Instruments that make up a symphony orchestra. A brief overview of the musical instruments of the symphony orchestra is completed

Brass band instruments. Wind instruments

The core of the brass band consists of wide-bore brass instruments with a conical bore: cornets, flugelhorns, euphoniums, altos, tenors, baritones, tubas. Another group consists of copper narrow-bore instruments with a cylindrical bore: trumpets, trombones, horns. The group of woodwind instruments includes labial - flutes and lingual (reed) - clarinets, saxophones, oboes, bassoons. The group of main percussion instruments includes timpani, bass drum, cymbals, snare drum, triangle, tambourine, tam-tam. Jazz and Latin American drums are also used: rhythm cymbals, congos and bongos, tom-toms, claves, tartarugas, agogos, maracas, castanets, pandeiras, etc.

Orchestra

A brass band is an orchestra that includes wind (wood and brass or only brass) and percussion musical instruments, one of the mass performing groups. As a stable performing association, it was formed in a number of European countries in the 17th century. Appeared in Russia at the end of the 17th - beginning of the 18th centuries. (military brass bands attached to the regiments of the Russian army).

Instrumental composition D. o. gradually improved. The modern brass band has 3 main varieties, which are mixed-type orchestras: small (20), medium (30) and large (42-56 or more performers). The composition of the large D. o. includes: flutes, oboes (including alto), clarinets (including snare, alto and bass clarinet), saxophones (sopranos, altos, tenors, baritones), bassoons (including contrabassoon), horns, trumpets, trombones, cornets, altos, tenors , baritones, basses (brass tubas and bowed double bass) and percussion instruments with and without a specific pitch. When performing concert works as part of the D. o. the harp, celesta, piano and other instruments are occasionally introduced.

Modern D. o. conduct diverse concert and popularization activities. Their repertoire includes almost all outstanding works of domestic and world musical classics. Among Soviet conductors D. o. - S. A. Chernetsky, V. M. Blazhevich, F. I. Nikolaevsky, V. I. Agapkin.

Great Soviet Encyclopedia

Structure of a brass band

Main groups, their role and capabilities

The basis of the brass band is a group of instruments that exist under the general name “saxhorns”. They are named after A. Sachs, who invented them in the 40s of the 19th century. Saxhorns were an improved type of instruments called bugles (bugelhorns). Currently, in the USSR this group is usually called the main copper group. It includes: a) high tessitura instruments - sopranino saxophone, soprano saxophone (cornets); b) instruments of the middle register - altos, tenors, baritones; c) low register instruments - saxhorn-bass and saxhorn-double bass.

The other two groups of the orchestra are woodwinds and percussion. The group of saxhorns actually forms the small brass band. With the addition of woodwinds to this group, as well as horns, trumpets, trombones and percussion, small mixed and large mixed compositions are formed.

In general, a group of saxhorns with a conical tube and a wide scale characteristic of these instruments have a fairly large, strong sound and rich technical capabilities. This especially applies to cornets, instruments of great technical flexibility and bright, expressive sound. They are primarily entrusted with the main melodic material of the work.

Middle register instruments - altos, tenors, baritones - perform two important tasks in a brass band. Firstly, they fill the harmonic “middle”, that is, they perform the main voices of harmony, in a wide variety of types of presentation (in the form of sustained sounds, figuration, repeated notes, etc.). Secondly, they interact with other groups of the orchestra, primarily with the cornet (one of the usual combinations is the performance of the theme by cornets and tenors in an octave), as well as with the basses, which are often “helped” by the baritone.

Directly adjacent to this group are brass instruments typical of a symphony orchestra - horns, trumpets, trombones (according to the terminology of a brass band adopted in the USSR - the so-called “characteristic brass”).

An important addition to the main brass band is the woodwind section. These are flutes, clarinets with their main varieties, and in a large composition there are also oboes, bassoons, and saxophones. The introduction of wooden instruments (flutes, clarinets) into the orchestra makes it possible to significantly expand its range: for example, the melody (as well as harmony) performed by cornets, trumpets and tenors can be doubled one or two octaves upward. In addition, the importance of woodwinds lies in the fact that they, as M. I. Glinka wrote, “serve primarily for the color of the orchestra,” that is, they contribute to the colorfulness and brightness of its sound (Glinka, however, meant a symphony orchestra, but clearly , that this definition of his is also applicable to the wind orchestra).

Finally, it is necessary to emphasize the particularly important importance of the percussion group in a brass band. Given the very unique specificity of the brass band and, above all, the high density, massive sound, as well as frequent cases of playing in the open air, on a hike, with a significant predominance of marching and dance music in the repertoire, the organizing role of the drum rhythm is especially important. Therefore, a brass band, in comparison with a symphony band, is characterized by a somewhat forced, emphasized sound of the percussion group (when we hear the sounds of a brass band coming from afar, we first of all perceive the rhythmic beats of the bass drum, and then we begin to hear all the other voices).

Small mixed brass band

The decisive difference between a small brass orchestra and a small mixed orchestra is the pitch factor: thanks to the participation of flutes and clarinets with their varieties, the orchestra gains access to the “zone” of the high register. Consequently, the overall volume of the sound changes, which is very important, since the fullness of the orchestra’s sound depends not so much on absolute strength, but on the register width and volume of arrangement. In addition, there are opportunities to compare the sound of a brass orchestra with a contrasting wooden group. Hence a certain reduction in the boundaries of the “activity” of the brass group itself, which to a certain extent loses the universality that is natural in a small brass orchestra.

Thanks to the presence of the wooden group, as well as the characteristic brass (horn, trumpet), it becomes possible to introduce new timbres that arise from mixing colors both in the wooden and copper groups, and in the wooden group itself.

Thanks to the great technical capabilities, the wooden “brass” is relieved of technical force, the overall sound of the orchestra becomes lighter, and the “viscosity” typical of brass instrument technology is not felt.

All this taken together makes it possible to expand the boundaries of the repertoire: a small mixed orchestra has access to a wider range of works of various genres.

Thus, a small mixed brass band is a more advanced performing group, and this, in turn, imposes broader responsibilities both on the orchestra members themselves (technique, ensemble coherence) and on the leader (conducting technique, selection of repertoire).

Large mixed brass band

The highest form of brass band is a large mixed brass band, which can perform works of considerable complexity.

This composition is characterized primarily by the introduction of trombones, three or four (to contrast the trombones with the “soft” group of saxhorns), three parts of trumpets, four parts of horns. In addition, the large orchestra has a much more complete group of woodwinds, which consists of three flutes (two large and piccolo), two oboes (with the second oboe replaced by an English horn or with its independent part), a large group of clarinets with their varieties, two bassoons (sometimes with a contrabassoon) and saxophones.

In a large orchestra, helicons are, as a rule, replaced by tubas (their structure, principles of play, and fingering are the same as for helicons).

The percussion group is added by timpani, usually three: large, medium and small.

It is clear that a large orchestra, compared to a small one, has significantly greater colorful and dynamic capabilities. It is typical for him to use more diverse playing techniques - the widespread use of the technical capabilities of wooden instruments, the use of “closed” sounds (mute) in a brass group, a wide variety of timbre and harmonic combinations of instruments.

In a large orchestra, it is especially advisable to contrast trumpets and cornets, as well as the widespread use of divisi techniques for clarinets and cornets, and the division of each group can be increased to 4-5 voices.

Naturally, a large mixed orchestra significantly exceeds small orchestras in terms of the number of musicians (if a small brass orchestra has 10-12 people, a small mixed orchestra has 25-30 people, then a large mixed orchestra has 40-50 musicians or more).

Brass band. Brief essay. I. Gubarev. M.: Soviet composer, 1963

Orchestra(from Greek orchestra) - a large group of instrumental musicians. Unlike chamber ensembles, in an orchestra some of its musicians form groups that play in unison, that is, they play the same parts.
The very idea of ​​a group of instrumental performers simultaneously playing music goes back to ancient times: back in Ancient Egypt, small groups of musicians played together at various holidays and funerals.
The word “orchestra” (“orchestra”) comes from the name of the round platform in front of the stage in the ancient Greek theater, which housed the ancient Greek choir, a participant in any tragedy or comedy. During the Renaissance and beyond XVII century, the orchestra was transformed into an orchestra pit and, accordingly, gave its name to the group of musicians housed in it.
There are many different types of orchestra: military orchestra consisting of brass and woodwind instruments, folk instrument orchestras, string orchestras. The largest in composition and richest in its capabilities is the symphony orchestra.

