Timpani in the Classical Period | The Evolution of the Timpani: Part 3

[@paulmouradian8968]

These videos are incredible and so enjoyable to watch and learn about my instrument of choice. Best wishes!!

[@rootandrhizome4983]

Very interesting, and very well produced. Can’t wait for the one about Romantic timpani!

[@turpialito]

A single upvote is not enough for a video of this quality and erudition. The OAE is one of the Internet's finest jewels.

[@roberttower8059]

That opening overhead shot of the timpanis in the nautilus shape took my breath away! Wow!

[@rasmusn.e.m1064]

The much-awaited sequel :D This is fantastic.

[@adrianbending1]

Sorry it took a long time! I wanted to wait until I had the right films with the whole orchestra playing enough pieces from the period

[@NicholasHersh]

Conductor from across the pond here: this is utterly fascinating and was a genuine lesson for me. Thank you, and bravo!

[@johannesbowman2194]

Thank you so much for the sequel! I can't wait for Part 4: Romantic timpani

[@antoinepetrov]

Always a great joy to see a new post from the OAE

[@aarongrooves]

Great video! As an orchestral percussionist who never experienced tuning actual kettle drums, I've always been curious to see it done in real time. A few more thoughts: - The D at 15:00 (bar 2 of the system) is the 7th of a V7 chord. Or in figured bass, a V42. So it is possible to get all three chords from just two tones. I'm now audiating the end of Beethoven's 5th with the tympani on Fs instead of Gs, and it's different but it works, - Regarding modern percussionists or conductors adding more tympani to cover missing roots, I have mixed feelings. On one hand, those composers were working within their limits and composing accordingly, so those missing roots are certainly intentional and part of the music. On the other hand, the composers would certainly have used those tympani if they had been available. So I fully support adding those roots back in, especially when its obvious that it was due to a technical limitation. But that opens the door to all kinds of other modifications, including on other instruments. If classical composers had access to modern brass, they may have written in completely different keys; so is it reasonable to transpose entire movements? I don't know. Anyway, thanks for fun video. I can imagine how much work it took!

[@kathyschreiner4852]

Fascinating explanation of the technical and scholarly aspects of playing the timpani. Thanks.

[@davidevans3227]

i can remember trying to follow some Mozart and Tchaikovsky scores and when I got lost the timpani was a great way of finding my way back.. thankyou for sharing this 🙂

[@Lou_fromthe_Soo]

As a self-taught amateur timpanist, I've really wanted to learn more about the history and development of the art. I really want to learn more about pedal timpani and when they were invented. Thank you for such an in depth account.

[@adrianbending1]

At the point this video stops we're still 100 years away from that but I will get there!

[@BiggerThanFrogs]

Incredibly interesting series! I've learnt so much, and will be listening to music with a new appreciation because of it. Thanks for sharing, and looking forward to more.

[@andrewtaylor9610]

What a fantastic video. So well done. Thank you Adrian and the OAE!

[@mewsdo]

This is really interesting! Many thanks...

[@georgeharteman4083]

Thank you for this great video. I never realised that the history of the instrument was so connected to the classical period.

[@ThomasDawkins88]

That moment in the Beethoven 3rd concerto is so important, and some pianists "pre-echo" it by playing G-C-G-C in the bass under the final trills before the timpani come back in. Rubinstein, for one!

[@adrianbending1]

they're stealing OUR tune!

[@michaeljhintonpiano]

Saul Goodman said to me “Beethoven hands you timpani on a silver platter.”

[@dixonqwerty]

Oh man, christmas came early this year!!

[@catycat28meow]

Natural Selection at work for timpani. Thanks, Darwin!

[@adrianbending1]

Darwinian evolution is exactly how I think of the evolution of timpani, also of woodwind and brass! It will become apparent in my later videos that the timpani that "survived" weren't necessarily the best designs, they were often the most succesful commercially.

[@NomeDeArte]

Never thought that learn about Timpani would be so cool!

