# L'Arlesienne Suite #2



## Kezza

Ok in my orchestra we are playing L'Arlesienne Suite #2 and of course in the percussion part is written 'Tambourin'

Now here's the thing, my conductor, he used to play in 1st Violin in LSO so he is quite the accomplished musician but he insists I play the Tambourine for this piece. But 'Tambourin' in French is TENOR DRUM!! 'Tambour de basque' is french for tambourine. 

Now I have a recording of Orchestre des Concerts Lamoureux (Igor Markevitch) playing this piece and they use a tenor drum and I'd reckon that they'd know.
I have proved that my conductor is wrong and I also reckon it sounds terrible with a tambourine. 

How do I convince my conductor to let me play the correct instrument?!
He is being quite stubborn about it.


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## Kezza

http://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tambourin

Wiki speaks the truth. I've checked some French-English Dictionaries and they're wrong. I also checked the piece on youtube and there are proffessional orchestras playing Tambourine and I don't like the sound of it lol


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## lakshwadeep

This may be too late for you, but hopefully this will help anyone else wanting to explain what tambourins are.

I think you should cite this link since they are all about historical instruments, including tabors:
http://www.harmsperc.com/ttabors.htm



> The tambourin is the instrument which is probably of most interest to the professional percussionist because it is the instrument specified by Bizet in the "Farandole" of his L'Arlesienne Suite. The melody - of folk origin - appears on p. 246 of F. Vidal's book Lou tambourin, (Arles, 1862) with the title "Danso dei Chivau-Frus".


I also saw some of the youtube videos with tambourines (karajan/berlin phil.), and it really does sound strange. Look up also "pipe and tabor", and you will see that they are not tambourines. In fact, Bizet's piece seems to have similarities with that genre where flute=pipe and snare/tenor=tabor.


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## Kezza

Thanks mate Appreciate it.


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## kiwipolish

This page written by Thibaut Plantevin, a music teacher from Aix en Provence, discusses this matter in French (bottom of page; translation is mine; italics indicate French word not translated into English; green words are my remarks / questions):



> In this work, in the percussionist's score, Georges Bizet indicates _"tambourin-provençal"_. However one can notice that versions where a _tambourin-provençal_ is actually used are very rare; various replacement instruments are rather used. The question is: "When no _tambourin-provençal_ is available, what should be used (...)?
> 
> What does not work:
> 
> - A real _tambourin-provençal_ facing an orchestra is not loud enough; at least five would be needed in front of the orchestra. If it is hit too hard, the very thin skin may be broken.
> 
> - A big _tom grave_ (tenor drum?) has no tone (timbre)!
> 
> - A tambourine (_tambour de basque_): totally different!
> 
> Our suggestion: a snare drum _(caisse claire)_ with snares thrown off, and loosened membrane (...) seems to be the most practical solution, and also the closest to the original sound...


So, the confusion is total between:

1) Tambourin provençal (as per Bizet's score):

N.B. normally played with a single stick!










2) A de-snared and loosened snare-drum (French: _caisse claire_):










3) A tenor drum (French: _tom grave_?), as suggested by the OP (Kezza), and as used by Mariss Jansons in this video:










4) A tambourine (French: _tambour de basque_), as used by Karajan in this video


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## Kezza

Well that's very cool. Thank you very much for that kiwi.


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