Symphoniccalled an orchestra composed of several heterogeneous groups of instruments - families of strings, winds and percussion. The principle of such unification developed in Europe in XVIII century. Initially, the symphony orchestra included groups of bowed instruments, woodwind and brass instruments, which were joined by a few percussion musical instruments. Subsequently, the composition of each of these groups expanded and diversified. Currently, among a number of varieties of symphony orchestras, it is customary to distinguish between a small and a large symphony orchestra. A small symphony orchestra is an orchestra of predominantly classical composition (playing music of the late 18th - early 19th centuries, or modern stylizations). It consists of 2 flutes (rarely a small flute), 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons, 2 (rarely 4) horns, sometimes 2 trumpets and timpani, a string group of no more than 20 instruments (5 first and 4 second violins, 4 violas, 3 cellos, 2 double basses). The Big Symphony Orchestra (BSO) includes obligatory trombones in the brass group and can have any composition. Often wooden instruments (flutes, oboes, clarinets and bassoons) reach up to 5 instruments of each family (sometimes there are more clarinets) and include varieties (small and alto flutes, Cupid oboe and English oboe, small, alto and bass clarinets, contrabassoon). The brass group can include up to 8 horns (including special Wagner tubas), 5 trumpets (including snare, alto, bass), 3-5 trombones (tenor and tenorbass) and tuba. Saxophones are used very often (in a jazz orchestra, all 4 types). The string group reaches 60 or more instruments. There are numerous percussion instruments (although timpani, bells, small and large drums, triangle, cymbals and the Indian tom-tom form their backbone), the harp, piano, and harpsichord are often used.
To illustrate the sound of the orchestra, I will use the recording of the final concert of the YouTube Symphony Orchestra. The concert took place in 2011 in the Australian city of Sydney. It was watched live on television by millions of people around the world. The YouTube Symphony Orchestra is dedicated to fostering a love of music and showcasing the vast creative diversity of humanity.

The concert program included well-known and little-known works by famous and little-known composers.

Here is his program:

Hector Berlioz - Roman Carnival - Overture, Op. 9 (featuring Android Jones - digital artist)
Meet Maria Chiossi - Harp
Percy Grainger - Arrival on a Platform Humlet from in a Nutshell - Suite
Johan Sebastian Bach - Toccata in F major for organ (featuring Cameron Carpenter)
Meet Paulo Calligopoulos - Electric Guitar and violin
Alberto Ginastera - Danza del trigo (Wheat Dance) and Danza final (Malambo) from the ballet Estancia (conducted by Ilyich Rivas)
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart - "Caro" bell"idol mio" - Canon in three voices, K562 (featuring the Sydney Children's Choir and soprano Renee Fleming via video)
Meet Xiomara Mass - Oboe
Benjamin Britten - The Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra, Op. 34
William Barton - Kalkadunga (featuring William Barton - Didgeridoo)
Timothy Constable - Suna
Meet Roman Riedel - Trombone
Richard Strauss - Fanfare for the Vienna Philharmonic (featuring Sarah Willis, Horn, Berlin Philharmoniker and conducted by Edwin Outwater)
*PREMIERE* Mason Bates - Mothership (specially composed for the YouTube Symphony Orchestra 2011)
Meet Su Chang - Guzheng
Felix Mendelssohn - Violin Concerto in E minor, Op. 64 (Finale) (featuring Stefan Jackiw and conducted by Ilyich Rivas)
Meet Ozgur Baskin - Violin
Colin Jacobsen and Siamak Aghaei - Ascending Bird - Suite for string orchestra (featuring Colin Jacobsen, violin, and Richard Tognetti, violin, and Kseniya Simonova - sand artist)
Meet Stepan Grytsay - Violin
Igor Stravinsky - The Firebird (Infernal Dance - Berceuse - Finale)
*ENCORE* Franz Schubert - Rosamunde (featuring Eugene Izotov - oboe, and Andrew Mariner - clarinet)

History of the symphony orchestra

The symphony orchestra has been formed over the centuries. Its development for a long time took place in the bowels of opera and church ensembles. Such groups in XV - XVII centuries were small and heterogeneous. They included lutes, viols, flutes and oboes, trombones, harps, and drums. Gradually, bowed string instruments gained a dominant position. Violins took the place of viols with their richer and more melodious sound. Back to top XVIII V. they already reigned supreme in the orchestra. A separate group and wind instruments (flutes, oboes, bassoons) also united. Trumpets and timpani moved from the church orchestra to the symphony orchestra. The harpsichord was an indispensable participant in instrumental ensembles.
This composition was typical for J. S. Bach, G. Handel, A. Vivaldi.
From the middle XVIII V. The genres of symphony and instrumental concert begin to develop. The departure from the polyphonic style led to the desire of composers for timbre diversity and the distinct identification of orchestral voices.
The functions of new tools are changing. The harpsichord, with its weak sound, gradually loses its leading role. Soon composers abandoned it altogether, relying mainly on the string and wind section. By the end XVIII V. The so-called classical composition of the orchestra was formed: about 30 strings, 2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 bassoons, 2 trumpets, 2-3 horns and timpani. Soon the clarinet joined the winds. J. Haydn and W. Mozart wrote for such a composition. This is the orchestra in the early works of L. Beethoven. IN XIX V.
The development of the orchestra proceeded mainly in two directions. On the one hand, increasing in composition, it was enriched with instruments of many types (the great merit of the romantic composers, primarily Berlioz, Liszt, Wagner, is in this), on the other hand, the internal capabilities of the orchestra developed: the sound colors became purer, the texture became clearer, expressive resources are more economical (such is the orchestra of Glinka, Tchaikovsky, Rimsky-Korsakov). Many late composers also significantly enriched the orchestral palette XIX - 1st half of XX V. (R. Strauss, Mahler, Debussy, Ravel, Stravinsky, Bartok, Shostakovich, etc.).

Composition of the symphony orchestra

A modern symphony orchestra consists of 4 main groups. The foundation of the orchestra is a string group (violins, violas, cellos, double basses). In most cases, strings are the main carriers of the melodic principle in the orchestra. The number of musicians playing strings is approximately 2/3 of the entire ensemble. The group of woodwind instruments includes flutes, oboes, clarinets, and bassoons. Each of them usually has an independent party. Inferior to bow instruments in timbre richness, dynamic properties and variety of playing techniques, wind instruments have great strength, compact sound, and bright colorful shades. The third group of orchestra instruments is brass (horn, trumpet, trombone, trumpet). They bring new bright colors to the orchestra, enriching its dynamic capabilities, adding power and brilliance to the sound, and also serving as bass and rhythmic support.
Percussion instruments are becoming increasingly important in a symphony orchestra. Their main function is rhythmic. In addition, they create a special sound and noise background, complement and decorate the orchestral palette with color effects. According to the nature of their sound, drums are divided into 2 types: some have a certain pitch (timpani, bells, xylophone, bells, etc.), others do not have a precise pitch (triangle, tambourine, snare and bass drum, cymbals). Of the instruments not included in the main groups, the role of the harp is most significant. Occasionally, composers include celesta, piano, saxophone, organ and other instruments in the orchestra.
You can read more about the instruments of a symphony orchestra - string section, woodwinds, brass and percussion at website.
I can’t ignore another useful site, “Children about Music,” which I discovered while preparing this post. There is no need to be intimidated by the fact that this is a site for children. There are some pretty serious things in it, just told in a simpler, more understandable language. Here link on him. By the way, it also contains a story about a symphony orchestra.

"Lighting a flame in the heart,

The drums are playing again.
And the camp plays like a wave,
And love burns in the eyes."

Leila

Percussion instruments have always been an important part of any musical culture. Therefore, the number of musical and instrumental groups that require percussion instruments can hardly be accurately determined. One of these musical groups is a modern symphony orchestra, which cannot be imagined without a group of percussion instruments that convey such means of musical expression as rhythm, tempo and dynamics. The group of percussion instruments in a symphony orchestra has changed over time, thanks to the development and changes in music of different eras and movements. In a modern symphony orchestra, much attention is paid to the percussion group; it can be varied in the composition of instruments depending on the nature of the works performed. The drums convey to the listener a certain message and thought of the composer. For completeness of perception, it is very important to maintain a balance of sonorities of the percussion group with the various groups of the symphony orchestra. Drums differ in shape and size, and the material from which they are made, and, finally, the nature of the sound from other groups of the symphony orchestra, therefore it is necessary to understand their peculiarity when interacting with other groups of the orchestra, the influence of their sound on the work and their influence on the listener’s perception of music .

