A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Drone

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A Dictionary of Music and Musicians
edited by George Grove

Drone

Drouet, Louis

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From volume 1 of the work.

1504168A Dictionary of Music and Musicians — Drone

DRONE. A name given to the three lower pipes of the bagpipe, which each emit only a single tone; usually two octaves of the key-note D, and the fifth A. They are distinguished from the Chaunter, which has the power of producing a melodious succession of notes. [See Bagpipe.]

The term has hence been transferred to continuous bass in a composition, usually of a pastoral kind, as in the 'Hirten-melodie' in Schubert's 'Rosamunde,'

${ \override Score.TimeSignature #'stencil = ##f \override Score.Rest #'style = #'classical \key bes \major << \relative d'' { r1 r2^\markup { \smaller \italic Clar. } r4 <d bes>\pp <c a> <g' ees>2\fp <f d>8. <ees c>16 <d bes>8. <c f,>16 <bes d>2 } \new Staff { \clef bass \key bes \major \relative f { <f bes,>2-.(\pp^\markup { \smaller \italic Horns } <f bes,>-.) <f bes,>-.( <f bes,>-.) <f bes,>-.( <f bes,>-.) <f bes,>-.( <f bes,>-.) } } >> }$

etc.

the 'Leyermann' in Schubert's 'Winterreise' or the Danse des Juives in the ballet of Gounod's 'Reine de Saba':—

${ \override Score.TimeSignature #'stencil = ##f \key g \major << \relative b' << { b4->( a8-.) d-. b4->( a8-.) d-. b4->( a8-.) d-. b-. d-. b-. d-. g,-. c-. a4->( g8-.) c-. } \\ { g4\f( fis d fis) g( fis d e) fis( e) } >> \new Staff { \clef bass \key g \major \relative d { <d g,>1^> <d g,>^> <d g,>^> } } >> }$

See also the 'Hirtengesang' at the beginning of the Finale to Beethoven's Pastoral Symphony, and many other places.

[ W. H. S. ]

A Dictionary of Music and Musicians/Drone

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