In which hand should you hold the musical triangle? Triangle (musical instrument)

TOOL DATA SHEET

Name: Triangle (Italian triangolo, English and French triangle, German.

Group: shock musical instrument

Origin: The origin of the instrument is unknown

exactly, but encyclopedic Dictionary Brockhaus and Efron

claims that the triangle first appeared in the East.

Timbre: has a brilliant and bright timbre that can decorate even

powerful orchestral tutti.

Sound production method: the triangle is suspended from one of

corners on a thin wire or braid, which is held in the hand or

attached to the music stand. The triangle is hit with a metal

(less often a wooden) stick (in the jargon of musicians, this stick

called a "nail").

Device: percussion musical instrument in the form

a metal rod (usually steel or aluminum) bent into

triangle shape. One of the corners is left open (the ends of the rod

almost touching).

With a light blow, the sound is gentle, “airy”; when strong - bright, brilliant, easily cutting through orchestral tutti. Simple rhythmic figures and tremolo sound good on the triangle. His part is written down on a string. How folk instrument the triangle has been known since the 15th century. It was first used in opera music by K. V. Gluck and W. A. ​​Mozart (late 18th century). Somewhat later, he firmly established himself in the symphonic orchestra.

Puzzles:

Which geometric figure became a musical instrument?

This instrument will step in at the most fabulous moment.

But not everyone knows that he plays in the orchestra!

It will ring quietly, gently, as if everything is turning silver.

And then it will soon fall silent at the conductor’s signal.

Every schoolchild knows this. What's happened… (Triangle)

This is interesting!

