Musical instrument with sticks and records. Work program on musical art. Functional features of percussion instruments

Musical instruments are designed to produce various sounds. If the musician plays well, then these sounds can be called music, but if not, then cacaphony. There are so many tools that learning them is like exciting game worse than Nancy Drew! In modern musical practice, instruments are divided into various classes and families according to the source of sound, material of manufacture, method of sound production and other characteristics.

Wind musical instruments (aerophones): group musical instruments, the sound source of which is vibrations of the air column in the barrel bore (tube). They are classified according to many criteria (material, design, methods of sound production, etc.). In a symphony orchestra, a group of wind musical instruments is divided into wooden (flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon) and brass (trumpet, horn, trombone, tuba).

1. Flute is a woodwind musical instrument. The modern type of transverse flute (with valves) was invented by the German master T. Boehm in 1832 and has varieties: small (or piccolo flute), alto and bass flute.

2. Oboe is a woodwind reed musical instrument. Known since the 17th century. Varieties: small oboe, oboe d'amour, English horn, heckelphone.

3. Clarinet is a woodwind reed musical instrument. Constructed in the early 18th century In modern practice, soprano clarinets, piccolo clarinet (Italian piccolo), alto (so-called basset horn), and bass clarinets are used.

4. Bassoon - a woodwind musical instrument (mainly orchestral). Arose in the 1st half. 16th century The bass variety is the contrabassoon.

5. Trumpet - a wind-copper mouthpiece musical instrument, known since ancient times. The modern type of valve pipe developed to the gray. 19th century

6. Horn - a wind musical instrument. Appeared at the end of the 17th century as a result of the improvement of the hunting horn. The modern type of horn with valves was created in the first quarter of the 19th century.

7. Trombone - a brass musical instrument (mainly orchestral), in which the pitch of the sound is regulated by a special device - a slide (the so-called sliding trombone or zugtrombone). There are also valve trombones.

8. Tuba is the lowest sounding brass musical instrument. Designed in 1835 in Germany.

Metallophones are a type of musical instrument, the main element of which is plate-keys that are struck with a hammer.

1. Self-sounding musical instruments (bells, gongs, vibraphones, etc.), the source of sound of which is their elastic metal body. Sound is produced using hammers, sticks, and special percussionists (tongues).

2. Instruments such as the xylophone, in contrast to which the metallophone plates are made of metal.


Stringed musical instruments (chordophones): according to the method of sound production, they are divided into bowed (for example, violin, cello, gidzhak, kemancha), plucked (harp, gusli, guitar, balalaika), percussion (dulcimer), percussion-keyboard (piano), plucked -keyboards (harpsichord).


1. Violin is a 4-string bowed musical instrument. The highest register in the violin family, which formed the basis of the classical symphony orchestra and string quartet.

2. Cello is a musical instrument of the violin family of the bass-tenor register. Appeared in the 15th-16th centuries. Classic designs created Italian masters 17-18 centuries: A. and N. Amati, G. Guarneri, A. Stradivari.

3. Gidzhak - stringed musical instrument (Tajik, Uzbek, Turkmen, Uyghur).

4. Kemancha (kamancha) - a 3-4-string bowed musical instrument. Distributed in Azerbaijan, Armenia, Georgia, Dagestan, as well as the countries of the Middle East.

5. Harp (from German Harfe) is a multi-string plucked musical instrument. Early images - in the third millennium BC. In its simplest form it is found in almost all nations. The modern pedal harp was invented in 1801 by S. Erard in France.

6. Gusli is a Russian plucked string musical instrument. Wing-shaped psalteries (“ringed”) have 4-14 or more strings, helmet-shaped ones - 11-36, rectangular (table-shaped) - 55-66 strings.

7. Guitar (Spanish guitarra, from Greek cithara) is a lute-type plucked string instrument. Known in Spain since the 13th century, in the 17th-18th centuries it spread to the countries of Europe and America, including as folk instrument. Since the 18th century, the 6-string guitar has become commonly used; the 7-string guitar has become widespread mainly in Russia. Varieties include the so-called ukulele; Modern pop music uses an electric guitar.

