Page 40 - Phil Holiday Pops 2025 digital program book

Educational Spotlight:

The Mighty Timpani

Majestic. Thunderous. Precise. Few instruments make an entrance quite
like the timpani. Known as “kettledrums,” the timpani bring power, color,
and heartbeat-like energy to the orchestra—often in ways you may not even
realize.

A Brief History of the Timpani

• Royal Beginnings: The timpani originated in the Middle East 15th
century the Ottoman empire mounted larger Nakers (kettledrum) made of
copper on horseback. Originally paired with trumpets, they were symbols
of ceremony, royalty, and military power. Notably King Louis the XIVth
commissioned a work for two timpanists to serve as his grand entrance
music.

• From the Battlefield to the Concert Hall: By the 18th century,
composers like Bach, Handel, and Haydn embraced the timpani for
orchestral music, giving it a permanent home on the concert stage.

• The Modern Evolution: In 1881 the pedal timpani invention was patented
by Pittrich in Dresden, Germany and changed the instruments role and
ability in the orchestra. Today’s timpani are tunable using foot pedals,
allowing players to change pitches quickly, accurately, and dramatically—
sometimes in the middle of a phrase.

Did You Know?

• Timpanists must have the precision of a percussionist and the
ear of a violinist.

• They often tune by ear while the orchestra plays around them.
• Timpani rolls create the famous “thunder” effect in movies and
classical works.
• The largest drum can reach pitches as low as a cello’s.

• Some composers write pitch changes into the music—timpanists
must move lightning-fast.

38 ~ Plymouth Philharmonic Orchestra