Drinking cups (classical music)

The drinking cups are percussion instruments consisted of a copper basin covered with a skin. The instrumentalist plays about it by striking the skin with special rods. The player of drinking cups is called a Timbalier. The main feature of the drinking cups is the possibility of the agreement er in order to obtain height S precise. Using a pedal, the tension on the skin can be increased or decreased, influencing its product. Each drinking cup is of a different size in order to obtain a broader register: the timpanist can thus change note quickly while striking from one drinking cup to another, and prepare the future notes by adjusting the pedals during silences (the adjustment of the pedal is not very fast and cannot be carried out between two successive notes). Initially conceived like military drums, the drinking cups became a basic instrument of the traditional orchestra at the 17th century. They are very much used in all the types of formations of which the marching band or even rock groups. In a Orchestra or a whole with winds (harmony), the drinking cups generally come per many four or five, but it sometimes happens to see of them only two or three.

The etymology of this word comes from Latin “tympanum” which indicated a Phrygian Tambour of use in the Orgie S and the mysteries of Cybèle. They produce a its serious and deep, compared with that of the drum. Thanks to different the rods, one obtains a rich person variety of stamp S and sound intensities. The majority of the rods are out of wood while their end is covered with felt, flannel, wood, cork, of sponge, or other materials. The head of the rods can also be various sizes. The timpanist can also deafen the sound of the drinking cups while placing a piece of fabric, contrary to the point of striking. When one wishes to obtain a short note, one can stop the vibration of the membrane tended with the end of the fingers. To play a long note, on the other hand, the timpanist uses small very brought closer blows so that they do not appear discontinuous. (bearing or tremor).

The partition of drinking cup is written in bass clef. To regulate the note of his drinking cup, the timpanist modifies the position of the pedal which is indicated by a needle, which is placed in a small dial with reference marks for each note written in letters, according to the Anglo-Saxon system. Thus, the timpanist uses this dial during the adjustment to visualize the note of his drinking cup.

Famous parts

Grande Mass for the dead the of Berlioz does not use less than 10 musicians for 16 drinking cups.
Also Sprach Zarathustra of Richard Strauss, celebrates for its solos of drinking cups. This part is used in film: “2001: In Space Odyssey” of Stanley Kubrick.
Symphony n° 9 of Beethoven, 2nd movement .

Simple: Timpani

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