8. Balalaika is a Russian folk 3-string plucked musical instrument. Known since the beginning. 18th century Improved in the 1880s. (under the leadership of V.V. Andreev) V.V. Ivanov and F.S. Paserbsky, who designed the balalaika family, and later - S.I. Nalimov.

9. Cymbals (Polish: cymbaly) - a multi-stringed percussion musical instrument ancient origin. Included in folk orchestras Hungary, Poland, Romania, Belarus, Ukraine, Moldova, etc.

10. Piano (Italian fortepiano, from forte - loud and piano - quiet) - common name keyboard musical instruments with hammer mechanics (grand piano, upright piano). The piano was invented in the beginning. 18th century The emergence of a modern type of piano - with the so-called. double rehearsal - dates back to the 1820s. The heyday of piano performance - 19-20 centuries.

11. Harpsichord (French clavecin) - a stringed keyboard-plucked musical instrument, the predecessor of the piano. Known since the 16th century. There were harpsichords of various shapes, types and varieties, including the cymbal, virginel, spinet, and clavicytherium.

Keyboard musical instruments: a group of musical instruments combined common feature- presence of keyboard mechanics and keyboard. They are divided into various classes and types. Keyboard musical instruments can be combined with other categories.

1. Strings (percussion-keyboards and plucked-keyboards): piano, celesta, harpsichord and its varieties.

2. Brass (keyboard-wind and reed): organ and its varieties, harmonium, button accordion, accordion, melodica.

3. Electromechanical: electric piano, clavinet

4. Electronic: electronic piano

piano (Italian fortepiano, from forte - loud and piano - quiet) is the general name for keyboard musical instruments with hammer mechanics (grand piano, upright piano). It was invented at the beginning of the 18th century. The emergence of a modern type of piano - with the so-called. double rehearsal - dates back to the 1820s. The heyday of piano performance - 19-20 centuries.

Percussion musical instruments: a group of instruments united by the method of sound production - impact. The source of sound is a solid body, a membrane, a string. There are instruments with a definite (timpani, bells, xylophones) and indefinite (drums, tambourines, castanets) pitch.


1. Timpani (timpani) (from the Greek polytaurea) is a cauldron-shaped percussion musical instrument with a membrane, often paired (nagara, etc.). Distributed since ancient times.

2. Bells - an orchestral percussion self-sounding musical instrument: a set of metal records.

3. Xylophone (from xylo... and Greek phone - sound, voice) - a percussion, self-sounding musical instrument. Consists of a series of wooden blocks of varying lengths.

4. Drum - a percussion membrane musical instrument. Varieties are found among many peoples.

5. Tambourine - a percussion membrane musical instrument, sometimes with metal pendants.

6. Castanets (Spanish: castanetas) - percussion musical instrument; wooden (or plastic) plates in the shape of shells, fastened on the fingers.

Electromusical instruments: musical instruments in which sound is created by generating, amplifying and converting electrical signals (using electronic equipment). They have a unique timbre and can imitate various instruments. Electric musical instruments include the theremin, emiriton, electric guitar, electric organs, etc.

1. Theremin is the first domestic electromusical instrument. Designed by L. S. Theremin. The pitch of a theremin varies depending on distance right hand performer to one of the antennas, volume - from the distance of the left hand to the other antenna.

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A group of instruments united by the method of sound production and impact. The source of sound is a solid body, a membrane, a string. There are instruments with definite (timpani, bells, xylophones) and indefinite (drums, tambourines, castanets)…

A group of instruments united by the method of sound production and impact. The source of sound is a solid body, a membrane, a string. There are instruments with definite (timpani, bells, xylophone) and indefinite (drums, tambourines, castanets)… encyclopedic Dictionary

See Musical Instruments...

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We break stereotypes. Percussion instruments, according to many amateurs, are extremely easy to learn and do not abound in musical richness. Let us say right away: this point of view is fundamentally wrong. Percussion musical instruments are capable of not only setting the rhythm, but also, as their very name suggests, directly creating music. Next about stereotypes. When we hear the words “percussion instruments,” drums are the first thing that comes to our mind. And again by. Percussion instruments represent a huge number of variations of devices for producing sounds by striking with both hands and all kinds. These are all folk percussion instruments or the same metallophone.

