University of Pittsburgh Library System

Percussion has a unique written identity with particular emphasis on aural transmission and functionality. Percussion parts are often unclearly notated and give the percussionist an unusual amount of authority of interpretation compared to other instruments. Although the music is left open to interpretation, the performer is still expected to know and adhere to unwritten standards dictated by percussion traditions. In my research, I examined military, jazz and dance band instruction manuals from the Theodore M. Finney Music Library, dance band percussion parts from the Johnny Master’s Collection, and various manuscripts of early percussion parts from online research in order to look for trends in notation throughout the history of Western percussion and written information from percussion teachers on the typically unwritten traditional standards. I found an enormous importance on dialogue between percussion student and teacher, as well as some explanations for why certain trends are commonly unnotated and left to the interpretation of the percussionist.