This film explains my thoughts on a potential new term, Q, to classify timpani based on a mixture of interlinked factors. These are mixture of what we observe from history; composers’ notation combined with how drums evolved, increasing in kettle volume which resulted in increases of volume (decibels), decay and sustain, with a knock-on effect of an increase in clarity of pitch, due to thinner heads being essential to achieve the same pitches on larger diameter drums.
With many thanks to the photographers and film makers who have allowed me to use their work; Stephen Tasker, Chris Christodolou (RCM), Tommy Pearson, Monika Rittershaus (Berliner Philharmoniker), Will Schofield, Glyn Matthews, Angus Bremner (SCO) and Zen Grisdale.