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Cymbals (Fr. cymbales; Ger. Becken; Ital. piatti or cinelli), are a modern percussion instrument. Cymbals consist of thin, normally round plates of various cymbal alloys, see cymbal making for a
discussion of their manufacture. Most modern cymbals are of indefinite pitch (tuned sets have been manufactured but are rare),
whereas small cup-shaped cymbals based on ancient designs sound a definite note, see crotale.
Cymbals are used in modern orchestras and many military, marching, concert and
other bands. They are one of the two instrument types that form the modern
drum kit, the other of course being the drum,
and as such are a basic part of much contemporary music. Even
the most basic drum kit normally contains at least one suspended
cymbal and a pair of hi-hat cymbals.
Orchestral cymbals
Although cymbals are not often required they form part of every orchestra;
their chief use is for marking the rhythm and for producing weird, fantastic effects or adding military colour, and their shrill
notes hold their own against a full orchestra playing fortissimo. Cymbals are specially suited for suggesting frenzy, fury or
bacchanalian revels, as in the Venus music in Wagner's Tannhäuser and Grieg's Peer Gynt suite.
Clash cymbals
A pair of clash cymbals in profile. The bell is in green and the straps are in red.
Orchestral crash cymbals or clash cymbals are traditionally used in pairs, each one having a strap set in the bell of the cymbal by which
they are held. The sound is obtained by rubbing their edges together in a sliding movement rather than by clashing them against
each other as laymen often suppose. A skilled player can obtain an enourmous dynamic range from a pair of clash cymbals. For
example, in Beethoven's ninth symphony, one
of their first appearances in an orchestral work, they make their entry pianissimo, adding a touch of colour rather than an
almighty crash.
Clash cymbals are usually damped by pressing them against the player's body. A
composer may write "Let them vibrate," "sec" (short) or equivalent indications on the score; more usually, the player
must judge exactly when to damp the cymbals based on the written duration of clash and the context in which it occurs.
Clash cymbals have traditionally been accompanied by the bass drum playing an
identical part. This combination, played loudly, is an effective way to accentuate a note since the two instruments together
contribute to both very low and very high frequency ranges and provide a satisfying "crash-bang-wallop". In older music the
composer sometimes provided just one part for this pair of instruments, writing senza piatti, or piatti soli if the bass drum is
to remain silent. However, the modern convention is for the instruments to have independent parts.
The clash cymbals evolved into the modern hi-hat. Even in a modern drum kit, they remain paired with the bass drum as the
instruments which are played with the player's feet.
Suspended cymbals
The second main orchestral use of cymbals is the suspended
cymbal. This is a cymbal mounted horizontally or nearly horizontally as in a modern drum kit. These can be played with felt mallets or (cheap!) timpani
beaters and give an eerie sound when played quietly. A tremelo played in this way can build in volume to a climax in a
satisfyingly smooth manner.
Furthermore, the edge of a suspended cymbal may be hit with shoulder of a drum
stick to obtain a sound somewhat akin to that of a pair of clash cymbals. Other methods of playing include scraping a coin or
a triangle beater rapidly across the ridges on the
top of the cymbal, giving a "zing" sound. Cymbals may also be dropped, intentionally or otherwise, causing a range of sounds
depending on whether it hits the floor full on or spins before coming to a rest. This is not particularly good for the cymbal,
however.
Ancient cymbals
Ancient cymbals or tuned cymbals are much more rarely called for. Their timbre is entirely
different, more like that of small hand-bells or of the notes of the keyed harmonica. They are not struck full against each
other, but by one of their edges, and the note given out by them is higher in proportion as they are thicker and smaller.
Berlioz's Romeo and Juliet calls for two pairs of cymbals, modelled on some ancient Pompeian instruments no larger than
the hand (some are no larger than a crown piece), and tuned to F and B flat. The modern instruments descended from this line are
the crotales.
Origins
The origins of cymbals can be traced back to prehistoric times. The ancient Egyptian
cymbals closely resembled our own. The British Museum possesses two
pairs, 13cm in diameter, one of which was found in the coffin of the mummy of Ankhhape, a sacred musician. Those used by the
Assyrians were both plate- and cup-shaped. The Greek cymbals were cup or bell-shaped, and may be seen in the hands of innumerable fauns and satyrs in sculptures and on painted vases. The word cymbal is
derived from the Laitin cymbalum which itself derives from the Greek word kumbalom, meaning a
small bowl.
Terminology
During the middle ages the word cymbal was applied to the glockenspiel,
or peal of small bells, and later to the dulcimer, perhaps on account of the clear
bell-like tone produced by the hammers striking the wire strings. After the introduction of the keyed dulcimer or clavichord the spinet, the word clavicymbal
was used in the Romance languages to denote the varieties of
spinet and harpsichord. Ancient
cymbals are among the instruments played by King David and his musicians in the
9th century illuminated manuscript known as the Bible of Charles
the Bald in the Bibliothèque Nationale, Paris.
Types of cymbal
Particular types of cymbal include:
See also
Parts of this article were originally based on an article from a 1911 encyclopedia
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