Books › A descriptive catalogue of the musical instruments recently exhibited at the Royal Military Exhibition, London, 1890 …, 1891 › scan 253
Scan 253
A descriptive catalogue of the musical instruments recently exhibited at the Royal Military Exhibition, London, 1890 …, 1891
4 lines. Read by computer on 1 October 2026. Printed page 233. See the scan on archive.org.
1Of the old tambourines formerly used in military bands there were several examples; the two which attracted the most attention being an instrument 1 foot 8 inches in diameter, dating from 1750, now in the possession of Colonel Shaw-Hellier; and one, of rather later date, belonging to Messrs. Henry Potter and Co.
3There were specimens of the old Turkish Crescent (chapeau chinois), once a favourite adjunct to military bands, and known in former years by the familiar nick-name of "Jingling Johnny." They consisted of brass hoops, hung with little bells tuned more or less musically, and ornamented with gilded crescents and long streaming tails of horse-hair. They were carried upon poles some six feet high, and, within the memory of some living, negroes were specially enlisted for this duty, and sometimes also to beat the tambourines. Two specimens of "Jingling Johnnies" belonging to the Edinburgh University represented probably the most imposing examples of this noisy implement. Of late years a place, as regards outward appearance, somewhat similar to that once occupied by the Turkish Crescent would appear to have been taken by the Glockenspiel, which, though more musical in quality of tone, yet does not combine well with brass and reed instruments; except for special effect the Glockenspiel is better laid aside. This instrument, now constructed of vibrating bars of steel beaten with metal striker, takes its origin from the wooden Strofiedel, which of late years has appeared occasionally in the orchestra, and has been used with such effect by M. Saint-Saëns in his well-known Danse macabre.
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