Whence Come These Horns?

What begins as a bard’s modest performance repeatedly expands into full symphonic spectacle. Trumpets, drums, strings, flutes, choir, and timpani arrive without explanation, turning Seraphino’s inquiry into an affectionate celebration of orchestral excess. He claims not to have summoned them, though he proves curiously willing to let them finish.

The matter began with one lute. This fact is important, for by the conclusion there are sufficient musicians to alarm the horse and violate several tavern ordinances.

The arrangement enacteth the mystery rather than merely describing it. Each attempt at intimacy inviteth another family of instruments, and each protest is answered by greater magnificence. The recording therefore buildeth its comedy through accumulation: a trumpet where no trumpeter standeth, cellos with no visible means of arrival, and timpani displaying a confidence inappropriate to the room. I object, naturally, but only to the lack of notice. If Providence insisteth upon orchestrating my work, it would be petulant to refuse. Still, I should like the unseen ensemble to understand that grandeur, like luggage, remaineth the responsibility of those who bring it.