On Mon, 10 Mar 2008 Sacha wrote:

On Sun, 9 Mar 2008 Wally wrote:
Yes I would empty them onto the compost heap, or better still pile
them up somewhere else, let the weather get to them and pee on them
when you can. With patience you'll have some good stuff to spread
around. It makes good paths for veg gardens etc, and will gradually
decompose there too.
Pam in Bristol

There was a lot of digging going on in the cemetery when all of
a sudden a man was dug up playing the piano backwards.

It was Johann Sebastian Bach decomposing.

Hmm, I don't believe you. The piano wasn't in use in Bach's time.


Square piano was?

Nope. It was the harpsichord as a concert instrument and the clavichord
as a domestic instrument. The (generally accepted) inventor of the piano
was Bartolomeo Cristofori (1655-1731), who produced his first piano in
1709. It was slow in catching on but the German organ-builder and
clavichord maker Silbermann built two pianos in the late 1720s and
submitted them to Bach for his comments. Bach hurt him by pointing out
serious defects. However, although Silbermann improved the instrument
and Bach was able to play on those owned by Frederick the Great (and was
thus more complimentary), nevertheless it was not an instrument to which
Bach was drawn and he never used one in his performances.

Bach was more interested in the tuning of keyboard instruments and
championed what was known as "equal-temperament" which made it possible
to play in all twelve major and all twelve minor keys for the first time
and for which he wrote the "48 Preludes and Fugues" (two sets in each of
the major and minor keys).

....... well, you did ask!

David

--
David Rance writing from Caversham, Reading, UK
http://www.mesnil.demon.co.uk