The Detroit Symphony Orchestra is performing Bartok's Concerto for Orchestra this week. (Tickets here, webcast Saturday night here.) I was talking to a few colleagues the other day about how well-written the timpani part is: it contains passages that work well for the instrument without venturing into the realm of the unplayable, there are no overwritten gimmicks for gimmicks' sake, yet the part still makes demands of the timpanist that stretch their abilities. That said, wha