at

will

three to

sizes.

sound

any

one

of

the

J smallest

size

gives

J the

J

the

degrees compris-

following

|J notes:

v and

chromatic

fifth:

=SJF

The

in

made

be

medium -sized :,

according

ones play to

the

either

custom J.

in

of

the the

W. 14267.

r or

fifth

various

countries.

in

the

fifth

99

THE KETTLE-DRUMS. For the sake

y

compass two

completeness, we will " to be found

of

..

in

weakness

atoned

being

for

the

by

ff |*

J

|

f

J

f

j

Fq

with

it

(8^

I

with

practice, the

in

F an octave low

this

sonorous, and al-

not

is

the the

of

quality

h\

?'

to go

advisable

not

is

f

J

H-;t f- V

it

rich

hardly ever used

*

*/

So,

and

full

Kettle-drum

little

Even

Beethoven

though

a

but

museums,

,

degrees, Ft and 6, being of poor quality. he never fails to contrast uses it

highest

4.

mention

also

its

lower,

F:

Symphony.)

(9tb Symphony.)

either

beyond

F or

high

low

E

F.

==

^

is

required for a special effect, but has no tonal value except in a pianissitone suggests the idea of a cracked Bass Drum. that Berlioz wrote the high FJI, and Wagner the low E, but only fully aware

sometimes

mo; I

its

am

and

exceptionally,

ask

them

if

something another

Besides, there is drum: it consists

5.

In

ened

and

by

means

of

which

he

wise

there

is

is

means

using old

for

borrow

to

from

anything

risk

been

varying in one.

small

familiar,

some

the

roll

to

better

is

it

number

from

Taking

into

head

membrane

the

9 to

to

bear tightening

to

the

a

of

screws

several

but

fifth,

it

tightened and loosKettle - drum, large

inequalities

Besides, quality

cracking.

extent

the

the

of

be

of the composer to require such skips. The performer requires a relatively long time to change the pitch than a major third, and if the great masters' works be examined, it

skin

other-

accordingly;

and correct

Drums depends The head is would

Kettle-

the

of

sticks.

is

a

for

11

account

the

that

Kettle-drum

depend on well-balanced tension. The length of time required to change the tuning of the on the number of turns to be given to the screws. val, strong

them,

than

deeper

with

retained;

drummer adjusts

the of

a

producing

Drum played

has

system

a

of

Bass

a

screws,

9

7 to

with

in

the

France,

from

inclined

feel

you

else.

for

intonation

on the

inter-

sufficiently

very unskilful on the

part

they I

carefully

take

five

avoid

scores

Liszt:

exceeding at

this

random:

Festkldnge... 4 Kettle-drums tuned in: G, A, Bl>, C. Ff A, Bl>, Bl). Changing to: (Maximum skip: a semitone?)

Hungaria

....

3

Kettle-drums tuned

in:

to:

Changing Then to:

B\>,

Ff,

D|. Bb, D|. C, Dl|.

B\>,

Bit,

And finally to: A, (Maximum skip: a major third.)

_

Mazeppa

2 Kettle-drums tuned

Changing

Then

And

to:

finally to:

(Maximum J.

in:

to:

skip:

*. 14267.

a minor

D.

A,

A, D. A, Cf. A, Bl|. A, D. third.)

a

will

limit.

,

_

of

Drum be

by

more

seen

that

100

THE KETTLE-DRUMS. Marche Nocturne

2 Kettle-drums tuned

(L'Enfance du Christ.)

Changing to: (Skip of a second.)

Berlioz:

_

Fantaisie sur la "TempSte". 2 Kettle-drums tuned Changing

(Lelio.)

Then

in:

G, C. G, Bk

in:

At,C. Al, D.

to:

At.E.

to:

And finally to: C, F. (Maximum skip: a fourth, but a gradual one, by seconds.)

About

bar of quadruple time, in moderate tempo, is required to raise or lower the Drum by one tone. Naturally, more time is required for a third, a fourth, a

one

of a

pitch

if

fifth,

When the

ear;

the

screws.

a

small

only

a

such

indeed

when

know

they

In

risked.

are

to is

it

fact,

be

skip

intervals

in

give

only

drummers manage

question,

tune

to

without consulting

or a whole

a quarter, a half, three-quarters, thus that they can tune in & forte, amid

turn

to

the din

of

tutti.

when wide

However, ience;

whether

may

they the

skips are

seen

be

instrument

in

for,

touching

gently

is

called

the

they no longer trust to their manual experskin with a drum -stick, endeavoring to judge

tune.

Germany, Russia, and Italy, this system has tuned Kettle-drums exclusively adopted. Two kinds are made: (1) Drums mounted on pivots, 6.

ened

as

according

levers

acting

latter

kind

is

upon

instrument

the

number

a

more general

in

is

turned to

notches

of

the

the

right

corresponding

All

head

mechanically

being tightened or

or to

the

the

series

to

left:

of

(2)

Drums

semitones.

loos-

with

This

use.

The great

tempo,

discarded, and

been

In

advantage of mechanical tuning lies in its figures such as the following can be executed

instantaneousness. on a

single

In

moderate

Drum.

moderate.

=*"

i

J

J

J

J

(The sudden motion of the lever coincides with the stroke of

the

stick, so as

to avoid

blurring.)

Curious glissando effects can be obtained the violinist's finger on a string:

by

handling

the

lever

slowly,

very

much

like

Andante.

The Paris

had

Kettle-drums, but has just discarded them again, their intonation is inaccurate. The skins contract or distend according to alleging that the temperature and the or dampness dryness of the air, so they say, and they complain

that

Opera

they

have

Sub judice Us

not

adopted

these

sufficiently

direct

control

estl

i.

W. 14267.

over

the

tuning

of

the

Drum.

101

THE KETTLE-DRUMS. As

7.

for

without

fit,

composers,

they

need

other preoccupation

any

take

not

than

sides

that

of

the

in

quarrel,

the

confining

but

write as they think

instrument

to

its

of-

true

fice.

What do we require A vibration, a sound denly damp the Drum's function

With

4

in

successive

without It

is

involving

up and down rapid scales? combinations are possible. As

all

the

all

that,

a

at

first

such

case

a

It

I

sometimes,

happens

unable

the

think

make the necessary

to

course

the

change

of

changes the

of in

can

scale

is

performer

tuned

easily

be

obtained,

embarrassed by the

beforehand; changes for the

it

key

proper somewhat to blame.

is

composer in

the

rehearsal,

composer having neglected to indicate the drummer's business to study and arrange

Drum can be

each

chromatic

degrees of the a minor third.

than

greater

skip

happens

frequently

To abruptly cut short or sudharp -string's. the nature of the instrument. Is it really

to

antagonistic

semitones,

a

a

like

away

run

to

Drums

three

dying

sound

this

Kettle-drum?

the

of

will

be

the

next rehearsal.

In

a piece, that a single performer is absolutely the tuning. Suppose his Drums are tuned as

follows:

,

J

and

then

that

needs to finish

he

on

off

IT

Bi>,

as follows:

Vivo.

t Orchestra.

