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The moral of the story? The next time a trombonist hollers "Watch
this!" you'd better duck!
Thsi reminds me of the story of the three bass viol players for the New York Symphony Orchestra, which was preswenting Beethoven's Fifth Symphony. If you aren't a serious musician, you may not know this. The viol players sit on their hands from midway through the first movement right up until the finale, when they have a significant role in the music.
Anyway, the no 1 viol player suggested to his colleagues that they sneak out to the bar next door rather than sit there being bored. They proceeded to get thoroughly schnokkered, and were wending their way back to their seats when they heard the music. "My God," slurred the no. 2 viol player, "Our part's going to come up before we can get back."
"No," said the no. 1 guy. "I took the precaution of wrapping the conductor's sheet music with strong twine that he's going to have to cut open. That'll take at least three minutes. No problem."
Truly, it was the end of the fifth, the score was tied, and the basses were loaded.