History has not preserved a worthy narrative about the emergence of this remarkable orchestral instrument. A vague assumption that the triangle has neither Asian nor, especially, African roots and is a completely European descent is not, apparently, without reason. When the triangle first appeared in the 15th century, it was not yet “triangular” in the literal sense of this definition and, judging by the surviving images of Italian and English painters, it had the appearance of a trapezoid, very similar to the outline of a medieval stirrup. Accordingly, some modern era names sometimes indicate its “triangularity,” which is easy to conclude from the Old French trepie, or its “swiftness,” which is evident from the Italian staffa or Old German - stegereif. The concept of “triangle” - triangle was first encountered in 1389 in one Württemberg property inventory, but, with the exception of the names already indicated, it was sometimes hidden under the misleading name - cymbale, used even by such a careful and accurate scientist in his writings, like Pere Mersenne. It is difficult to say now with absolute accuracy when exactly the ancient stirrup or trapezoidal “triangle” received the outline of an isosceles triangle, but we can confidently say that shortly before 1600 there were usually three varieties, and after that time - five. The triangle entered the symphony orchestra no earlier than 1775, when it first took part in Gratry's opera La fausse Magie, but it settled in military music orchestras much earlier. In any case, it is known for sure that in pre-revolutionary Russia the triangle was already in operation in the troops of Elizaveta Petrovna and, judging by the fact that the strange and, in essence, unfounded nickname of the bit was established behind the triangle in Rus', it must have firmly entered into military use of that time. It is fair, however, that this offensive nickname for the triangle has not at all penetrated into the symphony orchestra and it enjoys well-deserved respect there. So, a modern triangle is a not very thin, not too thick steel rod, bent in the form of an isosceles triangle. Its ends are not closed and, most often, are completed with hooks or a loop on one side. It is, of course, possible to have the ends straight, indicating in this case the need to hang the tool by one of the two closed corners. Russian musicians believe that the triangle requires a special steel, known colloquially as serebryanka, which has a “silver” sound and is characterized by extraordinary purity and transparency. This steel is extremely elastic and does not easily yield to external influences. Therefore, Haupt's statement that the triangle is “ist eine schwache, zu einem Dreieck gebogene Stahlstange” is not at all clear. If the word schwache is understood in the sense of a “thin” and “light” steel rod, then this is quite fair. If we take it in its literal meaning, in the sense of “weak” and “soft,” then this is a delusion. But one way or another, the steel rod from which the triangle is bent gives three base values. In France, the dimensions of the triangle are somewhat smaller than in America or Russia, but the most common instruments are now accepted with six, eight and ten inches at the base. However, the cross-section of the rod still causes a complete divergence of views. Thus, the authors of various articles on the triangle adhere to the point of view that its diameter should not exceed one quarter of an inch, while the masters of this craft preach twice the thickness of the rod, believing that this makes the sound of the instrument more stable, rich and beautiful. In the end, it is a matter of habit, but it is important that the triangle sparkles and rings, and does not rattle or tinkle dully and weakly. Directly related to this last circumstance is the method of hanging the triangle. Leaving aside the various techniques of the latter - one or, for the sake of greater stability, two loops, one only needs to note that the best sound of the instrument is achieved with ordinary gut strings. Only they do not muffle the instrument, while ropes or, even worse, straps, which Vittorio Ricci mentions, are completely unsuitable for this purpose. But since the triangles themselves, being of three sizes, sound different - the smaller ones are slightly higher, the larger ones are lower - then known value It also has a stick, which is used to sound the instrument. As you know, the sound on a triangle is produced with a steel rod and is characterized by extraordinary purity and transparency. Therefore, in order not to spoil things, the sticks should be without handles, which, like ropes, muffle the sound, and for different sound strengths they should have different cross-sections. Thin sticks, no more than one-eighth of an inch in diameter, are used for the most delicate pianissimo. Medium ones, with a cross-section of up to one quarter of an inch, are suitable for piano and mezzo-forte with all intermediate degrees of sound strength, of course. Finally, thick sticks up to three-eighths of an inch thick are used for all other shades of sound strength - from forte to the sharpest fortissimo. It is clear, of course, that the author is not at all obliged to indicate the dimensions of the triangle and sticks. It’s up to the performer to guess his intentions and use a type of instrument that the best way would reproduce what was planned. Notes for the triangle are now written in any duration, but only on a “string” and without any keys. True, the French invented a “key” in the form of two vertical blocks for instruments without a specific sound, but this “innovation” did not go further than French publishing houses, and even then not all of them. There is no great need for it... In the past and not so long ago, for a triangle