Kettle -Drum.

he

If

his

is

neighbors

own the

he will

na'fve,

accord, request give two

C, to

one of

on

If,

his

of

his

troubles to the

his

tell

assistance.

for

screws

the

he

contrary, in

companions

half -turn

the

conductor,

the

is

a

who

will

bright

orchestra, while

necessary

to

raise

direct

man, he the

will,

himself

A

ask

him to

he

is

Drum

of

his

playing

by

a

semitone.

Nowadays, anything can be written, technical difficulties constantly diminishing, but nothing ought to be written which is not in keeping with the nature of the instrument.

The 8.

There are

Sticks

with

for

two

skin soft

Sticks.

kinds:

knobs, for

ordinary

use forte

or

piano, and

sticks with sponge knobs,

effects.

particular/ Formerly, wooden- headed

sticks

were sometimes used,

but

the quality of tone produced the Side Drum.

hard and has very little timbre, recalling that of drummer avoids playing on the extreme edge of the head, as this only produces a He also carefully avoids the centre the of nasal, dry tone, without vibrating power. is

very

The

head,

and

prefers playing

mid -way

between

J.

edge

W. 14267.

and

centre.

THE KETTLE-DRUMS.

102

Mode 9.

If

as that

written

the

vibration

overture

the

of

beginning

of

sound

to

remainder

of

the

E

the

of

would

Fidelia,

Kettle-drums.

whereas, for the

required, the

is

Drum

must be as carefully

part

instrument.

any other

of

Beethoven, fearing the

duration

definite

any

of writing.

*}'

E

orchestra, 3-

8 Jit

the

V

J)

E

is

in

the

separates

ty

beyond the attack of the B^, two notes by a rest +:

last

J

^

dotted:

.

Orchestra.

^*pt In

ed beat

just

course

the of

as

a

bar

by

have

well

the

work,

means

of

of

written

it

a

be

will

crotchet, it

minims;

is

Beethoven frequently marks the accent-

observed,

when, not a

having

any

mere question

of

special

intention, he

might

habit:

Allegro.

Kettle-drums.

1

Orchestra.

m

Elffe

t^pEEfp

(Quartet) such

In

Mozart

cases,

usually

writes:

m When a

10.

Some

others

write

like

the

roll

the

is

roll

tremolo

the

required,

like

a

of

the

great

shake

masters

make use

of

two

kinds

of

notation.

*}'

*)'

Strings

o .

and

same

the

Remark: specify

master

frequently

both

X

system

seem

in

systems

It is hardly necessary to add that with the time -values sufficiently rapid to produce a roll.

Vivo.

The

uses

Y

Afoderato.

preferable, precisely

J. \V.

on

succession.

system

it

becomes indispensable

Adagio.

account

14267.

of

its

uniformity.

to

103

THE KETTLE-DRUMS. 11:

When a

performer

may

wr

roll

think

lasts

the

through

two

composer

or more

intends

the

bars,

the

first

beat

notes of

must be

each

bar

tied; otherwise, the

to

be

marked:

104

THE KETTLE-DRUMS.

dramatic

in

its

energy:

Kettle-drums.

Orchestra.

(By kind permission of Rieter-Biedernann, Editeur-Proprletalre.)

We on the

must

also

mention

Double-basses;

the the

possibility

two

qualities

of

continuing of

ring:

Kettle-drums.

Double-bass.

J

T~-C

*

tone

a roll

follow

(Gernsheim, on the

each other

Drums

#*2*

Symphony.)

by a

tremolo

without the least jar-

THE KETTLE-DRUMS. Allegro. Kettle drums

(Ek

Bk)

Orchestra

.

106

THE SIDE DRUM. Tamburo

(ital.,

We

1.

case

The

have

seen

are

sticks

effects

its

depend

The 2

Kemak: not

Drum

Side

the

material,

and

detain us,

or

be

3

suited

being

on

solely

to

all

The

sticks

on

the

one

of

stead, the

its

but, in

two

stroke

single

first

is

also

stick

is

short

in

Side

Bt>,

Drum,

A^, or

in

because

keys,

the

in

it

has

in

no

it

would be more is

F#

quite

key of

im-

own

its

of the

tuning of the

Drum need

Side

is

membrane,

Strokes. used:

rarely

double- stroke,

"coup de

the

the

of

be

could be quoted

produced

the

by

(fla) Soundipg: from

1

differing

charge',

almost

simultaneous attack

of

the

employed:

usually

Written:

as

calf -skin;

of

sufficiently conclusive.

Various 2:

made

is

rhythm.

that

examples

they are not

as

tone

the

to

assigned

Whether the piece

noise.

it

Kettle-drums

of

Fr, Tambour.)

used.

is

sheepskin

can

pitch

call

to

head

Kleine Trommel.

Ger.,

wood.

of

As no definite correct

the

that

Drum

Side

the

of

piccolo.

the

=^= above

by

the

accentuation

of

the

note:

Rolls. 3

Rolls

They

are

consist

ra.

called: of

3,

4,

5,

6,

strokes, and

10

8,

7,

so

on:

etc.

There a

is

shake, or

also

continuous

the

like

the

tremolo

similar

roll,

of

the

to

the

Kettle-drum

roll;

it

is

written

like

Strings:

or:

care values

being

taken, as

sufficiently

in

rapid VtTO.

the to

case

produce

Kettle-drum

the

of

a

true

Moderate.

B

J.

(P.102,

roll:

"

W. 14X67.

Adagio.

10),

to

write

time-

107

THE SIDE DRUM.

Rhythmic Combinations. Some

4.

the

of

summarize

rolls

the

all

Aux

in

of

capabilities

^

(J--80U

=

(J

use

in

French

the

are

army

,

^

i

r_ 3E

,

pretty

well

*

Champs-. L

a-

no)

=

(J

La

they

76)

L_

Pas

below:

given

instrument:

the

accelere: 5K^

7

Retraite:

Notation. The

5.

Drum

Side

is

the

idea

of

high

notes.

line

without

any

clef

of

usually

However,

is

to

given

written

G

the

in

the

in

majority Side Drum,

the

its

clef,

as

Drum

this

6. is

do

I

not

frequently

a

derive

used

for

and

peculiar

Kettle-drums, the

think

the

for

it

has

ever

been

Drum,

in the

employed

in

a

acute

timbre

evoking

published nowadays, a single arrangement economizes space.

scores

of

The same practice prevails as regards Cymbals, Bass them being instruments without definite pitch.

Use of the Side

clear

Triangle,

Castanets,

all

orchestra.

symphony.

On

the

other

hand,

it

"Meyerbeer," says Gevaert, "has known how to the the association of the Side Drum with

dramatic terrible

purposes. effect from

famous

crescendo

roll

Berlioz's

own words,

dehis admiration for Meyerbeer's expressing has been so often used that it seems super-

of

the

Benediction des Poignards

(in

Huguenots)'.'

These vice,

are,

then

fluous

to

quite

quote

At random, account

in

in

I

fact,

Since

novel.

examples. quote

this

his

Everyone

theme

it

time,

of

can

them

call

mind.

"Marche de Turenne"

the

L'Arlesienne: Allegro.

