into a more staccato part of the head, and play on a tight head.

By aggre-
gating these techniques, the timpanist can heighten the tension of the roll
that nicely complements the increasing tension in the orchestra. Tchaikov-
skys Romeo and Juliet Overture provides a good example of how a tim-
panist can intensify a roll to reect the growing tension in the music (see
example 2.17).
2.17. Intensifying a roll

? C w w w w w

Begin to Increase Speed of Roll

? w w w w w

Roll Very Fast

C

? w w w w j
w
cresc. f
This exposed roll begins at measure 76. By playing the roll as a normal
legato roll, the timpanist is able to establish a nice roll in a very exposed
section. By letter C, the timpanist should begin to speed up the roll, and
four measures after C, the roll should be as intense as the timpanist can
make it. The B should be played at the normal speed. The timpanist can
use a medium-hard stick and play on a 26-inch drum. The stick will aid in
developing a tense sound as the tension increases in the music. The e
played on the 26-inch drum is preferable to the e played on the 23-inch
timpano. First, the head is tighter on a 26-inch drum and is more likely to
produce the tense effect that is desired. Second, the volume of sound and
tone that is produced by the 26-inch drum is much better than that of the
smaller drum. See the companion Web site for a marked timpani part.
As there are times when music must become more intense, there are
also times when very tense music is relaxed. In these cases, timpanists may
employ the above procedures in reverse order: begin by overplaying the
head with a medium-hard stick and a staccato grip and then gradually
slow the roll down and loosen the grip. The semistaccato stick may not be
the best rolling stick, but where the effect is to release tension, this mallet
can be employed to that end. If the timpanist has the choice of drums, he
or she might want to play the roll on a larger drum. For example, a tense
A roll that becomes more relaxed might be more effectively played on a 29-
inch timpano rather than on a 31- or 32-inch drum. By the same token, an
A roll that becomes more intense might be better played on a 31-inch tim-
pano. In the former case, the head will be looser and will sound more re-
laxed; while in the latter case, the head will be tighter and it can be over-
played to create a tense sound.

Musical Interpretation and the Timpanist 55