Today I'll be posting just one book, but it's an amazing book! I did look for a companion to go with it, and did find something, but despite a good bibliography and so on, the book itself, sadly, was just, well dull!

The Perfect Tuba: Forging Fulfillment from the Bass Horn, Band, and Hard Work, by Sam Quinones was not! Seems the author, who writes mostly about drugs and crime wanted to do an 'optimistic' book. He went back to a file he started some years ago on the tuba and decided that would be his next project. Yes, the tuba! The tuba is a relatively new instrument, dating from the late 1800's or so. Something was needed, with more power than a stringed instrument to anchor the orchestra. Many were, and are, produced, but two remain supreme, both owned by the Chicago Symphony at the time of the writing of this book: the York tubas made almost a century ago now. They have never been equaled in sound ... it's been tried, they've been studied ... (it was a fun chapter) ... and, the author actually got the chance to (try and) play one! It took a lot of air, but he finally made a sound, which, he said, sounded so much like a growling stomach that he felt the need to apologize. It was as if he had burped in a cathedral. (p. 24) An odd side note here, the instrument that takes the second most amount of air is the flute, mainly because most of that is wasted by blowing across the mouthpiece.

The author, who works mostly from interviews, sets out to meet up with tuba players across the country. In one of the poorest areas of Texas a director has set up a program to make music available to everyone. To that end he hires teachers who play a brass instrument, and will teach marching band. They will stay with a student from 6th grade through high school. They arrive early and stay late so there is always an open room for practicing (which they insist on). At concerts the girls wear a black dress, the boys black pants, white shirt and a tie (the director provides them if necessary). These bands do well, and start beating out fancier, more elite schools in competitions. Some of the students go off to college with scholarships ... I am not dong it justice here, this is an amazing program! I found myself nodding frequently while reading this, and thinking how much my dad would have approved.

Two observations here: I come from a musical background, my father was a band director, and had marching bands. I marched in band through college, and then played in various bands and orchestras for some time afterward. I played a brass instrument (so did my Dad, actually). I felt great kinship with many of the events in this book. Because of that, I asked a friend of mine, who is in a book club, if they would consider reading it. None of them have musical backgrounds so they said 'no'. I looked up the reviews, which were glowing ... even from those without a musical background but, they had read the earlier books by this author and loved his writing style (it is good) ... so ... there it is, maybe this will help you decide whether or not to read this book. :-)

Reading Hermit With Dog