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                 (--) hogs of entropy - issue #106 (--)

      the computer underground's source for top-notch essays for
   school presents one of kaia's friends in a special & informative
                  report written for a college class!!!

                          >> "the triangle" <<

                           by -> eric keebler

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

        The triangle (-Eng, Fr: TRIANGLE; It: TRIANGOLO; Ger.: TRIANGEL) 
is, unfortunately, is perhaps the most neglected of the percussion
instruments; it is often overlooked by conductors, and given to
less-skilled players because it is thought to be incredibly simple to
play. However, the triangle "has, among experienced players, the
reputation of being the most difficult of all the percussion
instruments.." Its musical effects are not trifling, either; the French
composer Widor said that "...when the orchestra would seem to have reached
its maximum intensity, it suffices to add the Triangle, in order to
convert red-heat into white-heat."

        The triangle is an instrument found in many cultures. Medieval
European triangles may have been the descendants of examples brought back
from Arabian lands by the crusaders. Depictions of medieval triangles show
a variety of shapes: some are equilateral (with either open or closed
ends), others are trapezoidal, and still others are stirrup-shaped. Most
examples also show an important difference from the modern triangle: there
were rings around the bottom bar. (PICTURE) This gave the instrument a
continuous, sistrum-like sound (the sistrum being a simple shaken
instrument). For example, and illustrated encyclopedia made for Henry III
of France shows a trapezoidal triangle with rings on the lower bar. There
are also ringless examples, such as in the King W enceslaus IV Bible (late
14th century) and in a mid-15th-century window in St. Mary's Church,
Warwick, England, which shows a loop at the top of the triangle so that it
could be hung on a finger. A triangle beater is always shown. 

        The triangle is known to have been used in religious ceremonies; 
we have as evidence numerous denunciations against their use, and also
edicts every few years prohibiting them. Triangles were also used in
secular music, such as in accompaniment of a pipe rings can be added to
modern triangles to achieve the same effect; the rings should be made of
metal of a slightly smaller diameter than the triangle metal. With care, a
triangle can supposedly be bent open to add rings and will spring back
into shape. Also, the softer the music is that the triangle will
accompany, the fewer is the number of rings that should be added. In
performance, the ringed triangle's best use is to strike on one beat per
bar or phrase; it can also mark the beginning of each repetition or
rhythmic phrase in an isorhythmic motet, and may be used to accent the
first beat of faburden sections of carols

        The triangle was one of the first purely metal percussion
instruments to enter the modern orchestra: In 1710, one was used by the
Hamburg Opera, and in 1717 two triangles were purchased for the Dresden
Opera. The instrument continued to be used occasionally in operas in the
early part of the 18th century In 1800, Boieldieu scored for two triangles
(one high and one low) in his opera Le Calife de Bagdad. All this time,
triangles still had rings; these rings did not disappear until the middle
of the nineteenth century, by which time the triangle had become a
full-fledged orchestral instrument. 

        A new wave of interest in the triangle was created by the
phenomenon of Janissary music, which imitated the military music of the
Ottoman Turks. (The triangle may have been a part of the Turkish
"crescent", a decorated musical staff hung with bells.) Examples of such
triangle use include Mozart's The Abduction from the Seraglio, Haydn's
"Military"Symphony and Beethoven's 9th Symphony. 

        Notable later examples of later, ringless triangle use include
Liszt's Piano Concerto in Eb (1853), in which the very prominent triangle
part caused amusement among hostile critics, and the single triangle note
which ends the second act of Wagner's Siegfried. The composer Berlioz
created a list of what he would like to have in his dream orchestra; among
the 467 instrumentalists were percussionists, including 6 triangles. 

        The triangle is found in other cultures as well. The Cajun
triangle (PICTURE), descended from African triangles, is fabricated from
the tines of an old horse-drawn hay rake. Triangles are also prominent in
Greek folk music and Latin American music. In this country, there are some
non-musical uses of the triangle: it is commonly used on American farms
and ranches as a dinner bell. Also, one of the largest triangles can be
found at the American War Cemetery, Epinal: it is 2'3" per side, and was
used as a fire alert.