Percussion musical instruments as they are

Percussion instruments, drums, percussion and other percussion tricks constitute, probably, the richest arsenal of instruments on which sound production occurs according to the same principle. However, before you buy percussion instruments, try to figure out what exactly you need. The main parameter in this situation is the music you are going to play. Since folk percussion instruments are very dubiously suitable for jazz or the notorious heavy metal, you will have to choose every detail of your instrument very carefully.

Types of percussion musical instruments

The most important Before you buy percussion instruments, try to learn how to play them as best as possible, since the drummer is the mind, honor, conscience, and also of each group.


Their morals

Each country has its own national musical traditions. The best way they appear in percussion instruments, as one of the most ancient, and, therefore, the most natural.

Africa is interesting. It is quite logical to assume that music appeared there for the first time, therefore, the African percussion musical instrument is considered the most ancient on earth.

At its core, the African percussion instrument is a very simple design that sounds great and requires minimal effort to manufacture. Much more admirable is the ability to use a simple African percussion musical instrument to convey all possible musical shades.

Eastern percussion instruments

In the East, even a drum is a delicate matter. In one article it is quite difficult to cover all the diversity that eastern percussion instruments offer.

Here are just the main and most interesting points that I would like to focus on.

Indian percussion instrument

India is a beautiful country where even in music it is not the seven familiar notes that stand out, but the masculine and feminine principles so beloved by Indians.

Even an Indian percussion instrument in most cases involves two components, which are personified with two principles of human nature. In turn, this allows you to convey all possible shades of feelings and emotions in the game.

Arabic percussion instrument

Few people know as many ways to have a pleasant time that would not contradict the Koran as the Arabs themselves.

Arabic music is known all over the world today. Oddly enough, its main component is the Arabic percussion instrument, which not only sets the rhythm, but also creates an indescribable atmosphere of 1001 nights.

Percussion instruments are hard work, but the main thing is joy in percussion.

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Percussion instruments, the names and descriptions of which are presented in this article, arose earlier than other musical instruments. They were used in ancient times by the peoples of the Middle East and the African continent to accompany warlike and religious dances and dances. Percussion instruments, the names of which are numerous, as are their types, are very common these days; not a single ensemble can do without them. These include those in which sound is produced by striking.

Classification

According to their musical qualities, that is, the possibility of extracting sounds of a particular height, all types can be divided into 2 groups percussion instruments, the names of which are presented in this article: with an indefinite pitch (cymbals, drums, etc.) and with a certain pitch (xylophone, timpani). They are also divided depending on the type of vibrator (sounding body) into self-sounding (castanets, triangles, cymbals, etc.), plate (bells, vibraphones, xylophones, etc.) and membranous (tambourine, drums, timpani, etc.).

Now you know what types of percussion instruments there are. Let's say a few words about what determines the timbre and volume of their sound.

What determines the volume and timbre of sound?

The volume of their sound is determined by the amplitude of vibrations of the sounding body, that is, the force of the impact, as well as the size of the sounding body. Strengthening the sound in some instruments is achieved by adding resonators. The timbre that certain types of percussion instruments have depends on many factors. The main ones are the method of impact, the material from which the instrument is made, and the shape of the sounding body.

Webbed percussion instruments

The sounding body in them is a membrane or a stretched membrane. These include percussion instruments, the names of which are tambourine, drums, timpani, etc.

Timpani

Timpani is an instrument with a certain pitch, which has a metal body in the shape of a cauldron. A membrane made of tanned leather is stretched across the top of this cauldron. A special membrane made of polymer materials is currently used as a membrane. It is secured to the body using tension screws and a hoop. Screws located around the circumference loosen or tighten it. The timpani percussion instrument is tuned as follows: if you pull the membrane, the tuning becomes higher, and if you lower it, it will be lower. In order not to interfere with the membrane vibrating freely, there is a hole at the bottom for air movement. The body of this instrument is made of brass, copper or aluminum. Timpani are mounted on a tripod - a special stand.

