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Dave Krehbiel’s fast-moving memoir, Through the Door: A Horn-Player’s Journey, relates the adventures of a young musician who uses his musical talents to cover up his scholastic shortcomings. In so doing, he finds himself, miraculously, in the career of his dreams-playing principal horn for Chicago, Detroit, and San Francisco symphony orchestras.
When the door opens for him, he finds himself in his first job, playing assistant principal horn for the Chicago Symphony Orchestra where he faces constant intimidation by its maestro, Fritz Reiner. He also finds himself plagued by a crippling performance anxiety so great that on occasion he almost wishes he would be in a traffic accident on his way to Symphony Hall rather than face performing that night.
Survival in his new career means learning to control his anxiety. While sharing the innovative ways in which he gains confidence and learns to manage his fear, he leads us on an exhilarating musical adventure where he brings to life the joys and challenges of performing his favorite orchestral works with famous conductors and composers, and develops a memorable bond with Paul Hindemith. The pranks he plays break the tension of constant performing and may be seen as veiled lessons reminiscent of Strauss’s fifteenth century folk-hero, Till Eulenspiegel.
I’d rather be scared to death than bored to death, Krehbiel quips, and with intelligent humor he inspires us to face, without fear, whatever lessons are on the other side of the doors the universe opens to us.
