Lecturer: Nigel Bates
From calling ancient armies to battle to signalling the audience to stand for the National Anthem, drums and percussion have been a part of history well over and above their musical contributions. Often the icing on the cake and alas sometimes the bottom of the dustbin, we explore how the design, sound and awareness of percussion instruments and the demands of modern composers have developed almost out of all recognition in the last hundred years. In addition to performance video clips, this lecture contains rare footage from the orchestra pit at the Royal Opera House.