This instrument is used in an orchestra in a set of 2, 3, 4 or more cauldrons of different sizes. The diameter of modern timpani ranges from 550 to 700 mm. There are the following types: pedal, mechanical and screw. Pedal instruments are the most common, since you can adjust the instrument to the required key without interrupting the game by pressing the pedal. Timpani have a sound volume approximately equal to a fifth. A large timpani is tuned below all the others.

Tulumbas

Tulumbas is an ancient percussion instrument (a type of timpani). It served in the 17th-18th centuries in the army, where it was used to give alarm signals. The shape is a pot-shaped resonator. This ancient percussion instrument (a type of timpani) can be made of metal, clay or wood. The top is covered with leather. This structure is hit with wooden bats. A dull sound is produced, somewhat reminiscent of a cannon shot.

Drums

We continue to describe the percussion instruments whose names were listed at the beginning of the article. Drums have an indefinite pitch. These include various percussion instruments. The names listed below all refer to reels (various varieties). There are large and small orchestral drums, large and small pop drums, as well as bongos, tom bass and tom tenor.

A large orchestral drum has a cylindrical body, covered on both sides with plastic or leather. It is characterized by a dull, low, powerful sound produced by a wooden mallet with a tip in the form of a felt or felt ball. Today, polymer film has begun to be used for drum membranes instead of parchment skin. It has better musical and acoustic properties and higher strength. The drum membranes are secured with tension screws and two rims. The body of this instrument is made of plywood or sheet steel and lined with artistic celluloid. It has dimensions 680x365 mm. The large stage drum has a design and shape similar to the orchestra drum. Its dimensions are 580x350 mm.

The small orchestral drum is a low cylinder, covered on both sides with plastic or leather. The membranes (membranes) are attached to the body using tightening screws and two rims. To give the instrument a specific sound, special strings or snares (spirals) are stretched over the lower membrane. They are driven by a reset mechanism. The use of synthetic membranes in drums has significantly improved operational reliability, musical and acoustic characteristics, presentation and service life. The small orchestra drum has dimensions of 340x170 mm. It is included in symphony and military brass bands. The small pop drum has a structure similar to the orchestra drum. Its dimensions are 356x118 mm.

Tom-tom-bass and tom-tom-tenor drums are no different in design. They are used in pop drum kits. The tenor tom is attached to the bass drum using a bracket. The tom-tom-bass is installed on a special stand on the floor.

Bongs are small drums with plastic or leather stretched on one side. They are included in the percussion stage set. The bongs are connected to each other by adapters.

As you can see, many percussion instruments are related to drums. The names listed above can be supplemented by including some less popular varieties.

Tambourine

A tambourine is a shell (hoop) with plastic or leather stretched on one side. Special slots are made in the body of the hoop. They have brass plates attached to them; they look like small orchestra cymbals. Inside the hoop, sometimes small rings and bells are strung on a spiral or on stretched strings. All this tinkles at the slightest touch of the tambourine, creating a special sound. The membrane is struck with the palm of the right hand (its base) or with the fingertips.

Tambourines are used to accompany songs and dances. In the East, the art of playing this instrument has achieved virtuosity. Solo tambourine playing is also common here. Dyaf, def or gaval is an Azerbaijani tambourine, haval or daf is Armenian, dayra is Georgian, doira is Tajik and Uzbek.

Plate percussion instruments

Let's continue to describe percussion musical instruments. Photos and names of plate drums are presented below. Such instruments that have a certain pitch include the xylophone, marimba (marimbaphone), metallophone, bells, bells, and vibraphone.

Xylophone

A xylophone is a set of wooden blocks of different sizes that correspond to sounds of different pitches. The blocks are made from rosewood, spruce, walnut, and maple. They are placed parallel in 4 rows, following the order of the chromatic scale. These blocks are attached to strong laces and are also separated by springs. A cord passes through the holes made in the blocks. The xylophone for playing is laid out on a table on rubber spacers, which are located along the cords of this instrument. It is played with two wooden sticks with a thickening at the end. This instrument is used for playing in an orchestra or for solo playing.

