Message text written by The Horn List >(I'm sure Paul can fill out the details and correct the exaggerations) regarding a very famous trumpet player who was brought in to play "The Trumpet Shall Sound" in an amateur performance of "The Messiah".<
Dear All I am sorry that I jumped the gun and duplicated other people's replies to this thread. However, this story as related seems to me to be correct in every detail except one. It was often told by a very famous horn player and teacher (now deceased) who was there at the time (playing 2nd horn - presumably the good Dr Prout's version) and the culprit was his own teacher who was on 1st horn. There are many stories about this gentleman (Otto Paersch) who seems to have been just about the biggest practical joker in the business. One oft quoted comment about him is so unkind to another well known horn player now amongst the choir invisible that it must go untold on this list. But, there is the advice to a young horn player to wear plus fours for his first gig. And what about this one - told to me by Bob Aspden (now etc. etc) who was a student of Paersch's at the Royal Manchester College of Music in the 1930s. Bob used to have his horn lessons at the ungodly hour of 8.30 in the morning (just try to get a student to agree to this now!) in a practice room exactly one floor up from the office of the Principal of the RMCM at that time - R.J.Forbes - who was known to detest loud brass playing. Bob was half way through a study with Paersch saying over and over again - "louder, louder". Paersch finally took Bob's horn from him and proceeded to blast his way through the study in question. As he got to the end, angry footsteps were heard coming up the stairs. Paersch pushed the horn back into Bob's hands just as Forbes entered the room saying "please instruct that student not to play so loudly Mr Paersch!" Paersch turned to Bob with a look of absolute deadly seriousness on his face and said - "Yes Robert, how many times do I have to tell you, don't play so loud all the time!" These tales are a bit difficult to believe but we must remember that young people were much less knowing then and far less able or inclined to question authority. Cheers Paul A. Kampen (W.Yorks - UK) _______________________________________________ post: [EMAIL PROTECTED] unsubscribe or set options at http://music.memphis.edu/mailman/options/horn/archive%40jab.org
