Timpani – Sheet Music, Tuition Books & Scores

“The Prince stood beside the timpanist to count his rests for him and see that he came in in the right place.” Hector Berlioz

The fact that Prince Friedrich Wilhelm Konstantin of Hohenzollern-Hechingen spent most of his time peering over the shoulder of Berlioz’s timpanist just goes to show that the best seat in the orchestra, for amateurs, professionals and royalty alike, is firmly at the helm of the timpani. Browse our sheet music and scores, and discover the wonderful world of the timpani today!

A brief history of the Timpani

The word timpani comes from the Greek “tumpanon”, meaning “hand drum”, which in turn derives from the verb “tuptō”, which literally means “to hit”. The timpani is a set of large drums with a membrane, of either animal skin or plastic, stretched over a bowl, most commonly made of copper, and is played using mallets.

The first timpani style instruments, the Arabic “naqqara” came to Europe in the 13th Century. They were small, hand-held drums, which were quickly adopted by the military, and used in marching bands. By the 16th Century, the timpani became larger, and rather than being rudimentarily nailed together, the membrane began to be held in place by hoops and screws, allowing the drums to be tuned. The timpani began to feature more and more in classical music, and by the end of the 18th Century, they had firmly established themselves as the corner stone of every classical percussion section.

A few hits for Timpani

• Timpani Tuition, Schools & Methods
• Études & Studies for Timpani
• Concert Repertoire for Timpani
• Orchestral Studies for Timpani