Music's Fascinating Fun Facts

Book excerpt: Musica s Fascinating Fun Facts is a collection of amazing and amusing insights and revelations all pertaining to music. The text is essentially a music companion organised in alphabetical order. What sets it apart from being a straight out dictionary is its entertainment value. Whilst amusing in tone, the book divulges intriguing information on: a famous musicians a How could Beethoven compose when he was deaf? a well-known pieces a Which piece was written to alleviate insomnia? Who was Elise from Beethoven's 'Fur Elise'? a musical instruments a Which instruments were used to mete out humiliating punishments? Why is a double bass called a doublea even though there is only one? a musical styles a Why was the graceful waltz considered as dirty dancing? a theoretical concepts a Whata s a treble? What is the 'sign of the ass'? Musica s Fascinating Fun Facts will also serve as a refresher on the old terms while also shedding new light on preconceptions and clarify complicated notions. This book also explains those modern musical terms that just suddenly appear like a jamminga and a vampinga . Elusive terms like a licksa , a riffsa and a backbeata are finally addressed, and the horrors associated with a ghosta notes and the brutality of a stabsa and a beatboxinga are demystified.