THE ROLE OF TURKISH PERCUSSION IN THE HISTORY AND ...

color of his composition. He calls for a suspended cymbal in place of the customary pair of
cymbals. In addition to climactic crashes, Debussy created new sounds through measured
rolls, grace notes, even the scraping of a metal rod against the cymbal to generate a scratching
sound. 12
Some cymbal manufacturers today label the instruments into three categories: French,
Viennese, and Germanic. Such distinctions, however, did not exist until the modern era. The
heavy cymbals used in Turkish music and adapted from the military band into the orchestra in
the eighteenth century are best described today as Viennese cymbals. Their plates are slightly
saucer-shaped with a central dome or cupola. The thickness of Viennese cymbals allows for
both high and low overtones to be heard when they are crashed together. By the Romantic
era, an even heavier model gained acceptance, establishing the Germanic sound as we know it
today. A French model of cymbals emerged with Berlioz, whose works demanded a
shimmering tone suitable for combination with any instrument or group of instruments in the
orchestra. Their bright splash of color blended especially well with strings or brass. French
cymbals are lightweight and produce an immediate sound upon impact. They have very few
sustaining characteristics. Today’s orchestral percussionist employs the use of cymbals from
each of these three schools. 13
The evolution of the triangle from its origins in Turkish music was undeniably
dramatic. The loosely strung, metal rings attached to its lower, horizontal side were removed,
producing a clearer and more brilliant “tingling” sound in place of sustained “jingling.” A
12 Ibid., 210.
13 Leonard A. DiMuzio, “Cymbal Vibrations,” Percussive Notes (1975): 24.
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