        The acoustics of the triangle depend on such factors as the
instrument's size, shape, and material. In general, larger triangles have
a lower sound than smaller ones. This sound, however, is not a distinct
pitch; indeed, a triangle that gives a specific note (such as a closed
triangle will do) is a poor instrument, so it won't blend properly with an
ensemble. Triangles are, as their name implies, usually triangular
(generally equilateral but occasionally isoscoles). Today, pentangles are
also a vailable (PICTURE). Triangles produce an astonishingly full
sound-spectrum: one example I found had 39 tones between 700 and 15,500
hertz, with 13 of prominent volume; the fundamental was one of the weaker
tones. The use of a wooden stick enhances the fundamental and subdues the
harmonics, resulting in a soft, mellow tone, while a thin, light metal
beater enhances the upper partials, giving a light, silvery sound. Many
instruments are made of hardened steel, such as the Grover Super-Overtone
Triangles, which are made of a carbon steel alloy; this material causes
the overtones of the instrument to remain constant throughout dynamic
range. This triangle is available in 6" and 9" versions. The Grover Series
II comes in three sizes: the 4" piccolo, the 5" concert, and the 7" 
symphonic models. These are made with a special cymbal alloy. (PICTURE). 
Bronze and iron triangles, in both smooth and hammered versions, are
produced by the Choroi company. Aluminum triangles should be avoided
because of their inferior tone. Zildjian produces a "spindle triangle"
with tapering sides, so that a variety of tone colors can be produced;
it's made from hardened steel. 

       The size of triangle to be used for a particular piece is largely
left up to the percussionist. One suggestion I found stated that "a rather
thick steel triangle 10 inches per side and 1/2-inch in diameter is the
best all around choice"; another said that this would sound too "gongy,"
and to use a 6" instead for a more characteristic sound. Smaller does not
necessarily mean softer, and the higher frequencies of a smaller triangle
can be heard better over the whole orchestra. A "normal" orchestral
triangle is generally 6 1/2 to 7 inches on a side. Schools should have at
least two triangles (5 and 7-inch models) while a serious player should
have at least three: one small, one medium, and one large. For the
beginning student, two recommended triangles are the Grover 6-inch
Super-Overtone TR-6 and the Alan Abel Symphonic 6-inch; the latter is
brighter and has fewer overtones.

       Triangle beaters also deserve consideration. In general, players
should have at least 3, and one matched set for rolls. It's even better to
have a pair of each size. General-use beaters should be medium to heavy,
since these produce a fuller sound; however, softer passages should be
played with lighter beaters.  Grover has standard beaters available in six
weights (PICTURE), and also has a special tubular beater in 4 sizes
(PICTURE) in which the beater face is isolated from the core shaft with a
special rubber compound. Beaters recommended for beginning students are
the Grover Alloy 303 TB-4 and the Grover Tubular TB-12, both Medium size. 
Some specialty beaters include tapered beaters, brass beaters (steel is
normally used), wooden sticks, and cotton sticks (which can be replaced by
a beater with a paper napkin wrapped around the top). One can also
improvise by buying the "largest nails available" or similar materials at
a hardware store; it is recommended that such homemade beaters be 9" in
length. 

       Triangle technique involves a lot more than one might at first
imagine.  The triangle clip can be made from a wire clothes hanger and
fishing line (PICTURE); others suggest using a violin gut A string, as
cloth or ordinary string can prevent "true resonance" of the triangle. 
Also, a safety line is recommended to avoid an embarrassing crash if the
string breaks! The triangle must not spin, and is held between shoulder
and eye height, and may be lowered slightly during rolls. The open end of
the triangle is on the player's left, unless the player is left-handed, in
which case the opening is on the right.  In general, the percussionist
plays on the right portion of the bottom bar, or towards the top of the
right bar; as the striking position is moved to the middle of the bar, the
volume increases. The beater is held, with a relaxed grip, between the
thumb and forefinger; relaxation is especially important during soft
passages. Snare and timpani grips may be used according to the discretion
of the performer and the nature of the passage. Before playing, lay the
beater on the triangle to eliminate "missed" strokes; this is analogous to
setting the hammer before driving a nail, and is especially important for
soft beats. Strike at a 45 degree angle to get best tone; different
effects can be produced by using a perpendicular attack. Finesse is
essential: play as if touching an iron to see if it's hot, and play from
the wrist. In general, one-beater playing is preferred because it allows
the player to hold the instrument, providing a line of sight to conductor
and giving better projection. Playing on the bottom bar yields lower
overtones, while playing on the upper side gives higher overtones; thus,
some play lighter passages on the side, and stronger ones on the bottom. 
For rhythmic patterns, clamp the triangle clip to a stand and use two
beaters at the top corner or on the bottom in the middle. An example is
found in Dvorak's New World Symphony, the triangle part of which should
NOT be rolled, as poor articulation may result. For quick rhythmic
figures, play on any two sides; the principal beats should fall on the
side next to the opening. Light playing is done with the tip of the
beater. 

