Back from Bellingham, getting caught up.
Friday September 14 2007
400 miles— 400 miles— 400 miles— 400 miles— Lord I’m four hundred miles from my home.
Oh wait, that song was about 500 miles. Oh well.
From my house to Peter Hurd’s house is approximately 400 miles, and I’m glad to have finally arrived home tonight. It’s been a long and enjoyable trip, and we had a great time. Since Fred (the previous GG series English Horn) was too sharp for me to play in pitch, I was forced to pick out a new horn. I picked out a KK horn, which is only a couple years older (1933?). It’s also a very interesting instrument, with a semi-automatic and automatic system combined. It also has an open ring system, which strangely enough, I LOVE… the feeling. But most importantly, I love the BIG… sound it was getting! We’re talking ENORMOUS… for a Loree, which typically don’t get large sounds in comparison to other brands.
Meanwhile, a lot of the pads and adjustments were shot, so I dropped it off at Jerry Porter at Beacock Music in Vancouver, Washington. This is a place Peter Hurd recommended for complete restoration/overhauling. Hopefully I’ll get it in 4 weeks, with a maximum of 9 week wait. Meanwhile, Mr. Hurd lent me his Kreul English Horn with a Low Bb. It also has a BIG… dark sound, but has less flexibility in the sound. Still, it is a very nice horn, and where he was previously asking $6700 for it, he has now pronounced it “not for sale” namely because he wants to keep it as his own. His loan is certainly a favor above and beyond the call of business, and is much appreciated. As always, he’s a classy guy, a class act, and a classy businessman. I appreciate his generous service.
The down side is I had to return the backup oboe, which is still waiting for Paul Woltz in Lynnwood, Washington to fix. It’s a great horn, but I can’t really afford it right now, and I’m sure Mr. Hurd will end up selling it for a lot more than what he sold it to me for. If anyone is looking for a fantastic older Loree oboe, ask Mr. Hurd about that horn. As he put it, “That one’s gonna be a pistol!”
Tomorrow is a busy day. Prep cane samples to go out to Nancy Rumbel, finish a cane order for a LA oboist, finish up reeds for Delaware, practice, and go to the Oregon Football game. Go ducks!
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