The xylophone is a percussion instrument consisting of tuned wooden bars struck with mallets. Its name comes from the Greek words 'xylon' (wood) and 'phone' (sound). While various forms of the xylophone existed in Asia and Africa for millennia, it became popular in Europe as a 'folk' instrument. In the 19th century, it was often associated with death and the macabre. Composer Camille Saint-Saëns famously used the xylophone in his 1874 work 'Danse Macabre' to represent the sound of skeletons' bones rattling together as they dance in a graveyard. This established the xylophone as a standard orchestral instrument. Unlike the marimba, which has a warm, deep tone, the xylophone has a much higher pitch and a short, sharp, biting sound because its bars are carved differently and it uses shorter resonators. Modern xylophone bars are often made of synthetic materials like Kelon to prevent cracking and detuning in different climates.