Hi Jeanne,

    Well, I'd have to say that this is more a matter of me trying to suggest ,a point-of-view, helpful suggestion to a kid who played 7 hours....though lots of experience on myself, watching colleagues have their chops evaporate, watching others being successful (often even improving over the years) and having students with similar problems have brought me around to this position.  Lots of teachers and other players have felt that ending your day with a beautiful sound tended to help also.   OTOH, I often am not able to warm-up "normally" and still play rehearsals and concerts with no ill-effects....a performance of Mahler 3 where I napped too long and had to be called by our personnel manager from the hall
(quickest shower and fastest cab ride to the hall) was the best I've done the piece.  Often I *don't* warm-down, also with no particular problem *for me*.  But I was just offering an idea to a high school kid who *did* have some trouble.
     So I actually agree with you in essence......I consider my warm up to really be a "practice" session.  If it can't happen, I refuse to let that be any kind of an excuse for playing poorly.  In reality, how my chops "feel" at this point of my life (being 47 rather than 17) is irrelevant to how I expect to sound.  Does that make sense to you?  I lost a certain sensitivity about 12 years ago (my lips do not "tingle" any  more....whether I'm playing, flapping, jogging, or what-ever) and now adhere to the Jacobian concept of letting my sound be my guide.  That which has me "sounding" best (whether physical or psychological) is what I do!
     Heck, after writing all this, I think you *should* post both your letter and my response to the TPIN.  I find lucid discussion sadly lacking as of late.....and have recently been thinking of writing Michael Anderson about trying something that is done on _many_ scientific lists I follow: the suggestion would be to partially limit the ability to post (not read) so that we wouldn't have some of the erroneous info being passed around (you must know to what I refer, no?), and having a separate digest available for sales postings.  I am not a theoretical physicist, but I *am* allowed to read the postings of that list whilst I am not able to clutter the list with my inanities.  Sigh:-)
    Hope this clears up what you wondered about, and appreciate the opportunity to chat with you!

james snapp snapp@edg.net.mx
xalapa symphony orchestra
xalapa, veracruz
mexico

- ----------
> From: Jeanne G Pocius <jarcher@shore.net>
> Subject: Re: Warm-Downs
> Date: Tuesday, February 24, 1998 11:38 AM
>
> Dear Jim:
>       Nice to see you posting on the list again, but I've got to pick
> this one over with you...I really don't agree with the concept of
> *warming down* and tend to find it to be counter-productive in
> many respects...
>
>       My rationale?  Simply this, I believe that by stretching our
> jaws, talking, eating(in other words, normal, non-playing
> behavior) we are providing sufficient relaxation for our
> embouchures....Imho, and experience the process of *warming down*
> leads to having to resort to lengthy *warmups* to restore what
> was torn down by the *warm-down* process(Why tear down and
> rebuild the house on a daily basis when you can simply rest and
> then resume expansion with a proper warmup, including lip buzzes,
> low pedal tones, set-up drills, tonguing and lip flexibility on
> the succeeding day?)
>
>       Weight lifters don't try to undo the process after they've been
> lifting--simply walking around and a few stretches followed by a
> hot shower do the trick!  And I _do_ view trumpet playing as
> similar (in many respects) to weightlifting.....
>
>       This isn't meant as a flame(that's why it isn't posted to the
> list), merely the statement of mho, and a request for some
> explanations to be better to understand your stance on this
> issue....
>
>       Looking forward to your response....
> Sincerely,
> Jeanne Pocius-Archer