# Musical Trivia



## Chris (Jun 1, 2010)

Please post a fact from the world of music, but only if it is of no significance whatever. I've just heard this on the radio:

In 1898 Hubert Parry was knighted for services to music. As he was practicing his kneel prior to appearing before Queen Victoria he split his ceremonial breeches.


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## Taneyev (Jan 19, 2009)

This is old, but funny; at the Heifetz's CH debut in 1917, were present Mischa Elman and Leopold Godowski, seated together. At certain moment Mischa said wipping his forehead "Is very warmth here don't you think"?.
And Leopold answer "Not for pianists!".


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## Fsharpmajor (Dec 14, 2008)

I can't verify this (googling it turns up nothing very relevant), but supposedly Prokofiev's dog "Blackie" once emitted a loud howl towards the end of one of his master's pieces, and Prokofiev declared that he would need to rewrite it because of the unfavourable opinion of his dog.


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## Manxfeeder (Oct 19, 2010)

Two of Bruckner's students taught Bruckner's dog to run away when Wagner was played and approach happily at Bruckner's Te Deum. They convinced Bruckner that even a dog knew that his music was superior to Wagner's.

http://www.anecdotage.com/index.php?aid=5561


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## Norse (May 10, 2010)

While Schubert lay on his deathbed he liked to read 'western novels' by J.F. Cooper, e.g. The Last of the Mohicans.


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## Huilunsoittaja (Apr 6, 2010)

Glazunov loved astronomy? He also loved drawing, and marveled at paintings.


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## ComposerOfAvantGarde (Dec 2, 2011)

An anecdote about GG

I cant remember exactly who he was playing for, but Glenn Gould once had to play for someone privately and started complaining of the coldness in the room. He was telling his host to get a scarf for him, so his host places the scarf around his neck, but Mr. Gould takes off his shoes and exclaims "No, not around my neck! Around my feet!"

Couldn't be anyone but Glenn Gould. :clap:


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## Lukecash12 (Sep 21, 2009)

Rachmaninov once stole away from his wife for an occasion of fun with friends, and wrecked their speedboat. This was in Brazil.


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## emiellucifuge (May 26, 2009)

Dvorak loved trains,

In New York he spent a lot of time at Grand Central talking to the Engineers and memorised the timetables.

He also bred pigeons.

He was made a member of the house of lords in Austria. He appeared in parliament only once, loved the free pencils, took a whole bunch and never came back.


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## Huilunsoittaja (Apr 6, 2010)

Lukecash12 said:


> Rachmaninov once stole away from his wife for an occasion of fun with friends, and wrecked their speedboat. This was in Brazil.


Ferris Rachmaninoff-Bueller's Day Out eh? :tiphat:


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## Lukecash12 (Sep 21, 2009)

Huilunsoittaja said:


> Ferris Rachmaninoff-Bueller's Day Out eh? :tiphat:


Yep, if I could find the source I had for that, I could tell the story because it's really a charming one.


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## Philip (Mar 22, 2011)

Bach wrote the wtc in prison. what a guy!


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## Manxfeeder (Oct 19, 2010)

During an air raid in World War I, Eric Satie appeared in a shelter, dressed in funeral garb, and said in a sepulchral voice, "I have come to die with you." Not exactly the words of Little Mary Sunshine.


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## Lunasong (Mar 15, 2011)

Camille Saint-Saëns was also into astronomy. He was a member of the Astronomical Society of France and owned a telescope made to his own personal specifications.


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## Norse (May 10, 2010)

Shostakovich was a qualified football referee.


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## Sid James (Feb 7, 2009)

*Carl Nielsen *split his pants in the presence of the Queen of Denmark. He had been loaned these clothes to conduct in by a friend, and they were too tight. This is a bit like the story in the OP about Parry. I've read it in various sources, but one said it was the Queen mother of England. Don't know which queen, but it most likely happened. Knowing Nielsen's character generally, he must have laughed it off, made a joke about it, etc...


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