Castanets

As Printed on a Score

Labels the castanet line (Castanets, Cast. later), written on a single line; tremolo strokes ask for a roll. Orchestral players usually use castanets mounted on a handle or a board rather than held in the hand, which affects how fast and how finely a figure can be played.

Abbreviations: Cast.

How Composers Use It

Clicking wooden shells that summon Spain at once — Rimsky-Korsakov’s Capriccio espagnol uses them for exactly that. Outside a Spanish frame they sound like a quotation, so use them deliberately. Write exact rhythms; mounted orchestral castanets manage rolls and fast figures well but lack the nuance of a dancer’s hand-held pair.

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