“Carmina Burana” revealed (part 1). On April 25, my first article dealing with the timpani and percussion parts in “Carmina Burana” (Carl Orff) was published on the GROVER PRO website. You can read it HERE. I hope you enjoy it. Please stay tuned for the next articles in the series. …et in… Continue reading Carmina Burana revealed (part 1)
Tag: blog
Dresdner Apparatebau Jähne & Boruvka timpani
Dresdner Apparatebau Jähne & Boruvka timpani. I have been wanting a pair of timpani suitable for playing the repertoire of the 19th-century for quite some time so, because I have been a very good boy, I decided to include them in my letter to the Three Wise Men. To my surprise, Melchior, Caspar and Balthazar… Continue reading Dresdner Apparatebau Jähne & Boruvka timpani
“Rapsodie Espagnole”, by Ravel
“Rapsodie Espagnole”, by Ravel. “Rapsodie Espagnole“, by Ravel, is not only an important work in the symphonic repertoire; it also features wonderfully written percussion parts. Sadly, both the score and the particelle are plaged with numerous mistakes and missprints that the first edition has perpetuated in many performances and recordings. Because I played this work… Continue reading “Rapsodie Espagnole”, by Ravel
“Scheherezade”, roll or articulate?
“Scheherezade”, roll or articulate? Despite being one of the milestones in the symphonic repertoire, “Scheherezade” features, believe or not, many mistakes and misprints. Belaieff (I have already mentioned him in previous articles) published the score and parts in 1899 in Leipzig. Since then, we have played using the exact same edition: 135 years perpetuating the… Continue reading “Scheherezade”, roll or articulate?
Timpani in “Messiah”.
Timpani in “Messiah”. We are getting very close to “Messiah season” so, why not having a look at this perennial classic? This year I will be playing timpani for the Christmas concert while my colleagues are in the pit playing “Aida”. I have started preparing for the rehearsals and I have found some interesting… Continue reading Timpani in “Messiah”.
Mahler No. 3. Snare drum in the distance.
Mahler No. 3. Snare drum in the distance. Celebrating the 25th anniversary of the “Príncipe Felipe” auditorium in Oviedo, the Oviedo Filarmonía and the Orquesta Sinfónica del Principado de Asturias join forces to play one of the most monumental works in the repertoire: Mahler´s Symphony No. 3. This time, I am in charge of… Continue reading Mahler No. 3. Snare drum in the distance.
Bowings and stickings: “Polovtsian Dances”
Bowings and stickings: “Polovtsian Dances” Last June 3, GROVER PRO published a video on which I explain the relationship between the bow strokes on string instruments and the stickings on the snare drum. It is a continuation of the one that I already published using Falla´s “The Miller´s Dance” as an example , which you… Continue reading Bowings and stickings: “Polovtsian Dances”
Converting a tom into a snare drum.
Converting a tom into a snare drum. This project starts with a phone call by my colleague Adrián, owner of a 10″x7″ Tama Silverstar tom that he wanted to convert into a snare drum. The original tom. I disassembled all the parts so I could make the snare beds, a necessary structure so the snares… Continue reading Converting a tom into a snare drum.
“Xilofono basso” in “Turandot” (G. Puccini) – (and II?)
“Xilofono basso” in “Turandot” (G. Puccini) – (and II?). In my PREVIOUS ARTICLE I showed you which instrument wanted Puccini as the “xilofono basso”, where he found his inspiration, who provided him with he original instrument and how he ordered a copy to be made for “Turandot”. Just imagine that we could find that original… Continue reading “Xilofono basso” in “Turandot” (G. Puccini) – (and II?)
“Xilofono basso” in “Turandot” (G. Puccini).
“Xilofono basso” in “Turandot” (G. Puccini). “Turandot”, by Giaccomo Puccini, is scored for timpani, snare drum, bass drum, cymbals, tam-tam, tubular bells, glockenspiel (keyboard), tuned gongs (the same as in “Madama Butterfly”), triangle, xylophone and bass xylophone in the pit; a tam-tam and a temple block onstage. I will write about the tuned gongs in… Continue reading “Xilofono basso” in “Turandot” (G. Puccini).