The Elusive Cimbalon

Press, Volume C, Issue 29520, 23 May 1961, Page 13

The Elusive Cimbalon

One of the problems that faces any orchestra planning a performance of the popular fairy-tale suite "Harry Janos” by Kodaly is to track down that rare instru. ment, the Hungarian cimbalon—and, of course, someone who can play it. In Britain this means capturing Gilbert Webster, the 8.8. C Symphony Orchestra’s principal percussion player, who has for many years owned the only cimbalon in captivity in the country.

The cimbalon looks rather like a small table with wires and produces nostalgic twanging noises. Webster played it recently in 8.8. C television’s “International Concert Hall” in a perfor. mance of the suite by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.

But he is also the player, not only whenever the work is broadcast by the 8.8. C. but wherever and whenever it has a concert performance in Britain. One orchestra was once rash enough to include “Harry Janos” in its programme, and forgot to book Webster, with the result that the item had to be can. celled.

In this six-movement suite named after the tailstory teller of Hungarian folk-lore, the orchestra begins with a big sneeze, proving (to Hungarians) that everything to follow is a pack of lies. This story about Gilbert Webster is. however, perfectly true.

“We love noise more than we know, even when no other human being is present. When we go from town to live in the country ... we go, not in order to escape from noise, but in search of a different kind of noise.”— Robert Lynd.