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{{for multi|the Cocteau play|La Machine à écrire|the machine itself|Typewriter}}

factoids

| label = Decca Records| writer =| composer = Leroy Anderson| lyricist =| producer =| prev_title =| prev_year =| title =| next_title =| next_year = }}File:Underwood-overview.jpg|thumb|TypewriterTypewriter"The Typewriter" is a short composition of light music by American composer Leroy Anderson, which features an actual typewriter as a percussion instrument.

Composition

Anderson completed "The Typewriter" on October 9, 1950 in Woodbury, Connecticut."Leroy Anderson: A Bio-Bibliography", Praeger 2004, Chapter 2 – "Works", Pages 25–81. "The Typewriter" received its first performance on September 8, 1953 during a recording Anderson and the Boston Pops Orchestra made in New York City for Decca Records."Leroy Anderson: A Bio-Bibliography", Praeger 2004, Appendix H – "Recording Sessions and Musicians", page 411 Anderson composed the melody for symphony and pops orchestras; William Zinn and Floyd Werle arranged it for string orchestras and wind bands respectively.Published Music // Leroy Anderson's official website(File:Rezeptionsglocke.jpg|thumb|Bell structure)Its name refers to the fact that its performance requires a typewriter, while using three basic typewriter sounds: the sound of typing, the "ring" of the carriage return indicating an approaching end-of-line (a standard desk bell is used for it), and the sound of the typewriter’s carriage returning. In some cases the sound of the typewriter’s carriage returning is made by a musical gourd,Evening at Pops with Leroy Anderson, transcript of episode of Evening at Pops broadcast in May 1972, at PBS, retrieved June 23, 2012 flute, string or other instrument.The typewriter was modified so that only two keys work to prevent the keys from jamming. According to the composer himself, as well as other musicians, the typewriter part is difficult because of how fast the typing speed is: even professional stenographers cannot do it, and only professional drummers have the necessary wrist flexibility.Leroy Anderson: Master of the Miniature, at National Public Radio, by Pat Dowell, published June 27, 2008, retrieved June 23, 2012It has been called one of "the wittiest and most clever pieces in the orchestral repertoire"."Compact Discoveries: #13, Leroy Anderson", by Fred Flaxman, broadcast 2005, transcript posted 2009, retrieved June 23, 2012 Author Steve Metcalf has written that "Despite the almost total disappearance of typewriters in everyday life, the statistics show that "The Typewriter" is still a favorite Anderson item.""Leroy Anderson: A Bio-Bibliography", Praeger 2004, Chapter 1 – "Biography", Page 15The typewriter is considered a percussion instrument,Thomas D Rossing, Science of Percussion Instruments World Scientific Pub Co Inc, 2000 and the typewriter part is usually performed by a percussionist or drummer, or rarely by the conductor.[https:www.youtube.com/watch?v=FiKfHXVfWBI&t=1594 New Year with] Vladimir Spivakov // Russia-K, December 31, 2012

In popular culture

The piece was featured in the Jerry Lewis film Who's Minding the Store (1963){{cn|date=February 2022}} and in the musical montage that opens Lewis' 1980 film Hardly Working,{{cn|date=February 2022}} although his first recorded performance was on a January 1954 episode of The Colgate Comedy Hour.{{cn|date=February 2022}} The Radio 4 satirical programme The News Quiz has adopted the tune as its theme song (though, oddly, in an arrangement not featuring a typewriter).{{cn|date=February 2022}}

References

{{Reflist}}

External links

• The Typewriter played by Spanish percussionist Alfredo Anaya and Hamburg Symphony Orchestra directed by Miguel Roa.

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