Daniel Canarutto comments about:
...the widespread belief that a horn plays better if it has been played for an extended period of time by a good player.
This is also a widespread belief among string players. Violinists say that persistent playing out of tune can damage a fine instrument and that an instrument played regularly by a master can only improve. I will not admit to how many fine instruments I have ruined, but as I understand it, the rationale behind this belief is that good playing produces the right "chord-of-nature" overtones that in turn somehow do something to the allignment of the molecules in the instrument. There may be something in this, but I am skeptical. I do know that a master player can take my violin and make it sound like a fine instrument -- something I can rarely achieve. I suspect it is the same with horns. Fine instruments are wonderful and are worth all the treasure they command, but it is alway fine musicians who make the magic happen.
David Lamb in Seattle
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