Archived under: Equipment, Humor | Horn Calls Past
Professor Hubley Recommends a Horn — Memories of Horn Calls Past: My First Issue of The Horn Call, Part VII
In the “Afterbeats” section of the October, 1979 issue of The Horn Call we find the article “Dear Professor Hubley.” It is an advice column similar to the more famous Dear Abby column except that it is of course all things horn! While related to horn personalities of the time the questions and answers are pretty timeless and a final good example of the content that lurks in back issues of The Horn Call. The second question addressed to Prof. Hubley is
Dear Professor Hubley,
I want to get a new horn, but have been very confused as to what to get – there are so many brands and models on the market. What do you suggest?
– WonderingDear Wondering,
I’m glad you asked that question. As far as I am concerned there is only one possible choice for you (or anyone): the new Hubley Horn, made by the Frack Mfg. Co. of Kicks, Minnesota, specialists in the manufacture of brass instruments and precision plumbing accessories. This horn has everything: mouthpiece … bell … valves …. I designed this horn to be all things to all players. You can order your choice of bore sizes, from weensy to unbelievably gross; metals: from aluminum for those light French numbers, to cast iron (must be greased inside and out regularly) for those big romantic muthas.
Skipping ahead a bit (the instrument was convertible to everything from a single F to various types of double horns!), we get to the mouthpiece.
Each horn comes equipped with three mouthpieces: the Hubley Screech Owl High Chop for high hornists, the Hubley Windflap Big Bore for low players (a No. 2 pencil will pass through it easily), and the Hubley Middler (measurements are the averages of those of all known mouthpieces) for those who don’t mind being laughed at by the highs or lows for being a sissy for not using what they do. Optional accessories: the Hubley Bulldog Stopping Mute, guaranteed to stop a runaway horn at 100 yards; Hubley Valve Oil (120 proof, guaranteed to make your valves unsticky and you pretty loose as well). Finally: the Hubley Rhino Hide Horn Case.
I think there might actually be a market for that “Middler” mouthpiece. Skipping ahead again a bit, Hubley has a deal for the reader and in the end a confession.
If you order directly from me, I will give you 20% off list price. (You see, the factory gives me 40% off, I give you and all my students 20% off, and everybody is happy. You didn’t think I got my pool table, sailboat, and new wing on my house selling Christmas cards, now, did you?)
Dear Professor Hubley,
What kind of horn and mouthpiece do you play yourself?
– Still WonderingDear Still Wondering,
A pre-war single Bb Crumbley with a mouthpiece my teacher gave me (I also have a Hubley model around here somewhere which I use for circus gigs, Wagner, and supermarket openings). If it’s any of your business.
972 articles: JOHN ERICSON has wide-ranging experience as an orchestral player, soloist, and teacher.» About John Ericson » More articles » Horn Notes Edition » Contact
Related to this article
- John Clark, Song of Light–Memories of Horn Calls Past: My First Issue of The Horn Call, Part VI
One feature of The Horn Call for many years has been reviews of new books and recordings. My first issue had a special, guest record review by Douglas Hill of Song of Light by John Clark. I bought it and this jazz horn recording certainly remains... - Karl Stiegler, Vienna Horns, and a Viennese Bass Horn–Memories of Horn Calls Past: My First Issue of The Horn Call, Part III
One of the things my name has become associated with over the years is scholarship into the horn in the nineteenth century. Even in late high school I was already interested in horn history, and a prominent article in my first issue of The Horn Call... - Memories of Horn Calls Past: My First Issue of The Horn Call, Part I—Notes on the Front Matter
I joined the IHS when I was a senior in high school. In those days long before E-mail or Horn Matters the journal of the International Horn Society, The Horn Call, was a literally a lifeline for horn players, especially so for someone like me out... - Memories of Horn Calls Past: My First Issue of The Horn Call, Part II–Reports on the 1979 Workshop and the Bass Horn
Part one of this series touched on the 1979 Annual Horn Workshop but there were several reports in the October, 1979 issue of The Horn Call that went into more depth. The first report was by Leslie Gaska. It gave a great view of the event... - Elliott on the Brahms Horn Trio–Memories of Horn Calls Past: My First Issue of The Horn Call, Part IV
As noted earlier in this series, it is very interesting to me to look back and see how several of the articles in my first issue of The Horn Call really caught my interest. One of those certainly was the article by David G. Elliott on... - Horn Improvement Surveys and More–Memories of Horn Calls Past: My First Issue of The Horn Call, Part V
Any good horn player has their eyes out looking for a better horn. In recognition of this, In the Fall of 1978 the I.H.S. inserted a Horn Improvement Questionnaire Survey in the Horn Call. A total of 175 were returned covering 20 different brands of French... - Memories of Horn Choirs Past, and Renovations at Our Old Stomping Ground
One of the things I enjoy every year is conducting a performance by the ASU Horn Choir. In the fall we work almost always on works arranged or composed for 8 horns in a manner that are laid out basically as two four part choirs that...
Fingerings and Notations for the Single B-flat Horn
Quote from Winston Churchill on Life and Living
Exercise for Till Eulenspiegel: Till the Cows Come Home
