Jon F wrote the following:
We must remember that people in the future will be looking at our instruments the way we look at Tutenkhamen's trumpets. I want people to remember the players as well as the instruments. Who remembers the names of Tutenkhamen's state trumpeters today?
You are lucky you asked this question on the hornlist, since I am the world's expert on this subject.
Tutankhamon had four state trumpeters. They all came from Thebes, and so were members of the same local. (This union suffered from particularly corrupt leadership, hence the expression "Honor among Thebes.") The Thebes local membership list, otherwise known as the Book of the Dead, gives their names: Hepcattuketet, Beboporibhep, Tutenhotliks, and the great Satchmohices.
Tutenkhamen himself took a lively interest in trumpet playing while he was alive. Indeed, his embouchure is the best-preserved part of his mummified remains; detailed studies indicate that he favored the einsetzen technique. Unfortunately, his posthumous musical interests are not so well documented.
All brass players were devotees of the Cult of Hotstuf, the Goddess of Music and Beer. Although the association between the musical and brewing arts is familiar to modern brass players, it actually originated in Egypt. It is said that the reign of the pharoah 8quot;Iron"e; Cheops was disturbed when Dingbhlat, Goddess of Trust Funds, rose from the Nile to torment the people of Egypt. (In the Book of the Dead, Dingbhlat is usually depicted with a dead fish in one hand and an accordian in the other.) The first of her torments was to slay all the banjo players. The people of Egypt responded to this with great rejoicing. The second torment was to slay all the viola players. Of course, this caused much celebration as well. But then, no one ever claimed that Dingbhlat was a mental giant. The third torment was to slay all trumpet players. Before her accordian could do its deadly work, however, the Sun God Re took pity on the people of Egypt and turned the Nile into beer. Dingbhlat took one sip, then another, and soon she forgot what all the fuss was about.
This is why, to this very day, the name of the Great Sun God appears in the heart of the hornplayers' favorite cookie.
Those desiring more information on these topics whould consult my book THE RIDDLE OF THE PYRAMID AND THE SPHINCTER OF THE SPHINX.
Gotta go,
Cabbage