How to Treat the Celesta

The first thing to do after studying its characteristics is to obtain scores and recordings of pieces and listen multiple times with the score before your eyes ...

then write, write, and write some more ...

GianBurrasca wrote:

I realized that it is an instrument I practically ignored, how can I enhance it? How does it perform better? Examples in the repertoire...

The most famous example that comes to mind is Tchaikovsky, The Nutcracker: "Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy":

where there is the most famous solo for Celesta in literature (did I exaggerate? I don't think so...).

That being said: the celesta is not properly an "agile" instrument, despite being a keyboard instrument (until not many years ago it was played in orchestras by percussionists, though...); the fast passage heard in Tchaikovsky's piece is a passage of arpeggios, but it should not be treated (the celesta) like a piano, also because the mechanics are very different.

Here, in Respighi's Pines of Rome, it is used much more as an element of color and you have to strain a little harder to hear it:

That said, it is an open discussion; try to say what you know (if you have any ideas), but if you really know nothing about the instrument, a always valid suggestion is: go see it and try to get your hands on it, a whole new world will open up to you

Open content (youtube)

Open content (youtube)

Carlos wrote:

That being said, it is an open discussion; try to say what you know (if you have any idea), but if you really know nothing about the instrument, a suggestion that is always valid is: go see it and try to get your hands on it, a whole new world will open up to you

That is exactly the problem; when you know nothing, what ideas can you possibly have?

GianBurrasca wrote:

That is exactly the problem, when you know nothing, what ideas can come to you?

None, and even if some were to come to you, they would be wrong.

I really suggest then that you look in your city's conservatory (hoping there is one) for a celesta and someone who can play some solos for you; otherwise, try asking an orchestra near you if they can show you one (orchestras generally have a celesta). Until you have seen it, heard it, and eventually tried playing it (being a keyboard instrument, you will manage to play three notes anyway, even if you are not a pianist), everything that can be written here is quite useless... In any case, it is not "necessary" to use the celesta, so take your time and study it.

PS have you listened to the two links I put for you? Those are two examples, very different from each other, of how one can instrument with the celesta.

As a mere integration of what others have written, and in case you do not find a celesta "de visu" (in person), there are an infinite number of videos dedicated to the instrument on YouTube, especially in English (like this one, among many: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QSx9nDwbD_w).

To the suggested listening, I believe one cannot fail to include the music for strings, percussion, and celesta by Béla Bartók (I would say it is fundamental for the instrument): in this case too, you have an infinity of interpretations available on YT. Like this one:

Open content (youtube)

Open content (youtube)

Carlos wrote:

PS have you listened to the two links I sent you? Those are two examples, very different from each other, of how one can use the celesta as an instrument.

Yes, very beautiful and interesting (I already knew the first piece, but I hadn't "observed" it while listening to the celesta). Thank you

CromaDiBrera wrote:

A mere integration of what others have written, and in case you cannot find a celesta "de visu" [in person], there are an infinite number of videos dedicated to the instrument on YouTube, especially in English (like this one, among many: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QSx9nDwbD_w).

To the suggested listening, I believe one cannot fail to include the music for strings, percussion, and celesta by Béla Bartók (I would say fundamental for the instrument): in this case too, on YT you have an infinity of interpretations available. Like this one: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-9LWHEf0VFo&feature=fvst

Thanks also to you CromaDiBrera and those who showed interest

Open content (youtube)

Open content (youtube)

CromaDiBrera wrote:

A mere integration of what others have written, and in case you cannot find a celesta "de visu" [in person], there are an infinite number of videos dedicated to the instrument on YouTube, especially in English (like this one, among many:).

To the suggested listenings, I believe one cannot fail to include the music for strings, percussion, and celesta by Bela Bartók (I would say fundamental, for the instrument): in this case too, you have an infinity of interpretations available on Yt. Like this one:

Bela Bartók is beautiful and the second video is interesting