they used a five-line staff with the key G, and its sounds were most often depicted in place of the note C or E of the second octave. Ebenezer Prout, considering this method of writing more suitable, also mentions the very strange iotation of the triangle in the key of Fa. Berlioz in the Roman Carnival, according to Haupt, used the note A of the first octave for this purpose, and Mahler, who used it for percussion instruments his own and, it must be said, unsuccessful letter, depicted it in the Third Symphony in the place of F and E of the second octave, and in the Second Symphony - in the place of G above the fifth line. The most controversial way of writing turns out to be the iotation of a triangle in the key of G on the same staff with some other percussion instruments, which is only mentioned in passing by Ricci, and Stanislav Moniuszko (1819-1872), with quite a sufficient amount of free space, does not find anything more convenient than placing a triangle in the bass clef in collaboration with a bass drum, a snare drum and even timpani. All these “extraordinary things” are not difficult to find on the pages of the anniversary edition of the opera Galka. But one way or another, now all such methods of writing should be considered unconvincing and simply unsuccessful. The triangle, as an instrument without a specific sound, requires only a rhythmic pattern and therefore any key or pitch designation of its notes, far from achieving the goal, only clutters the score. The triangle belongs to instruments without a specific sound, or rather, without a specific pitch, since it has a relative pitch and is distinguished by its undeniable charm. Kurt Sachs rightly notes in this regard that “the triangle throws the brightest sheen of light onto the color palette of the orchestra,” and that “its overtones are so sharp and close together that the height of its sound is uncertain, but it is precisely this uncertainty that gives it such a blinding brilliance.” . All this is absolutely true, although in other cases the dimensions of the tool and the diameter of its cross-section have an effect known influence on the relative “density” of its sound. In an orchestra, it is therefore most convenient to use larger triangle sizes, which have the most accurate and beautiful tone. It is on this occasion that Cecil Forsyth very aptly remarks, saying that the triangle “is not so small as to ring a bell, but it is not so large as to reach musical sound a certain height." However, from all that has been said it does not at all follow that the composer cannot use the triangle of smaller or large sizes. Today's performers achieve such perfection in playing the triangle that they can fully satisfy even the most capricious requirements of the composer. And if such an irresistible desire arises at all costs to use a triangle with a particularly “subtle” sound or with a deliberately “rough” one, then he will do the right thing if he expresses his wishes right there in the score. One can only confidently assume that the performer will try to remain true to himself in this case - he will undoubtedly make do with the variety of triangle that is familiar to him and achieve the goal in a different way. But so as not to return to the affected person again. Here the question, by the way, is interesting to recall that, according to the testimony of Jakob von Stehle, triangles were not only accepted lively participation in the so-called “Turkish music”, which first appeared at the court of Empress Elizabeth, but were also studded with rings hanging on their bases. During the game, these rings jumped randomly and randomly, giving the triangle “varied sonority.” It is unlikely that such a “device” could contribute precisely to the diversity of sonority. It could rather contribute to the emergence of side noises, which may well be appropriate in the kind of music that von Staehlin talks about. But such an “innovation” would, of course, be completely intolerable in a modern symphony orchestra, where distinctive feature the sound of the triangle is its brilliance, clarity, transparency and sonority... What are the artistic possibilities of the triangle now in a modern orchestra? If you believe Berlioz, then they are very pathetic! It’s amazing how quickly tastes change and how easily composers move from one extreme to the other! Berlioz, whose opinion cannot be trusted, speaks of the triangle as if it concerns some kind of “beast”, whose presence in the orchestra is subject to unusual regulations. And in fact, he says that the triangle “is more difficult to use in an orchestra than instruments capable of rattling, crackling and sounding for a long time” and that its “metallic tinkling in forte is suitable only for music that is exaggeratedly brilliant, while in piano its sound is full of originality.” -rough whimsicality." IN modern conditions It is difficult, of course, to believe such “peculiar” abilities of the triangle. Now, on the contrary, his presence in the orchestra is associated not only with “brilliance” and “solemnity” of a not at all exaggerated nature, but also with everything that is easily combined with the concept of modest, graceful and even refined. It is in this refraction that the triangle should be used and all hints of “certaine bizarrerie sauuage” - some wild, barbaric, rude, unbridled strangeness or whimsicality, or, according to Gewart, - must be abandoned once and for all. Turkish music", an integral, even if the most picturesque, accessory of which it supposedly is. There are exceptions, of course, but the whole thing depends, in the end, on the music, its content and purpose, and it is easy to witness the great variety in the use of the triangle and its amazing ability to easily adapt to the music in which it is called upon to