Dictionary of Music - Birding America

stem 399not the pitches but the instrument’s strings. In theeighteenth century the modern system of writing allthe music of an orchestral work on a series of staveswas devised (see full score, under SCORE). In thetwentieth century, as composers began to experimentwith new methods of composition (electronicmusic, aleatory music, musique concrète), numerousnew methods of notation were devised, many ofwhich dispensed with staves (see also GRAPHICNOTATION).Stamitz (shtä′mits), Johann Wenzel Anton(yō′hän ven′tsəl än′tōn), 1717–1757. ABohemian-born German composer and violinistwho, as musical director of the Mannheim orchestra,helped establish the modern symphony orchestra.Further, his compositions, among them more thanseventy symphonies, established some of the basicfeatures of the classical symphony. Stamitz was alsoan influential teacher. His pupils included his sons,Karl and Johann Anton (owing to the similar names,the latter is often confused with his father), JohannChristian Bach (Bach’s youngest son), Luigi Boccherini,and Karl Ditters von Dittersdorf. AmongStamitz’s innovations was using marked dynamiccontrasts (of loud and soft), contrasting themeswithin a movement (see SONATA FORM), the eliminationof the baroque continuo accompaniment indicatedby figured bass (see CONTINUO; FIGUREDBASS), and increasing use of wind instruments (hewrote the first symphony with parts for clarinet). Seealso MANNHEIM SCHOOL.Ständchen (shtent′KHən). The German term forserenade (see SERENADE, def. 1).stanza See VERSE, def. 1.stark (shtärk) German: “strong” or “strongly.” Adirection to perform loudly, forcefully. It is also usedtogether with other terms, as in stark betont(“strongly emphasized”), and stark bewegt (“very[strongly] lively”).stärker (shter′kər) German: “stronger” or “morestrongly.” A direction to perform louder, more forcefully.staveAnother word for STAFF.steel band An instrumental ensemble made up ofsteel drums, which are fashioned from oil drums andstruck with twin mallets. The bottom lids are dentedand otherwise bent so as to produce differentpitches, the pitch sounded depending on the exactpoint where the drum is struck. Notes are arrangedaround the playing surface in rings, with the lowestpitches on the outside of the rim and higher pitchesnear the center. A drum may have three sets of rings,and can sound up to 32 pitches, so that a band ofeleven drums may have a total range of five octaves.In addition, the drum produces a rich array of harmonicovertones and couplings between notes. Forrhythm the bands use maracas, scrapers, and thelike. Originating in the islands of the Caribbean,especially Trinidad, where the steel drum is calledpan, steel bands provide the rhythmic accompanimentfor calypso and other popular music. Steeldrums are used occasionally in American jazz anddance bands. Today’s chromed drums are far moresophisticated and expensive than the original oildrum. They come in a variety of styles, with thebowl’s depth varying from about eight inches in atenor drum to four inches in a bass drum. They alsoare used as a solo instrument, with a group of drumsclustered around the performer.steel drumSee under STEEL BAND.steel guitar 1 Another name for the electric guitar,which normally has metal strings in place of theclassic guitar’s gut strings. (See under ELECTRONICINSTRUMENTS.) 2 Another name for HAWAIIAN GUI-TAR.Steg, am (äm shtāk) German. In music for violinsand other bowed instruments, a direction to bowover the bridge of the instrument, producing a nasal,brittle tone.stem The short vertical line that is part of the writtenhalf note, quarter note, eighth note, etc. Only thewhole note lacks a stem. Stems may point either upor down; ordinarily notes on the upper half of thestaff have downward stems, and those on the lower