# Who Are The Glockenspiel Superstars? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 3, 2015, 8:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-the-glockenspiel-superstars/736505 "2015-11-03T08:45:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ralph124c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2015, 8:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-the-glockenspiel-superstars/736505/1 "2015-11-03T08:45:07Z")
Every musical instrument has a “superstar” artist for the Cello, people like Yo Yo Ma, for the TRumpet; Wynton Marsalis, etc. But I haven’t heard of any such artists for the Glockenspiel, or Tuba. I was really impressed when Ma had about 0 cellists playing togetherI wonder what n 0 Glockenspiels would sound like? ---
**Author:** ![Les\_Espaces\_Du\_Sommeil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/les_espaces_du_sommeil/32/308_2.png) [@Les\_Espaces\_Du\_Sommeil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Les_Espaces_Du_Sommeil)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2015, 10:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-the-glockenspiel-superstars/736505/2 "2015-11-03T10:32:55Z")
For tuba, you have [Øystein Baadsvik](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%98ystein_Baadsvik) who has had several works written for him. As far as glockenspiel is concerned, I suppose that it’s an instrument that is going going to be played by a percussionist in an orchestra setting and there are some “big” stars in classical percussions. [Evelyn Glennie](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evelyn_Glennie) and [Colin Currie](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colin_Currie) come to mind. ---
**Author:** ![Jumpbass](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jumpbass/32/147_2.png) [@Jumpbass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jumpbass)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2015, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-the-glockenspiel-superstars/736505/3 "2015-11-03T16:33:23Z")
Dunno about glockenspiel, but tuba? You bet. Jon Sass James Self (plays just about any tuba solo in Hollywood soundtracks, including the Jabba The Hutt solo and the mother ship in Close Encounters Howard Johnson Harvey Phillips Bill Bell Sam Pilafian Roger Bobo R. Winston Morris That’s just off the top of my head. Can you tell that I play tuba? ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2015, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-the-glockenspiel-superstars/736505/4 "2015-11-03T16:49:27Z")
**Jack Ashford** is considered a master of the tambourine, most famously on hundreds of Motown tracks as part of the Funk Brothers studio crew. > **[Jack Ashford](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_Ashford)** > > Jack Ashford (born May 18, 1934), known to his friends as Jashford, is an American musician widely known as the percussionist for Motown Records' in-house Funk Brothers band during the 1960s and early 1970s. Ashford is most famous for playing the tambourine on hundreds of Motown recordings. With the death of Joe Messina in April 2022, Ashford is the last surviving member of the Funk Brothers.\[a\] > Instruments he is known to have played are the tambourine, vibraphone, marimba, maracas, cabasa, bell... ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2015, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-the-glockenspiel-superstars/736505/5 "2015-11-03T16:52:12Z")
Let’s not forget George Zampir, Master of the Pan Flute. And certainly everyone remembers Gene Frenkle, Master of the Cow Bell. ---
**Author:** ![lawoot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/35a633/32.png) [@lawoot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lawoot)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2015, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-the-glockenspiel-superstars/736505/6 "2015-11-03T18:05:29Z")
glockenspiel: I would think any proficient mallet player. [Lionel Hampton](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AWT69ukNztM)? Ruth Underwood? ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2015, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-the-glockenspiel-superstars/736505/7 "2015-11-03T18:23:20Z")
How about a superstar on the [CARILLON](http://www.castinbronze.net/). I’ve seen and heard carillonneur Frank DellaPenna in concert, and he absolutely amazing! ---
**Author:** ![cjepson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a9adbd/32.png) [@cjepson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cjepson)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2015, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-the-glockenspiel-superstars/736505/8 "2015-11-04T18:56:22Z")
> [@lawoot](#): > > glockenspiel: I would think any proficient mallet player. [Lionel Hampton](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AWT69ukNztM)? Ruth Underwood? I was gonna say Lionel Hampton. He would have been a demon on glockenspiel. ---
**Author:** ![Smeghead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2015, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-the-glockenspiel-superstars/736505/9 "2015-11-04T20:56:01Z")
I suspect that 0 glockenspiels will sound surprisingly similar to the sound of 0 cellists. ---
