The Kettle Drum (photo) (audio)

One of the most important percussion instruments of the symphony orchestra. Also known as the timpano, it consists of a single skinned sheet

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stretched over a large bowl shaped usually copper "kettle" (thus it gets its name "kettledrum". Each kettledrum is tuned to a specific pitch by adjusting the tension of the the skin of the drum head. the kettledrum is played with mallets of felt or sponge tips, producing different tone effects.

History. Kettledrums first originated in the Middle East. There players on horseback carried kettledrums in pairs. During the Crusades the kettledrums were introduced to Western Europe. Eventually kettledrums played in pairs and tuned to tonic and dominat pitches was adopted into the symphonic orchestra in the 18th century.

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Today, kettledrums are an essential part of the symphonic orchestra where there are usually three or more kettledrums. Ludvig von Beethoven was the first composer to vary the pitch of kettledrums from the traditional tonic-dominant form. Hector Berlioz first called for change of tuning during a single movement. And Bela Bartok took advantage of the kettle drums ability to creat the glissando effect through mechanical tuning.