Metallophone and marimba

Metallophone and marimba are also percussion instruments. Do their photos and names mean anything to you? We invite you to get to know them better.

A metallophone is a musical instrument similar to a xylophone, but its sound plates are made of metal (bronze or brass). His photo is presented below.

Marimba (marimbaphone) is an instrument whose sounding elements are wooden plates. It also has metal tubular resonators installed to enhance the sound.

Marimba has a rich, soft timbre. Its sound range is 4 octaves. The playing plates of this instrument are made of rosewood. This ensures good musical and acoustic characteristics of this instrument. The plates are located in 2 rows on the frame. In the first row there are plates of basic tones, and in the second - halftones. Resonators installed in 2 rows on the frame are tuned to the sound frequency of the corresponding plates. A photo of this instrument is presented below.

The main components of the marimba are fixed to the support trolley. The frame of this cart is made of aluminum. This ensures sufficient strength and minimal weight. Marimba is used both for educational purposes and for professional playing.

Vibraphone

This instrument is a set of aluminum plates, chromatically tuned, which are arranged in 2 rows, similar to a piano keyboard. The plates are installed on a high table (bed) and secured with laces. In the center under each of them there are cylindrical resonators of a certain size. Through them pass in the upper part of the axis, on which fan fans (impellers) are fixed. This is how vibration is achieved. The damper device has this tool. It is connected under the stand to a pedal so that you can muffle the sound with your foot. The vibraphone is played using 2, 3, 4, and sometimes a large number of long sticks with rubber balls at the ends. This instrument is used in symphony orchestras, but more often in pop orchestras or as solo instrument. His photo is presented below.

Bells

What percussion instruments can be used to play in an orchestra? bell ringing? The correct answer is bells. This is a set of percussion instruments used in symphony and opera orchestras for this purpose. The bells consist of a set (from 12 to 18 pieces) of cylindrical pipes that are tuned chromatically. Typically the pipes are chrome-plated steel or nickel-plated brass. Their diameter ranges from 25 to 38 mm. They are suspended on a special frame-rack, the height of which is about 2 m. Sound is produced by striking the pipes with a wooden hammer. The bells are equipped with a special device (pedal-damper) to dampen the sound.

Bells

This is a percussion instrument consisting of 23-25 ​​metal plates tuned chromatically. They are placed in steps in 2 rows on a flat box. Corresponds to black piano keys top row, and white - the bottom one.

Self-sounding percussion instruments

When talking about what types of percussion instruments there are (names and types), it is impossible not to mention self-sounding percussion instruments. The following instruments belong to this type: cymbals, tam-tams, triangles, rattles, maracas, castanets, etc.

Dishes

Plates are metal discs made of nickel silver or brass. A somewhat spherical shape is given to the discs of the plates. Leather straps are attached to the center. A long ringing sound is produced when they hit each other. Sometimes they use one plate. Then the sound is produced by hitting a metal brush or stick. They produce orchestral, gong and Charleston cymbals. They sound ringing and sharp.

Let's talk about what other percussion instruments there are. Photos with names and descriptions will help you get to know them better.

Orchestral triangle

An orchestra triangle (its photo is presented below) is a steel rod of an open triangular shape. When played, this instrument is hung freely and then struck with a metal stick, performing various rhythmic patterns. A triangle has a ringing, bright sound. It is used in various ensembles and orchestras. Triangles are available with two sticks made of steel.

A gong or tam-tam is a bronze disk with curved edges. Using a mallet with a felt tip, strike its center. The result is a dark, thick and deep sound, reaching its full strength gradually, not immediately after the impact.

Castanets and maracas

Castanets (photos of them are presented below) are a folk instrument of Spain. This ancient percussion instrument is shaped like shells tied with a cord. One of them faces the spherical (concave) side towards the other. They are made from plastic or hardwood. Castanets are produced single or double.

Maracas are balls made of plastic or wood, filled with shot (small pieces of metal) and decorated colorfully on the outside. They are equipped with a handle to make them comfortable to hold while playing. Various rhythmic patterns can be produced by shaking the maracas. They are mainly used in variety ensembles, but sometimes in orchestras.

