Glockenspiel

General info:

A glockenspiel is a percussion instrument composed of a set of tuned keys arranged in the fashion of the keyboard of a piano.The keys of the glockenspiel are metallic.

History:

The original glockenspiel consists of a set of bells of various sizes. One or more musicians play several overlaid melodic phrases.

Smaller glockenspiels worked on the same principle. In the 17th century these smaller glockenspiels began to be fitted with a keyboard which made it possible to perform more demanding parts. The first step toward the glockenspiel used in the modern orchestra was taken by the Dutch in the 17th century. They replaced the unwieldy bells with a row of bars after the fashion of the metallophone from eastern Asia.

Because it was more practical, the Dutch idea of replacing the sophisticated construction of bells with simple bars was widely adopted in the first half of the 19th century. The result was the keyboard glockenspiel; the bars were struck by small hammers operated by keys. This instrument made it possible to perform parts which had hitherto been written in keyboard style.

The first composer to write for the glockenspiel in the orchestra was Georg Friedrich Handel, who included it in his oratorio Saul (1739).

Range:

Glockenspiels have a range of either two and a half or three octaves.

Two and a half octaves:

G5 – C8

F5 – C8

Three octaves:

F5 – F8
C5 – C8

Role:

N.A.

Foreign names:

Glockenspiel ----- German

Carillon ----- French

Campanelli ----- Italian

Famous pieces: