George Frederick McKay · section 9 of 111

The Piccolo

The piccolo is interestingly shrill in its high register, shockingly so in its very highest notes. When used too frequently or when used at great length, this instrument can wear out its welcome; but when it enters suddenly as a surprise, as punctuation, or as humorous characterization, it adds a striking newness and brightness. In its extreme low range it possesses a sweet, but wan, quality. The piccolo is quite agile but, because of its minia-

ture construction, is not quite as fluent in legato playing as the flute.

There are numerous opportunities to hear the piccolo used in its high brilliant range, as in the storm scene from Beethoven's Symphony No. 6 ("Pastoral") or in the third movement of Tchaikovsky's Symphony No. 4. Examples of the use of low range are more rare; there is one very clear and expressive example at the end of the second movement of La Mer by Debussy.