Rattles are sets of small plates mounted on a wooden plate.

These are the main names of percussion musical instruments. Of course, there are many more of them. We talked about the most famous and popular ones.

The drum kit that the pop ensemble has

In order to have a complete understanding of this group of instruments, it is also necessary to know the composition of percussion kits (sets). The most common composition is the following: a large and small drum, a large and small single cymbal, a paired hi-hat cymbal (“Charleston”), bongos, tom-tom alto, tom-tom tenor and tom-tom bass.

A large drum is installed on the floor in front of the performer, which has support legs for stability. Tom-tom alto and tom-tom tenor drums can be mounted on the top of the drum using brackets. It also has an additional stand on which the orchestra cymbal is mounted. The brackets that attach the tom-tom alto and tom-tom tenor to the bass drum regulate their height.

The mechanical pedal is an integral part of the bass drum. The performer uses it to extract sound from this musical instrument. A small pop drum must be included in the drum kit. It is secured with three clamps on a special stand: one retractable and two folding. The stand is installed on the floor. This is a stand that is equipped with a locking device for fixing in a certain position, as well as changing the inclination of the snare drum.

The snare drum has a muffler and reset device, which are used to adjust the tone. Also, a drum set sometimes includes several tom-tom tenors, tom-tom altos and tom-tom drums of different sizes.

Also drum kit(its photo is presented below) includes orchestral cymbals with a stand, a chair and a mechanical stand for the Charleston. Maracas, triangles, castanets and other noise instruments are the accompanying instruments of this installation.

Spare parts and accessories

Spare accessories and parts for percussion instruments include: stands for orchestral cymbals, for snare drums, for Charleston cymbals, timpani sticks, a mechanical beater for a drum (large), sticks for a snare drum, pop drumsticks, orchestral brushes, mallets and bass drum leather, straps, cases.

Percussion instruments

It is necessary to distinguish between percussion keyboards and percussion instruments. Percussion keyboards include the piano and grand piano. The strings of a piano are arranged horizontally and are struck by a hammer from bottom to top. The piano is different in that the hammer strikes the strings in a direction away from the player. The strings are tensioned in a vertical plane. Grand piano and piano, due to the richness of sounds in terms of sound strength and height, as well as the great capabilities of these instruments, received a common name. Both instruments can be called in one word - “piano”. The piano is a stringed percussion instrument based on the way it produces sound.

The keyboard mechanism used in it is a system of levers interconnected, which serves to transfer the energy of the pianist's fingers to the strings. It consists of mechanics and keyboard. A keyboard is a set of keys, the number of which may vary depending on the sound range of a particular instrument. The keys are usually lined with plastic covers. They are then mounted using pins on the keyboard frame. Each key has lead seals, pilot, capsule and overlay. It transmits, as a lever of the first kind, the force of the pianist to the mechanical figure. Mechanics are hammer mechanisms that convert the force of the musician when pressing the key into a strike on the strings of the hammers. Hammers are made of hornbeam or maple, and their heads are covered with felt.

Classification of musical instruments.

Due to the fact that musical instruments have very different origins and natures, they are classified according to the principles of sound production according to the classification adopted in 1914 by Kurt Sachs and Erich Moritz von Horibostel (Systematik der Musikinstrumente: ein Versuch Zeitschrift f űr Ethnologie) which has become classic.

Percussion instruments.

Following the system proposed by the above-mentioned musicologists, the so-called idiophones and membranophones are distinguished among percussion instruments. Idiophones (from the Greek Idios - one's own, one's own and "background" - sound) are a family of instruments that reproduce sound due to vibration and radiation after striking, as in the case of bells, cymbals or cymbals, bells, castanets, rattles or the like.This is music. instruments, the source of sound of which is a material capable of sounding without additional tension (as required by the strings of a violin, guitar or piano, the membrane of a tambourine, drum or timpani). Idiophones usually consist entirely of sounding material - metal, wood, glass, stone; sometimes only a game part is made from it. According to the method of sound extraction, idiophones are divided into plucked ones - jew's harps, sans; frictional - nail harmonica and glass harmonica; percussion - xylophone, metallophone, gong, cymbals, bells, triangle, castanets, rattles, etc.

