Identifier: orchestraitsinst00sing (find matches)
Title: The orchestra and its instruments
Year: 1917 (1910s)
Authors: Singleton, Esther, d. 1930
Subjects: Orchestra Musical instruments
Publisher: New York : The Symphony society of New York
Contributing Library: Harold B. Lee Library
Digitizing Sponsor: Brigham Young University

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thpiece is curved back-wards to allow of vibration. The reed is carefully thinned at the point where itvibrates against the curved table of the mouthpiece.The vibration is caused by the air pressure againstthe reed, thus engendering sound. The air-columnin the instrument is shortened, or lengthened, by theopening, or closing, of the holes and keys, emittinghigh, or low, sounds accordingly. The reed vibratesthrough the action of the air. The lips of the playermerely encompass the reed and mouthpiece, slightlypressing the reed. Again, to quote from Lavignac: This instrument,the richest in compass and in variety of timbreof all the wind instruments, is subject to a very specialand very curious law. Its tube is absolutely cylin-drical and open; and its column of air is set in vibrationby a single, flexible reed. Now a peculiarity in pipesof this construction is that the vibrating segmentforms, not at the middle point, but at the end wherethe reed is, so the mode of subdivision of the air-
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CLARINET, SYMPHONY SOCIETY OF NEW YORK Gustav Langenus THE WOODWIND FAMILY 99 column is the same as if the pipe were stopped. Theclarinet has, therefore, only the harmonics of unequalnumbers, which renders its fingering very differentfrom that of the flute, the oboe and the bassoon. Itwould seem that this might place it below them. Onthe contrary, this instrument lends itself with ad-mirable suppleness to the expression of all sentimentswhich the composer may wish to entrust to it. Its compass, the greatest possessed by any wind-instrument chromatically, has a great deal to do withgiving it this richness of expression; but the diversityof timbre belonging to its lower, middle and higherregisters must be regarded as the real superiority ofthe clarinet. Berlioz says: The clarinet is little appropriate tothe Idyl. It is an epic instrument, like horns, trum-pets and trombones. The voice is like that of heroiclove. This beautiful soprano instrument, so ringing,so rich in penetrating accent

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