The relevance of this research problem has existed since the creation of the symphony orchestra by J. Haydn to the present day. The essence of this problem at the present stage lies in the need to indicate the importance of the role of the group of percussion instruments in a symphony orchestra.

Based on the relevance of the problem, we formulatedresearch topic: “Percussion instruments of a symphony orchestra.”

Based on the research topic, we formulated purpose of this essay – show the role of a group of percussion instruments in a symphony orchestra.

Research objectives:

1. Study the history of the development of percussion instruments and analyze the development of percussion in the orchestra;
2. Present in your abstract a group of percussion instruments of a symphony orchestra;
3. Compare the level of drums taking into account their development;
4. Systematize information on this problem, summarize information on the topic.

Research methods:

1. Selection, study and analysis of literature;
2. Systematization of the studied material;
3. Summarizing the information received.

1. Chapter I. Percussion instruments of a symphony orchestra

1. 1.1. The concept of an orchestra, origin and composition

Orchestra (from Greek orchestra) - a large group of instrumental musicians. Unlike chamber ensembles, in an orchestra some of its musicians form groups that play in unison, that is, they play the same parts.
The very idea of ​​a group of instrumental performers simultaneously playing music goes back to ancient times: back in Ancient Egypt, small groups of musicians played together at various holidays and funerals.
The word “orchestra” (“orchestra”) comes from the name of the round platform in front of the stage in the ancient Greek theater, which housed the ancient Greek choir, a participant in any tragedy or comedy. During the Renaissance and further in the 17th century, the orchestra was transformed into an orchestra pit and, accordingly, gave its name to the group of musicians housed in it.

There are many different types of orchestra: military orchestra consisting of brass and woodwind instruments, folk instrument orchestras, string orchestras. The largest in composition and richest in its capabilities is the symphony orchestra.

Symphonic called an orchestra composed of several heterogeneous groups of instruments - families of strings, winds and percussion. The principle of such unification developed in Europe in the 18th century. Initially, the symphony orchestra included groups of bowed instruments, woodwind and brass instruments, which were joined by a few percussion musical instruments. Subsequently, the composition of each of these groups expanded and became more diverse. Currently, among a number of varieties of symphony orchestras, it is customary to distinguish between a small and a large symphony orchestra.Small Symphony Orchestrais an orchestra of predominantly classical composition (playing music of the late 18th - early 19th centuries, or modern stylizations). It consists of 2 flutes (rarely a small flute), 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons, 2 (rarely 4) horns, sometimes 2 trumpets and timpani, a string group of no more than 20 instruments (5 first and 4 second violins, 4 violas, 3 cellos, 2 double basses).Great Symphony Orchestraincludes the obligatory trombones in the brass group and can have any composition. Often wooden instruments (flutes, oboes, clarinets and bassoons) reach up to 5 instruments of each family (sometimes there are more clarinets) and include varieties (small and alto flutes, Cupid oboe and English oboe, small, alto and bass clarinets, contrabassoon). The brass group can include up to 8 horns (including special Wagner tubas), 5 trumpets (including snare, alto, bass), 3-5 trombones (tenor and tenorbass) and tuba. Saxophones are used very often (in a jazz orchestra, all 4 types). The string group reaches 60 or more instruments. There are numerous percussion instruments (although timpani, bells, small and large drums, triangle, cymbals and the Indian tom-tom form their backbone), the harp, piano, and harpsichord are often used.

Symphony Orchestraformed over centuries. Its development for a long time took place in the bowels of opera and church ensembles. Such groups in the XV-XVII centuries. were small and heterogeneous. They included lutes, viols, flutes and oboes, trombones, harps, and drums. Gradually, bowed string instruments gained a dominant position. Violins took the place of viols with their richer and more melodious sound. By the beginning of the 18th century. they already reigned supreme in the orchestra. A separate group and wind instruments (flutes, oboes, bassoons) also united. Trumpets and timpani moved from the church orchestra to the symphony orchestra. The harpsichord was an indispensable participant in instrumental ensembles.
This composition was typical for J. S. Bach, G. Handel, A. Vivaldi.
From the middle of the 18th century. The genres of symphony and instrumental concert begin to develop. The departure from the polyphonic style led to the desire of composers for timbre diversity and the distinct identification of orchestral voices.
The functions of new tools are changing. The harpsichord, with its weak sound, gradually loses its leading role. Soon composers abandoned it altogether, relying mainly on the string and wind section. By the end of the 18th century eka The so-called classical composition of the orchestra was formed: about 30 strings, 2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 bassoons, 2 trumpets, 2-3 horns and timpani. Soon the clarinet joined the winds. J. Haydn and W. Mozart wrote for such a composition. This is the orchestra in the early works of L. Beethoven. In the 19th century
The development of the orchestra proceeded mainly in two directions. On the one hand, increasing in composition, it was enriched with instruments of many types (the great merit of the romantic composers, primarily Berlioz, Liszt, Wagner, is in this), on the other hand, the internal capabilities of the orchestra developed: the sound colors became purer, the texture became clearer, expressive resources are more economical (such is the orchestra of Glinka, Tchaikovsky, Rimsky-Korsakov). Many composers of the late 19th - first half of the 20th centuries also significantly enriched the orchestral palette. (R. Strauss, Mahler, Debussy, Ravel, Stravinsky, Bartok, Shostakovich, etc.).

Modern symphony orchestraconsists of 4 main groups. The foundation of the orchestra is a string group (violins, violas, cellos, double basses). In most cases, strings are the main carriers of the melodic principle in the orchestra. The number of musicians playing strings is approximately 2/3 of the entire ensemble. The group of woodwind instruments includes flutes, oboes, clarinets, and bassoons. Each of them usually has an independent party. Inferior to bow instruments in timbre richness, dynamic properties and variety of playing techniques, wind instruments have great strength, compact sound, and bright colorful shades. The third group of orchestra instruments is brass (horn, trumpet, trombone, trumpet). They bring new bright colors to the orchestra, enriching its dynamic capabilities, adding power and brilliance to the sound, and also serving as bass and rhythmic support.
Percussion instruments are becoming increasingly important in a symphony orchestra. Their main function is rhythmic. In addition, they create a special sound and noise background, complement and decorate the orchestral palette with color effects. Bysound characterdrums are divided into 2 types: some have a certain pitch (timpani, bells, xylophone, bells, etc.), others do not have an exact pitch (triangle, tambourine, snare and bass drum, cymbals). Of the instruments not included in the main groups, the role of the harp is most significant. Occasionally, composers include celesta, piano, saxophone, organ and other instruments in the orchestra.

Haydn's orchestral writing

The modern large symphony orchestra is based on the orchestral composition developed by Haydn and the composers of the Mannheim School.

Before Haydn, instruments in the orchestra had a weak, uneven sound. Lutes, theorbs, and a harpsichord were used, at which the bandmaster sat, filling in the missing harmonies, linking the individual instruments into one.

Like all composers of the 18th century, Haydn wrote his symphonies for the orchestra “which was at hand at the moment.” The first symphonies written for Count Morcin were performed by 12-16 musicians.

In July 1762, Prince Miklos Esterhazy approved an orchestra of 14 people (7 string players and 7 wind players). Later, the orchestra grew to 25 or more musicians (16 strings, flutes, oboes, bassoons, trumpets, horns and timpani).

In our time, the Academy of Ancient Music orchestra, under the direction of the famous English conductor Christopher Hogwood, performed Haydn's symphonies on instruments of that era. In the hall of Eszterhas Castle, where these symphonies were performed during the composer’s lifetime, the musicians played them with the same composition, with a strange, at first glance, ratio of strings, wood and brass instruments. What was the composition of the Esterhazy Orchestra during Haydn's time? It included: 4 first violins, 4 second violins, cello, double bass, viola, 2 oboes, 2 horns and timpani.

Then K. Hogwood tried to play the symphonies in a different, modern ratio of strings, namely: 6 first violins, 4 second, 3 violas, 2 cellos, double bass.

It turned out that Haydn's ratio of instruments in this hall was the most successful! It became obvious that Haydn was an excellent connoisseur of the orchestra.

Salomon's London orchestra consisted of 40 musicians. Haydn wrote his 12 London Symphonies for this composition. True, the composer used clarinets only in the 101st, 103rd and 104th symphonies. This was probably influenced by Mozart. The introduction of clarinets into the orchestra expanded the group of wood instruments to a full pairing. Thus the formation of the small or “classical” symphony orchestra was completed.

