Carmen Suite and Carmina Burana: Terms Used in Percussion
Carmen Suite and Carmina Burana: Terms Used in Percussion
in Percussion
Carmen Suite and
Carmina Burana
By Michael Rosen
Q. Might you have translations for the mit einem Schläg (G): with one strike, like a players in the U.K. have played the ‘Carmen’
timpani and percussion indications in the gliss percussion suite. The opinion here is that the
parts for the Georges Bizet-Rodion Shchedrin das niedrigste Register (G): the lowest cockolo is a choccolo.”
“Carmen [Ballet] Suite”? You may know that register Guiro
the available rental parts are hand-written quasi arpa, dolce (I): harp-like, sweetly 3 Temple Blocks
manuscript (stamped “USSR”), with Russian o Silof (I): or xylophone Cassa (I): Bass Drum
script movement titles and percussion indications/ in ritmo (I): in rhythm, play each note (not Tam-tam
footnotes. Having done some research, the study a roll) Tamburo rullante (I): field drum without
apparently has German translations of the ohne weiteren Anschlag (G): without snare
Russian text and is rather confusing. Thank you hitting it again, let it ring Triangolo: triangle
for your help! m.s. (I): left hand (mano sinestra) (ord.) (I): struck in the ordinary manner
Todd Sheehan m.d. (I): right hand (mano destra) mit kl. Besen (G): with small brushes
Principal Timpani quasi gliss sempre (I): always like a gliss mit Schlägeln (G): sticks (Schalgel is
Evansville Philharmonic Orchestra con pedale sempre (I): always with pedal a generic terms for sticks, but when used
nicht dämpfen (G): not dampened, let ring without modification usually means snare
A. Here are the translations Todd. It’s a fun Vorschlag rapido molto (sic!- German and drum stick.)
piece to play and is often performed in the Italian): the grace notes played very fast zusammenschlagen (G): strike them
complete ballet form, especially in Great 2 Spieler (G): two players together
Britain. Note that the descriptions are in both auf den Rand (G): on the rim
German and Italian, and one indication has Batteria II senza corda (I): without snares
both languages. I have indicated Italian with Vibrafono (I): vibraphone mit kl. Trommelstöcken (G): with small
(I) and German with (G). And just to make Marimba (thin) snare drum sticks
things more international, a handful are in Tamburo (alto) (I): medium snare drum
English, which actually is common in Europe Tamburino (I): tambourine Batteria IV
for indicating percussion instruments. I tried 2 woodblocks Piatti (I): cymbals
to buy a snare drum stand in Italy once and triangolo (I): triangle Cassa (I): bass drum
made an awkward translation from English to Guiro Tam-tam
what I thought it might be in Italian, “C’e’ un mit Besen (G): with brushes (see below) Charleston (G&I): hi-hat
leggio di tamburo?” (Do you have a snare drum ma sonoro (I): sonorously Triangolo (I): triangle
stand?) only to have the salesperson smile and mit 2 Spieler (G): with two players Tamburino (I): tambourine
say, “Intendi voresti un snare drum stand.” dolciss. (I): very sweetly (dolcissimo) 5 tom-toms
(You mean you want a snare drum stand?)! soprano (G): highest (drum in this case) weicher Schlägel (G): soft mallet
kl.Trommeln in Terzabstand gestimmt (G): Metallstab (G): metal beater
Batteria 1 snare drums tuned in thirds mit Nagel (G): strike with a nail
Marimba: marimba alto (I): lower drum mit Besen (G): with brushes (a Besen is
Vibrafono (I): vibraphone in ritmo (I): play each note (not a roll) actually a broom in German, but in percussion
Castagnetti (I): castanets mit gewöhnlichen Schlägel (G):with the parlance the word Bürsten is used; it means
3 Cowbells ordinary stick brushes. It could also mean a whisk broom in
4 Bongos this case, or it is editor’s mistake.)
Campane (I): chimes Batteria III mit Bürsten (G): with brushes (see above)
Tamburo (soprano) (I): high snare drum Campanelli (I): orchestra bells m.d. (I): right hand (see above)
Guiro Crotali m.s. (I): left hand (see above)
Campane sole (I): solo chimes Maracas mit kleinem Metallbesen (G): with small
Bacch. Di legno (I): wood sticks Frusta (I): slapstick metal brushes
Sopr (I): highest (soprano) Tamburo (I): snare drum (generic term for morendo (I): dying away
Tenore (I): medium snare drum) mit weichem Schlägel (G): with soft mallets
Alto (I): lower than medium Cockolo: There has been some confusion Schlag mit dem Schlägelgriff (G): strike
Basso (I): lowest over the translation of this word. Actually it with the handle of the stick
mit den Händen (G): with hands is a poor transliteration from Russian of the mit den Schlägeln (G): with snare drum
come sopra (I): played as it was played above word Chocoalho (Portugese) or Choccolo sticks
(with hands) (Spanish), which is a metal tube shaker.
mit den Handflächen (G): with the flat of Michael Skinner of the Covet Garden
the hands Orchestra tells us: “Quite a few of the
T
T
T T
have both cymbal and piatti (or piatto) notated 4 piatti ( anche : 4 cymbals (crash indication. However, a few times he uses the
T
T
as separate parts. To add to the confusion, one of and suspended) with Becken meaning suspended. The original
the percussion scores we have contained a previous Tam tam is much more precise than the Schott edition;
percussion assignment sheet. They interpreted 3 campane, F C F: 3 chimes (3) The tamtam called for is pitched to low D.
the “cymb” part as antique cymbal or crotale. If campane tubolare: tubular chimes Not so in the Schott edition. I imagine he had
this is the case then why is the part on a single
line instead of treble clef ? These percussionists
who played the part before indicated appropriate
pitches on the music (F, D, A). Is this a possibility?
The Latin/Middle Ages connection to ‘Carmina
Burana’ certainly make the use of a tuned bell,
from the word “cymbalum” (meaning tuned bell)
possible, but the notation does not indicate pitches.
Quincy Symphony Orchestra
Illinois University
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to decide what to play. I have never had a
conductor notice the difference between
suspended and crash in this piece (conductors
have too many other details to deal with). But
if I were told from the podium to play one or
the other, I would certainly do so. I urge you
to use your own judgment. The main point is
www.pas.org/PASIC/marching.aspx
percussive notes 66 MAY 2011
percussive notes 67 MAY 2011