**Author:** ![Death\_of\_Rats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a6a055/32.png) [@Death\_of\_Rats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Death_of_Rats)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2015, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-the-glockenspiel-superstars/736505/10 "2015-11-04T21:13:26Z")
> [@ralph124c](#): > > I was really impressed when Ma had about 0 cellists playing togetherI wonder what n 0 Glockenspiels would sound like? I have 0 Cellos playing together right now. Not that impressive. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2015, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-the-glockenspiel-superstars/736505/11 "2015-11-04T21:14:24Z")
For pop/rock use of the glockenspiel, I always think of “Little” Steve Van Zandt and the Disciples of Soul’s 1982 not-quite-hit [“Forever”](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r1ctug20gio). The video and song epitomize early '80s outer-borough New York street life! But it’s hardly a virtuoso part – I can play it on my toddler’s classic color-coded toy glockenspiel. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2015, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-the-glockenspiel-superstars/736505/12 "2015-11-04T21:35:17Z")
Gary Burton maybe. Cal Tjader. ---
**Author:** ![Claverhouse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/13edae/32.png) [@Claverhouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Claverhouse)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2015, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-the-glockenspiel-superstars/736505/13 "2015-11-04T21:39:28Z")
Benjamin Franklin enjoyed playing on the Water Glasses — an Irish innovation — and indeed made a semi-mechanized version partially worked by a treadle. Since virtually no other famous person has performed on them it is safe to say he was their Superstar, even had he not been very good on them. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2015, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-the-glockenspiel-superstars/736505/14 "2015-11-04T22:10:34Z")
[Dawn Landes](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dawn_Landes)? ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2015, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-the-glockenspiel-superstars/736505/15 "2015-11-05T02:25:30Z")
> [@Claverhouse](#): > > Benjamin Franklin enjoyed playing on the Water Glasses — an Irish innovation — and indeed made a semi-mechanized version partially worked by a treadle. Since virtually no other famous person has performed on them it is safe to say he was their Superstar, even had he not been very good on them. Mozart, however, [did write for the instrument](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CxsPTgSDuh4) (the glass (h)armonica). ---
**Author:** ![Claverhouse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/13edae/32.png) [@Claverhouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Claverhouse)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2015, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-the-glockenspiel-superstars/736505/16 "2015-11-05T03:07:46Z")
Can’t you just envisage old Ben, playing his little heart out, severely discomforted by charming young 18th century groupies removing their underwear — very slowly — and throwing it at him ? _“Fie, Madam, for shame ! For very **shame**!”_ That’s why he invented the bifocals. ---
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2015, 3:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-the-glockenspiel-superstars/736505/17 "2015-11-05T03:18:08Z")
Did you know that Clara Rockmore was the theremin superstar? [https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clara\_Rockmore](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clara_Rockmore) ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2015, 4:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-the-glockenspiel-superstars/736505/18 "2015-11-05T04:12:01Z")
If you’re interested in marimba, Starbuck’s, “[Moonlight Feels Right](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xwOirZ-rg6Q),” (from 1976) has a kick-ass marimba solo in the middle by co-founder Bo Wagner. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2015, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-the-glockenspiel-superstars/736505/19 "2015-11-05T17:10:19Z")
Lisa Simpson: “You have to listen to the notes he _doesn’t_ play.” Audience member: “I can do that at home.” ---
**Author:** ![Balance](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ccd318/32.png) [@Balance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balance)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2015, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-the-glockenspiel-superstars/736505/20 "2015-11-05T17:18:11Z")
> [@Annie-Xmas](#): > > How about a superstar on the [CARILLON](http://www.castinbronze.net/). I’ve seen and heard carillonneur Frank DellaPenna in concert, and he absolutely amazing! I’ve heard him many times at Faires, and remain impressed. Of course, being the only player of the only existing instrument of its type for most of your career kind of helps make you the superstar of it. 😃 [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-are-the-glockenspiel-superstars/736505.md?page=2)