celesta n : a musical instrument consisting of graduated steel plates that are struck by hammers activated by a keyboard

English

Alternative spellings

• celeste

Pronunciation

(US) /səˈlɛstə/

Noun

1. a musical instrument consisting principally of a set of graduated steel plates struck with hammers that are activated by a keyboard.

Derived terms

• celestist

The celesta (pronounced /səˈlɛstə/) or celeste (pronounced /səˈlɛst/) is a struck idiophone operated by a keyboard. Its appearance is similar to that of an upright piano (four- or five-octave) or of a large wooden music box (three-octave). The keys are connected to hammers which strike a graduated set of metal (usually steel) plates suspended over wooden resonators. One pedal is usually available to sustain or dampen the sound, on four or five octave models. The three-octave instruments do not have a pedal, due to their small "table-top" design. One of the most well-known works that makes use of the celesta is Tchaikovsky's "Dance of the Sugarplum Fairy" from The Nutcracker.

• Glockenspiel, a mallet percussion instrument with a similar timbre
• Piano

External links

• NPR - The Celesta: The Sound of the Sugar Plum Fairy

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