Klarinet Archive - Posting 000381.txt from 1996/05

From: jay eric niepoetter <niep@-----.EDU>
Subj: Re: I'm hiding under a blanket so no one will see my embarassment.
Date: Thu, 16 May 1996 17:40:33 -0400

The Benny Goodman Story...

Ah you guys... It is a GREAT movie. I can remember seeing it when I was
'bout 9 or 10. I had just started playing the clarinet. SIGH.... I
remember how cool it was to see a GUY playing clarinet. Until then I
thought I was the only guy in the whole world to play clarinet (I desperately
wanted to switch to trumpet). I can even remember waiting until it came on
again so I could tape record it with my new cassette recorder (the kind
that had to push 3 buttons at the same time to get it to
record.) Come on... Lighten up.... Can't you all see a little 10 year old
kid holding one of those oversized cassette recorders up to a tiny tv
speaker! Just think that was probably the first time I ever heard the
Mozart Concerto. Sure it was cut down to 3 minutes, but still... Somebody
playing a clarinet was standing on stage playing Mozart and other people didn't
laugh or make fun... they actually clapped and encouraged him. For years
after words every time I got depressed, I would climb on top of our garage
with the clarinet in hand and play sad music to the stars... JUST LIKE
BENNY!!

Sorry to ramble....
J