Interestingly, the clarinet, invented at the end of the seventeenth century, became a permanent “member” of the orchestra only 100 years later. Haydn tried to introduce the clarinet into Prince Esterhazy's orchestra in the eighteenth century, but since the instrument was still imperfect, the clarinets were replaced by trumpets.

Many people think that playing the drum is as easy as shelling pears. I would like to give you an example: when Ravel’s “Bolero” is performed, the snare drum is pushed forward and placed next to the conductor’s stand, because in this work Ravel assigned the drum a very important role. A musician playing a snare drum must maintain the uniform rhythm of the Spanish dance, without slowing down or speeding it up. Expression gradually increases, more and more instruments are added, and the drummer is drawn to play a little faster. But this will distort the composer’s intention, and listeners will get a different impression. You see what kind of skill is required from a musician playing such a simple instrument in our understanding. D. Shostakovich even introduced three snare drums into the first movement of his Seventh Symphony: they sound ominously in the episode of the fascist invasion. The drum once had sinister functions: revolutionaries were led to execution under its measured beat, soldiers were driven through the ranks. And now, to the sound of drums and trumpets, they march in formation for the parade. African drums were once a means of communication, like the telegraph. The sound of the drum carries far, this is noticed and used. The signal drummers lived within hearing distance of each other. As soon as one of them began to transmit the message encoded in the drumbeat, the other received and passed it on to the next one. Thus, joyful or sad news spread over vast distances. Over time, the telegraph and telephone made this type of communication unnecessary, but even now in some African countries there are people who know the language of the drum.

1. 1.2. Percussion group in an orchestra

The fourth unit of the modern symphony orchestra is percussion instruments. They bear no resemblance to the human voice and say nothing to his inner senses in a language he understands. Their measured and more or less definite sounds, their tinkling and crackling, have rather a “rhythmic” meaning.

Their melodic duties are extremely limited, and their entire being is deeply rooted in the nature of dance in the broadest meaning of this concept. It is as such that some of the percussion instruments were used in ancient times and were widely used not only by the peoples of the Mediterranean and Asian East, but also operated, apparently, among all the so-called “primitive peoples” in general. Some tinkling and ringing percussion instruments were used in Ancient Greece and Ancient Rome as instruments to accompany dances and dances, but not a single percussion instrument from the drum family was allowed by them into the field of military music. These instruments had a particularly wide application in the life of ancient Jews and Arabs, where they performed not only civil duties, but also military ones.

On the contrary, among the peoples of modern Europe, percussion instruments of various types are used in military music, where they are very important. However, the melodic poverty of percussion instruments did not prevent them from penetrating the opera, ballet and symphony orchestras, where they no longer occupy the last place. However, in the artistic music of European peoples there was a time when access to these instruments was almost closed to the orchestra and, with the exception of timpani, they made their way into symphonic music through the orchestra of opera and ballet, or, as they would say now, through the orchestra of “dramatic music” "

In the history of the “cultural life” of mankind, percussion instruments arose earlier than all other musical instruments in general. However, this did not prevent percussion instruments from being relegated to the background of the orchestra at the time of its emergence and the first steps of its development. And this is all the more surprising since it is still impossible to deny the enormous “aesthetic” significance of percussion instruments in art music. The history of percussion instruments is not very exciting. All those “instruments for producing measured noise” that all primitive peoples used to accompany their warlike and religious dances, in the beginning did not go further than simple tablets and wretched drums. And only much later, many tribes of Central Africa and some peoples of the Far East developed such instruments that served as worthy models for the creation of more modern European percussion instruments, which were already accepted everywhere.

With regard to musical qualities, all percussion instruments are very simply and naturally divided into two types or genera. Some produce a sound of a certain pitch and therefore quite naturally enter into the harmonic and melodic basis of the work, while others, capable of producing a more or less pleasant or characteristic noise, perform duties that are purely rhythmic and decorative in the broadest sense of the word. In addition, various materials take part in the construction of percussion instruments and, in accordance with this feature, they can be divided into instruments “with skin” or “webbed”, and “self-sounding”, in the construction of which various types and varieties of metal and wood are involved and more recently - glass. Kurt Sachs, assigning them a not very successful and extremely ugly to the ear definition - idiophones, obviously loses sight of what they are. the concept in the meaning of “peculiar-sounding” can, in essence, be applied on equal grounds to any musical instrument or their kind.

In an orchestral score, the community of percussion instruments is usually placed in the very middle, between the brass and bowed instruments. With the participation of the harp, piano, celesta and all other plucked string or keyboard instruments, the percussion always retains its place and is then located immediately after the brass, giving way after itself to all the “decorating” or “random” voices of the orchestra. The absurd way of writing percussion instruments below the bowed quintet must be resolutely condemned as very inconvenient, in no way justifiable and extremely ugly. It initially arose in ancient scores, then acquired a more isolated position in the bowels of the brass band and, having an insignificant justification, now, however, broken and completely overcome, it was perceived by some composers who wanted to attract attention to themselves with something and in whatever way. no matter what.

But the worst thing is that this strange innovation turned out to be all the stronger and more dangerous because some publishing houses accommodated such composers and published their scores according to the “new model.” Fortunately, there were not so many such “publishing gems” and they, being works that were predominantly weak in their artistic merits, were drowned in the abundance of truly excellent examples of the diverse creative heritage of all peoples. The only place where the indicated method of presenting percussion instruments now reigns - at the very bottom of the score - is the pop ensemble. But there it is generally customary to arrange all the instruments differently, guided only by the altitude of the instruments involved. In those distant times, when there were only timpani in the orchestra, it was customary to place them above all other instruments, obviously believing that such a presentation was more convenient. But in those years the score was composed in general in a somewhat unusual way, which now there is no need to remember. We must agree that the modern method of presenting a score is quite simple and convenient, and therefore there is no point in engaging in all sorts of fabrications, which have just been discussed in detail.

As already mentioned, all percussion instruments are divided into instruments with a certain pitch and instruments without a certain pitch. At present, such a distinction is sometimes disputed, although all proposals made in this direction rather come down to confusion and deliberately emphasizing the essence of this extremely clear and simple position, in which there is not even a direct need to remember the self-evident concept of pitch every time. In an orchestra, instruments “with a definite sound” mean, first of all, a five-line staff or stave, and instruments “with an indefinite sound” mean a conventional method of musical notation - a “hook” or “thread”, that is, one single ruler on which The note heads represent only the required rhythmic pattern. This transformation, made very opportunely, was intended to gain space and, with a significant number of percussion instruments, to simplify their presentation. However, not so long ago, for all percussion instruments “without a specific sound”, ordinary staves with the keys Sol and Fa were adopted, and with the conditional placement of note heads between the emphases. The inconvenience of such a recording was immediately felt as soon as the number of percussion-noise instruments increased to “astronomical limits”, and the composers themselves who used this method of presentation got lost in the insufficiently developed order of their outline.

But what brought about the combination of keys and threads is very difficult to say. Most likely, the matter began with a typo, which then attracted the attention of some composers, who began to set the treble clef on a string intended for relatively high percussion instruments, and the Fa clef for relatively low ones. Is it necessary to talk here about the absurdity and complete inconsistency of such a presentation? As far as is known, for the first time keys on a string were found in the scores of Anton Rubinstein, published in Germany, and representing undoubted typos, and much later they were revived in the scores of the Flemish composer Arthur Meulemans (1884-?), who adopted the rule of supplying the middle thread with the key Sol, and the very low - key Fa. This presentation looks especially wild in those cases when, between two threads not marked with keys, one appears with the key Fa. In this sense, the Belgian composer Francis de Bourguignon (1890-?) turned out to be more consistent, providing a key for each thread participating in the score.

French publishing houses adopted a special “key” for percussion instruments in the form of two vertical thick bars, reminiscent of the Latin letter “H” and crossing out the thread at the accolade itself. There is nothing to object to such an event, as long as it ultimately leads to “some external completeness of the orchestral score in general.

However, it would be quite fair to recognize all these eccentricities as equal to zero in the face of the “disorder” that still exists to this day in the presentation of percussion instruments. Rimsky-Korsakov also expressed the idea that all self-sounding instruments or, as he calls them, “percussion and ringing without a specific sound,” can be considered as high ones - a triangle, castanets, bells, medium ones - a tambourine, rods, a snare drum, cymbals, and like low-bass drum and tam-tam, “meaning by this their ability to combine with the corresponding areas of the orchestral scale in instruments with sounds of a certain pitch.” Leaving aside some details, due to which “rods” should be excluded from the composition of percussion instruments, as “an accessory of percussion instruments,” but not a percussion instrument in its own right, Rimsky-Korsakov’s observation remains to this day in full force. Starting from this assumption and supplementing it with all the latest percussion instruments, it would be considered most reasonable to arrange all percussion instruments in order of their pitch and write “high” above “medium”, and “medium” above “low”. However, there is no unanimity among composers and the presentation of percussion instruments is more than arbitrary.

