06.24.07 -- Death in C Sharp Minor

Sunday, June 24, 2007

Acrostic by Emily Cox & Henry Rathvon, edited by Will Shortz

The quotation:
RACHMANINOV AS EVERYONE KNOWS USED TO GET MAD WITH PEOPLE WHO THOUGHT HIS C SHARP MINOR PRELUDE DESCRIBED A MAN NAILED INTO HIS COFFIN ON INSUFFICIENT MEDICAL EVIDENCE WHO KEPT BANGING ON THE LID TO ATTRACT PASSERSBY

Probably one of Sergei Rachmaninov's most well-loved works, the Prelude In C Sharp Minor is sometimes nicknamed "The Bells of Moscow" for its stately darkness, like "bells ringing on a dark winter's night". The gloomy, brooding chordal opening is contrasted with a tense restless, middle section, which does not break the mood, but offers livelier and more driven music before the monolithic restatement of the chordal opening theme.

The author’s name and the title of the work:
BOOTHROYD CAN YOU READ MUSIC

I would certainly be interested in knowing which “Boothroyd” and the mysterious source “Can You Read Music” -- it will need to wait another day, as no resource I have or can access gives a clue. 06.26.07 Note: From "Mike" in the Comments, the following: "The quote can be found in: The Oxford Book of Humorous Prose, 12th edition (c) 2004, edited by Frank Muir. The quote is by Basil Boothroyd, page 684, third entry: "Can you read music?"

The defined words:
BEETHOVEN (A. Composer whose dying words were “Applaud, my friends, the comedy is over”)
OFFBEAT (C. Unaccented part of a measure)
TIED (D. Literal meaning of “legato“)
HARPSICHORD (E. Virginal, e.g.)
OSCITANT (G. Agape with drowsiness or boredom)
YAWNING (H. Synonym of Answer G.)
DEFECT (I. Broken piano key, e.g.)
ANVILS (K. Heavy gear needed for Verdi’s “Il Troatore”)
YODELED (M. Made a chalet-to-chalet call)
OPPOSITE (N. Ritardando, vis-à-vis accelerando)
UNISON (O. What choir members often sing in)
EMBOUCHURE (Q. Mouthpiece of a wind instrument)
ANTHEM (R. Angola Avante or God Bless Fiji”)
DOWNPAT (S. Rhearsed to mastery [2 wds.])
MINIMS (T. Half notes)
SWINGING (V. In the style of Basie or Goodman)
IMPROVISED (W. Vamped)

All of the defined words have a relationship to music in some manner or other, which is always very rewarding to a solver -- truly, in this case, a “theme”!

Disregarding the mysterious author and elusive title of the work, this is a wonderful acrostic with its caustic quote, coordinated clues and classic construction -- kudos to Cox and Rathvon!

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3 comments:

Orange said...

Basil Boothroyd, a Brit, from a humorous prose anthology. A Japanese website includes the book's TOC, so it was Googleable.

DONALD said...

O

Still cannot find it. Would you do the favor of providing the link?

Lots of Boothroyds, have not found Basil or any other to include the title "Can You Read Music" -- perhaps I should just write a note to Shortz.

Thanks again.

D

Mike in Asheville said...

The quote can be found in: The Oxford Book of Humorous Prose, 12th edition (c) 2004, edited by Frank Muir. The quote is by Basil Boothroyd, page 684, third entry: "Can you read music?"