Jantics

I tried a new search engine today.
It’s www.spock.com, and it’s a people search engine. You can search for people by name or by putting in various descriptive terms to see what comes up. For example, you can put in obscure stuff like “blue eyes” and “loves broccoli”, just to see who on the planet fits that criteria.
I gave it a try.

I started by typing in “hates onions.” Two results came up, both of them were college students.

Then I tried “surrealist”. That got more results, one of which was Michael Stipe from the group R.E.M. I have an R.E.M. CD in my living room right now. I like them, but never really thought of them as surrealist.

Finally I typed in “French horn.”
And a hundred results came up.
Ahhhhh. Yes.
There was David Amram, a classical horn player and a JAZZ horn player. I’d like to try playing jazz on the horn one of these days. It’s not my favorite genre, but still one I respect. I wonder if I could find any CD’s of David Amram playing jazz horn?

Then, oh my goodness, I saw a name I recognized from my childhood. Barry Tuckwell! He was the first professional hornist I ever learned about. Waaaaay back in the olden days when I was still learning the instument for the first time, I told my mother I wanted a record of classical music with plenty of french horn parts in it. (We didn’t have CD’s back in those days, kids, it was big round flat LP records. Yes, I’m old.)
Anyway, mom and I went record shopping, and I found a recording of Barry Tuckwell playing the Mozart horn concertos. I took it home and listened to it over and over again. I think eventually the record got so scratched I couldn’t use it anymore. But it definitely reinforced my conviction that I LOVE this instrument. Even at the age of twelve, I knew I wanted to be a classical french hornist.
Oh, the memories!
I remember my mother would always mispronounce his name. Even to this very day she calls him “Barry TUTwell” instead of “Barry TUCKwell.”
I correct her every time, but it never helps.


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