| cornet memory: My dad is a brass bander, and in seventh grade, I used paper route money to buy myself a Bach 184 XL bore (at Evanston Band and orchestra's "bach day") and really cherished the sound. My father, a falcone-trained euphonomist, was trying to teach me a point, I think, about edge by steering me towards the cornet. Lately, I have begun to appreciate "edge" in certain settings as a player, but I still love going back to the cornet. Freshman year in high school I was still playing on that cornet exclusively and everyone looked at me strange in high school band.
Then I went to symphony center and heard wynton do L'Historie and "the fiddler's tale." The group had david schifrin, i can't quite remember who (but he is a big name, I'm just blanking) on trombone, just top notch people--a young stefan harris on percussion. Wynton played the most colorful, beautiful, blending, character-filled cornet (I think it was a monette, but what does that matter). Of course, I was in the gallery, but I could hear so crystal clear. I know alot of people jump on Wynton, but that was an exciting night, to hear the cornet played so well. I only wished I had appreciated stravinsky then as I do now. That, in addition to some brass band albums, helped me realize i wasn't on a "baby trumpet." |