Tamburello

As Printed on a Score

Labels the tambourine (Tamburello, Tamburello basco, Tamburo basco or Tamburino; Tamb. later), on a single line. Shake rolls are written as tremolo or tr., and other techniques — thumb roll, knuckles, striking on the knee — are spelled out in words. Tamb. on later systems can also mean a drum (tamburo), so the first-system label decides.

Abbreviations: Tamb.

Also spelled: Tamburello basco, Tamburo basco, Tamburino

How Composers Use It

A small frame drum with jingles that can be struck, shaken or rubbed; the jingles give a bright, festive edge that marks dance rhythms, Spanish and Italian colour above all — Bizet’s Carmen, Berlioz’s Roman Carnival overture. Very soft single strokes are hard to control, and a continuous pattern quickly dominates the texture, so use it for rhythmic accents and dance passages rather than as a constant background.

Related Terms