[@nofahz]

Another excellent installment in the series ​​⁠​​⁠@adrianbending1 Where have you managed to find historical examples of mallets in your research? It's amazing that any survive, they're such consumable items.

[@adrianbending1]

There is quite a lot of scholarship on mallets. Some of the best examples include books by James Blades, Edward Bowles and Harry Taylor. There are also numerous old sticks in museums and also we learn from what does and doesn't work when we play. Rather than say that sticks are consumable, I'd say that their coverings are. Wooden sticks in themselves are quite resilient, unlike modern cane sticks. Stick coverings are definitely consumable and I am convinced that these were used far more than surviving examples of sticks suggest.

[@Apfelstrudl]

What a great and informative style of presentation!

[@MrChristianBlackmon]

Thank you! This was very educational

[@francophone.]

Fascinating video

[@michaeljhintonpiano]

This is simply wonderful. My teacher Saul Goodman would have loved it. Thank you.

[@adrianbending1]

That's a huge thing to say and I am flattered you say that. Reading up on him of course I would love to have met him but also I think, reading his thoughts on changing heads in the mid 20th Century, I think we would have had a great deal of thoughts in common. Thank you!

[@larryreese8923]

Great work, Adrian! ❤

[@adrianbending1]

Thanks so much Larry!

[@fdarchives_]

Learned much. Good work!

[@agogobell28]

Yay!! I’d been waiting for this.

[@denysfirth4807]

Wonderful!

[@adrianbending1]

thanks so much Denys!!

[@kyleethekelt]

I was hoping you'd use that wonderful bit in Beethoven Scherzo movement of his ninth symphony. That's a fabulous bit of timpani. A most fascinating video.

[@adrianbending1]

This video only deals with early Beethoven. The next one will have a lot more of him! Beethoven's music fits into different eras. Sorry I didn't make this more clear! I demonstrate and talk about the 9th a little but we don't have a film with orchestra of that piece and I find it's better when I can use excerpts featuring the whole orchestra. Don't worry though - it will be there!

[@CostasCourtComposer]

Great video

[@shiningarmor2838]

19:42 It's very cool to see gels (these look like name brand Moongels) on something other than a drumset.

[@grahamnancledra7036]

Wonderful and both educational and extremely interesting and a great follow up to the two previous parts. I do have to say that I was hoping you'd discuss the role of the timpani in the first movement of the Beethoven Violin Concerto, especially with the cadenza he wrote for the Violin and Timpani and how the soloist would work with the timpanist during rehearsals and so on. Never mind, perhaps a special some time? Anyhow, Thank you Thank Thank You. Highly enjoyable and I'll watch a few times.

[@adrianbending1]

We don't have footage of that unfortunately, which makes it hard to include! I totally agree with you. It would come in the next video anyway, not this one. I will think about how I can include it. Or make a one off another time when we have it

[@AngelDiegoMerlo]

¡¡Maravilloso video!!

[@Arnoldiepin]

woah!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@michaelsikorasikoramds8105]

Seems I'm always searching for "...clever ways to avoid noisy accidents...." 😜

[@slmanbadr6832]

AND WE THOT TIMPANI PLAYERS ONLY IPROVICE THEY WORK HARDLY THANK YOU SO MUCH

[@musicnerd436]

8:05 I swear that's English 'does not happen every day'

[@OConnorAlbert]

3181 Andy Forge

[@davidevans3227]

hello.. can i guess, the orchestra is the age of enlightenment? who is the conductor/pianist we see? (grey curly hair)

[@oae]

Hi there, yes it’s the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment playing and conducted by the pianist Sir András Schiff.

[@davidevans3227]

@@oae thankyou! appreciate the reply only ever experienced the orchestra on television/radio maybe you can visit us here in Cardiff when st david's hall is better.. 🙂 saw Valerie gergiev and the Kirov string section at the Welsh college of music and drama, few years ago that was a surprise!

[@zzekrom2834]

Timptation haha