operate. The sound of a triangle, as is already known, is produced with the assistance of steel sticks three types- thin, medium and thick. But since the triangle belongs to instruments without a specific sound, the task of the stick naturally comes down to tapping out all kinds of rhythmic structures. It should only be recalled here in passing that individual blows in a relatively moderate Movement are made right hand and in the middle of the base of the triangle. In a faster alternation of notes, sequentially alternating strikes with sticks of the right and left hands are used. Strong and relatively strong beats of a bar are usually struck with the right hand. And these seemingly “immense possibilities” of the triangle, in reality, turn out to be significantly limited, and here’s why. The fact is that the whole beauty of the triangle lies in the free damping of its vibrations, the duration of which prevents the instrument from being excited too often. In other words, when the stick is struck too frequently, excessive rattling of the instrument occurs, which does not at all contribute to the advantages of the triangle and usually greatly disrupts not only the clarity of the selected pattern, but also its relative harmony in the sense of accuracy of pitch. This very remarkable observation might easily seem to contradict the nature of the instrument. In fact, what kind of “precision” can we talk about when the triangle is one of the instruments without a specific sound? Yet this is exactly the case, and the reason for such an unpleasant phenomenon lies precisely in the slow decay of oscillations. To confirm this, it is enough to recall two excellent cases of using the triangle in solo, where the sound of the instrument in some fraction of an instant turns out to be positively incompatible with the sound of the rest of the orchestra. The strength of the sound of the triangle is easily consistent with any intentions of the author, and the performer usually knows how to achieve what he wants. But just in case, it is still useful to know that the louder the sound, the closer to the middle the blows of the stick move and, conversely, the more gentle it is, the more these blows deviate towards the corner. It goes without saying that in forte and fortissimo the performer uses a large span of the stick and strikes with quite noticeable tension, while in piano and pianissimo he lightly touches the wall of the triangle, likening his blow to a sharp but extremely light needle prick. The reproduction of crescendo and diminuendo is essentially based on different ways of performing a trill. It is achieved by simply moving or, more precisely, gradually sliding the stick from the top of the angle to the middle of the triangle with crescendo and from the middle of the triangle to its top with diminuendo. From the above it is clear that the greatest volume occurs with the greatest swing of the stick, which is approximately in the middle of the triangle, and least strength sound, on the contrary, can be achieved only in the corner of the instrument, where its natural excitability is less free and relaxed. The gradual transition from piano to forte through a freely increasing crescendo does not cause any difficulties in performance. On the contrary, the successive diminuendo from sharp fortissimo to the finest pianissimo depends to a certain extent not so much on the natural decay of sound as on the persistent intervention of the performer himself, who is obliged to make every effort to implement what is prescribed by the author. It is easy to agree that during crescendo and diminuendo changing sticks is not feasible, and the composer should therefore not demand the impossible. But all these subtleties in extracting sound and en-force should not worry the author at all - his job is to accurately express his intentions on paper, and the job of the performer is to master his instrument perfectly and accurately reproduce what is written. It is only appropriate to recall here that any blow on the triangle must always be clear and definite in order to eliminate its echo, as a consequence of its “recoil.” It is quite fair, therefore, Vidor notes that “such a blow with a double sound output should be considered absolutely erroneous and the stick in all cases should produce only one single blow.” Now - a few more words about chopsticks. An ordinary blow on a triangle, depending on its strength, is extracted with a steel rod of proper thickness, and the performer, in accordance with his skill, fully copes with all the usual instructions of the author. But sometimes, in order to obtain a particularly gentle and slightly dull pianissimo, the author provides a wooden stick, which gives a less bright and somewhat muffled sound. Such a stick, which performers clearly do not like, can be used on the same basis as a metal one, but it should not be abused. It does not give a proper idea of ​​the instrument and ultimately produces a sound of rather mediocre quality. Nevertheless, it sometimes appears in the orchestra and the author would act quite wisely if he marks its appearance with a special designation aies une baguette de bois - “wooden stick”. If there was a general agreement on this matter, then nothing would prevent such a long verbal definition from being replaced by small crosses placed under each note. Artificial suppression of the free sound of the triangle is achieved by touching a finger to any point on the surface of the instrument. The need for muting is most often established by the performer himself, but the reason for this can be either the nature of the music itself or the way it is presented. The first case is a completely variable value, depending to a large extent on the personal tastes of the performer or conductor. The second, on the