Numbers 10

From 5th-10th grade, I played clarinet in the school symphonic band. Although I was far from a musical prodigy, band was always my favorite class because 1) it was easy to get an A, 2) we got to goof around more than in any other class except for when we had labs in AP Biology, and 3) there's nothing like playing music with 50 or so other people. In fact, I credit band with instilling in my eccentric soul my love for instrumental music.

Why did I choose clarinet? Like most 10-year-olds, my reasoning was oh-so profound: Out of all the offered instruments, the clarinet had the greatest quantity of funny-looking keys and buttons you could play with. However, as we got to play more advanced pieces, I learned that the brass, particularly the trumpets and French horns, always got to play the cool stuff while we clarinets were stuck playing blisteringly rapid hemidemisemiquaver runs that you barely end up hearing when everyone's playing together. I noticed too that more guys than girls tended to play brass instruments, because not only are brass instruments loud, but they provide the only school-sanctioned opportunity for you to blow raspberries for extended lengths of time.

Trumpets also played an important part in ancient Israelite society, calling the people to assemble, letting the various tribes know when it was their turn to set out, or giving directions during battle. And yes, trumpets do provide the necessary volume so that 2 million (or so) people can hear them. I mean, can you imagine someone standing on top of some hillock before an epic battle, trying to squawk on a clarinet or strum on a guitar as loudly as possible? I suppose a pipe organ would be loud enough, but try lugging one of those around everywhere you go.

Verse 8 specifies, "The sons of Aaron, the priests, are to blow the trumpets." Thus, priests had to not only be proficient at performing their sacred duties, but they also had to have lips dexterous enough to play a trumpet. (I realize that's not a high bar, but I know my lips started to grow fatigued when I had to play clarinet for more than an hour or so straight.) The Israelites could even use the trumpets to call on God to save them in battle in their own lands (verse 9)--I guess they must have forgotten about that cheat code when the Assyrians and Babylonians sacked them.

As the multitudinous cavalcade sets out from Mount Sinai, an air of optimism infuses the proceedings--amidst the bustle, Moses graciously offers his brother-in-law Hobab a place among them (verses 28-32) and sings a sanguine (and somewhat sanguinary) song extolling God (verses 35-36). Just how long will this mood last?

As a final addendum, if you want to see trumpets and pipe organs battle each other, here's the classic Disney Silly Symphony "Music Land":