Horns &

Wood-wind. Side -Drum.

Violins.

Basses. ere (Choudens, Editeur-Proprietaire.)

to

J.

_

-

seen

W. 14267.

which

Bizet

has turned to

THE

108 And

other

this

delicate

incisive

yet

SIDE DRUM. from

effect,

Scenes Pittoresques:

the

Solo.

Side

,

Drum.

Orchestra.

(Joseph Williams, Limited. Publishers

-

Proprietors.)

7.

of

heard

a very

cloth,

at

striking

or

parchment being the Drum. Nothing

Sometimes either

by

means

of

the

dismal

tone to

than

met with;

is

as

snares, or by muffling usually

the

to

left

The following passage illustrates the

use

of

is

of

the

obtained,

speak,

a

long

the

described

performer. the muffled


. PJ

Horn in

m

E

Bassoons.

im

F.

m

Trombones VP\

Tuba. -

m

4

>:i>,

-J>

Es-4

8 m

i3S

Kettle-

fffF)

Drums.

(muffled

m

i

Side Drum.

PP

Bass Drum (Mackenzie, Solemn (By kind permission

of Novello

&

C9, L4.,

March from

the "Story of Saytd".)

Publishers- Proprietors.)

THE TENOR DRUM. (WIRBELTROMMEL, HOLLTROMMEL, RUHRTROMMEL.) 8.

brass.

in

Tenor

sound

Drum

is

longer

than

the

Side

Drum, and

is

made

of

wood, instead

of

be that of a small -sized Bass Drum. duller, and might same purposes and has the same mechanism as the Side Drum. Gluck, Iphigenie en Tauride (Chorus of the Scythians), and Wagner, in Die Walkiire and Parsifal, have made use of the Tenor Drum.

It

in

The Its

serves

is

the

J.

W. 14267.

109

THE TAMBOURINE. Tamburino.

(ital.,

There

\:

(1)

By

are

three the

striking

ways

Ger., Schellentrommel.

of

parchment

using it: with the back of

Tambour de Basque)

Fr.,

hand:

the

Tambourine.

Carmen.

Orchestra.

(Choudens, Editenr

-

Carmen,

(Bizet,

Proprie'tire.)

182.)

p.

1

(2)

shaking the instrument, in order to call into play the "jingles', i. e. the small metal which are, so to speak, embedded in its hoop; a metallic rustle rather than a roll

By

plates is thus

obtained:

Tambourine.

;

p

Mr

r

r

p

p

Orchestra.

(Choudens, Editeur

As

in

a

like

case

the

shake, or

of

Kettle-drum

the

like

a

tremolo

and the

for

-

(Carmen,

Proprietaire.)

p. 183.)

written

either

writing is employed, time-values be indicated (P. 106, 3).

suffic-

rustle

this

Drum,

Military

is

Strings: or:

Note, iently

before, that rapid to ensure

the

the

104)

of

Military

temporary

This, however,

clef has no more value Drum, the Triangle, etc. A

in

the notation of the

single

line

is

can

roll

)

^

be produced,

some

requires

i^-yJ^-yiJSJSiJS^i

j_J

J

|

predominates.

The

2.

mode

latter

continuity of sound must thumb over the parchment, a

By gliding the sound of the jingles

(3)

(J =

when

as

|J

>J

)

)

-y|J -yJ

Tambourine than

usually

in

which

skill.

employed, as

the

v|J

)

v

of

the

above

ex-

that

in in

)

ample.

THE TABOR. (Fr.,

This

1.

blows his

a very long drum, without timbre, used in three -hole pipe, or Galoubet, which he holds

is

a

into

left

Tambouring

he

beats

_ Allegro

time

with

a

single

Provence. in

his

The

right

tabor -player hand, while with

stick:

.^

Piccolo.

Tabor.

iuj

*m.

\i

i

i

(Choudens, Editeur- Proprie'Uire.)

J.

W. 14267.

(Bizet,

L

1

'

ArleStetttie.)

110

THE TRIANGLE. Triangolo.

(ital.,

The

1.

suitable

written

be

Triangle may all kinds of

for

Ger.,

Triangel.

a

on

either

single

combinations,

rhythmic

Triangle.}

Fr.,

or

line,

G

the

clef.

It

is

group

of

triple strokes, etc.

double,

single,

in

Allegro.

The

tremolo

2.

The

5

notes,

seems

sometimes

stroke

single

2, 3, 4, or

as for the' Drums:

written

is

the

have

alone

last

simple, and

too

appreciable

any

in I.

The

short

note

the

preceding

note

true

group of 3 notes is excellent, to left. direction, from right

II.

This

III. This

4 notes

of

group

is

IV. Groups of 5 notes, as well reason given above (See II).

If

where the

a

pianissimo

the

Remark-.

has

rod

performer I

4r

heard

is

only likely to

is

think

it

a

sprightliness.

third

first

and

groups

(7,

the

natural,

odd -numbered

all

wanted,

an

know

it

or

inch

his

is

so

the of

top

business,

it

the

of

struck

being

last

being

is

as well to call attention be said to be out of tune;

needless to

9, etc.),

Triangle

move

to

space

may be

a double sound; they may produce a single sound.

alone

so

more

and

first

by

value.

in

the

same

in

con-

struck

directions.

trary

3.

not

the

replaced

IV

it

gives

is

time

that

are

very

must

good,

be

touched,

backwards and forwards to

note

this

in

for

the

in.

As

score.

that some Triangles produce stroke of the rod ought always to

the fact

the

Always effective, the Triangle is absolutely indispensable in the orchestra, for to it sometimes entrusted the duty of marking the rhythm of the piece. It can be through the whole of the polyphonic mass, even when struck

is

A

(J

=

88)

rrm

Triangle.

PP Tempo di Minuetto.

Orchestra.

r J.

W. 14267.

(Berlioz,

Damnation de

Eatust.)

in

THE TRIANGLE. /""*

112)

-.

f

Piccolo.

Mj

^

Flutes.

Triangle.

^

I

fff

I

f

^ ^

fefe

p

Violins.

Violas.

i (By kind permission

(J

=

~r A.Durand

of

o et Fils,

""/."

Editeurs-ProprUtaires.)

(.Saint- SaenS,

La

Jeunesse d'Hercule.)

120)

Flutes.

Triangle.

Violins.

m

f

^

r

m f^f

Violas. fizz.

Violoncellos.

^^ Allegretto.

Horns in E.

Triangle.

Violins.

Violas

.

Violoncellos.

Double-basses.

^ife

^

(Schumann,

/? Symphony?)

112

THE TRIANGLE.

Here for

the

is

a

very

delicate

effect

Strings.

Triangle.

of

the

Triangle

tremolo, with

pianissimo

holding-notes

THE CASTANETS. this

Usually, tain

formulae

instrument, so characteristic of current tras los monies, which

113

popular are not

Spanish

music,

varied,

very

is

confined to cer-

as may

be

seen:

Treble.

Castanets.

Bass.

Allegretto Treble.

Castanets.

Bass.

