Beethoven's Ninth

[smoke gets in my eyes]

A number of years ago, The Seattle Symphony was doing Beethoven's Ninth under the baton of Milton Katims. At this point you must understand two things -- # 1 - There's a long segment in this symphony where the bass violins don't have a thing to do. Not a single note for page after page. And # 2 - There used to be a tavern called Dez's 400 right across the street from the Seattle Opera house, rather favored by local musicians.

It had been decided that during this performance, after the bass players had played their parts in the opening of the Ninth, they were to quietly lay down their instruments and leave the stage rather than sit on their stools looking & feeling dumb for 20 minutes.

Well, once they got back stage, someone suggested that they trot across the street and quaff a few brews. After they had downed the first couple rounds, one musician said, "Shouldn't we be getting back? It would be awfully embarrassing if we were late." Another, presumably the one who suggested this excursion in the first place, replied, "Oh, I anticipated we could use a little more time, so I tied a string around the last pages of the conductor's score. When he gets down there, Milton is going to have to slow the tempo way down while he waves the baton with one hand and fumbles with the string with the other."

So the group had another round and finally returned to the Opera House, a little tipsy by now. However, as they came back on stage, one look at their conductor's face told them they were is serious trouble. Katims was furious! And why not? After all...

It was the bottom of the Ninth, the score was tied, and the basses were loaded.

[Ann]

LOL LOL LOL - I didn't see that one coming!!! Funnnny

[lyn_blossom78]

Reminds me.....

Did you know awhile back some tourists were visiting Beethoven's grave when they heard some scratching noises that seemed to be coming right from under the ground! It really had them upset, and one of them said, "Well, I have a shovel in my car, let's find out what it is!"

So they took turns shovelling, and the longer they shovelled, the louder the scratching got. Finally they got clear down to the coffin, and after deliberating a minute, one of the tourists got brave enough to open it.

Well, what do you know? Beethoven was sitting there furiously erasing notes off of a white sheet of paper!

"Beethoven--wh-what are you doing?" asked one of the tourists.

To which he replied, (are you ready for this?)

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"Why, decomposing, of course!"