Δαφνη Ευτυχια Αρθουρος

"I believe that a taste for brass instruments is hereditary. My father destroyed his domestic peace by immoderate indulgence in the trombone; my uncle played the ophicleide -- very nicely, I must admit -- for years, and then perished at his own hand. Some day I shall buy a trombone myself." -- George Bernard Shaw (b. 1856-07-26, d. 1950-11-02), under the pen name Corno di Bassetto, 1889-03-08; collected in London Music in 1888-89 as Heard by Corno di Bassetto (later known as Bernard Shaw) with Some Further Autobiographical Particulars (1937, Constable & Company Limited, London) [out of copyright; full text available for download in multiple formats at that link]

Somehow my father (b. 1931-11-04, d. 1999-05-17), a former US Air Force trombonist, managed to raise two guitarists (myself and my middle brother) but no horn players. Maybe someday I'll get the hang of brass -- I should get out the euphonium and scare the dog and the cat for a while.