The

2.

beneath

are

Castanets

2nd Scehe

The

the

of

veil

this

Samson

of

rhythm

persisting

Ones)

a et the

for

single

without

line,

Dalila

should

Castanets

any clef. consulted.

be

(both

wooden and

Note, iron

Allegro.

the

then

Act

on

written

usually

3!^

the

of

skilful

drawing

use

of

the

finally

alternating with and replacing each other, produce the maximum outburst of strength.

instruments

percussion

closer, and

to

uniting

THE CYMBALS. (Ital., Piatti. 1.

They

They ly

may

struck

The In

be

with

sound the

may be played violently

a

may

former

drum

either

together

one

clashed

Ger., Beckett.)

or

against

separately. the other,

either

be

case, the

damped, or

Cymbals

are

it

may be allowed

written

6

in

the

latter

or

one

them may be

as

vibrate.

to

follows: .

case, thus:

tp

of

-stick.

-

"

ff J.

W. 14267.

*

r

I

light-

114

THE CYMBALS.

Even

so

the

if

be

2:

bind

an

brass (2)

There

axis

for

discs in

pended

they may the right

to

its

by

the

to

uneven, but

strap, and a from piano

example

of

be

the

of

nevertheless surer, the

retains

two

to

forte, the

specimen

_ Cymbal.

Orchestra.

/5

tL

of

Vivo. i*

the

and

its

value as a bind,

preceding

sonorous

i.e.

examples may

al-

kind

of

sound

the

roll,

swells

tutti

/

(

other

kind:

/ll

/!

metallic jingle;

two

with

great

passage

/>

Cymbals

may

performed on

roll

Overture may be mentioned: eight

ff as a

violent

a

A

Allegro.

very

crescendo, one of the perfectly even and continuous for

first

Tannhauser

*

and

it

make

(1) In a producing a roll, or tremolo, with the Cymbals: clashed against each other, the performer's wrist serving these shocks, as rapid as possible, of the two left motion;

of

passages, or

piano

an

an

produce

drumsticks; vice versa.

As

two ways

are

of

oration

be

written:

forte passage, as

not

a rest, To stopped.

leads

only

must

vibrations

the

sus-

by

means and

regularity

which

bars

it

be

announces the per-

fortissimo

for

the

115

THE CYMBALS. 4.

sponge -tipped angle.

has noticed

one

Every

could

seems

gold-dust

as

drumstick, so

Nothing

to

the

color a rise

to

equal

or

more

rhythm out

up

charming

the

of

effect

even

a

of

Cymbal the

surpass

with

delightfully;

struck

gently

of

pianissimo each

stroke

a

with

the cloud

a

Triof

orchestra:

Andantino.

Cymbal

Poco

2

.

rit.

Flute. (Solo.)

Violins.

Viola.

Violoncello.

Double- bass,

la

Tempo

(J. Hamelle,

The in

Cymbal strokes which are indicated in the above example are not to be found Suite from Namouna (P. 74); it was Vaucorbeil who very ingeniously added

during

characteristic, of

(Lalo.)

two

the

them

Editeur- Proprietaire.)

the

theme,

the

rehearsals

of

so unexpectedly

that

it

still

Lalo's

posthumous

picturesque

rings

in

my

was ear,

this

work at metallic

despite

elapsed.

J.W. 14267.

the

the

Paris

quiver,

many

Opera-house.

So

upon the reappearance

years

which

have

since

116

We midst

THE CYMBALS. now

another

give

the

of

example

of

the

skilful

use

of

a

fymbal

struck

piano

in

the

Strings:

Allegretto. a 2. Clar. in

B\>.

Bassoon.

Horn

in Bt>.

*

Cymbal.

Violins.

I

v

J>

^^T

*/ !/

Violas.

Violoncellos.

v

^^

J * J

J

EE cantando.

Double-basses.

"

(By kind permission

of Heugel

t

Ci?, Editeurn-Proprietaires.)

J.W. 14267.

Arco. __ (Th. Dubois, Suite miniatured)

THE CYMBALS.

ANCIENT CYMBALS. 5.

are

They

Museum

the

of

made

Pandean

Flutes, Organs, They are much smaller and have a more silvery

Since

their

many

The

would

be

the

of

Ancient

held

Cymbals

timbre.

and

the time of the

in

employed

in

etc.

from

varying

Romeo

in

kinds

all

preserved

and

6

8

to

inches

Les Troyens,

in

in

diameter,

Gounod,

St Sae'ns,

as

for

such

and

tremolos,

some

figurantes

small

a

effect

special

rolls

Cymbals, avoiding

ordinary

on

surface.

will

some

step

keep

frequently

However, such

rolls

day

be

produced

with

the

assistance of

by

hand.

the

in

of

Pompeii, and

at

them.

production

perhaps

dancers

stage,

acute

them

for

discovered

Citharae,

Cymbals,

Berlioz

difficult

impossible, and means.

On

Pipes,

our

employed

not

their

and

by

have writes

composer

which are

adoption

others

than

those

of

instruments

with

Naples, along

Caesars:

and

model

the

after

THE BASS DRUM. (ital.,

This angle,

the

another

is

What

obtained

is

required

Bass Drum

The

ment

instrument etc.

Castanets,

result

ought

to

Gran Cassa.

act

without

worth

Bass Drum

the

of

to

ought

the

equally

be

large:

upon

the

or

felt

gle

the

handle, a

wise

We of

the

have

rarely

already

sticks

been

a

is

rods

sometimes

rather

said

for

used.

this

We

(P.

99,

Bass

been

1

large drumstick

with

or

a

Tri-

attempted, but

provided

either with

one

knob,

held

by

on In-

Treatise

(Pares,

double

mailloche

the

Drum,

heavy quality of tone. which stretch the parch-

braces

circumference',

of a

With

or

Military

involves).

and

full

the

has it

the

at

middle

a

sin-

each

end

of

its

Drum can

like-

deeper than

that

might employed, the player making use The roll thus produced is very effective, but

Ket-

resembling distant thunder may be produced. cannon (Berlioz, Marche Hongroise).

Kettle-drums, the

tle-drum

that

(mailloche simple},

(mailloche double).

roll

imitate

knob

cork

stick

Drum

whole

strumention for Military Bands). The Bass Drum is played by means of

Bass trouble

the

like

intonation,

precise

the

(Tuning not

is

Trommel. Fr, Grosse Caisse)

Get., Grosse

4)

that,

Drum

in

order

be

purpose. give one example:

J.

W. 14267.

to

obtain

The

a

Bass

roll

of

has

118

THE BASS -DRUM. Allegro. (J = a 2.

Trumpets

Do able

-

8)

in C.

basses. ,

(By kind permission

Who bals,

has

not

been

accentuating

a

deur? Bassoons.

Horns

in

E

moved

by

the

phrase,

to

which

of

Henry Lemoine

pianissimo it

lends

attack

Hercule au Jardin des Hcsperides.)

et Clf,

of

mysterious

Editeurs- Proprietaires.)

the

united

solemnity

Bass Drum and Cymand impressive gran-

THE BASS -DRUM. I

II

119

~mm THE BASS -DRUM.

120

I i

^^ f' f

f

if

r 7

Ul 1

J

J

il.