This situation can be explained to a lesser extent only by the accidental participation of percussion instruments, and to a greater extent by the complete neglect of the composers themselves and the bad habits they have acquired or erroneous premises. The only justification for such an “instrumental hodgepodge” can be the desire to present the entire available composition of the percussion instruments acting in this case, in the order of parts, when strictly defined instruments are assigned to each performer. To nitpick the words, such a presentation makes more sense in the parts of the drummers themselves, and in the score it is useful only if it is maintained with “pedantic precision”.

Returning to the issue of presentation of percussion instruments, the desire of many composers, including quite prominent ones, to place the cymbals and bass drum immediately after the timpani, and the triangle, bells and xylophone - below the latter, must be considered unsuccessful. There are, of course, no sufficient grounds for such a solution to the problem, and all this can be attributed to an unjustified desire to be “original.” The simplest and most natural, and in light of the exorbitant number of percussion instruments operating in a modern orchestra, the most reasonable can be considered the placement of all percussion instruments using a staff above those using a string.

In each individual association it would, of course, be desirable to adhere to the views of Rimsky-Korsakov and place the votes in accordance with their relative heights. For these reasons, after the timpani, which hold their primacy according to the “original tradition,” it would be possible to place bells, vibraphone and tubaphone above the xylophone and marimba. In instruments without a specific sound, such a distribution will be somewhat more complicated due to the large number of participants, but even in this case, nothing will prevent the composer from adhering to the well-known rules, which have already been said a lot above.

One must think that determining the relative pitch of a self-sounding instrument, in general, does not cause misunderstandings, and since this is so, it does not cause any; difficulties for its implementation. Only bells are usually placed below all percussion instruments, since their part is most often content with the conventional outline of notes and their rhythmic duration, and not with a full “ringing”, as is usually done in the corresponding recordings. A set of "Italian" or "Japanese" bells, which have the appearance of long metal pipes, requires an ordinary five-line staff, placed below all other instruments of "a certain sound." Consequently, the bells here also serve as a frame for the staves, united by one common sign of “certainty” and “uncertainty” of sound. Otherwise, there are no peculiarities in the recording of percussion instruments, and if for some reason they appear, they will be mentioned in the appropriate place.

In a modern symphony orchestra, percussion instruments serve only two purposes: rhythmic, to maintain clarity and sharpness of movement, and decorative in the broadest sense, when the author, through the use of percussion instruments, contributes to the creation of enchanting sound pictures or “moods” full of excitement, fervor or impetuosity. From what has been said, of course, it is clear that percussion instruments must be used with great care, taste and moderation. The varied sonority of percussion instruments can quickly tire the attention of listeners, and therefore the author must always remember what his percussion instruments are doing. Only timpani alone enjoy certain advantages, but even these can be negated by excessive excesses.

The classics paid a lot of attention to percussion instruments, but never elevated them to the level of the only figures in the orchestra. If something similar happened, the performance of the drums was most often limited to only a few beats of a bar or was content with an extremely insignificant duration of the entire formation. Of the Russian musicians, Rimsky-Korsakov used only percussion instruments as an introduction to very rich and expressive music in the Spanish Capriccio, but most often solo percussion instruments are found in “dramatic music” or in ballet, when the author wants to create a particularly sharp, extraordinary or “ an unprecedented feeling." This is exactly what Sergei Prokofiev did in the musical performance Egyptian Nights. Here, the sonority of percussion instruments accompanies the scene of commotion in the house of Cleopatra’s father, to which the author prefaces the title “Anxiety.” Victor Oransky (1899-1953) also did not refuse the services of percussion instruments. He had the opportunity to use this amazing sonority in the ballet Three Fat Men, where he entrusted the accompaniment of the sharp rhythmic outline of the “eccentric dance” to the percussion alone. Finally, quite recently, the services of some percussion instruments, used in an intricate sequence of “dynamic

The French, laughing at such an “artistic revelation”, rather venomously ask whether this is where the new French word bruisme arose, as a derivative of brui - “noise”. There is no equivalent concept in the Russian language, but the Orchestras themselves have already taken care of a new name for such music, which they rather angrily dubbed the definition of “percussion thresher”. In one of his early symphonic works, Alexander Cherepnin dedicated an entire part to such an “ensemble.” There was already an opportunity to talk a little about this work about the connection with the use of a bowed quintet as percussion instruments, and therefore there is no urgent need to return to it again. Shostakovich also paid tribute to the unfortunate “shock” delusion in those days when his creative worldview was not yet sufficiently stable and mature.

The “onomatopoeic” side of the matter stands completely aside, when the author, with the smallest number of actual percussion instruments actually employed, has a desire, or more precisely, an artistic need to create only a “feeling of percussion” in all music, intended mainly for strings and woodwind instruments. One such example, extremely witty, funny and sounds excellent “in an orchestra”, if the composition of the instruments participating in it can generally be defined by this very concept, is found in Oransky’s ballet Three Fat Men and is called “Patrol”.

But the most outrageous example of musical formalism remains the work written by Edgard Varèse (1885-?). It is designed for thirteen performers, intended for two combinations of percussion instruments and called by the author lonisation, which means “Saturation”. This “work” involves only sharp-sounding percussion instruments and piano. However, this latter is also used as a “percussion instrument” and the performer acts on it according to the newest “American method” of Henry Kawel (1897-?), who, as is known, proposed to play only with his elbows, spread across the entire width of the keyboard. According to the press of that time - and this happened in the thirties of the current century - Parisian listeners, brought to a state of wild frenzy by this work, urgently demanded its repetition, which was immediately carried out. Without saying a bad word, the history of the modern orchestra has not yet seen a second such out-of-the-ordinary “case.”

1. Bibliography

1. “Musical Encyclopedia”, Yu.V. Keldysh, volume 2, publishing house "Soviet Encyclopedia" and "Soviet Composer", 1974

2. “Musical Encyclopedia”, Yu.V. Keldysh, volume 5, publishing house "Soviet Encyclopedia" and "Soviet Composer", 1981

3. “Conversations about the orchestra”, Dm. Rogal-Levitsky, State Music Publishing House, Moscow, 1961

4. “Cello, double bass and other musical instruments”, H. Tserashi, Publishing House “Music”, 1979

5. “Percussion instruments in modern orchestras”, A.N. Panayotov, 1973

6. Percussion group in an orchestra

7. Percussion instruments: names and types

Target: to form in students an idea of ​​the symphony orchestra and its musical instruments; develop research skills, the ability to determine the sound of various instruments by ear, analyze musical works; cultivate a love of classical and folk music.

Lesson type: combined.

Equipment: TSO; cards with images of musical instruments; layout of musical instruments of a symphony orchestra; audio recordings with the sound of instruments.

Musical material: G. Verdi. March from the opera "Aida"; P. Tchaikovsky. Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy from the ballet “The Nutcracker”; N. Rimsky-Korsakov “Flight of the Bumblebee” from the opera “The Tale of Tsar Saltan”; J. Bizet-R. Shchedrin. Carmen Suite “Dance”; J. Gershwin. Clara’s Lullaby from the opera “Porgy and Bess”.

During the classes

Class organization

Updating of reference knowledge

What is sonata form?

What sections make it up?

How many components are there in a classical sonata?

A piece of sonata form that we studied in the previous lesson?

What is the difference between sonata and variation forms?

3.Message of the topic of the lesson. Motivation for learning activities

Teacher. Today we will learn what an orchestra, a symphony orchestra is, in particular, the musical instruments that make it up. The teacher attaches a diagram of the arrangement of musical instruments of a symphony orchestra to the board.

1.Learning new material

Students make presentations prepared in advance.

Student reports

Historical reference

The word “orchestra” comes from the Greek “orchestra” - this is how in ancient Greece they called the area in front of the theater stage where the choir appeared. Subsequently, a group of musicians – an “orchestra” – was located at this place. After some time, the term acquired a broader meaning; it began to denote a large group of instrumental musicians. Symphony orchestras arose at the beginning of the 17th century. Their appearance is associated with the emergence of opera and the instrumental concert, which required a significant number of performers. The large symphony orchestra was formed in the middle of the 19th century. Today, a large symphony orchestra has 50-75 performers.

Classification of symphony orchestra instruments

The reports are accompanied by a diagram.

