Off the Mark by Mark Parisi for August 01, 2018

What about the cannon guy for the 1812 overture?

Drummers have all the fun.

Check out Willi Boskovsky & Wiener Philharmoniker – Neujahrskonzert 1974 (2nd Half) around 48:30. The New Year’s concerts from Vienna often feature funny instruments including duck calls, rattles etc. Always enjoyable!

They know the notes off by heart in this one: Kopenhagener Eisenbahn Dampf Galopp – 2012 New Year’s Concert Vienna

My brother was a drummer, and there’s a bit more to it than what’s shown here. And he thought I’d never stick up for him!

As I understand it, during WWII, British Intelligence used percussionists from the symphony orchestra to imitate the “hand” of Axis radio operators for sending fake messages in Morse code.

He looks like a trebled man.

They forgot the Shaka-Laka.

They played some Wagner here that even worked up a sweat on the triangle player.

Timpani are pitched instruments. Timpanists read notes just like every other member of the orchestra.

With a lot of hand drums, you can change the pitch and tonal quality by how you hold it and if you use your hand to put pressure on part of the head.