       Triangle rolls, notated with a triangular note head or the marking
"tr---", are played either on the bottom bar or on both sides at once; the
closer to the middle of the side(s) in question, the louder the roll is.
Single-beater rolls are played in the upper corner or sometimes the bottom
corner; in the previous case, for a clean roll ending, the last note may
be played on the bottom bar. Quadruple-forte rolls are played by moving
the beater in a circular motion, but this is rare; Holst calls for this
effect twice in The Planets. At the other end of the spectrum, a
knitting-needle may be used for quiet rolls. Flams and ruffs are also
possible. Rolls are terminated by muffling the triangle with the hand that
is holding the clip. 

       The subject of muting the triangle needs some explanation. The use
of a split finger grip that holds the clamp between 2nd and 3rd fingers
allows the triangle to be grabbed to muffle the sound; in extreme cases, a
cloth can be used. Never dampen the instrument except for a grand pause,
or at the end of the piece where the rest of the ensemble is silent.
Staccato notes are muffled immediately, but most notes are allowed to
ring.  Some African music is played with a muting technique in the left
hand to produce rhythmic variations.

       Sometimes triangle special effects are called for. In Stravinsky's
Petrouchka (1911), a cymbal is hit with a metal stick, presumably a
triangle beater. In the same composer's Rite of Spring, a gong is scraped
with a triangle beater. And in Walton's "Facade," a cymbal is struck with
a triangle!

       Triangle care is fairly straightforward: put it on a padded music
stand or in its clip when not in use, keep it dry to avoid rust, and store
it flat to avoid bending. 

       One additional note to composers: write triangle parts with lower
dynamics than those of the instruments it is accompanying, since it is all
too easy to make the triangle sound like a fire-bell!

       Now I will digress and discuss church-bell harmonics, for reasons
that will soon become apparent.  Church bells have five main harmonics:
the hum note, the fundamental, the tierce (which is minor), the quint, and
the nominal or octave. In addition, there are many upper partials; a large
bell may have 10-100 of these, arrayed over several octaves. (SHOW
PARTIALS) Bells must be tuned to adjust these partials after the bell is
cast (SHOW TUNINGS). This is done by removing a small amount of metal from
the inner surface at certain concentric zones that determine the pitches
of specific partials; this process lowers the partial, so bells are cast
sharp.

       Church bells are occasionally called for in orchestral music,
presenting the challenge of replicating, in a concert hall, the sound of a
multiple-ton bell or bells. For example, Berlioz's Symphonie Fantastique
calls for 2 bells, clearly church-bells (C and G); he suggested pianoforte
as a substitute. Dalayrac calls for bells in his 1791 opera Camille,
Cherubini calls for bells in the 1794 work Elisa. Rossini does so in the
second act of William Tell, requesting a bell that plays a bottom line G
on the bass clef staff.  (In performance, it was never lower than G above
treble clef staff, 3 octaves higher!!) Meyerbeer, in the 1836 work Les
Huguenots, specifies bells sounding C and F on the bass clef staff to
signal a massacre; bells were specially cast for the Paris Opera for the
occasion. Tchaikovsky's 1812 overture includes a peal of bells, today
played on an Eb scale of tubular bells; however, in the original score,
only a tremolo sign is given, and an indication that the bells should be
large and with no prevailing key. The work was intended for the
consecration in 1882 of the Moscow Cathedral, which had real bells. The
Sydney Orchestra bought two heavy and expensive bells, but they ring above
middle-C, rendering them of little use. Today, the usual substitutes for
church bells are tubular bells, bell plates, mushroom bells, electrically
amplified metal bars, piano wires, and clock gongs; the bass tuba is
sometimes used to support the sound. 

