Special Relationship

I have a special relationship with my owner. He takes care of me and treats me right. I, in turn, try my best to treat him in like fashion by offering to him the best that I have within me and asking very little in return. I am a horn--commonly referred to as a French Horn. My owner, Robert Tucker, purchased me used from my previous owner where I used to play in the National Symphony Orchestra. My previous owner believed, like Rob, that my tone is superior and my construction is of the highest order. While I don't mean to be arrogant, my creators from the Alexander company, used the finest metal and the finest engineers in my design. Few, if any, horns have the inherent beauty and warmth that I impart in sound. This tends to give me an edge over other like instruments.

In addition, I am a descant horn meaning I am three feet shorter in overall length from most French horns which, in turn, enables my owner to be more accurate on notes in the extreme upper register. Like most horns, I do have my idiosyncrasies with a few notes that lean sharp or flat at certain times and a few difficult slurs in certain registers; yet, even with those minor flaws (which incidentally are fewer than most), I am superior in many other respects. Unfortunately, I am getting older and, like my owner, I don't look all that great anymore. I have lost my natural attractiveness and my joints are getting loose. I am a little spotted, weak at certain points, and get worn out quicker than I used to. I am having to be repaired fairly often and my soldered connections are not holding up as well. But, be that as it may, I still have a charm and beauty that belies my old, worn out appearance. Inside, like my owner, I am as good as ever (I wouldn't mind, however, if he would polish me occasionally--it would at least make me appear a little newer)!

Because Rob treats me well and has recently used me for many great pieces and concerts, I feel I owe it to him to do the best job I can in all circumstances. Playing a Mozart Concerto and a Bach Mass within two days of each other, gave me an opportunity to demonstrate my golden nature and to prove to the world that even though I am getting long in years, I can still hold my own with the younger generation of instruments.

But not all is rosy between my owner and me. He often neglects me and in the interstice between playing, I feel unimportant and become less effective. My valves sometimes need oiling, my slides greasing, and mostly my purpose for existence--to make beautiful music--is negated. It leaves me rather pensive and lachrymose, without a sense of fulfilling my mission as a musical instrument. Yet one could argue that is also makes the musical times more special and momentous. My only other complaint against Rob is that my case is pretty worn out and I personally think I deserve a new case, one that will both protect me and provide great comfort.

In the end, though, our years together have served us well in a beautiful team spirit of cooperation and aesthetic enjoyment. Many thousands of hours of music making and we are far from done yet. We look forward to many more years together in our loving and special relationship that only comes from years of joys and struggles and years of searching for perfection in music. We are far from perfect but it is the journey toward that ideal truth that is satisfying.