Word: instrument
(lookup in dictionary)
(lookup stats)
Dates: during 1990-1999
Sort By: most recent first
(reverse)
...forged for the artistic elevation of soups. Its expansive, gleaming copper bowl tilted jauntily to a side and the drumhead stretched taut over its opening suggest hidden depths of bouillon--of boiling meats and vegetables. The common name for the timpani is, not surprisingly, the kettledrum. Originally a military instrument, primitive versions of the timpani were slung over the backs of horses in cavalry units and, aside from their practical uses in battle, often served in processions and other public events as a sort of status symbol...
However, despite a historical background of blustering and banging, the modern timpani is an intensely subtle instrument. Depending on the music being played, a timpanist will use from two to five drums, each a different size and in a different register. Each individual timpani can be tuned up or down during the actual performance, so the percussionist actually has a significant melodic range. Formerly, this tuning was done by carefully twisting the screws holding down the drumhead but most timpanis today are constructed to be tuned with a pedal. This is quicker and allows one to tune two timpanis...
...Kris Gauksheim '01 and Adam Beaver '00 play the timpani in the Harvard-Radcliffe Orchestra. I spoke with both of them before a rehearsal earlier this week. They started studying the timpani in grade school. Neither of them said exactly why they were first drawn to the instrument, but they both agree that there is a sort of adrenaline rush associated with the timpani's wildly expansive dynamic range. Beaver points out that he gets to play everything from the gentle, dying heartbeat in a requiem to great, rolling sforzandos where he "comes in like the hand...
...hand are the progressives, who feel that the council should tackle a wide range of social issues both at Harvard and beyond. In almost direct opposition are the more conservative "student-services" representatives, who feel that the council functions best as an instrument to improve undergraduates lives...
...have fun he did. Wooten's masterful control over his instrument, coupled with his audience communication made each song unique. Wooten played all of his best material, from an almost beautifully tear-inducing "Amazing Grace" to "Norwegian Wood" to a funky version of "I Feel Alright." Monday night's break brought out the mellower, funkier side of Wooten. He played James Brown the way only he could, playing chords and thematic progressions in different time. Then, on Tuesday night, Wooten jammed for close to four hours and played four encores...