---FIRST HALF HOUR---
:04—Georg Druschetzky (1745-1919): Andante from Concerto for Seven Timpani, Alexander Peter, Dresden Philharmonic [Naxos 8.5576110].
:08—Beethoven (1770-1827): Eroica Symphony, excerpt from funeral march, Roger Norrington, London Classical Players [EMI 49101]. Beethoven used timpani for mainly emphasis.
:10—Brahms (1833-1897): Sym. No. 1, opening, track 1, Guinter Wand, North German Radio Symphony [ProArte 006]. Brahms used timpani sparingly except in the start of his first symphony when I think he wanted to depict the tread of a giant.
:12—Bela Bartok (1881-1949): Music for Strings, Percussion & Celesta, 1936, second move., Georg Solti, Chicago Symphony [London 430 352].
:16—Bela Bartok (1881-1949): Music for Strings, Percussion & Celesta, 1936, third move., Herbert von Karajan, Berlin Philharmonic [EMI 69242].
:18—Bela Bartok (1881-1949): Concerto for Orchestra, 1945, excerpt from “Game of Pairs,” Seiji Ozawa, Berlin Philharmonic [SK 45748]. Side drum functions as punctuation, or, if you prefer, the response in a call-and-response.
:22—Aaron Copland (1900-1990): “Music for the Theatre,” Prologue, Dennis Russell Davies, Orchestra of St. Luke’s [MusicMasters 60162]. Snare drum is used more for accents than for keeping the beat.
---SECOND HALF HOUR---
:30—Steve Reich (1936- ) “Drumming,” first move., Steve Reich & Musicians [Nonesuch 79170].
:32—Steve Reich (1936- ): “Two by Five,” 2008, first move., Bang on a Can quintet [Nonesuch 521853]. One of the five musicians is a drummer but all he does is double other parts from time to time. He has no more to do with the beat than any of the others.
:35—Steve Reich (1936- ) “Drumming,” second move., Steve Reich & Musicians [Nonesuch 79170].
:38—Philip Glass (1937- ): Concerto Fantasy for Two Timpanists and Orchestra, first move., Evelyn Glennie and Jonathan Haas, w/Gerard Schwarz, Liverpool Philharmonic [OMM 0014]. With two timpanists, one can work the beat while the other plays melody.
:45—Dmitri Shostakovich (1906-1975): Sym. No. 1 in F minor, Op. 10, finale, Neeme Jarvi, Scottish National Orchestra [Chandos 8411]. The student Shostakovich uses percussion for accents and melody, not keeping the beat. Timpani states the main idea of the coda six minutes in. Twice, actually.
:57—Aaron Copland (1900-1990): “Gun Battle,” from “Billy the Kid,” Aaron Copland, London Symphony [MK 42431]. Timpani is used for gunshots.
---THIRD HALF HOUR---
:04—Joan Tower (1938- ): “Tambor,” finale, Leonard Slatkin, Nashville Symphony [Naxos 559328]. “Tambor” is the Spanish word for “drum.”
:08—George Gershwin (1898-1937): Concerto in F, opening, Erich Kunzel, Cincinnati Pops [Telarc 80166].
:10—Maurice Ravel (1875-1937): Concerto in G, opening, Martha Argerich w/Claudio Abbado, London Symphony [DG 423 665].
:12—George Gershwin (1898-1937): Concerto in F, ending, Erich Kunzel, Cincinnati Pops [Telarc 80166].
:14—Maurice Ravel (1875-1937): Concerto in G, finale, Martha Argerich w/Claudio Abbado, London Symphony [DG 423 665].
:19—Carl Nielsen (1865-1931): Fifth Symphony, 1922, excerpt, Myung-Whun Chung, Gothenburg Symphony [BIS 370]. Snare drummer is directed to adlib as if he wants at all costs to interrupt the progress of the orchestra.
:24—Carl Nielsen (1865-1931): Fifth Symphony, 1922, excerpt, Andrew Davis, BBC Symphony [Virgin 91210]. A second performance, for comparison.
---FOURTH HALF HOUR---
:30—Francis Baines: “Fanfare,” Hoffnung Festival Orchestra [Harmonia Miundi 90768]. Begins with announcement. The first musical joke involves using a snare drum roll to make everyone stand, expecting the national anrthem, and then not playing it.
:32—Maurice Ravel (1875-1937): Fanfare to “L’Eventail de Jeanne,” Claudio Abbado, London Symphony [DG 423 665]. A more subtle version of the same gag, a big drum roll leading to a tiny fanfare. A fifth of the entire length is a a single gong stroke.
:35—Steve Reich (1936- ): “Two by Five,” 2008, finale, Bang on a Can quintet [Nonesuch 521853]. The drummer only doubles other instruments that are the ones really providing the rhythm.
(TRICK QUESTION: WHAT DRUMS DOUBLE THE BASSES?)
:42—Michael Torke (1961- ): “Ash,” from “Color Music,” David Zinman, Baltimore Symphony [Argo 433 071]. After conferring with the tuba player on the recording, and listening repeatedly to this segment, we decided the faint percussive sound is not drums at all but the bass bows hitting the strings.
:44—Prokofiev (1891-1953): Sym. No. 7, first move., excerpt, Seiji Ozawa, Berlin Philharmonic [DG 463 761]. Lots of percussion, giving each timbre a different finish.
:48—Philip Glass (1937- ): Concerto Fantasy for Two Timpanists and Orchestra, finale, Evelyn Glenniue, Jonathan Haas w/Gerard Schwarz, Liverpool Philharmonic [OMM 00142].