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Percussion instruments producing determinate
sounds, keyed instruments.

Kettle-drums.

Kettle-drums, indispensable to every theatre and concert orchestra
occupy the most important place in the group of percussion instruments.
A pair of kettle-drums (Timpani), in the tonic and dominant
keys, was the necessary attribute of an orchestra up to, and

including Beethoven's time, but, from the middle of the 19th century
onward, in western Europe and in Russia, an ever-increasing
need was felt for the presence of three or even four kettle-drums,
during the whole course or part of a work. If the expensive
chromatic drum, permitting instant tuning is rarely met with, still,
in the majority of good orchestras, three screw drums are generally
to be found. The composer can therefore take it for granted
that a good timpanist, having three kettle-drums at his command, will
be able to tune at least one of them during a pause of some length.

The limits of possible change in Beethoven's time was considered
to be:

 

Big kettle-drum:

Small kettle-drum

In these days it is difficult to define the precise extent of high
compass in the kettle-drums, as this depends entirely on the size
and quality of the smallest one, of which there are many kinds,
but I advise the composer to select:

Note. A magnificent kettle-drum of very small size was made for my opera-ballet
Mlada; this instrument gave the D♭ of the fourth octave.

Kettle-drums are capable of every dynamic shade of tone, from
thundering fortissimo to a barely perceptible pianissimo. In tremolando
they can execute the most gradual crescendo, diminuendo,
the sfp and morendo.

To deaden the sound, a piece of cloth is generally placed on
the skin of the drum, according to the instruction: timpani coperti (muffled drums).

Piano and Celesta.

The use of a piano in the orchestra (apart from pianoforte concertos)
belongs almost entirely to the Russian school [5]. The object
is two-fold: the quality of tone, either alone, or combined with

Table D.
Pizzicato.

The black notes are dry and hard, without resonance, and should only be
used when doubled with the wood-winds.

* Table E.
Glockenspiel, celesta, xylophone.

*) This note is often missing.

that of the harp, is made to imitate a popular instrument, the guzli,
(as in Glinka), or a soft peal of bells. When the piano forms part
of an orchestra, not as a solo instrument, an upright is preferable
to a grand, but today the piano it is gradually being superseded by
the celesta, first used by Tschaikovsky. In the celesta, small steel
plates take the place of strings, and the hammers falling on them
produce a delightful sound, very similar to the glockenspiel. The
celesta is only found in full orchestras; when it is not available
it should be replaced by an upright piano, and not the glockenspiel.

Glockenspiel, Bells, Xylophone.

The glockenspiel (campanelli) may be made of steel bars, or
played with a keyboard. The first type is the more satisfactory
and possesses greater resonance. The use of the glockenspiel is
similar to the celesta, but its tone is more brilliant and penetrating.
Big bells in the shape of hollow discs or metal tubes [6],
or real church bells of moderate size may be considered more as
theatrical properties than orchestral instruments.

The xylophone is a species of harmonica composed of strips or
cylinders of wood, struck with two little hammers. It produces a
clattering sound, both powerful and piercing.

To complete this catalogue of sounds mention should be made
of the strings playing col legno, that is with the wood or back of
the bow. The sound produced is similar to the xylophone, and
gains in quality as the number of players is increased.

A table is appended showing the range of the celesta, glockenspiel and xylophone.