J

U itJ Ji

Tf-rgfe

r

r

,

J

r

^s

*jr-

j

,

J

^ y

(Balakirew, Thamar.) .1.

W. 14867.

121

THE GONG. Tam-tam.

(ital.,

The

Gong

The

composer

able

not key,

to

a

give

to

when struck forte, and threatening even when struck pi(tno. beware of its long -sustained vibrations. Although the Gong

must

tone

definite

of

borrow

to of

change

any

continues

Tam-tam.)

Fr.,

terrifying

seems

it

yet

that

is

Tam-tam.

Ger.,

pitch,

the or

harmony

vibrate.

and

is

the

of

tonality

must

modulation

any

consequently adapted chord in which it be

as

avoided

use

for is

in

is

any so

struck,

long as the Gong

Andante. Gong.

Orchestra.

The

seems

Gong

appears to second bar the

of

chord,

otherwise,

bar;

a

like

its

such

In

Pianoforte

it

tune

in

quite

lose

suddenly (Y Z).

first

be

to

it

case,

will

without

first

of intonation

truth a

the

in

is

when to

necessary

seem, during

the

bar

(X)

the above example, but harmony changes in the of

the

damp

second

vibrations

its

to

bar,

hold

the

at

the

end

preceding

dampers.

Different Altitudes of Percussion Instruments of Indeterminate Pitch and Long Vibration. Let

and If

us that

three

cataclysm,

suppose

we need such I

we to

shocks

think

the

are give

at

to

required

the

depict

impression

Titans

violent

sonorous

altitudes

instruments

would

different

percussion

of

the

Cymbals. Gong.

Bass -Drum A

being

shocks might need to

in

hurled down from Heaven,

quick

suffice-

be

succession. to

indicate

disposed

as

the

follows:

122 Percussion

Exceptional

Instruments.

2.

The Glockenspiel. The Celesta.

3.

The Xylophone.

4.

Bells.

1.

THE GLOCKENSPIEL. means

of

for

If,

to

"it

length,

an

extent

the

were would

be

only

their

necessary

are

struck

by

proportion to their thick-

length.

between

difference

direct

in

increase

to

bars, which

steel

is

chromatic

the

obtain

to

the

to

bars

of

square

desired

small

of

these

of

pitch

to

equivalent

number

a

of

the

ratio

it

instance,

equal

bar

inverse

in

consists

hammers;

little

ness, and

of

instrument

This

1.

scale

means

thickness

the

each

by

the

of

of

bars

of

all

each successive

semitones."

(Mahillon).

The compass

the

of

from

is

keyboard

Glockenspiel

to

two

and

octaves

sounding

a

tone

-f

l>TT

(The actual sounds

The

little

instrument

allowed

Wagner,

me,

best

lowest tone, I

the

Massenet,

The

believe

After

him

finale

La

in

notes

notes

which

somewhat

the

in

treated

be

may

for

the

of

keyboard

much

long

instrument to

tendency the lower

Mozart

was

the

first

^***\

i

in

it

employed i

are,

sound the

manner

Meyerbeer,

have

etc.

employed of

as

course,

the

fifth

in

the

the

composer

to

make use

Zauberflote:

*

Tenor

in

B!>

Barytone

in

El>

Saxophone

Alto

Soprano

Tenor

can

about

have

all

They

and

rise

same

the

Barytone

to

11

compass as the at

stop

the

in

El>

is

family

in

Soprano

the

the

low

the

Oboe, including

highest

composed:

officially

whereas

register,

however,

B!>;

Alto

and

better to avoid

writ-

the

F.

->L

..''

f.

Compass

of Alto

Compass

The

2:

the

ing

their

in

As is

it

for

lowest the

notes

for

cannot

them;

descend

the

& Tenor.

very

and

Alto

it

Saxophone,

is

used

not

in

replaced by the Sarrusophone, which to the extreme depths of the orchestra.

Proceeding

easily,

Barytone,

so

it

on

the

is

are excellent

contrary,

register.

Bass

usually

ease

ful

low

very

Tenor

and

Soprano

& Barytone.

of Soprano

by

analogy

and

tone -color

of

of

practice, on

can

pitch,

skip

the

account

down

of

with

its

the

great weight;

most

comparison

following

grace-

may

be

established:

Soprano Alto

n

Tenor

n

Barytone

n

The Saxophones are

8

ft.

stop

12

ft.

ii

_ 16

ft.

.1

Saxophone

written

in

* Avoid attacking pianissimo the applies equally to all the members

_

the

_

24

G

clef,

ft.

= = = =

whatever

Oboe, Clarinet.

Cor Anglais. Cello.

Bass Clarinet. their

actual

pitch

notes comprised in the lowest sixth: =# of the Saxophone family. "V** J.

W. 14267.

may

= ~-^

;

be.

*

this restriction

126

THE SAXOPHONES.

SOPRANO SAXOPHONE

Bk

in

3 sounding:

Compass:

office

Its

need.

in

a

is

It

bands

military

rather

shrill

the

reinforce

to

is

instrument, and

-toned

replace them

Clarinets, or to

used

not

is

ALTO SAXOPHONE

in

in

the

in

case

of

orchestra.

Ek

4

the

is

It

best

the

of

tone is

It

even, and

Remark:

rise

easily,

the

at

it

of the

can rise easily,

medium

I

do not

The 5

register.

They naturally become thinner and

virtuosi.

Saxophone

can

it

that

By saying

as the notes

be

to

enough to be a match for 4 or 5

powerful

ticable for

is

instrument

the

family,

heard

Hamlet, L'Arlesienne,

in

etc.

Herodia.de, Werther, Its

^

sounding:

Compass:

same time possessing

good bass notes.

Clarinets.

mean

that the highest notes are as prachighest notes can only be written

or 6

thinner.

E\>:

sounding:

(Choudens, Editeur It

the

to

is

are

peggios

Alto

given

the

Avoid, however,

that

Saxophone in

military

following

florid

bands'.'

figures,

-

scale

quick

It

is

an

below

octave

timbre

Its

the

Soprano,

dapted It

is

as

full,

Like

the

Alto,

for

the

execution

better

nearly

in

sounding:

is

to

the

avoid

as

even,

Tenor of

giving

shakes

and

ar-

'Pares).

Compass:

Alto.

passages,

shakes:

TENOR SAXOPHONE 5.

(G. Bizet, Arlesienne)

Proprietaire.)

and

in

Saxophone

every is

in

unison

Bk with

the

as

satisfactory as that of the

of

capable great execution, chromatic figures, etc.

bravura passages, it

the

4

J.

or

5

highest

W. J4267.

Clarinet.

m

)'

respect

Alto

notes

to

play.

and

well

a-

THE SAXOPHONES.

BARYTONE SAXOPHONE &.

Compass:

instrument

This

Bass

the

7.

is

is

neglected, and

consists

I

to

quite

the

simple as

so

in

for

which, as we

Bi>,

the

Bass

the

it

plays

much

same

the

mention

that

the

of

of

Saxophones

higher

There is another Saxophones. for the sake of completeness. of

family

part

it

pitch.

group,

but

it

varieties:

following

Saxophone

in

F

Soprano

n

in

C

Sopranino

As

bands

military

orchestra.

official

only

in

carry;

)'

sounding:

:

the

in

not

the

of

^-^

heavy

is

Such, then,

It

=

.