Even in ancient times, with the increase in the number of musical instruments, the need arose to classify them. In ancient China, musical instruments were classified according to the material from which they were made. Today, the most common classification is that of Erich von Hornbostel and Kurt Sachs, according to which instruments are divided by sound source. In a symphony orchestra, musical instruments are distributed according to the method of sound production. The most numerous is the group of stringed instruments, including first and second violins, violas, cellos and double basses.

The group of woodwind instruments includes flutes, oboes, clarinets, and bassoons.

A group of brass instruments - trumpets, horns, trombones, tubas.

The group of percussion instruments consists of timpani, triangle, tambourine, snare drum, cymbals, bass drum, there there, orchestra bells, bells, xylophone, vibraphone.

The symphony orchestra also includes keyboards and plucked instruments: harp, piano, celesta.

Sometimes a symphony orchestra includes saxophones, electric guitars, synthesizers, and the like.

Work in pairs

The teacher distributes 3 cards with pictures of musical instruments to each desk.

Exercise:

— Determine the names of the instruments depicted and the group to which they belong.

— Do all the instruments depicted on the cards belong to the four groups indicated?

— What groups of instruments include the tambourine, kobza, bandura, guitar, accordion?

— Which orchestra use them?

— Draw a conclusion: which instruments make up a folk instrument orchestra, and which ones make up a symphonic orchestra.

Group work

Teacher. Let's imagine that we find ourselves in a concert hall. You will form 5 groups and must complete two tasks.

Group Problem No. 1

1. Choose among the cards with images of musical instruments that belong to the string and bow group.
2. Choose from among 5 musical fragments offered for listening, a fragment where

instruments of string and bow groups sound. Determine the name of the composer and the title of the work.

Group Problem No. 2

1. Choose from cards with pictures of musical instruments that belong to the group of woodwind instruments.
2. Choose from among the 5 musical fragments required for listening, a fragment where woodwind instruments sound. Determine the name of the composer and the title of the work.

Group Problem No. 3

1. Choose from cards with pictures of musical instruments that belong to the group of brass instruments.
2. Among the 5 musical fragments required for listening, choose a fragment where brass instruments sound. Determine the name of the composer and the title of the work.

Group Problem No. 4

1. Choose from the cards with pictures of musical instruments that belong to the group of percussion instruments.
2. Choose from among the 5 musical fragments required for listening, a fragment where percussion instruments sound. Determine the name of the composer and the title of the work.

Group Problem No. 5

1. Choose from among the cards with pictures of musical instruments those belonging to the group of keyboard instruments.
2. Choose from among 5 musical fragments for listening a fragment where keyboard instruments sound. Determine the name of the composer and the title of the work.

Works for listening: 1. G. Verdi. March from the opera "Aida" (trumpet); 2. P. Tchaikovsky. Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy from the ballet “The Nutcracker” (celesta) 3. N. Rimsky-Korsakov “Flight of the Bumblebee” from the opera “The Tale of Tsar Saltan” (group of stringed instruments); 4. J. Bizet-R. Shchedrin. Carmen- Suite “Dance” (drums) 5. J. Gershwin, Clara’s Lullaby from the opera “Porgy and Bess” (saxophone).

The teacher invites students to draw a conclusion about the belonging of musical instruments to a certain group and their expressive capabilities.

Teacher's story:

Today we have the opportunity to listen to and analyze a very interesting musical work by Benjamin Britten, “A Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra.” In 1945, the outstanding English composer B. Britten received an order from the British Ministry of Education to write music for the educational film “Orchestra Instruments”. This is how one of the composer’s most famous works was created.

The work is constructed in the form of variations on a theme by G. Purcell (drama “Abdelazer”). Here, in addition to the characteristics of musical instruments, we learn more about the outstanding composer of the 17th century and feel the relationship between the past and the present.

Listening to the work.

The piece begins with Purcell's solemn, joyful theme performed by the entire orchestra. Gradually it acquires the features of modern music. Then the variations begin, each of which is performed by one instrument or a small group. The theme begins with the sound of the piccolo flute, an instrument of the woodwind group. Then the theme is picked up by the rest of the woodwind group, then by the brass. The string group conveys it with the solo sound of the harps, then the drums. The final variation is written in the form of a fugue, performed together by all instruments of the orchestra. This orchestral sound is called tutti. Gradually, the main theme acquires its original character, and the finale of the work sounds majestic and solemn.

Reflection

What piece of music did we meet?

What musical instruments did the composer use in his work?

Who leads the symphony orchestra? (Conductor)

What is this management?

In what form is the “Guidebook...” written?

What new musical form have we learned about?

What groups of instruments are used in this piece?

Collective conclusion. The multifaceted timbre capabilities of various groups of musical instruments of a symphony orchestra help the composer to realize his creative ideas, the performer to prove his artistic skills, and the listener to receive aesthetic pleasure from listening and perceiving musical works.

Homework

For students with an average and sufficient level of knowledge: process the material from the textbook and additional literature on musical instruments of a symphony orchestra; learn about the features of each group of musical instruments in a symphony orchestra.

For students with a high level of knowledge: find out from the reference literature what other types of orchestras (besides the symphony) exist in musical performing practice. What instruments belong to electronic musical instruments and what are their features?

Percussion instruments in symphonic scores

The beginning of the use of percussion instruments in a symphony orchestra (especially in pieces of a dance nature) dates back to the period of formation of the symphony orchestra itself.

They established themselves and received further development mainly in the 19th century, or more precisely, from the second half of the 19th century. Until that time, in symphonic music (with the exception of dance pieces), they were used in isolated cases.

Thus, Haydn’s “Military Symphony” and Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 contain a triangle, cymbals and a bass drum. An exception is Berlioz, who used various types of drums, tambourine, triangle, cymbals and tam-tam in his compositions. Percussion instruments are also widely used in the works of Glinka, who introduced castanets into the orchestra, in addition to the instruments already mentioned.

The strike group received even greater development in the second half of the 19th century. The xylophone began to be used among the drums, and the celesta appeared. Much credit for this belongs to the composers of the Russian school. Their direct heirs are Soviet composers who use a wide variety of percussion instruments in their works with great success.

General characteristics of percussion and ringing instruments

“Noise, ringing, crashing in forte” and “picturesque, colorful rhythm in piano” - this is the most characteristic role of percussion in the orchestra (Rimsky-Korsakov). Drums, when combined with instruments of other groups, rhythmize and make the sonority of the latter more clear. In turn, the instruments of other groups seem to clarify the pitch of the drums.

Among the percussion instruments there are instruments with vibrators made of metal, wood and membranes (leather). Percussion instruments vary in their structure, as instruments with a certain pitch or without a certain pitch; characterized from the timbre and dynamic side, in connection with the material from which they are made and the methods of sound production: instruments with drum sonority, ringing (metal) and clicking (wooden); from the tessitura side - as instruments of low, medium or high sound; from the point of view of their most characteristic rhythm and mobility (as instruments of a simple, large or small, intricate rhythm); from the side of notating them in the score; from the role they perform in the orchestra.

PERCUSSION INSTRUMENTS WITHOUT A DEFINITE PITCH

Triangle (Triangolo)

This tool is a metal rod bent in the shape of an open triangle. The size of each side is about 20 cm. During the game, the triangle is suspended. Sounds are produced by striking the sides of a triangle with a metal rod.

The triangle does not have a certain height, however, it is perceived as a high-sounding instrument that can assimilate with the intonation sound of the orchestra. Both simple and intricate rhythms can be performed on it. But the latter are desirable in patterns of limited duration, since the continuous execution of successive small rhythmic figures tends to merge into a continuous ringing. The timbre of the triangle in piano has a bright but gently ringing color; in forte - with a dazzlingly bright, sonorous, brilliant sonority of quite great power. Dynamic shades also include crescendo and diminuendo. The triangle connects well with both bowed and woodwind and brass instruments. It combines with bowed instruments mainly in piano, with brass instruments - mainly in forte, although exceptions to this are, of course, possible.

The triangle in the score is notated on one line (string) without setting the clef (however, there is also a notation on a five-line staff, mainly with a note to the treble clef). The notation must indicate the rhythmic and dynamic side of the triangle part. Tremolo is written either as trill or tremolo.

In scores there is usually only one triangle part. Most often it is used in dance works to give them liveliness, gaiety and sparkling sonority. The triangle is often used in compositions of other genres in order to add shine, sparkle, color, and grace to the sonority.

