my music

I was a sick child.

Pneumonia when I was a few weeks old. Whooping cough when still a baby, childhood diseases - I had them all, and if you could have one more than once, did that too.

Chicken pox, measles (both kids), mumps (I was a teen on that one and thought I would die or be reduced to being a eunuch). But a lot having to do with rather weak lungs.

When I was 10 mom decided that I should take up a wind instrument. I imagine we talked about it a bit and I choose trumpet. We did not have much money, but mom bought a decent cornet, and lessons.

My breathing got better almost immediately. Maybe mom had a doctor who suggested I take up a wind instrument. Were that the case you might say I became a musician (sorta) on Doctor’s orders!

I have good lips to be a trumpet player and have always had a good clear tone, and for some reason I have kept playing through the years. I am not a great player for sure, but I can do the hymns out of the book, mostly.

Through the years I have had a lot of partners. I played duets with John when we were in high school. Marilyn played the piano for us (Marilyn and I started grade school together, and graduated from high school together, John was a year behind in Miriam’s class). I lost John to cancer almost a decade ago.

I did duets with Martin and his trombone. Later I played lead in a group we called “The Antique Brass.” I was in my early 60’s, but the flugelhorn player was 70. My Cornet lead, Carl on flugelhorn, Martin on trombone and and Marvyn's baritone. It was a good group. We played together for a couple of years.

The last time I played my cornet in public was with Eric. Eric married the daughter of a friend, both the friend and Eric are MD’s, but are good guys any way!

Eric plays miles better than I. He can handle the fast tricky rhythms, the technical parts that our church organist loves.

I don’t do all of that, but I come in with the harmony when needed.

We did a version of “Joyful Joyful We Adore Thee” from Beethoven’s 9th, with the organ. A lot of the music was over my technical skills, but Eric made it work well, and I did the harmony. It was the recessional after church. We were not worried because everyone would be milling around and talking.

It did not work that way. The audience sat glued to their chair until we were finished, then they stood and applauded! That may well have been my last public performance.

Music has been good for my lungs. It taught me about being in front of an audience.

It has been a good run.