Glockenspiel

Most orchestral glockenspiels are mounted in a case.

Musician playing glockenspiel at front left; Sousaphone at behind at right

The Glockenspiel (German, "play of bells", also known as orchestra bells and, in its portable form, bell lyra or bell lyre) is a musical instrument in the percussion family. It is similar to the xylophone, in that it has tuned bars laid out in a fashion resembling a piano keyboard. The xylophone's bars are wooden, while the glockenspiel's are metal, thus making it a metallophone.

The glockenspiel, moreover, is much smaller and higher in pitch. When used in a marching or military band, the bars are sometimes mounted in a portable case and held vertically. In orchestral use, the bars are mounted horizontally. A pair of hard mallets are generally used to strike the bars, although if laid out horizontally, a keyboard may be attached to the instrument to allow chords to be more easily played. One piece where such an instrument is used is Mozart's Die Zauberflöte (although that part is usually played by a celesta nowadays). A more modern day piece to use the glockenspiel is the 1977 Brothers Johnson remake of Shuggie Otis' classic Strawberry Letter 23. Even more modern uses of the glockenspiel include Radiohead's song No Surprises from their 1997 album OK Computer (played by Jonny Greenwood), and extensive use of (synthesized or sampled) glockenspiel in gangsta rap. The Arcade Fire employs use of the glockenspiel on many of the songs on their debut album Funeral. The Black Crowes' song Gone on the album Amorica and Jimi Hendrix's Little Wing from the album Axis: Bold as Love also use a glockenspiel. 2005's release The Best Party Ever by The Boy Least Likely To is also noted by twee pop/indie pop enthusiasts as using the glockenspiel to give the album a more childish and innocent feel.

The glockenspiel's range is limited to the upper register, and usually covers about two and a half to three octaves. In sheet music, the notes to be played by the glockenspiel are written two octaves lower than they will sound when played. When struck, the bars give a very pure, bell-like sound.

Other instruments which work on the same struck-bar principle as the glockenspiel include the marimba and the vibraphone. There are also many glockenspiel-like instruments in Indonesian gamelan ensembles.

In Germany, a Carillon is also called a Glockenspiel.

External links

• Glockenspiel at the Vienna Symphonic Library