Information AboutCelesta |
| CATEGORIES ABOUT CELESTA | |
| keyboard instruments | |
| struck idiophones | |
| SHOPPER'S DELIGHT | |
|
The Celesta ( IPA ) is a struck Idiophone operated by a Keyboard . The keys are connected to hammers which strike a graduated set of metal (usually steel) plates suspended over wooden Resonator s. There is a pedal to sustain or dampen the sound. The sound of the celesta is akin to that of the Glockenspiel , but with a much softer timbre. This quality gave rise to the instrument's name, ''celeste'' meaning "heavenly" in French . The celesta is a transposing instrument, sounding one octave higher than written. The original French instrument had a five-octave range, but as the lowest octave was considered somewhat unsatisfactory, it was omitted from later models. Interestingly the standard French four-octave instrument is now gradually being replaced in Symphony Orchestras by a larger, five-octave German model. Although treated as a member of the Percussion section in orchestral terms, it is usually played by a Pianist , the part being normally written on two bracketed staves. HISTORY The celesta was invented in 1886 by the Parisian harmonium builder Auguste Mustel . Mustel's father, Victor Mustel , had developed the forerunner of the celesta, the Typophone or the Dulcitone , in 1860 . This consisted of struck Tuning-fork s instead of metal plates, but the sound produced was considered too small to be of use in an orchestral situation. '' The Nutcracker '' ( 1892 ) -- most notably the "Dance of the Sugarplum Fairy." Ernest Chausson preceded him by employing the celesta in his incidental music for ''La tempête'' in 1888 , written for a small orchestra.Blades, James and Holland, James. "Celesta"; Gallois, Jean. "Chausson, Ernest: Works," Grove Music Online (Accessed 08 April 2006) (subscription required) WORKS FEATURING THE CELESTA
REFERENCES SEE ALSO
EXTERNAL LINKS |