Text a wind instruments

This denotation is a generic term for all instruments in which the column of air enclosed in a pipe generates a sound. The wind instruments of the present-day orchestra are divided into two groups: brass (see below) and wood wind (flute, clarinet, oboe, saxophone and their relatives). While the brass instruments actually form a unified group because they are all made from brass the wood-winds differ widely in character and some of them are made from metal (flute, saxophone).

For a proper understanding of the various wind instruments it is necessary to classify them according to different types of mouthpiece. The “brass instruments” form a group, because they all have a cupped mouthpiece. In the “wood winds”, on the other hand, we have three kinds of mouthpiece; the single reed, used in the clarinets and saxophones; the double reed, used in the instruments of the oboe family; and the mouth hole, used in the flutes. In instruments with a cupped mouthpiece the vibrations are set up directly by the lips of the player. In the instruments with a reed the sounds are produced by the vibrations of the elastic reed, which is loosely enclosed by the lips. In instruments with a mouth hole the lips are held so as to form a thin stream of air which is directed against the sharp lower edge of the hole.

The sound of a wind instrument depends on the shape of the pipe. It is straight in the flute, oboe, clarinet, circular in the horn and so on. The tone colour depends mainly on the mouthpiece and on the inner dimensions of the pipe, whether narrow or wide, cylindrical (in the clarinet, trumpet, trombone), or conical (in the oboe, horn, tuba). The pitch of the sound depends only on the length of the pipe. Properly a pipe of a given length produces only one tone. However, by proper control of the breath and the lips a pipe can also be made to sound a number of higher tones, the harmonics, which, together with the fundamental tone, form the natural tones of a wind instrument. They are the only ones available on a “natural” instrument. In order to obtain the numerous tones between them, means must be provided temporarily to shorten or lengthen the pipe. These are three in kind: a slide (used on the trombone), valves (on all brass instru­ments) and finger holes (on all the wood winds).

After you have read the text

I. Answer the following questions about the text.

1. How is sound generated in wind instruments?

2. Into which two groups are wind instruments divided?

3. Why do the brass instruments form a unified group?

4. How are wind instruments classified?

5. What can be seen as a remarkable feature of wood-wind instruments?

6. What kind of reed is used in clarinets and saxophones? in the oboe family?

7. What kind of mouthpiece is used in flutes?

8. What does the sound of a wind instrument depend on?

9. What shape of the pipe does the clarinet (trumpet, trombone) have?

10. What form of the pipe does the oboe (horn, tuba) have?

11. What does the sound's pitch depend on?

12. How many tones does a pipe of a given length produce?

13. How can a player make his instrument play a number of different tones?

14. Which means can be used to shorten or lengthen the pipe of a wind instrument?

15. What is your favourite wind instrument?

2. Choose the correct word.

1. “Wind instruments” is a (available, generic, wide) term for many different instruments. 2. The brass instruments (actually, widely, directly) form a unified group. 3. Some (stringed, wind, wood-wind) instruments are made from metal. 4. The wind instruments are usually classified according to the type of (mouthpiece, reed, mouthhole). 5. The (double, single, cupped) reed is used in clarinets. 6. The elastic reed is (hard, widely, loosely) to enclose in one's lips. 7. In the flute the shape of the pipe is (circular, available, straight). 8. The pitch of the sound (differs, depends, generates) on the length of the pipe. 9. A (reed, shape, slide) is used on the trombone to shorten or lengthen the pipe. 10. (Valves, finger holes, inner dimensions) create the variety of tones in wood-winds.

3. Select the correct meaning of the words.

1) generate а) клапан, пистон

2) depend b) свободно

3) narrow с) фактически

4) cupped d) общий, родовой

5) loosely е) узкий

6) actually f) чашевидный

7) slide g) дыхание, вдох

8) pitch h) кулиса /тромбона/

9) term i) охватывать

10) valve j) край, кромка

k) средства

l) термин

m) высота /тона, звука/

n) порождать

о) зависеть

4. Review text A in written form.

5. Describe a concert of a wind orchestra which made a strong impression on you.

6. Read and retell text B.