Clarinet

mechanism

Its

is

Ek

^

6

as

in

Alto

n

in

F

Tenor

n

in

C

Barytone

u

in

F

in

Saxophone

have just seen

C,

it

is

not

any more than

used

(2), on account

of

its

great

Bass Saxophone

the

weight,

is

replaced by

Sarrusophone.

8.

ophone,

as

for,

I

Bassoon are equally

Oboe, Clarinet, and

on the

possible

figures

Sax-

and tremolos possible on the Oboe can be performed on the have already said, the two instruments have the same mechanism.

shakes

the

All

"All

suitable for the Saxophones,

legato passages suit them best'.' (Gevaert). The quartet of the Saxophones produces the illusion of the Organ. when However, breathing must not be lost sight of, and the composer,

but

long legato passages, must

notes and

A note quadruple

in

the

medium

register

be

not

careful

cannot be held

for

to

exhaust

the

more than 10

writing

holding-

players.

bars,

in

moderate

time.

each instrument comparing the Clarinet with the Saxophones,it will be found that which can only be a maximum is can sustain a note for about 40 seconds. However, this

Upon

expected

in

case

the

What may

9

be

of

the

a

soloist

future

playing

destiny

piano. the

of

whole family be some day admitted, or will Time will show. been done so far? If

me by to it

I

may

rather

venture

loud

and

to

out

an opinion,

express

proportion

which

with

only

I

that

Saxophones

individual

confess of

in

its

is

the orchestra?

members

the tone of the

be

Will

invited, as

instrument

the

has

seems to

the example neighbors, excepting, however, But since the Saxophone here seems

perfectly pleasing. Bizet, quoted above, harmonize so well with the surrounding instruments, if elsewhere it seems out of place, be must be because it is then seen at a disadvantage, and is consequently not to

criticized. All

means are good, provided

they

are

J.

properly

W. 14267.

used,

each

in

its

own time and place.

128

THE HARP. (Ital.,

The

1.

following

figure

Arpa.

Ger., Harfe.

shows the compass

of

Fr.,

the

Harpe.}

Harp, which

comprises 47 diatonic de-

grees:

This

octaves pitch

of

diatonic at

the

scale

once. string

becomes chromatic

According is

raised

as a by

a

by is

means

seven

of

hitched

pedals which act on all the one or other of two notches, the

into

pedal semitone or by two semitones.

Example:

'

1st notch.

One and the same string:

*)'

becomes:

\i The various octaves of one and the same string:

-^

:

Bd notch.

m

or:

:

129

THE HARP.

r: passage, quoted by Berlioz as impossible, on account of the presence of both and Ff (and so it was, formerly, for single-action Harps), is very easy, nowadays, for double-action Harps, Ft) being played as E# on the E string.

This

So and, fold

double -action

this

as

Gevaert

conditions

glissandos, whole

for

remarks,

modern

of

diatonic

is

system a

very

music,

century of

allowing

seem

or otherwise, which

was

It

ingenious.

whole

invented

Sebastien

by

Erard,

been adapting itself to the and executing chromatic passages has

it

throw

to

a kind

of

the

Harp:

poetic

haze

manithose

over

the

orchestra.

The

3;

following

shows the various

figure

Register of

of

registers

full tone-power.

jjJJJ

J

rrff i

Excellent in a

m

Thin.

PP

Catgut strings. Covered strings

!

The tone

first is

rich

three

and

B in altissimo, notes

alone

is

are

low notes full,

less

whether

used forte

sonorous, but

rather poor

From

are rather hollow.

and

thin

or

in

in

quality,

lowest

The next

piano.

excellent

still

the

F

to

Bt;

in alt

octave, from

strings

B in alt The

pianissimo passages.

the

the to

highest

becoming shorter and short-

er.

The

4.

first

eleven

wards the strings are shall

see

5.

low of

notes

catgut.

are produced

(Harmonics

by

are

covered strings; from only

possible

on

Gamut

catgut

G

strings,

*

upas we

later).

As has already been said (2), each string of the Harp can be raised either a or two semitones; twenty -one notes (nearly double the numconsequently,

semitone

chromatic degrees) are available in each octave. How is it that we have not got which us two for would each semitone? is because three notes: D +, It 24, give strings G +, and A +, have no enharmonics, no synonymic or homophonic equivalents, as may be seen from the following diagram: ber of

J.

W.

14267.

130

THE HARP. What

6. ful

we can

combinations

curious

get, by

the strings

tuning

all

in

sorts

fanci-

of

What extraordinary scales we can imagine!

ways!

E. g.

even

nor or

may be transformed

scale

can be found, or the

others

Many

succession

of

mi-

thirds:

major

3 Minor

a

into

thirds:

7|

-1

G(t

Bb

At

Ct

E*

t

Ft|

=0-8-

1 Bf

All Ftt

\

Major and Minor thirds: B Cl|

J

6

V=

fJ

i

J Chords

3

such

as

^^^

Cl

^^PF^ji^sfe J

the

can

following

^N J

S

also

be

J'

^

^^ J

jj

"

;

obtained:

^s^=

$

i

j"u

r 'j

(Gevaert, Traite d'Instrumentation,

combinations

the

All

in

comprised four

notes,

fourth only

three

note

to

prepared

the

is

slide

mentioned

octave. of

the

produced his

fingers

When notes by

a

over

in

these are

paragraph

strings

sounded

single

the

this

the

complete series of strings

grouped so as to produce a chord with by two homophonic strings, whereas the

Once the pedals are

string.

strings,

are

each

employ

gently

p. 86.)

or

violently,

fixed,

order

in

to

the harpist

produce

has the

harmonic effect.

Presto.

(Rimsky-Korsakow, Sheherazade.)

8

(By kind permission

of A. Durand et FiU, Editeurs-Proprietaires.)

J.

W.

14267.

(Saint

:

-

Sae'nS,

Oratorio de Noel.)

131

THE HARP.

(By kind permission

(DcbuSSy, PelleaS et Melisatlde.)

Kditeur- Proprietaire.)

of E. Fromont,

Moderate.

(By

&

kind permission of Schott

C9,

Publishers

-

Proprietors.)

(

Wagner, G otterdtimmerung?)

8

(Liszt,

Dante -Symphonic.)

(Hasselmans.)

Sometimes, of

indicating

needless

to

for

the

a particularly complicated figure, a prudent composer takes the precaution When this has once been done, it becomes tuning of the Harp himself. the

write

before

each

of Heugel et

c!?,

accidentals

note:

Accrochez:

(By kind permission

7.

easily

nately

The play

harpist,

iterated

plucked,

having

two

notes,

without

the

strings

even

ear

in

in

the

at

his

Editeurs

least

1.

for

tempo, detecting

W. 14267.

(MaSSenet, Esclarmonde?)

ProprieUires.)

disposal

quickest

the

-

each

each the

of

degree the

ingenious

of

the

strings

scale,

being

subterfuge.

can

alter-

132

THE HARP.

