A conically bored baritone instrument, the serpent is supposed to have been invented by Edmé Guillaume in 1590. Like its close relative, the cornett, it is sounded by buzzing the lips into an ivory-, horn- or metal-cup mouthpiece which, in turn, agitates the air column. Its 213-cm (84-in) length is undulating in appearance, giving it ...
The serpent is the bass member of the cornett family and, like the cornett, is made of two carved pieces of wood that are fastened together and then bound in canvas and leather. Sinuously shaped like two Ss, one leading straight into the other, it has a cup mouthpiece on the end of a brass crook, ...
brass instruments’ ‘missing notes’ to be filled in. An alternative way of filling in these notes had been tried earlier using keys, resulting in the keyed bugle, the serpent and the ophicleide, which were found in wind bands and occasionally in the orchestra of the 1820s and 1830s. Valved trumpets and horns began to appear in the 1820s ...
(1762). Gradually the cornett was replaced by other instruments that provided similar effects more easily in the orchestra, but were simpler to play. Introduction | Brass Instruments Instruments | Serpent | Brass ...
bass viol or baroque cello) accompanies two melodic instruments such as Baroque violins or flutes. Instruments as diverse as the shawm, tabor, fiddle, cittern, crumhorn, serpent and hurdy-gurdy have been very successfully resurrected. Current performing ensembles include the Baroque brass group, His Majestys Sagbuts and Cornetts, and the viol consort Fretwork. Other Classical Chamber-Music ...
Patented in 1821, the ophicleide was a French invention. Although the name is intended to mean ‘keyed serpent’, the instrument is not a serpent, but rather a development of the keyed bugle, undertaken by Halary in Paris. The instrument comes in various sizes with various ranges, but all built to the same pattern. Built in a tight ...
full chorus. Berlioz took it further down this road. Beethoven had demanded much of his instrumentalists: Berlioz would demand more. Styles & Forms | Early Romantic | Classical Instruments | Serpent | Early Romantic | Classical ...
inspiring embodiment of its central message of human enlightenment and redemption. Composed: 1791 Premiered: 1791, Vienna Libretto by Emanuel Schikaneder Act I Prince Tamino, trying to escape a serpent, faints. Three ladies-in-waiting to the Queen of Night, in whose realm the action takes place, appear, kill the serpent and then leave. Papageno, the Queen’s ...
win his love. At the port, Idomeneus waits to see off Idamantes and Electra, but before the ship can sail a terrible storm brews up and a giant serpent rises from the sea. Taking this as a symbol of Neptune’s anger, the people of Crete are terrified. Idomeneus admits that it is his fault, but does not ...
bring them hope. They are bewildered by Moses’ command that they should fall down and worship something they cannot see. Aron throws down Moses’ staff, which turns into a serpent, demonstrating how a rigid idea can become flexible. Two further miracles persuade the Israelites to pledge their allegiance to the new God and follow Moses. Interlude Moses has been ...
combined with indigenous flutes and panpipes. Many South American instruments are believed to have magical or religious significance. For example, the Brazilian Coazárini tribe associates the clarinet with the serpent of evil, and the trumpets of the Tupí-Witoto of Brazil and the Piaroa of Venezuela are considered sacred. By contrast, Native Americans have few instruments. The flute is ...
‘The Trojans’ Composed: 1856–58 Premiered: 1890, Karlsruhe Libretto by the composer, after the Aeneid by Virgil Act I The Trojans celebrate peace and admire the wooden horse left by the Greeks after the siege. Cassandre (Cassandra), King Priam’s daughter, forsees the fall of Troy. Her husband Chorèbe (Coroebus) urges her to join the celebrations, but she begs ...
(Rich’-ärd Varg’-na) 1813–83 German composer Wagner is one of the most influential and controversial composers in the history of classical music. He was born in Leipzig and educated there and in Dresden. His later years were spent in Bayreuth, the home of the festival theatre and the yearly summer festival he founded, which still flourish today. The idea of Bayreuth ...
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