Castanets

Bells

Ratchets

Xylophone

Triangle

Percussion instruments also include membranophones, which require a membrane stretched over a reservoir that acts like a resonant box to reproduce sound. The membrane is struck with hammers or wooden sticks, as in the case of a drum or timpani, or rubbed with a stick across the drum skin. This happens with the sambomba (a type of drum), which is a “descendant” of the rommelpot of Flanders, used there during carnival celebrations already in the 14th century. V. Rommelpot is a musical instrument, something like a primitive bagpipe: a pot covered with a bull's bladder with a reed stuck into it. Rommelpot is a simple friction drum, previously popular in many European countries. It was usually made by tying the animal's bladder to a house pot; Children most often played on it, piercing the bubble with a stick, on Martin's Day and Christmas.

European friction drums. Drums made from clay pots are from Bohemia (1) and Naples (2). The sound is extracted from the Russian friction drum (3) using horsehair. The Norwegian thimble drum (4), the English mustard jar drum (5) and the French cockerel drum (6) were made as toys.

Two ways to produce sound on friction drums: pulling the stick up and down (a) or rotating it between the palms (b).

Percussion instruments, especially idiophones, are the most ancient and constitute the heritage of all cultures. Due to the simplicity of the principle of sound production, they were the very first musical instruments: blows with sticks, bone scrapers, stones, etc., always associated with certain rhythmic alternations, formed the first instrumental composition. Thus, in Egypt they used a kind of boards on which they played with one hand during the cult of the ancient Egyptian goddess of music Hathor. In Greece, the crotalon, or rattle, was common, the predecessor of castanets, which spread throughout the Mediterranean and the Latin world, calledcrotalum or crusma, associated with dancing and Bacchic celebrations. But the Egyptian sistrum, which is a metal frame in the shape of a horseshoe, partitioned with a number of slippery knitting needles with curves at the edges, was intended for funeral rites and to accompany prayers against disasters and the scourge of locusts, which destroyed the harvest.

Various types of rattles were also widely used. They are now very common, especially in Africa and Latin America, to accompany various folk dances. Many idiophones, especially metal ones - such as bells, cymbals, cymbals and small bells - have found their place sinceXVII century thanks to the fashion for music “a la Turk”. They were introduced into the orchestra by French maestros, including Jean Baptiste Lully (1632 - 1687) and Jean Fery Rebel (1666 - 1747). Some ideophones of relatively recent invention, such as trumpet-shaped bells, have been introduced into modern orchestras.

Membrane drums spread from the ancient Mesopotamian civilization to the West and East five thousand years ago. Since ancient times they have been used in military music and for signaling.

The Greeks used a tambourine-like drum called a tympanum.

A tympanum is a percussion musical instrument that resembles a small flat drum with a wide rim. The skin on the tympanum, like on the drum, was stretched on both sides (the tambourine, which was common at that time, had the skin stretched on one side). Women usually played the tympanum during bacchanalia, striking it with their right hand.

While in Rome the most popular was the membranophone, similar to the modern timpani, called the symphonie. Particularly magnificent were the festivities in honor of the goddess Cybele, the mistress of mountains, forests and animals, who regulates inexhaustible fertility. The cult of Cybele in Rome was introduced in 204 BC. e.

The festivities were accompanied by music, in which the main role was played by drums. During the Middle Ages and the Renaissance, percussion (especially the drum) was used to accompany knightly tournaments and dances.

The importance of drums in folk music is also great.

Gradually, drums began to be part of professional orchestras starting from the 17th century. One of the first composers to include drums in his Berenice vendicativa (1680) was Giovanni Domenico Fresco (c. 1630 - 1710). Later composers such as Christoph Willibald Gluck (in Le cadidupl, 1761) and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (in The Abduction from the Seraglio, 1782) gave drums an important role. This tradition was continued by composers of the 19th and 20th centuries, such as Gustav Mahler and Igor Fedorovich Stravinsky. John Cage (1912 - 1992) and Morton Feldman (1926 - 1987) even wrote entire scores solely for drums.

