A comic duet for Christmas
By Judy Evans
@JudyEv (326505)
Rockingham, Australia
December 14, 2017 8:39pm CST
It’s the time of year when many associations and clubs are organising some sort of Christmas celebration. In a previous life when we were members of a brass band, we had a mini concert as our Christmas wind-up. Various individuals stood up to play solos or duets or whatever.
My friend and I decided to do a comic duet which I had seen done once many years ago. It’s a pity I don’t have a video of our act but you’ll just have to use your imaginations. At the time, I played a tenor horn which is one of the smaller instruments which you sort of cuddle to play and my friend played a trombone. Most will be familiar with the latter. You use one hand to move the slide up and down the tubing to make each note. That’s why it’s called a slide trombone.
We wore skirts. My friends had fine fishing line attached in several places around the hem of her skirt. The lines then ran up under her clothes to a ring which sat discreetly at the neckline of her blouse. We played one verse of our piece in unison then played in harmony for the next verse. Before starting the second verse my friend hooked her thumb into the ring at her neck. From then on, the hem of her skirt went up and down depending on the notes she was playing. Luckily she also wore long knickerbocker type knickers so she was never too ‘exposed’.
I don’t think we won but the audience loved it. The photo shows Vince on the bass drum.
27 people like this
22 responses
@1creekgirl (40636)
• United States
15 Dec 17
I bet that was hilarious! You'd have been a You Tube sensation.
6 people like this
@moffittjc (118664)
• Gainesville, Florida
19 Dec 17
I was thinking the same thing! Too bad YouTube wasn't around then! They would have been a huge hit!
3 people like this
@JudyEv (326505)
• Rockingham, Australia
18 Dec 17
The audience were just settling down to be bored when the skirt started going up and down.
@misunderstood_zombie (8142)
• United States
15 Dec 17
That sounds quite funny, and I'm sure there was a lot of laughter from the audience.
5 people like this
@Fishmomma (11377)
• United States
27 Dec 17
LOL I would have enjoyed a photo, as it reminds me of I Love Lucy, who was really funny.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (326505)
• Rockingham, Australia
28 Dec 17
We still have a trombone but no other brass instruments. I'd be battling to play one now!
@JudyEv (326505)
• Rockingham, Australia
18 Dec 17
The alto saxhorn is another name for the tenor horn. A piccolo trumpet is very hard to play. When Vince was younger his beard was a bit red in colour. He was quite slim then and if the wind was very strong he would nearly get blown away!
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (326505)
• Rockingham, Australia
19 Dec 17
@topffer Yes, I played the same instrument as your grandfather. How nice that he'd play you to sleep and what a shame you didn't get to know him. For some years after our wedding I was always heavier than Vince. I would tell him that if he didn't behave, I'd sit on him!
1 person likes this
@Marilynda1225 (80050)
• United States
15 Dec 17
That does sound like quite the comedy in action and your friend definitely has some unique way to make people laugh.
3 people like this
@JudyEv (326505)
• Rockingham, Australia
18 Dec 17
It worked out really well. A simple trick really but still funny.
@JudyEv (326505)
• Rockingham, Australia
23 Dec 17
@garymarsh6 It was pretty funny. A great memory.
1 person likes this
@teamfreak16 (43419)
• Denver, Colorado
16 Dec 17
I've always wonder just how trombonists know how far to go to get the right notes as they play.
2 people like this
@JudyEv (326505)
• Rockingham, Australia
18 Dec 17
There are certain 'positions' which have an indication of where the hand needs to be for particular notes but then you need to make minute adjustments to get the notes perfectly in tune. If you don't have a good 'ear' the music can be quite out of tune and not pleasant to listen to.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (326505)
• Rockingham, Australia
19 Dec 17
@teamfreak16 Vince has a good ear and used to play the trombone. The violin is similar in that there are not frets so it's all a matter of listening carefully and adjusting your finger position.
1 person likes this
@teamfreak16 (43419)
• Denver, Colorado
18 Dec 17
@JudyEv - It's quite impressive to me.
1 person likes this
@yanzalong (18982)
• Indonesia
16 Dec 17
Can't imagine what a comic duet is like. Is it a kind of play?
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (326505)
• Rockingham, Australia
18 Dec 17
A duet is two people playing but because we had tied the fishing line to the skirt our duet made people laugh.
@BelleStarr (61047)
• United States
18 Dec 17
lol It really is too bad you don't have a video that does sound hysteric.
1 person likes this