Pedal C

The time has come to set the record straight. This is information I’ve carried for too long…

It is a little known fact that Paul Hindemith had a devious twin brother, Raul. Late at night, and unbeknownst to his family, young Raul would sneak off into the forest and partake in many dark arts. Witchcraft, fortune telling, cat juggling and yes, even viola playing.

When Raul's deviance became known, he was disowned by the Hindemith family and left home to join a curious band of gypsies who had (strangely) dedicated themselves to total obscurity. Their idols included vice presidents, middle relievers, ushers, backup dancers and professional bowlers. Obviously, Raul’s “musical” leanings were in harmony with these vagabonds, and he quickly rose to the center of the movement. Under his leadership, Raul and his compatriots achieved many, many meaningless goals (observing the first four minute mile, painting a picture of the Mona Lisa, commissioning the Eiffel Sidewalk, etc), but a history of this movement (they had no name) would fill an encyclopedia, even though it dosen't deserve to.

Returning to Paul, he was a struggling composer trying to make ends meet, working at a local eating establishment as a bratenfraugenmittenschtuffenplier (literally – bratwurst guy). This was not as glamorous or lucrative as it sounds. Paul desperately wanted to devote himself to composing full time, but he could only write whole notes and half notes as he could not afford enough ink to fill in the note heads. It was during this period that Paul began work on what would later become the ending of the Trumpet Sonata.

As fate would have it, Raul had been ejected from his clan as he had taken to skipping meetings. Even though obscurity was praised, not showing up was a terrible offence! Alone and broken, he sought out his brother.

The brothers reconciled and hatched a plan. Raul (posing as Paul) would play viola in various local orchestras, providing the duo with money and satisfying Raul’s innate desire to be completely anonymous. Paul was ecstatic! Not only could he afford to compose as he wished (oh, how he had longed for sixteenth notes!), he could now eat something other than bratwurst for lunch.

This arrangement was wildly successful. Raul left Germany with Paul and followed him for the rest of his life, paying the bills by playing the viola. Eventually Paul was successful enough as a composer, teacher and conductor that he no longer needed the extra viola-induced income, so Raul happily left his brother and wandered off (with a healthy stipend from Paul) to parts unknown, basking in anonymity for the rest of his days.

Paul and Raul took great care to keep this deception to themselves, and this vital information has been passed down to me in a manner so secret, I cannot describe it here. Now that the impossibility of a violist composing such a wonderful piece for trumpet has been brought to light, the truth may finally be known!

Jason.

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"The oboe's A is to make sure we still play it 1 and 2" - Bud Herseth

"One way or another, every patient stops bleeding." - Scrubs