The
European
Timpani
CONCLUSIONS
CONCLUSIONS
:
When
I conceived the idea for this paper, is was not with the intention of
writing at this point : ‘Based on
current research the ideal timpani is…’ Such an ideal does not
exist, simply because even if it were possible to create the acoustically
perfect timpani in a factory or workshop, by whose standards is this
perfection measured? The external factors of the orchestra, the hall, the
conductor, and most importantly the players themselves will make any
particular type of timpani, perfectly suited perhaps in one performance
situation, completely out of place in another.
The
questions I was (and still am) looking for answers to are how so many
styles of timpani, pedal, skin etc. can exist in many orchestras, and how
each timpanist uses these instruments in their day to day life as an
orchestral timpanist. Even though I only gathered the responses of 13
timpanists, along with other opinions gained through conversations and
research, the approach of each of these players differs markedly on many
points. Each
player has their own personal style, developed over years as
professionals, drawing on their experiences and shaped by the situations
in which they play each day.
If
I were to repeat this research in a different region, perhaps with
timpanists from North America (or my own country of Australia),
many more thoughts and approaches would appear, each valid, and
each representing the individual timpanists approach to the many aspects
of their profession. Perhaps another possibility would be to confine the
research to a single country, or “school” of playing, or style of
orchestra, and then compare the responses. But any sort of statistical
comparison does not really offer practical benefits; indeed the wide array
of opinions displays in how many ways it is possible to approach and
interpret the same pieces of music.
When
a few of the timpanists I spoke with told me that they (or their
orchestra) had purchased new timpani recently, I asked what were they
looking for in a new set of timpani? The answers I received were rarely
quantitative i.e. it was not particular specifications : angles,
thickness, curvature etc. that was important. The primary, and probably
the only necessary quality was that the drums produce the sound they
liked. But what is this sound? How could it be described? Words such as
richness and fullness of tone, the ability to blend; phrases which can be
read in the responses page may be used, but ultimately it is
something that must be experienced and not just read about. Technical
details such as preferred pedal system, or combination of drum sizes, are
nowadays almost of no consequence, as manufacturers produce many pedal
options and almost every conceivable size of drum, and a custom built
instrument is always an option.
Going
out and purchasing a new set of timpani is not always possible, and as it
takes time to build up a large collection of instruments, the choice of
timpani will be often limited by the instruments available. So while a
timpanist may prefer using drums of different shape, size etc. for each
period of repertoire, this is not always possible. But these players are
not necessarily at a disadvantage. In this paper I have only focused on
the drums themselves, and avoided questions of sticks, playing styles etc.
but naturally these have an influence on the sound also. The use of
different sticks, different size instruments, and most importantly
different techniques and playing styles are just as important to each
period of repertoire as the style and make of the timpani.
The
diagram on the timpani repertoire page is an
illustration of what drums each timpanist uses when
performing each period of repertoire. Some players use many different
types of instruments for each period, others play always the same set of
timpani, their reasons described throughout this paper. The most complex
(and confusing) period in the diagram is the early romantic period, from the
later symphonies of Beethoven to the early works of Brahms. Many
orchestras and conductors take a wide variety of approaches to repertoire
of this period, and so the timpanist, like any musician in the orchestra,
must tailor their sound to match that of the ensemble. While it may be
possible to cite specific composers or periods as guides to which drums to
choose, they are still only guides, and will change from orchestra to
orchestra and possibly performance to performance. It becomes impossible
to find this mythical ‘ideal timpani’ for even one period of music,
let alone the whole gamut of orchestral repertoire!
For
periods such as the early romantic, and in reality every period of music,
the historical considerations of the music must stand alongside the myriad
influences of balance, acoustics, and the necessity to blend with the
orchestra. I have tried to address many of these points throughout this
paper, but it is difficult to write in simple words about such things, and
it is easier to let the timpanists who have contributed so much to this
paper speak for themselves. This is why the responses
page of this site contains their answers, almost exactly as they were
communicated to me.
As I said earlier, I can’t state what the ideal timpani is because it doesn’t exist. Each player makes their choices based on the many factors of their playing environment, and selects from the instruments at their disposal what best suits the repertoire, the orchestra, the venue, themselves…. Sometimes there are many instruments to choose from, sometimes only a few, but each timpanist takes these drums, and along with their choices of sticks and technique, finds the correct sound for Bach, Mozart, Beethoven, Brahms, Mahler, Strauss; the list, and the possibilities, are endless.