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Hello Visitor
Welcome to September's Newsletter.
Now that the busy Summer months have passed, I will continue writing on the theme of (perhaps) the less well known Tenor Drum (Ch. 41).
Sitting between the largest snare drum and the concert bass drum lies the tenor drum.
To avoid confusion, this term means slightly different things in different parts of the World and also within different playing traditions.
So, here I will call it the English Tenor Drum - being 14" to 16" in diameter by 12" deep, without snares.
Benjamin Britten composed "War Requiem" with this drum in mind as it can add a dignified forboding to the musical atmosphere.
When employed in Military bands, it is often employed in accentuating the main beats of the bar in a similar manner to the bass drum, with a great deal of stick juggling and twirling - to add showman-ship to the proceedings!
The English and Scottish marching bands generally use mallets with short slender handles, either with hard felt heads, or padded fur fabric.
In the percussion section of the orchestra, substantial snare drum sticks are favoured (latterly with small hard felt spherical heads). However, I would be more inclined to use timpani mallets Baroque Timpani Mallets.
If you would like to find out more about buying a tenor drum and getting the best sound out of it, do read Chapter 41 in PESG, called 'The Tenor Drum & Tambourin Provencale.
Cheers
Nigel
Nigel Shipway
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