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Starting from childhood or as an adult; every individual has come across xylophones at least once in their life and they never forgot the tunes. There is something about this instrument that makes it simple yet impact and soft yet powerful. It is one of the most exciting percussion instruments that help to create melodies. The usage of this instrument can be noticed in the case of orchestra and musical group performances as it can complement all kinds of soundscape. Currently, the xylophone is being used in almost every other music genre in order to offer an additional layer of creativity. Let’s find out more about this amazing instrument.
Origin
The term xylophone has come from the Greek words xylon and phonē which means ‘wood’ and ‘sound’. The instrument originated from Southeast Asia or the Oceania region but its influence can be noticed in African regions as well. The term ‘Xylophone’ includes all kinds of instruments of the same family such as the marimba, balafon, and semantron. However, in terms of orchestra, the xylophone is particularly referred to as the instrument with a higher pitch range and drier timbre.
Construction & Structure
Modern-day xylophones are made of bars of rosewood, padauk, cocobolo, and various other synthetic materials such as fiberglass that help to produce a louder sound. Concert xylophones usually come with 3+1⁄2 or 4 octaves but there are small-range ones with 2+1⁄2 octaves. With the help of tube resonators, the tone is enhanced and sustained. Mallets are used to create harder and softer tones which are usually prepared with the materials like hard rubber, poly ball, or acrylic. Based on regions, the xylophones have taken their respective construction and structure. There is an Asian xylophone, African xylophone, and Western Xylophone as well.
Use In Music
The xylophone was first utilized in the modern orchestra by Saint-Saëns in his work in 1874, known as the ‘Danse macabre’. Before that and even after it, xylophones have been heavily used in folk music as the percussion style of it resembles rattling bones which is highly noticeable in tribal culture and music. Though it is not a great solo instrument, modern-day artists are utilizing its melodic beats in various musical genres such as indie, alt-pop, and other experimental music. In the case of the orchestra, it has been used for both, adding a serious definition of attack as well as for humorous novelty effects.
Use in Elementary Education
Music educators utilize this instrument to assist every child’s musical development. This method of learning has proven to be very effective and helpful that includes instruments, movement, singing, and speech. Not only in American general music classrooms but the instrument is being widely used around the world for the development of every kid with a passion for music in heart. Therefore, most music artists are well acquainted with this instrument from their childhood.
Notable Works by Famous Xylophonists and Composers
Due to some of the limitations, the xylophone is not considered a versatile instrument. But some of the Xylophonists proved their skills by creating timeless solo works. Some of the famous creations are,
- “Scherzo For Xylophone and Piano” by Marta Ptaszynska
- “Concertino for Xylophone” by Toshiro Mayuzumi
- “Tambourin Chinoise” by Kreisler
- “Robin Harry” by Inns
Other than that, many composers have used this instrument in their orchestral excerpts such as Béla Bartók, Gustav Holst, Leoš Janáček, Benjamin Britten, Igor Stravinsky, Sergei Prokofiev, and the list of honorary mentions keeps going on.
Bottom Line
From ancient times to modern days, xylophones have survived through all musical eras and kept their influence intact across borders. With its wide use in the industry, xylophones are becoming an integral part of musical experimentation and orchestral works.
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