David Valdés

The bass drum in “Symphonie Fantastique” (H. Berlioz)

The bass drum in “Symphonie Fantastique” (H. Berlioz) Berlioz´s “Symphonie Fantastique” is always a treat. I have played it on many occasions and on different instruments. Playing it again on the week of June 2-6, together with the Orquesta Sinfónica del Principado de Asturias, has been a real pleasure.   This time I was on… Continue reading The bass drum in “Symphonie Fantastique” (H. Berlioz)

Home-made “Baguettes d´éponge”

© David Valdés

Home-made “Baguettes d´éponge”. Berlioz was a composer who showed a real interest in percussion and greatly contributed to its development. Trying to improve the timpani sound, he advocated the use of different types of sticks to enrich the color palette produced by these instruments. One of the types of stick that he indicated was “baguettes… Continue reading Home-made “Baguettes d´éponge”