What does glockenspiel mean?
A glockenspiel is a musical instrument made from a set of tuned metal bars. The bars are struck with small hammers, either directly or through a keyboard mechanism, producing bright, clear, bell-like tones. It is used in orchestras, bands, musical theatre, and popular music, often to add sparkle, a childlike quality, or sparkling rhythmic punctuation. Although the name suggests an instrument made from bells, a standard glockenspiel uses metal bars rather than actual bells. In British and American English, “glockenspiel” is the usual form, while “glockspiel” occurs as a variant spelling. The word is especially useful when distinguishing the instrument from a xylophone, which has wooden rather than metal bars.
nounA musical instrument consisting of a set of tuned metal bars that are struck with small hammers, often played with a keyboard. The term can also refer more broadly to a keyboard instrument producing bell-like tones.
- A musical instrument with tuned metal bars struck by small hammers and usually played with a keyboard.
"The orchestra's glockenspiel shimmered above the strings during the finale."
"She learned to play the glockenspiel in her school orchestra."
"The glockenspiel's bright, ringing tones gave the piece an almost magical atmosphere."
The standard plural is glockenspiels.
"The school owns several glockenspiels for its beginning music classes."
The word glockenspiel literally means “bell play,” though the instrument it names makes its tones with struck metal bars rather than actual bells.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does glockenspiel come from?
The word comes from German, where Glockenspiel is a compound of glocken, meaning “bells,” and spielen, meaning “to play.” The literal sense is “bell play.” English borrowed the term for the instrument, whose bright metallic tones were historically associated with bells; the related variant spelling glockspiel also reflects the German form.
Related word forms
How glockenspiel is actually used
The word is most common in orchestral, band, and musical-theatre contexts. It is also sometimes used loosely for a small keyboard instrument that produces bell-like sounds.
Easily confused with glockenspiel
A glockenspiel has tuned metal bars, while a xylophone has tuned wooden bars.