Vivo.

(Saint-Saens, Ascanio.) (By kind permission

of

A.Dunnd

et

Pils,

Editeurs

-

Proprietaires.)

(J=116)

Vivace.

(Oberthiir.)

be impossible to perform the preceding passages Erard's invention, possess the means of tuning the to our fancy, making all imaginable kinds of harmonic

to

cording

two

have

always

ly

(6

would

It

thanks

our

at

strings

disposal

for

each

and 7)

if

we

did

not,

instantaneously accombinations, as we near-

Harp

note.

Harmonics. 8

never

Harpists

division

damental

We

the

of of

have

metry's

into

other

two

harmonic

equal

than

parts,

second, which

the

and

is

consequently

open string. already seen (4) Verdi

writes

this

it

cannot

be

sake;

that

the

catgut

arpeggio,

descending heard:

alone

strings

the

low

Harmonics

can

be produced

within

the

following

Register in which harmonics can be produced.

It

ity

is

to is

the by above the fun-

produced

octave

produce

satisfactory

added

is

only

harmonfor

sym-

(Falstaff.)

limits:

;

sounding:

>

o

not

is

E +

o 9.

an

the

When

ics.

string

use any

1

to go still In higher, but at the expense of quality. reality, it is better so high, as the tone becomes thinner and the thinner; register of good quallimited to two octaves from Gamut G upwards:

possible

rise

3

o

~nr sounding: ;

Register of best quality.

;

J.

W. 14267.

133

THE HARP.

Double -action Harps allow of sounding 2,3, sometimes even 4 simultaneous harmonwith the left hand, on condition the intervals are small, and require no extension of the

10. ics

The

fingers.

right

never play more

hand can

than one

harmonic

a

at

time.

I

i

=

^ES

(The low C +

(Reinecke.)

(Humperdinck.)

i^f? -QO

pp

^E 8

(Parish Alvars.)

(R.Martenot.) Of poetic

like

dew-drops sounds

recall

They ed

harmonics

course,

and

silence

in

over

by

the

the

time

of

indication:

always

lusion

of

a

the

wish

moonlight.

a

dream;

they

can

heard when

be

only

all

is

hush-

written

an octave

below the

actual

sound, with

a

zero

^ sounding:

note

was sometimes

Hence

frequent

written

mistakes

at

true

its

were possible;

pitch,

two

bars

to

be sounded

as written, or an

So composers have done well to give up this mode

vibrations

accompanied

e. g.

Harmonics....

these

harmonics, the

brief

they are mysterious and

forte passages:

o

"

harmonic.

There remains a doubt.

etouffe sounds: the

in

notes:

Berlioz,

Does the composer

Besides

of

sleep.

/I

11.

the

through

Written:

In

in

glistening

written

the

made use

be

echoing

harmonics are

Nowadays, placed

cannot

is not

played as a harmonic.)

Harp has yet another color of

the

are

string

pizzicato, very analogous

to

of

tone

at

stopped as soon as that

of

the

Violas

its

octave

higher?

of writing.

disposal,

produced,

viz.

giving the il-

or Violins.

Andantino.

Harp.

Violins.

(By kind permission

of Heugel et C^S, Editurs-Proprie'tires.)

J.

W. 14267.

(Widor, Choral ct Variations.}

134

THE HARP.

the

of

whole of

the

In

Harp

resembles

closely

arpeggio which like a violinist

rich If,

extremity,

The

the

of

an

in

than the ail

a

cathedral,

empty

As

to

its

those natural sorts

in

the

between

as

a

it

harpist

plucks the strings at their

may

full

lower

mistaken

be

easily

for

is

fact

further

hands,

but

consonant

it

it

to

travel

not is

is

of

Organ

diatonically.

strings

are

closer to each other

octave that

the the

use

first

the

of

inadvisable

only

the

an

like

harmony

the

prevent

not

dam-

and disappear. Muconfuall kind of

and

than

rather

does

that

as

that,

that

time

without

Pianoforte

magnificent

enough to prevent instrument must be treated

tenth

the

Harp.

slow

in

first

of

allowed

be

the

possible

which

hand,

the

contrast to the

an

produced

kind

tempo

in

observe

observe

intervals;

tone

the

short,

as

far

Pianoforte, of

span

of

distance

intervals

the

of

be

technique,

special

absolute

sound

the

finger,

forming

of writing for the

incoherence;

as

single

Guitar.

must

Harp

harmonic

all

sion,

the

for

the

sound-waves must

say, the

to

is

written

sic

Strings,

a

with

phrase.

corsidered

be

Harp should

that

pers:

the

of

staccato

played

sounding-board,

Mode 12.

is

sul ponticello,

playing

timbre

metallic

the

that

the

concludes

the

to

close

passage, which

this

to

importance

corresponds to octave and of

leave

too

great

balance

to

the

skilfully.

of

Example

sonorous

very

writing

slow

in

tempo.-

Andante.

fy

Note

also

the

bass

that parts,

comes heavy, octaves

the

rate

of

movement

is

accelerated,

it

becomes necessary

giving octaves only to the left hand;

thick, and

the

of

if

incomprehensible,

like

the

buzzing

of

otherwise

chords played

the in

to

simpli-

music the

be-

lowest

Pianoforte:

Quasi Allegretto.

Note

the accented beat, Meyerbeer assigns to the bass nothing but or single Few composers have notes, because he needs clearness and rhythm. the the instrument as well as he. the following are quite Oversights such as

that

octaves treated exception

in

immediately

his

after

works:

J.W. 14267.

135

THE HARP. Here

seems

he

unable

being

other

this

to

to

play

which

figure,

have

I

four,

quite useless to since they never

often

heard

that

forget

more than

is

it

write

of

five

of

the

account

of

its

on

criticized

chords

make use

notes,

little

harpists

finger.

weak and

Take

confused

character:

Harp.

Basses.

'it

not

built

being

low

upon

its

say

down','

true

besides

virtuosi, "and a

bass;

arpeggio

simple

has the

it

would

be

serious

defect

more

infinitely

of

sonorous'.

most

The

why

too

written

is

we

powerful effects are produced by the simplest means. True. But is that a reason should always follow the beaten track, and confine ourselves to one and the same

arpeggio?

Shakes. The

13:

a

shake

performed

violinist

tipsy

With

the to

attempt

might hands, and

two

with

piano,

it

aid

the

on

hand

single

pizzicato

play is,

a

of

the

on

is

nearly

first

as

string

bad of

as the

the

one

Violin,

excellent:

contrary,

accelerando.

It

main

at

14.

to

better

is

the

fingers

all

All

airy

keep to this piano, and and delicate.

all

scales,

it

the of

keyboard is

keys

always of

repetitions

Cl>,

of

keys unless a

the

D!>,

rather

same chord

always

play

great

than in

can

minor,

to

be

great

spaces

between

the

of

of

the

shake

is

to

re-

with equal ease; thanks same, just as if the

double

flats

Bq, F|, C#.

same hand:

Much hands:

(Poor and thin quality.)

J.

if

upon.

