Percussion instruments and their history

A reissue of James Blades' famous book, which has been revised and updated by the author. On publication in 1970 it was quickly welcomed as the standard work on its subject, and has remained so.

"Mr. Blades has managed to work in a truly encyclopedic number of illusions to this or that effect, this or that composer, work and trick... Mr. Blades, the scholar, yields partial place to Mr. Blades the performer for an enormous and exemplary chapter on the percussionist's art... The book's lavish photographs and drawings are an endless source of pleasure" (The Times Literary Supplement).

CONTENIDO:

-Metric conversion table and staff notation chart

-Foreword, by Benjamin Britten
-Author's preface
-Author's note to the revised edition, 1984

1. Origins of percussion
-Early instruments
-Rattles
-Stampers
-Scrapers
-Clappers
-Bibliography

2. The drum
-A step forward
-African drums, drumming and drummers
-Drum making and ritual
-"Modus operandi"
-Bibliography

3. The primitive xylophone
-Africa and metal instruments
-Bibliography

4. Percussion instruments of China and the Far East
-Gongs
-Metallophones
-Cymbals
-The skin drum
-Wood drums
-Clappers and bells
-Bibliography

5. Japan
-Bibliography

6. India and Tibet
-Bibliography

7. Mesopotamia and Egypt
-Drums
-Clappers
-Sistra
-Bells
-Cymbals
-Bibliography

8. Greece and Rome
-Bibliography

9. Arabia and Persia
-Bibliography

10. Medieval and Renaissance Europe
-Triangle
-Cymbals
-Castanets
-Friction drums
-Tambourine
-Chime bells
-Dulcimer
-Xylophone
-Drums
-Tabor
-Side drum
-Bibliography

11. Nakers and kettledrums
-Kettledrums
-The instruments
-Bibliography

12. The Classical orchestra
-Bibliography

13. The Romantic orchestra, 1
-Bibliography

14. The Romantic orchestra, 2
-Bibliography

15. Techniques of contemporary percussion
-The timpani
-The bass drum
-The side drum (snare drum)
-The tenor drum
-The tabor
-Cymbals
-The tam-tam
-The tambourine
-Castanets
-The triangle
-Wood blocks
-Sleigh bells
-Cowbells
-Exotics
-The tuned percussion
-The glockenspiel
-The bells
-The xylophone
-The marimba
-The vibraphone
-Bibliography

16. Composers' use of modern percussion
-Bibliography

Appendices
1. The Americas
2. The Latin American orchestra
3. Changing styles in light music
4. Use of percussion in education
5. Inventions and patents
6. Recital literature. Glossary of principal terms. Indices