Musical Instruments
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Timpani
The most magnificent percussion instrument is the timpani. Its ancestor was the naqara used in ancient Arab, which was introduced to Europe in the 17th century. The timpani is famous for its strong rhythm and powerful background music.
It is usually played by two drum sticks and is often played with brass instruments to produce thundering sounds as to increase the power of music. With the expansion of the orchestra in the 19th century, timpani are used more frequently.
By adding percussion into the orchestra, one could elevate the music volume and perform clear rhythm. Percussion were mainly used to express the climax or to emphasize the rhythm of other instruments.
Though it seems easy to play the timpani, it actually requires great confidence and accurate timing. Timpanists often have to wait silently, counting the rhythm and pound in the perfect moment. Once a timpanist makes a mistake, everyone notices immediately. In the past, people tuned timpani by turning the tuning screws beside the drum. Now, they use the pedals to adjust the tension of the drum, which enables timpanists to change the pitch during performance. Timpani are made by brass, with heads covered in the bowl-shaped body. There are three ways to produce the music: first, to strike the head at different places of the rim. Second, to soften the sound by cover the drum sticks with cloth. Third, to strike the drum with different drum sticks.
(Please move your mouse to the left corner in the video and click play bottom to watch.)
Timpani, performer: Jun-Wei Chen
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Interview with concertmasters
Jun-Wei Chen, Timpani concertmaster
Source: Innovative Musical Notes