       Enter the alemba (an alembic is something that transforms or
refines). (PICTURE) I first ran across a reference to this instrument
while researching triangles in the RILM abstracts; reference was made to
an article in the German periodical Neuland IV (1983-84) by Moya
Henderson.  The abstract read: "The author describes her construction of
the alemba (an instrument consisting of a row of triangles) and her
compositions for it." In 1976 she, as a graduate student, had been asked
to write a piece for 27 triangles (various shapes, but similar pitches),
and discovered that the addition of resonators resulted in the production
of low frequencies. This discovery led to the quest for an instrument,
containing many huge triangles, that could convincingly substitute for
bells in orchestral works. For the past 18 years, the alemba has been
undergoing development at the Division of Applied Physics of the CSIRO
corporation in Australia. construction of a bass alemba revealed the
problems of lowered upper partials, now audible and obtrusive; these were
dubbed "feral frequencies". By changing the triangles' shape to something
similar to the cross-section of a bell, moderate results were obtained;
computer modeling perfected the design, which came to look like an unbent
paper clip. The current electronically-amplified instrument has a range of
E to E 1 1/2 octaves below middle C, and simulates the big bells needed at
the finale of Puccini's opera Tosca, leading to the instrument's
commercial name, "The Tosca Bells". An order was placed by Sir Charles
Mackerras, and treble and bass alembas were used in performances of
Janacek's Glagolytic Mass and Berlioz's Symphonie Fantastique. The current
treble product has a range 2 1/2 chromatic octaves; each triangle is
attached to a resonator tuned to the fundamental of the triangle. The
octave and twelfth of each triangle is also tuned. The current challenge
is the development of the bass version; as the pitch drops, so do the
upper partials, which thus become more noticeably audible and need to be
tuned. Hopefully the continued development of the triangle-derived alemba
will at last yield a satisfactory way to bring the sound of church bells
into the concert hall. 

BIBLIOGRAPHY
------------

Blades, James. Percussion Instruments and their History. Westport,
Connecticut: The Bold Strummer, Ltd., 1992. 

Blades, James and Jeremy Montagu. Early Percussion Instruments: from the
Middle Ages to the Baroque. London: Oxford University Press, 1976, pp.
11-14 and 45-46. 

Brindle, Reginald Smith. Contemporary Percussion. London: Oxford
University Press, 1970, pp. 78-80. 

Montagu, Jeremy. Making Early Percussion Instruments. London: Oxford
University Press, 1976, pp. 34- 36. 

Percussion Anthology: A Compendium of Articles from The Instrumentalist in
Percussion Instruments. Evanston, Illinois: The Instrumentalist Co., 1980,
pp. 63, 151, 258-259, and 329-332. 

Randel, Don Michael, ed. The New Harvard Dictionary of Music. Cambridge,
Mass.: The Belknap Press of Harvard University Press, 1980, p. 869. 

Sadie, Stanley, ed. The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians.
London: Macmillan Publishers Ltd., 1980, v. 19 (triangle) and v. 2
(bells). 

INTERNET REFERENCES
-------------------

PRODUCTS:

http://otto.cmr.fsu.edu/~bula_jo/percussion/mallets.html
http://www.choroi.com/choroi/instmnts/triang.htm
http://www.mhs.mendocino.k12.ca.us/MenComNet/Business/Retail/Larknet/Percussion
http://www.mhs.mendocino.k12.ca.us/MenComNet/Business/Retail/Larknet/AfroAmerPercussion
http://www.tiac.net/users/grover/pro.htm
http://www.tiac.net/users/grover/series2.htm

TECHNIQUE:

http://otto.cmr.fsu.edu/~bula_jo/percussion/acces.html#triangle
http://www.cfw.com/~raybould/triangle.html

BELLS:

http://www.cs.yale.edu/users/douglas-craig/bells/Basic/tuning.html

ALEMBA:

http://www.dap.csiro.au/Interest/Rap/alemba.html#Alemba

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  * (c) HoE publications.  HoE #106 -> written by eric keebler -- 6/11/97 *