Castanets

Castanets used in the orchestra are small (about 8-10 cm) wooden cups (2 or 4), loosely attached to the ends of the handle (two at one end and two at the other) in such a way that when shaken they hit each other friend, producing a dry, ringing, clicking sound (sometimes they hit the cups with their fingers). Castanets give the impression of an instrument sounding above the average orchestral register.

Being closely related in origin to Spanish and Neapolitan folk dances, castanets in the orchestra are used mainly in rhythms close to these dances, that is, in lively, small, intricate, characteristic rhythms.

Castanets are used both in piano and in the rather sonorous forte; They can both amplify and attenuate sound. They blend well with woodwinds, with staccato strokes of bowed instruments, with small percussion instruments (triangle, tambourine, snare drum) and are heard quite well even in the tutti of the orchestra. Castanets, like a triangle, are notated on the same ruler; tremolo is indicated either as a trill or as crossed notes.

Tambourine and tambourine

The tambourine and tambourine (webbed with metal trinkets) are instruments that are very similar to each other, and therefore quite often replace each other in the orchestra.

Both of them are a narrow hoop with a diameter of 25-35 cm, metal trinkets are embedded in the wall, and leather is stretched on top (on one side), like a drum. The difference between them is that the tambourine has three wires stretched crosswise inside the hoop, studded with bells.

When playing, the tambourine and tambourine are usually held in the left hand; There are several ways of sound attraction. Most often, strikes with the palm and fingers are used on the skin and on the hoop. When performing complex rhythmic patterns, the instrument is suspended on a belt worn over the head, and then the blows are made alternately with both hands, or it is placed on a chair, using snare drum sticks to play in this case. Long tremolo is usually performed by continuous shaking (shaking) of the instrument, creating something like the rustling of tinkling trinkets; short tremolo - the technique of sliding the thumb (right hand) along the skin of the instrument.

The sonority of the tambourine and tambourine can be attributed to the middle register of the orchestra.

The mobility of these tools (as can be concluded from the evacuation techniques used) is quite significant. In any case, it is possible to perform rhythmic patterns on them, both simple (large) and small, intricate rhythm.

The timbre of the tambourine and tambourine is specific, composed of drum sonority (hits on the skin) and ringing sound (metal trinkets); it leaves a characteristic dance-festive impression. Their dynamic range is quite significant, including both piano and forte. These instruments blend equally well with bowed and wind instruments.

The tambourine and tambourine, like all instruments without a specific height, are notated on the same ruler (string). Tremolo is indicated by crossed notes or a trill. In notation, notes with stems viiz indicate strikes with the palm of the hand on the skin, while notes with stems up indicate strikes with the fingers on the hoop of the instrument. The tambourine and tambourine in the orchestra are mainly used in dance music.

Snare drum (Tambure militare)

The snare drum is a cylinder 12-15 cm high and with a diameter of 35 to 40 cm (and even more). The skin is stretched from the bottom and top of the cylinder; In addition, vein or metal strings are stretched on the lower side, which impart a characteristic crackle to the sonority of the snare drum.

Sounds are produced on this instrument by striking the skin with special wooden sticks with small thickenings (heads) at one end. Nowadays, there are scores that also use a fan-shaped metal (wire) whisk (verghe). When using it, the sonority is created as rustling and rustling. As a rule, shots are made with the right and left hands, with grace shots and shot shots being typical. As an exception, sometimes a simultaneous strike with two sticks or one without grace is used. As a special effect, to create a muted sonority, they resort to hitting a drum with loose strings or covered with cloth. This is designated by the term coperto or con sordino.

The snare drum is an instrument slightly higher than the middle orchestral register.

In terms of mobility, the snare drum ranks first among drums. It can be used to perform small and intricate rhythms at the fastest tempos. Its sonority is unusually characteristic and distinct: starting from a barely audible rustle (in pp), it can reach a crackling, rumbling noise, heard through the most powerful fortissimo of the entire orchestra, and the nuances can be changed in an instant.

The sonority of the snare drum blends best with the winds - trumpets and woodwinds, but it is also very good in orchestral tutti and in single solo.

The snare drum part is notated on one line (like parts of other instruments without a specific pitch). It is very characteristic of a large number of grace notes, small rhythmic figures, and various dynamic shades. Fractions are indicated by crossed out notes (tremolo) and trills.

The orchestra has (very rare exceptions) one snare drum. It is used primarily in march-like music. The participation of the snare drum gives the orchestra's sonority greater clarity and dynamism. Interesting examples of its use in terms of software and graphics.

Cymbals (Piatii)

The plates are a pair of identical bronze disks (30-60 cm in diameter on average), in which the central part has a convexity (like plates) with a diameter of about 10 cm. In the center of the convexity there is a hole through which straps are threaded to hold the plates during games.

The usual method of sound production consists of striking one cymbal against another, followed by moving them apart for the duration indicated in the notes. The blows are usually made with a slightly sliding oblique movement, but depending on the dynamic tone and the speed of their sequence one after another, there can be a significant variety in the nature of the blows, up to the friction of one plate against another. To stop the sound, the player presses the edges of the plates to his chest, instantly muffling the sound. In addition to the above-mentioned method of sound production, they also use strikes on a suspended plate with sticks (from timpani, snare drums and even a triangle). With this method, both single and rapidly alternating blows are possible, turning into an erroneous tremolo, allowing a significant increase, and to some extent, a weakening of the sound strength.

The sonority of the cymbals belongs to the middle register of the orchestra. It is possible to perform rhythmic patterns of varying mobility on them, but by nature and nature they are more characterized by the sounds of a simple, large rhythm; the sounds of a small, intricate rhythm on the cymbals merge and lose their clarity. But tremolo creates, as it were, one continuous wave of metallic “hissing”.

The sonority of the cymbals is extremely bright: ringing in forte and rustling, sparkling in piano. The dynamic range is enormous - from a light, slightly sparkling metallic rustle to a dazzlingly bright, sharply ringing noise covering the entire orchestra.

With their metallic sound, cymbals blend best with brass, but they also work well with other instruments, especially when the latter play in their light and bright registers. However, in piano the cymbals combine well with the gloomy low registers of the instruments. Of the percussion instruments, they are most often used in conjunction with a large drum, especially in places that require a lot of force, noise and ringing.

Cymbals, like other instruments without a specific pitch, are notated on the same string, sometimes together with a bass drum. Among the features of the recording, it is worth noting the symbols available at the feet. Thus, placing a sign above a note indicates that the sound should be extracted by striking the cymbal with a mallet from a bass drum or timpani; the term colla bacchetta di timpani - for producing sound with sticks only from timpani; the term colla bacchetta di tamburo - snare drum sticks; verghe - that sounds should be produced with a metal brush. Strikes with an iron stick are indicated by the sign - or +2 above the notes or the term colla bacchetta di triangolo, a return to the usual method of sound production - by the term ordinario (ord. for short). Tremolo is indicated by both crossed notes and a trill. The duration of the sound is sometimes indicated by leagues.

In an orchestra, cymbals are used primarily for dynamic purposes to emphasize the climax, as well as to add brightness and brilliance to the sonority. However, often their role is reduced to colorful rhythm or to program-visual (special) effects.

Bass drum (Gran Cassa)

There are two types of big drum. One (more common) is a relatively low (30-40 cm in height), but quite wide (diameter 65-70 cm) cylinder, on which skin is stretched on both sides. The other consists of a narrow (about 20 cm) but significant size (about 70 cm in diameter) hoop with skin stretched on one side. The hoop is attached on a stand to a special frame in such a way that, rotating along its axis, it can take an inclined position, which makes it more convenient to produce sounds. The latter are obtained by striking the stretched skin with a special mallet with a thickened head at the end.

The sonority of the bass drum belongs to the low register region. Its rhythmic mobility is significantly less than that of the snare drum. The bass drum is used mainly in a simple large rhythm, but tremolo is often found and small durations are not excluded.

The sound of the big drum is low, dull, reminiscent of underground explosions. Its dynamic range is enormous and extends from a dull, seemingly distant rumble in pianissimo to the force of cannon shots in fortissimo.

The sonority of the bass drum in forte blends best with the tutti of the orchestra; in piano - with the low sounds of double basses and timpani."

According to the old tradition, the sonority of the bass drum is associated with the cymbals. A very interesting example of the original and captivating sonority achieved by combining a bass drum with cymbals and a triangle in the piano with the participation of low sounds of bassoons and contrabassoon is found in the finale of Beethoven's Symphony No. 9.

The bass drum is notated on one line (thread). Tremolo is usually indicated by crossed out notes, but is also found in the form of a trill. The bass drum is used in the orchestra mainly in terms of dynamic, as well as program-visual (with specific effects), but there are cases of using it to support the bass voice.

