Using Different Objects as Percussion Instruments in Music
Although I have shown performances of The Blue Man Group and Stomp to many classes, using different objects to add percussion to music is not a modern concept. Stomp uses common household objects to create music by coordinating different rhythmic patterns simultaneously to produce a unique performance:
The Blue Man Group has experimented with PVC plastic piping commonly used for plumbing in houses and commercial businesses. This ensemble includes other instruments and performs as a rock band:
The Russian Composer Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky wrote the 1812 Overture to celebrate the Russian victory over Napoleon Bonaparte’s French forces. This 15 minute overture is best known for the inclusion of cannons and is often used in the United States with fireworks to celebrate July 4th. I have only included the last half of the overture and find it fascinating to watch the military personnel follow the conductor for the cannon blasts. Just be patient as that cannons are not fired before the 4 minute mark:
In 1853 Giuseppe Verdi included anvils in Act 2 of the opera Il Trovatore. The anvils are used as percussion instruments and are played by the singers acting as gypsies during this chorus. This chorus was popular with American spectators at sporting events during the early 20th Century.
The final selection included in this post is The Typewriter – a Concerto for Orchestra and Solo Typewriter. This selection was written by Leroy Anderson and was first performed on September 8, 1953. Because many of us now use keyboards with our computers we are no longer used to the sound of manual typewriters. In offices during the 1950’s this sound was common. Perhaps you will enjoy watching this performance as much as I do and wonder what objects you could use in musical compositions. This last example also demonstrates how music is a universal language and does not require any translation to enjoy the performance.