contrary, receives external expression in the form of a rhythmic pattern, dots above the notes, indicating the emphasized brevity of the sound, or, finally, in the form of pauses separating one note from another. Under these circumstances, no additional designations are required, since most authors rely on the experience of their performers and fully trust their attention and artistic taste. However, Mahler carefully stipulates this case in his works, demanding muting where it may be by itself and is not implied. In the score, it is therefore useful to indicate with words - etouffez le son or simply etouffez - the need to drown out the sound of the triangle. Sometimes, however, there is a need for just the opposite technique. It may happen that the author, using the triangle, wants to leave its sound free until it fades naturally. He will then act quite reasonably if he enters the words netuffez pas! or laissez vibrer! Both of these concepts are “don’t jam!” and “leave it sound!” equally well correspond to the true intentions of the author. A small league stretching from the note head to the right completely replaces the given verbal definition. In the modern orchestra, the triangle has become extremely widespread. True, most Western theoretical authors limit its possibilities by stating that the triangle has the greatest application in dance, entertainment and ballet music. In comic opera and operetta it is found less frequently, in grand opera- sometimes in symphonic music- only in special cases. Now such conclusions sound very naive. The triangle knows no barriers and is used in any music that needs its light, ringing and unusually beautiful sonority. Therefore, any listing of scores where a triangle is used will seem, under all conditions, far from complete. Moreover, now there is no longer any possibility of exhausting with sufficient completeness even best cases its application, and therefore it is better either not to talk about the successes of the triangle in the orchestra at all, or to reduce this list to the most common cases in order to give only some idea of ​​how the triangle was used by great masters for almost three hundred years. But before moving on to the presentation artistic means and the possibilities of the triangle in the orchestra, it is timely to say a few words about the way to use it during playing. For a long time, the ridiculous custom of tying a triangle to the crossbar of the music board has been established. Under such conditions, its sound, not having the proper space for propagation, sounds dull and inaudible. In this regard, in some especially good orchestras performers never tie the triangle, but hold it with their left hand at the level of the head of a sitting person and play it “in weight”. In developing this position, many modern conductors require playing the triangle while standing, so that its ringing silvery strikes or sparkling trills can be freely carried through the air and how. would dominate the orchestra. Of course, there is nothing to object to such a completely reasonable demand, but for some reason many performers mistakenly believe that playing the triangle while standing in the face of everything auditorium not only does it not have any effect on its sonority, but it simply interferes with the orchestra. Performers must understand once and for all that this kind of playing on the triangle, aimed at achieving the best sonority of the orchestra, should be regarded by them only in a positive sense. As is already known from the previous one, he first used the Gratry triangle in his opera The Secret Magic. However, according to the custom of that time, the author did not write a special part for the triangle, but limited himself to a very eloquent note - “accompanied by cymbals, triangles and other unusual instruments.” On the contrary, the pianissimo of the triangle, which has such a pacifying effect in the orchestra, with the exception perhaps of such music, the authors of which are generally devoid of any sense of beauty, is used very successfully by the overwhelming majority outstanding composers. But is it possible to reach a conclusion by exhausting all the best that was given by the great masters? There is absolutely no way to even just list all those works of theirs where the sparkling sonority of a triangle is encountered in one refraction or another. Let the reader believe that the samples given below from the works of Russian authors are a “small fraction” of what actually exists. Let him take the trouble to leaf through the scores of at least the most outstanding and famous Russian classics, in order to be convinced that it is very difficult to talk about their examples, because every chance is a genuine artistic revelation. But the advantages of the triangle are by no means exhausted by all of the above. The most remarkable property of this instrument is its ability to excite orchestral sonority and bring it to its extreme limit. Any crescendo or fortissimo, seemingly reaching the highest level of tension with the entry of the triangle, turns out to be easily surpassed. And he is deeply right, therefore, Vidor, when he quite rightly expressed his admiration for such an amazing quality of such a small and inconspicuous instrument. Perhaps, only one plate could compete with the triangle in this direction, but the impression it reproduces is of a completely different order. The sonorous trill of a triangle turns out to be capable of not only elevating orchestral sound to the next level, but it has the charm of clarifying any polysyllabic combination. Let even the trill of a triangle drown in the depths of the orchestra and remain elusive. She will do her job! It will clarify the overly rich sonority of the orchestra and make it majestic, solemn and brilliant.