Tam-tam (Tam-tam)

Tam-tam is one of the largest percussion metal instruments. It is a large bronze or copper disk (up to 110 cm in diameter), suspended on a special frame-rack.

The sound on the tam-tam is made by hitting a mallet, usually from a large drum. Sometimes hard timpani sticks and even metal triangle sticks are used. A unique feature is the oblique, a sliding blow with a soft mallet on a tam-tam, in which the sound does not appear immediately, but a little later, and with a tendency to increase.

The sonority of the tam-tam is long, vibrating, and belongs to the low register of the orchestra. Although the tam-tam can produce sounds of various durations, it is used almost exclusively in a large rhythm (in which it is especially characteristic). The performance of the crescendo tremolo on it makes quite an impression. In pianissimo, the sound of tam-tam resembles the ringing of a large bell, while in fortissimo it is like a terrible roar that accompanies a crash, a catastrophe. In the orchestra, the piano tam-tam blends very well with the pizzicato of the double basses, the low sounds of the harp and brass instruments; in forte - with a dramatic tutti of the orchestra.

Notated there-there on one line-thread. Used in orchestras most often in terms of specific effects, as well as in climaxes.

PERCUSSIONS WITH A CERTAIN PITCH AND KEYBOARD INSTRUMENTS

Timpani

According to their design, kettledrums are hemispherical cauldrons of various sizes (from 60 to 80 cm in diameter), with a carefully trimmed leather membrane stretched across their upper edge. It is connected to a mechanism by which it is more or less tensioned on the boiler. Depending on the size of the boilers and the degree of membrane tension, the timpani sound higher or lower. The larger the cauldron and the weaker the skin is stretched (naturally, within a certain limit, the extreme tuning limits for each individual timpani is approximately a sixth), the lower the instrument sounds, and vice versa - the smaller the cauldron and the tighter the skin is stretched, the higher the instrument sounds.

In practice, there are three types of mechanisms for changing the degree of skin tension: screw (located along the rim of the boiler), lever (with a lever mounted on the side of the boiler) and pedal (with a foot pedal attached to one of the legs of the timpani).

Of these, the newest and most advanced is the pedal mechanism, which allows the timpani to be tuned (during pauses in the part) at the same time with greater gradualness and with greater speed. Restructuring is designated by the term muta.

The timpani are played with special sticks, at the end of which there are spherical heads covered with soft felt. In rare cases, they use ordinary sticks from a small drum. Timpani sticks are usually available in three sizes:

a) with larger heads to extract full-sounding juicy beats;

b) with medium-sized heads for sonority of more moderate strength and more mobile figures;

c) with small heads to obtain light, moving sonorities.

In addition, sticks with hard felt tips are used to perform rhythmic figures that require special clarity. Some timpanists use them in all cases.

Timpani are a very flexible and responsive instrument. They can perform the most intricate rhythms (including tremolo) with a variety of dynamic shades and different speeds. The dynamic range of timpani is enormous. They can play a barely audible pianissimo with the sound amplified to a thunderous fortissimo (sounds tuned very low or very high are weaker). In an orchestra, timpani combine perfectly with all other instruments. With the pizzicato of cellos and double basses they merge almost into a single homogeneous sonority.

As a rule, the orchestra uses timpani of three sizes: large, medium and small. Each of them has its own setting range:

big- from mi-fa of the large octave to approximately B large or to small;

average- from A large octave to D small;

small- from do to fa-sol small octave.

Thus, their overall range extends from mi-fa of the large octave to fa-sol of the small octave. Timpani are notated on a five-line staff in the bass clef, with two performers - on two staves, with three - on three staves, etc. The staves are usually placed in the score immediately (counting from above) after the parts of the brass instruments. In front of the staff, where timpani are indicated, their number is indicated by a number, and the tuning is indicated by letters or notes.

However, there are also scores in which these notations are absent. It is not customary to place accidental signs on the key - they are written along with the notes.

Of the notation features, tremolo notation should be noted. With prolonged, uniform tremulation over several measures, the notes marked tr are tied together.

Sometimes in scores, leagues are used in other tremolo notations. If there are no leagues, then the strong timing of each new bar can be emphasized by the timpanist.

When two timpani are struck simultaneously, both sounds are produced.

The double note, above which the trill is placed, is performed as a piano tremolo.

Sometimes the recording specifies which hand the sounds should be made with. In the timpani part it is indicated that notes with stems up are played with the right hand, with stems down - with the left hand.

Timpani “muted” (muffled by a piece of soft mater) are designated by the term coperto or con sordino, the removal of materia is indicated by the term aperto or senza sordino.

Until approximately the second half of the 19th century, the orchestra used two timpani (the exception was Berlioz, who used a large number of timpani), tuned to tonic and dominant. Nowadays, with one performer, almost like a pragvilo, there are three or four timpani in the orchestra, tuned, according to need, to a variety of sounds.

The importance of timpani is not limited to dynamic and rhythmic roles; they are also widely used in dubbing the bass voice, in programmatic and visual, and sometimes melodic terms.

Bells (Campanelli)

Bells, also called metallophones, consist of a set of metal plates of various sizes arranged in a chromatic order corresponding to a piano keyboard. The sound on them is produced by striking the records with hand hammers.

In addition to this type, there are bells with a keyboard mechanism. Outwardly, they look like a small toy piano (only without legs). In terms of sonority, bells with hand hammers are much better than keyboards. The sound volume of bells according to the letter is from C of the first octave to C of the third; in actual sound it is an octave higher than what is written. There are bells with a sound volume that is slightly larger both up and down.

This instrument belongs to the very high-sounding region. The timbre of bells with hand hammers is bright, ringing, silvery, and its sound is quite long. The timbre of keyboard bells is sharper and drier, and the duration of the sound is shorter. The technical flexibility of both bells and bells is significant, but keyboards have a number of advantages arising from purely piano technology. However, both instruments are not used in a virtuosic technical sense, since the rapid succession of their sounds creates a continuous ringing that is tiring for the ear.

Bells pair well with instruments of all groups and especially well with harp, flute, and pizzicato violins.

Bells are notated on a five-line stave in the treble clef. In orchestration, bells are used mainly in decorative and colorful, as well as in programmatic and visual terms.

Xylophone

A xylophone, in contrast to bells (metallophone), is a set of wooden plates, although arranged chromatically, but in a peculiar (zigzag) order, with double plates on the sounds F and C.

The peculiarity of this arrangement is that the row (up) arrangement of the middle plates creates a sequence of the G major scale (the easiest and most convenient on a xylophone.) Recently, xylophones with plates arranged in an order corresponding to the piano keyboard, as well as xylophones with resonators, began to appear , significantly improving the sonority of the instrument.

Sounds are produced on a xylophone by striking records with light wooden sticks, similar in shape to elongated spoons or hockey sticks. The sound volume of the xylophone is from the first octave to the fourth:

The sonority of a xylophone without resonators has a peculiar, empty, dry, sharp timbre, leaving the impression of a ringing, rather strong and sharp clicking on wood, quickly fading.

The technical flexibility of the xylophone is very high. Scales, arpeggios, tremolo, glissando, various passages in rapid movement using double notes can be performed on the xylophone.

The sonority of the xylophone is successfully combined with woodwind instruments, pizzicato and collegno bowed instruments. But the excessively long sound of the xylophone soon becomes intrusive.

The xylophone (like bells) is notated on a five-line stave in the treble clef. In an orchestra, the xylophone is used in terms of decorative and colorful accents, giving the sonority great rhythmic clarity, as well as imagery.

Celesta

A celesta is a keyboard (like a small piano) metallophone, in which instead of strings there are metal plates of various sizes arranged in chromatic order. When playing, hammers connected through levers to the keys strike metal plates. A special feature of the celesta design is that the plates in it are equipped with resonators (special boxes), which significantly soften and improve its sound, and dampers with a pedal mechanism (like a piano), which allows you to stop or lengthen the sound, as is done when playing the piano.

The sound volume of the celesta in writing is from C to the small octave to C to the fourth; the sound is an octave higher than what is written.

The sonority of the celesta - a charmingly gentle and poetic timbre of soft bells - is devoid of power. Technical mobility is very high and approaches that of a piano.

In terms of timbre, the celesta blends best with the harp, but combines well (in piano) with instruments of other groups.

The celesta (like the piano) is notated on two staves and is used in the orchestra mainly in places of great tenderness, softness, subtlety and magical fairy-tale quality.