Xylophone

Xylophone

The xylophone is an idiophone, subcategory percussion plates, its determined. Identified in many cultures, from Western classical music to musical practices in Africa, Central America, South America, South and Southeast Asia and the islands, Melanesia and Polynesia, the xylophones have the following characteristics: a set of (two or more) plates, bars, stems or refined pipes, constructed of bamboo, wood or synthetic material, supported between two vibration nodes and struck with chopsticks or plates, with common resonator or with individual resonators for each plate (note ).
Described, with different denominations, in the treaties of the 15th and 16th centuries, the European instrument was composed of several wooden planks, in single file, in diatonic succession, or in two rows, probably chromatic, in keyboard arrangement, attached or sitting in straw straps, having thus named “Strohfiedel” (literally, fídula – generic designation of the corded, percuted or pulsed chordophones – of straw); different denominations of this instrument in Portuguese we identified “instrument of wood and straw”, “instrument of cock and straw” or “marimbas of cock”. Known throughout Europe since the first half of the nineteenth century by the activity of concert artists like Michal Guzikow or Henrich Spira, and required in the second half of this century by Saint-Säens for “effects” of specific program in some of his famous orchestral works, the xylophone was at the time usually constructed in four rows, with the grave register closer to the performer, with two inner rows in diatonic succession and one row farther, corresponding to the modified notes (sharp / sharp accidents) ).
The contemporary European xylophone, whose construction was established in the mid-twentieth century, has a range of three octaves and a half (F-sol to C) or four octaves (C to C) and adopts the following morphology: plates of different lengths and thicknesses, constructed of Brazilian wood (jacarandá) or synthetic resin, are fixed by ropes that go through its ends, to a felt-covered frame, in the piano keyboard layout, in two rows, with the plates of notes corresponding to high accidents (on other plates); the individual resonators, on which the plates rest, are constructed of metal, in the form of a tube, being its dimension adjusted so that the frequency of the column of the air contained reproduce the sound height of the plate; the frame, with the resonators, is in turn integrated into a structure (shelf), which allows an easier execution of the instrument. In their turn, the balloon-shaped drumsticks are made of plastic, felt or wood, allowing the use of luminous or softer sounds.

Datasheet

Name:  Xilofone
Band: Banda Recreio Camponês
Date:  []
Category:  Idiophon
Materials:  metal, wood
Photo Date / Scan:  19/05/2018
Conservation State:   Good

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