Castanets
Castanets ([kastaˈɲɛtn̩], after the French word castagnettes, Spanish castañuelas) are pairs of shell-shaped, usually wooden rattles about five centimetres in diameter, which are suitable for rhythmic accompaniment.
The percussion instrument consists of two shell-shaped hollowed shells (conchas), which are usually made of hardwood, but today are often also made of fiberglass-reinforced plastic. The shells are attached to one finger (usually the thumb, in former times and in certain regional dances still today to the middle finger) with the ribbon attached to one end, which loosely connects the two castanet blades. The other fingers are used to make the shells strike each other quickly and rhythmically, producing a tremolo-like sound. If the player holds castanets in both hands, the two pairs of shells can also be struck against each other. Castanet pairs consist of a lower half shell, the macho ("male"), and a higher one, the hembra ("female"). By a skilful playing technique with the use of different striking techniques (carretilla, tan, tin, tian and posticeo) different timbres of the characteristic sound caused by counter-striking can be produced. The carretilla is a kind of rasgueado in castanet playing in which the little finger, ring finger, middle finger and index finger strike in rapid succession.
A simplified variant is the wooden-handled stem castanets, which are much easier to play but produce only one type of sound. They are used in the orchestra.
The castanets probably originate from the Orient, the word can be traced back to the Arabic term for hand rattle kas, also kāsāt. They were already known in Mesopotamia, by the Egyptians and Greeks. In Spain they are attested since the 1st century BC. According to another etymology, they received the name castañuelas there because of their resemblance to chestnuts (Spanish castaña). In the west of the region of Andalusia they are also called palillos ("little sticks", "chopsticks").
The use of castanets has been widespread in southern Spanish dance music (flamenco, sevillana) since the 17th century, but is also known in southern Italy (Naples). In classical music they are mostly used in works with Spanish echoes, for example in the opera Carmen by Georges Bizet (1875), in the opera Le Cid by Jules Massenet (1885) and in the Rhapsodie España by Emmanuel Chabrier (1883).
The crotalon had a similar function in the music of antiquity and the chácaras in the Canary Islands.
One of the pioneers of virtuoso castanet playing was the Spanish dancer La Argentina. She also contributed significantly to the structural and tonal development of the castanets.
Castanets
Castanets with typical hand position
See also
- Quijada
Questions and Answers
Q: What are castanets?
A: Castanets are percussion instruments which come from Spain and are often used in an orchestra. They consist of hollowed-out wooden shells, usually made of a hardwood such as ebony or rosewood.
Q: How are castanets played?
A: Castanets are traditionally played in pairs, with one pair held in each hand. There is a string which passes through small holes in the shells, which the player winds around their thumb and finger so that the two shells can be clicked together. The two pairs of castanets used are slightly different sizes so that they make a slightly different pitch. The higher pair is usually held in the right hand, with the larger pair held in the left.
Q: Who plays castanets?
A: Castanets are traditionally played by singers and dancers, particularly Spanish folk dancers who often use them for flamenco dancing. When they are played in an orchestra they may be attached to a stand and tapped by fingers and palm of the hand. They may also be used to accompany Spanish dances in ballet or opera performances.
Q: What type of music do people play on castanets?
A: People typically play music on castenats that is supposed to sound Spanish or Latin American inspired. It is also common for them to be used to accompany Spanish dances performed during ballet or opera performances.
Q: Is it possible for someone other than a singer or dancer to play castenats?
A: Yes, when playing within an orchestra setting it is common for someone other than a singer or dancer to play them as they may be attached to a stand and tapped by fingers and palm of the hand instead of being held like traditional players would do with their hands alone.
Q: Does Carmen from Bizet's opera Carmen actually play her own castenats?
A: No, usually Carmen does not have enough skill to actually play her own castenats so instead she pretends while another musician plays them within the orchestra itself
