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Over the years, composers have experimented with groundbreaking instruments to expand the scope of classical music. Despite their innovation, many of these instruments never became a lasting part of the orchestra …
1. SARRUSOPHONE
Invented in 1856, the sarrusophone pays tribute to French military bandleader Pierre-Auguste Sarrus. Designed to replace quieter woodwinds in military bands, its robust, resonant tone—reminiscent of a saxophone—proved ideal for outdoor performances, outperforming delicate instruments like the oboe.
Though never widely adopted, the sarrusophone saw a surge in popularity during the early 20th century, with renowned composers like Maurice Ravel, Frederick Delius, and Igor Stravinsky incorporating it into their works. One of the most notable pieces featuring the sarrusophone is Paul Dukas’ The Sorcerer’s Apprentice, famously used in Disney’s 1940 film Fantasia. Today, due to its rarity, sarrusophone parts are often played by the contrabassoon instead.
2. GLASS ARMONICA
Created by Benjamin Franklin, the glass armonica (or “harmonica”) consists of rotating glass bowls or rings that emit an ethereal sound when touched with moistened fingers. Though not widely known, many classical composers, including Mozart and Beethoven, have composed pieces for it. However, it rarely features in orchestral arrangements. A notable exception is Camille Saint-Saëns’ Carnival of the Animals, where the glass armonica echoes the flute melody in the Aquarium movement.
3. HECKELPHONE
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The heckelphone, a hybrid of the bassoon and oboe, was developed by German instrument maker Wilhelm Heckel in the late 19th century, reportedly at Richard Wagner’s request. Despite its invention, it didn’t appear in classical music until the early 1900s.
In early 20th-century compositions, the heckelphone was often referred to as a “bass oboe,” a term also used for the similar hautbois baryton. This ambiguity makes it difficult to determine which instrument composers like Gustav Holst intended in works such as his Planets suite. However, Richard Strauss explicitly specified the heckelphone in his 1915 masterpiece, Alpine Symphony.
4. THEREMIN
Created by Leon Theremin in the 1920s, this unusual electronic instrument is famous for its eerie, high-pitched tones in classic sci-fi films like Bernard Herrmann’s The Day The Earth Stood Still (1951). Early-to-mid 20th-century composers, including Joseph Schillinger, also incorporated the theremin into orchestral pieces. Schillinger’s First Airphonic Suite (1929) showcased the instrument’s unique sound alongside a symphony orchestra. Here is a video of a cat playing the theremin.
5. WAGNER TUBA
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Though not technically a tuba, the Wagner tuba, or Wagnertuben, was developed at Richard Wagner’s request. Gaining popularity in the mid-19th century, it debuted in Wagner’s Das Rheingold (1854) as a richly-toned instrument designed to bridge the sound gap between the tuba, trombone, and French horn. Since then, composers like Igor Stravinsky, Richard Strauss, and Béla Bartók have occasionally incorporated it into their works.
6. PREPARED PIANO
Piano concertos have been a staple of classical music since the late Romantic era, with Mozart composing his first at just 11 years old. Over time, the piano concerto has become a beloved orchestral form, featuring masterpieces like Beethoven’s Emperor (1811) and Edward Grieg’s Concerto in A minor (1868).
Innovative American composer John Cage took the piano concerto to new heights by writing a concerto for prepared piano—a piano altered with objects like drawing pins, rubber bands, corks, forks, and cotton balls to produce unique percussive sounds. Premiering in New York in 1952, the concerto was written for piano and chamber orchestra.
7. CANNON
While cannons aren’t traditional musical instruments, Tchaikovsky famously included “a battery of cannons” in his 1882 masterpiece, the 1812 Overture. While outdoor performances sometimes use real cannons, most modern renditions opt for audio recordings, sound effects, or substitutes like bass drums or timpani to replicate the 16 cannon blasts required by the score. Regardless of the method, the result is a thrilling finale to a piece Tchaikovsky himself described as “very loud and noisy.”