Not good. Avoid

executed

remains the

number

those the

a forte,

attempt

fingering

white

better, Gl>,

the

key,

not

or

arpeggios, major

whatever

pedals, had a

However, choose the Avoid

to

W. 14267.

better.

are

involved,

to

1

136

THE HARP.

Let ing

by

the

a

string

other

the

between

distance

has just

which

hands

the

been

hand.

Give

the

be finer

than

the

be neither

plucked

by

sound-waves

one

too

time

to

nor

great

hand

too

immediately let

travel;

small,

set

the

in

and avoid havmotion

again

vibrations die out of

themselves.

What each

can

bar,

and

filling

the

bass- notes

following

orchestra

with

their

of

the

Harp, marking

the beginning of

deep tones?

long

Lento.

m

Flutes. Clarinets.

Harp.

Violas.

Violoncellos.

Double-basses.

(Massenet, (By kind permission

This called

deep register rather

hollow,

of

the

instrument

is

admirable;

when considered by themselves

Za

Navarraise.)

of Heugel et Cl5, Editeurs- Proprictaires

even

the

(3),

are

lowest

notes,

admirable

in

which

we

.)

had

octaves:

=55

Here follow some figures

15.

practised

b^

harpists, sonorous

because they are easy:

Animato.

.

seen

.

(By hind permission

.do of Heugel et

Editcurs-Proprietaires.)

J.

W. 14267.

(Th. Dubois, Fantaisie,

Harpe

et

OrcAestre.)

137

THE HARP.

Rapide.

(By kind permission

of A.Ledur, Editeur-I'mprieUire.)

(HaSSelmanS, Ballade)

Allegro.

(By kind permission

o{

A.Durand

et Fils,

Editcurs-Proprie'uires.)

(HaSSelmanS, Gitatia.) 8'

3 Tres mte

p

J^L^J

(By kind permission

of

J.

Geo. Morley, Publisher- Proprietor.)

.1.

W. 14267.

(HaSSelmanS, Cottte de Noel!)

138

THE HARP. ljl>

Andante.

..

f~f

-

139

THE ORGAN.

Speaking of the Organ used in combination with the Orchestra, Berlioz in his Treatise The Organ and the says: "a secret antipathy seems to exist between these two powers. Orchestra the

are

both

same;

or rather, one

kings,

are

interests

their

too

is

other Pope;

the

Emperor,

and

vast

diverse

too

allow

to

mission

their

of

is

not

amalgamation'.'

I.

Whom have

I

consult

Berlioz

did

been

never

vaille'- Coll,

able

to

On what

subject?

ascertain,

went

sometimes

I

on this

although,

so far as

to

him

charge

the

to jog

with

he

did

organist

order

in

stumble?

unluckily

memory

indifference

Ca-

Aristide

of

to

Master's

the

fame.

And

to

give

and

stops

true

is

it

Although

that

Reed-stops,

Mixture -stops

and

from

ing

suffice

Guido

three

of

an

the

sanctioned

d'Arezzo,

found

qualified

that

fact

the

the

true,

with

one

any

Foundation-stops dat-

Organ,

genuine

whose traditions

Bach, and

by

than

Foundation-stops, Mixture-

the

old,

than Cavaille'-Coll,

better

kinds:

indisputable

constitute

to

been

have

we

should

successors.

failed

understand the

to

function

these

of

Mixture-stops

was

it

the

fault

of

informant.

his

"Organ

-

builders

however

sonance;

would

'it

and organists" he writes, "agree in praising the effect of this manifold reit decidedly causes several different keys to be heard simultaneously.

be insufferable',

are never heard, how a good

When

effect

Berlioz

can

they

be

produced

these

lines,

fundamental

the

cession, or simultaneously,

appreciate beginning

If,

after

another,

the

with

value

the

of

first

acute

upper notes

drowning

them

ear

what

the

on

by

and

the

importance not yet been

This

sounds

most

tone

had

Enregistreur Harmonique.

two

the

'if

say,

fundamental

the

wrote the

of

composition

to

are

have

Berlioz

who would

nevertheless

is

it

could

authority

organ-stops

alone

of

our

to

Berlioz

If

time

the

down

hand

reliable

frequent intercourse, and him correct information?

had

he

else

more

indeed, what

whom

instrument,

32 upper beyond

function

of

consisting

320

in altissimo

*, unless

rest

long

(at

if

B!>

Btj,

E

N. B.

ner and

C,

CjJ,

above if

tolerably

notes

con-

impossible to play above.

Bt>

without

to

of

up to by conjunct moderate quadruple time), led

run up to the top of the scale

preparation,

still

more

this

the

160).

Wag-

is

and

in altissimo, however, is excellent others do not hesitate to write

in altissimo

However,

2.

nearly

many

semitones

still

is

it

with

time

is

it

one bar

least

player's finger must be allowed sufficient find its very narrow resting-place.

And case

the

preparation

F

for the

and

without

employ

?

fr

attack

to

impossible

or preceded

degrees,

to

dangerous

third:

highest

almost

is

is

it

orchestra,

the

in

may be said

becoming

a number

sonorous;

of

Violins

hence

Here follows the table

be the

to

and

thinner

as a harmonic (V. List,

the

highest

occasional

seven

J.

P.

sonorous

on

note

the Violin;

the four

thinner.

move upwards by conjunct

their

of

when played it.

use

positions

W. 44267.

degrees,

by the great

of

the

these

classic

Violin:

4

notes

masters.

are

149

THE VIOLIN. 4th String. l?l

position.

2nd

position.

Std position.

4th position.

5th position.

6th position.

7th position.

*

HH

d

String.

2^

15* String.

String.

150

THE VIOLIN.

5.

Is

mirable liant If

the

it

to

necessary

41!)

string,

speak

rather subdued

the

of

qualities of tone on the Violin: of the adtimbre of the 3!^ and 2"d strings, of the bril-

different

of the

15*

string? a theme be given to the fourth string, loudest, the power of the tone being

ever, the limit

quality

and

full

in

proportion

of the

the

to

of

length

up to Treble

homogeneous

lower

C

octave

will

the string.

(7tJ!

position),

be

Howwhich

exceed.

unwise to

is

it

remain

will

sul G, the notes

Moderato.

am aware

I

Moderato.

that

-&,.

in

a

solo

notes can

higher

reached:

be

(^^T-

j>b

(Widor, Concerto?) but

in

for

writing

the orchestra

it

would

be very imprudent

to

go

beyond C.

Double Stops. 6.

It

is,

of

course, easy

to

play

all

double

stops that

include

an open

string.

LIST OF DOUBLE STOPS IN THE ORDER OF INCREASING DIFFICULTY.

EASY:

major and minor

all

sixths.-

from

EASY:

up

and diminished sevenths:,

major, minor,

all

to:

va.

so

'

from

up

to:

major and minor thirds:

EASY:

from

POSSIBLE-,

i

~-jL-

all

perfect and augmented fourths: -6 -6-1

from -Af-

POSSIBLE:

all

up

POSSIBLE.-

"

up

i

to:

octaves.-

-6 from

A

D

*

fez

\>3

this

to:

diminished and augmented fifths: from 3B

From

fa.

upwards they become

to:

\f