Modartt has released the Celeste add-on, an expansion for Pianoteq featuring two instruments: Celesta and Glockenspiel.
The celesta has an appearance of an acoustic upright piano. It consists of metal plates stroke by felt hammers resembling piano hammers and there is also a sustain pedal. The timbre is very soft and subtle. The Pianoteq virtual copy is modelled after a modern five-octave German brand.
The glockenspiel is also made of metal plates but is stroke by hard metal mallets held by the musician, and is smaller and higher in pitch. The timbre is much more brilliant than the celesta. The Pianoteq virtual copy, modelled after a modern French brand, has been slightly extended to cover four octaves.
Both instruments are often recognized in classical masterpieces – the celesta in Tchaikovsky’s «Nutcracker» movement «Dance of the Sugarplum Fairy», and the glockenspiel in Mozart’s «Die Zauberflöte» (The Magic Flute). These instruments are still used today in various music genres.
Thanks to Pianoteq’s physical model, the add-on instruments come in several variants including a new and exclusive “humanization” feature for the strike point, achieving a variation that makes them more expressive sounding. This is particularly true for the glockenspiel where the musician never hits the plates at the exact same point.
The Celesta add-on for Pianoteq is available to purchase for 49 EUR (requires a licence of Pianoteq 3 Standard, PRO or PLAY).
More information: Pianoteq
