[Dixielandjazz] RE: [Burt Wilson's bio]

[Charlie Hooks]

on 6/25/03 1:24 AM, Burt Wilson at futurecon at earthlink.net wrote:

"In grammar school I took a music test and they shoved a baritone horn at
me. It was made out of scrap shrapnel from Chateau Thierry. "

   Query:  are you sure about the "shrapnel"?

   Meha-Besson used WWI battlefield brass from expended artillery shells
that, because of their high temper, gave off a very bright sound when made
into trumpets and cornets.   My friend, the late Steve Jensen, bought one of
these cornets from a retired lawyer acquaintance (who owns the original
double bell euphonium from which Conn constructed all the rest), and I'm
quite familiar with the sound: that cornet sounded more like a trumpet than
some trumpets.  Talk about bright!  But good.

Charlie