The triangle is considered the most basic percussion instrument. Not a single modern orchestra can do without him. The triangle musical instrument has a bright and sonorous timbre.

First mention

Unfortunately, the history of music has not preserved reliable facts about the origin of the triangle. However, most musicologists are inclined to believe that the triangle musical instrument came to us from the East.

The triangle first appeared as a method of extracting music in the 15th century and was more like a trapezoid in shape. This is evidenced by some English and Italian paintings. The name "triangle" and the description of the musical instrument were mentioned in one of the property records in 1389 in Württemberg. Today it is impossible to say with certainty when exactly the trapezoidal “triangle” was transformed into an isosceles triangle, but in 1600 there were already 3 varieties of them.

The classical musical instrument triangle entered the symphony orchestra in 1775, when it was first performed in Gratry's opera La Fause Magie. Until this year, he actively took part in military bands, where he acquired the not entirely deserved name of “snaffle”. It turns out that the musical instrument triangle, as it is called in the orchestra, has several more names that have more European roots - these are triangolo and triangle.

Description

Today, this tool is a metal rod of medium thickness (8-10 mm), which is bent in the shape of an isosceles triangle. The ends of the instrument are not closed, but the rods are located close to each other. In the world of music, there are three types of musical triangles:

• large - with a base length of 250 mm;
• medium - 200 mm;
• small - 150 mm.

Despite the fact that the triangle musical instrument seems simple, it is made in accordance with clear rules. In order for the triangle to sound special, special steel is used to make it - silver. The material by which it is hung is also important. If in the old days an ordinary rope was used for these purposes, today this is done with the help of strings, since they do not dampen the sound of the triangle. Due attention is also paid to the stick through which the sound is produced. It should not contain any handles and is usually made of the same metal.

The sound of the instrument

Triangle is a musical instrument that belongs to the group with indefinite height sound. It is characterized by transparent and clear sound with varying levels of volume and character. So, to achieve a subtle and high sound, a small triangle is used, for a more “juicy” and low sound - a large one.

If you need to play pianissimo or piano, you should hit the upper side parts of the instrument with a stick with a diameter of 2.5 millimeters. To obtain fortissimo and forte, strike the base with a thick stick. Tremolo is achieved by hitting the sides quickly, and glissando is created by running the stick along the outside.

In what works does it appear?

The echo of this musical instrument can be heard in many famous works. Its most vivid sound was revealed in F. Liszt's Concerto No. 1, which was written for piano and orchestra and where the triangle received an independent part. Also, the musical instrument triangle is present in such works as: "Don Juan" symphonic poem Strauss, "Scheherazade" suite for orchestra by Rimsky-Korsakov, 1888, "The Sorcerer's Apprentice", Duke's symphonic scherzo, "Antar" symphony and many other works.

The triangle is by no means a simple tool. Its sonorous sound is capable of enveloping any polysyllabic composition with enchantment and making it brilliant and unique.

WITH late XVIII century triangle - one of the main percussion instruments symphony orchestra. In essays Haydn , Mozart And Beethoven it was used to simulate the so-called "Janissary music". One of the first works in which the triangle is entrusted with quite responsible independent the consignment - Concerto No. 1 for piano and orchestra Liszt. Among musicians, this work is sometimes jokingly called a “concerto for a triangle.”

The characteristic sound of a triangle can be heard in the middle section of the overture to the opera "William Tell" Rossini, music Griga to the drama “Peer Gynt” (Dance of Anitra, Arabian dance) and other works. The triangle is widely used in forro , samba and other types of popular music of the Northeast Brazil.

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Links

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• Solovyov N. F. // Encyclopedic Dictionary of Brockhaus and Efron: in 86 tons (82 tons and 4 additional). - St. Petersburg. , 1890-1907.