I am trying to find examples of instruments used in standard classical music which have required special construction. Two examples of the sort of thing I mean are the taxi horns used in Gershwin's 'An American in Paris' and the specially large bass drum which should be used in the Dies Irae of the Verdi Requiem. Are there any other such inclusions that have spawned an industry, so to speak? Phone up a percussion hire company, for example, mention tuned taxi horns and they will immediately assume you are performing 'An American in Paris'. I must stress, I am looking for instruments which occur in what might call the standard repertoire, by which I suppose I mean pieces you are likely to hear in the concert hall. The John Cage Piano Concerto (1963) directs at one point that turkeys should be let out of a coffin. Fun, but doesn't count. Rainer Hersch <[log in to unmask]> *********************************************** The CLASSICAL mailing list is powered by L-Soft's renowned LISTSERV(R) list management software together with L-Soft's HDMail High Deliverability Mailer for reliable, lightning fast mail delivery. For more information, go to: http://www.lsoft.com/LISTSERV-powered.html