Oh, that one goes,

Some musicologists finally get permission to open Beethoven's tomb, as they are sure they will find something of profound importance.

The lid is opened and they find a little wizened figure pouring over a manuscript, regularly scratching out stuff on the score.

"Ludwig?", one of them calls,"Is that you, Ludwig?".

"Ja," comes the reply,"It is me."

"Ludwig,vut are you doing?"

"Can't you see? I'm decomposing."






I also love the true story about the English composer Vaughan Williams.

He put down his baton (he conducted,too) at the end of his own 4th(?) symphony, one of his most discordant works and remarked,

"Well, if that's your modern music, you can keep it."


Ivor