As you know if you've been with me for long on my blogging journey, I love to cook, and I'm actually pretty good at it. Baking, not so much. But every once in a while, I can pull a rabbit out of my baker's hat (why not check out John's blog, speaking of magic hats) - here is a picture of the Pineapple Upside Down Cake (my favorite!) that I baked last night for today's office potluck party...
One of my regular readers and commenters is Bandit, who is a retired music teacher. In his honor, and with a tip of the hat to long-suffering teachers everywhere, here are a few great moments in music history, as documented in grade school students' responses to test questions on classical music by author Richard Lederer in his wonderful book, Anguished English ...J.S. Bach died from 1750 to the present.
Agnus Dei was a woman composer famous for her church music.
Refrain means don't do it. A refrain in music is the part you better not try to sing.
Handel was half German, half Italian, and half English. He was rather large.
Beethoven wrote music even though he was deaf. He was so deaf he wrote loud music. He took long walks in the forest even when everyone was calling him. I guess he could not hear so good. Beethoven expired in 1827 and later died from this.
Henry Purcell is a well-known composer few people have ever heard of.
An opera is a song of bigly size.
A harp is a nude piano.
Aaron Copland is one of our most famous contemporary composers. It is unusual to be contemporary. Most composers do not live until they are dead.
A virtuoso is a musician with real high morals.
Music sung by two people at the same time is called a duel.
I know what a sextet is but I'd rather not say.
Most authorities agree that music of antiquity was written long ago.
My favorite composer is opus.
Probably the most marvelous fugue was between the Hatfields and the McCoys.
My very best liked piece is the bronze lullaby.
Here's to all you teachers out there! Some of us really appreciate you.
Have a good day. More thoughts tomorrow.
Bilbo
Mmm cake.
ReplyDeleteAs I'm reading most of these, I can imagine Groucho Marx saying them to be intentionally funny. Especially the Beethoven one.
ReplyDeleteWv - cakoe. No really, it's cakoe. Sounds like a Japanese instant mix of some sort.
The cake looks like a great composition!
ReplyDeleteI never thought of a harp being a nude (grand) piano. It's kinda true.
I think Henry Purcell invented the battery for stuffed mechanical cats.
ReplyDeleteAnd didn't opus die?
All those bought a smile!
ReplyDeleteBoy do these bring back memories (and the shakes!).
ReplyDeleteI love pineapple upside down cake, too! So tell me, why is yours right side up?
Andrea - Too bad you're not closer...I'd have saved you a piece!
ReplyDeleteGilahi - I didn't think of Groucho as I did this, but you are spot on!
Bandit - I suppose classical musicians with dirty minds might appreciate the imagery.
Mike - huh?
Jean-Luc - ;-)
KathyA - of course you know that the cake is only *baked* upside down. When it's done, you flip it over for the presentation. I should have taken another picture showing the few crumbs that were left once everyone attacked it!