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Extras: Fun Factoids

Click on a factoid below to read one of the many outrageous tales behind the scenes of classical music.

Bach's Organ Playing - Who said about playing the organ, ""You just hit the right notes at the right time and the instrument plays itself""?

Ballet Riots - Think all ballet dancing and music is civilized? The choreography and music of this ballet sparked one of the most famous riots in music history!

Beethoven Critique - Which composer's opera overture was once described by a Viennese critic as, ""...incoherent, shrill, chaotic and ear-splitting""?

Beethoven the Dropout - Can you guess which famous composer quit school at the age of 11?

Cesar Cui on Rachmaninoff - This devilish review of a Rachmaninoff symphony shows that sometimes composers can be the harshest critics of each other's music.

Criticism of Liszt's Music - Read about one critic who disliked the music of a certain composer so much that he compared it to a fungus!

Eye Surgeon - The same medical malady afflicted both Bach and Handel. Can you guess what it was?

Farewell Symphony - Do you know why Haydn is saying "farewell" in his Symphony No. 45, the "Farewell" Symphony?

Finger Buster - This great composer was showing great promise as a pianist until he injured his hand... with his very own invention!

Handel vs. Scarlatti - Handel and Scarlatti once had a contest to see who was the better keyboard player. Can you guess who won?

Headless - This classical composer lost his head for a while, but eventually he got it back. What happened?

Mozart's Ear - Talk about ear training! Can you guess which famous composer transcribed by ear a nine-part choral work at the age of 14?

Musical Torture! - Read one newspaper review that called Mahler's Fourth Symphony ""musical torture!""

Opening Night Disaster - Wild cats, broken guitar strings and falling opera singers! This famous opera's disastrous opening night actually helped assure its success.