Twas the night before Kopprasch, when all through the house
Not a  hornist was playing, not even some Strauss;
The Holtons were packed in  their cases with care,
In hopes that St. Dennis soon would be there.

The students were nestled all snug in their beds,
While  visions of symphony jobs danced in their heads;
Completing financial  aid forms was driving Mamma and me insane,
As scholarships for Junior and Sis were not going to  be attained.

With auditions looming for college and schools,
These two  "musicians" were acting like fools.
Playing only solos, excerpts, and such,
Their playing was not to be considered, much.

When out on the  lawn there arose such a sound,
I sprang from the desk like a deer on a  bound!
 Away to the window, I flew like a flash,
 Tore open the shutters  and threw up the sash!

 The moon on the breast of the new-fallen  snow
 Gave the lustre of midday to objects below,
 When what to my  wondering eyes should appear,
 But a gigantic sleigh and eight great-big  reindeer!

 A distinguished man had his hand on the rein,
 I new  in a moment that it surely was St. Brain.
 More rapid than Al Cass his  coursers they came,
 And he free buzzed, and shouted, and called them by  name:

 Now, Alex! now Kruspe! now Conn and Holton!
 On, Yamaha!  on Geyer! on, Schmid and Lawson!
 To the top of the range! to the pedal notes  fall!
 Now play away! play away! play away all!

 As great horn  players can do "on the fly,"
 When they meet with an excerpt, mount to the  sky,
 So up to the roof-top the coursers they flew,
 With a sleigh full of  music, and St. Dennis too.

 And then, in an eighth note, I  heard on the roof
 The puffing and blowing of each little toot.
 As I drew  in my head, and was futzing around,
 Down the chimney came St. Dennis, ready  to sound.

 He was dressed in his tails, and patent leather shoes,
 And he then said to me, "In a minute, great news!"
 A bundle of music he  had flung on his back,
 And in his right hand, a Brazilian made pack.

 I stared at his face, and his eyes were afire,
 and I knew in  his life, there was only one desire,
 to take out a horn and play it so well,
 that the rest of us mortals could just "go to hell!"

 He opened the gig bag and picked up his horn,
 like I knew he had done  since the day he was born.
 He then played the Siegfried with nary a  clam,
 and all I could think of was "hot damn!"

 And this  great performance had awakened the kids,
 Who came in a'running, and put on  the skids.
 They were all shaken, scared, and bewildered of that
 Since  the only horn playing they ever did sounded like crap.

 He then  played "Till Eulenspiegel" with nary a crack,
 And all with perfect rhythm,  dynamics and attack.
 His beautiful tone was simply amazing,
 Not to  mention his incredible phrasing.

 The kids starting yelling, "HOW  CAN WE DO THAT?"
 "WE'LL NEVER SUCCEED IF WE PLAY LIKE CRAP!"
 And then  St. Dennis said, "Please, don't despair.
 There is a remedy for all problems,  so there."

 "My instructions, now, you should perfectly heed,
 If you really ever, ever want to succeed."
 St. Dennis then reached down  into his sack,
 And pulled out some music and handed it back.

 "There are five fundamentals to playing horn well,
 Without  support for you air, your playing will smell.
 A strong embouchure gives you  right notes and range,
 Good articulation keeps things from sounding  strange."

 "You need perfect rhythm, and a very good ear,
 As sight reading skills help to give you no fear!
 Put it all together and what have you got?
 Why, great playing, for  sure, and crap it is not!"

 "So practice these studies, numbers one  through sixty.
 Until you have assuredness and consistency.
 This time you  invest is always well spent,
 Especially when you must perform at any event."

 "Your excerpts and solos will go like the wind,
 Since you know  all the techniques to employ within.
 A tricky passage is now in your grasp,
 Since you have practiced and practiced: KOPPRASCH!!!"

 With a  wink of his eye and a nod of his head,
 "I've got others to tell, tonight,"  he said.
 And then with his horn and his music in hand,
 Up the chimney he  went, fast as fast can.

 He sprang to his sleigh and buzzed to his  team,
 Away they all flew, as if in a dream.
 But I heard him exclaim, ere  he drove out of sight,
 "HAPPY KOPPRASCH TO ALL, AND TO ALL A GOOD NIGHT!"