M. Ravel - M. Bejart.1977 Grand Theatre. Maya Plisetskaya.

In Ravel's Bolero, the solo snare drum sounds incessantly, clearly beating the rhythm. There is also something militant in this. Drums are always an alarm, a kind of threat. Drums are the heralds of war. Our outstanding poet Nikolai Zabolotsky in 1957, almost thirty years after the creation of “Bolero,” wrote in a poem dedicated to Ravel’s masterpiece: “Turn, History, the cast millstones, be a miller in the menacing hour of the surf! Oh, “Bolero”, the sacred dance of battle!”The menacing tone of Ravel’s “Bolero” makes an incredibly strong impression - disturbing and uplifting. I believe that the “Invasion” episode in the first movement of Shostakovich’s Seventh Symphony was an echo of it not only in some formal sense - this “sacred dance of battle” in Shostakovich’s symphony is mesmerizing. And it will also remain forever a sign of the spiritual tension of the human creator.The gigantic energy of Ravel's work, this growing tension, this unimaginable crescendo - lifts, purifies, spreads a light around itself that is never allowed to fade.

Unlike a drum, timpani have a hemispherical body and are capable of producing sounds of varying pitches due to the fact that their membrane is stretched using several handles, which are currently operated by a pedal. This most important quality contributed to the rapid growth of the use of timpani in instrumental ensembles. Currently, timpani are the most important percussion instrument in an orchestra. Modern timpani look like large copper cauldrons on a stand, covered with leather. The skin is pulled tightly onto the boiler using several screws. They hit the skin with two sticks with soft round felt tips.

Unlike other percussion instruments with leather, timpani produce a sound of a certain pitch. Each timpani is tuned to a specific tone, so in order to get two sounds, orchestras began to use a pair of timpani in the 17th century. The timpani can be rebuilt: to do this, the performer must tighten or loosen the skin with screws: the greater the tension, the higher the tone. However, this operation is time-consuming and risky during execution. Therefore, in the 19th century, masters invented mechanical timpani, which could be quickly adjusted using levers or pedals.

March of 8 pieces for timpani. (Spanish: Elliot Carter)

The role of timpani in an orchestra is quite varied. Their beats emphasize the rhythm of other instruments, forming either simple or intricate rhythmic figures. Rapidly alternating strikes of both sticks (tremolo) produces an effective increase in sound or reproduction of thunder. Haydn also depicted thunderclaps using timpani in The Four Seasons.

Beginning of E. Grieg's Piano Concerto. D conductor - Yuri Temirkanov. WITHOlist - Nikolai Lugansky.Great Hall of the St. Petersburg Philharmonic, November 10, 2010

Haydn also used timpani to depict thunderclaps in his oratorio “The Seasons.”

Shostakovich in the Ninth Symphony makes the timpani imitate cannonade. Sometimes the timpani are assigned small melodic solos, as, for example, in the first movement of Shostakovich's Eleventh Symphony.

Conducted by Gergiev,
Performed by PMF Orchestra 2004.

Already in 1650, Nikolaus Hasse (c. 1617 - 1672) used timpani in Aufzuge für 2 Clarinde und Heerpauken, and Lully in Theseus (1675). Timpani were used by Henry Purcell in The Faerie Queene (1692), Johann Sebastian Bach and George Frideric Handel, and Francesco Barzanti (1690 - 1772) introduced timpani in Cocerto Grosso (1743). Introduced into the classical orchestra by F. J. Haydn, W. A. ​​Mozart, L. van Beethoven, the timpani acquired during the era of romanticism decisive role in the percussion group (Hector Berlioz included eight pairs of timpani in his monumental Requiem, 1837). And today the timpani are a fundamental part of this group in the orchestra and even take on a leading role in some musical fragments, such as the glissandi in the Adagio from Music for Strings, Percussion and Celesta (1936) by the Hungarian composer Be ly Bartok.