Music that Makes you Laugh Out Loud

[aeolium]

In the "Letters to his Son" Lord Chesterfield , writing from Bath on 9 March 1748:


"I would heartily wish that you may often be seen to smile, but never heard to laugh while you live. Frequent and loud laughter is the characteristic of folly and ill-manners; it is the manner in which the mob express their silly joy at silly things; and they call it being merry. In my mind there is nothing so illiberal, and so ill-bred, as audible laughter. I am neither of a melancholy nor a cynical disposition, and am as willing and as apt to be pleased as anybody; but I am sure that since I have had the full use of my reason nobody has ever heard me laugh."

Dr Johnson on Chesterfield's letters: "They teach the morals of a Strumpet and the manners of a Dancing-master."

Dr J on Chesterfield as a patron: "Is not a Patron, My Lord, one who looks with unconcern on a Man struggling for Life in the Water and when he has reached ground encumbers him with help. The notice which you have been pleased to take of my Labours, had it been early, had been kind; but it has been delayed till I am indifferent and cannot enjoy it, till I am solitary and cannot impart it, till I am known and do not want it."

Haydn frequently makes me smile but one of his works in particular makes me laugh: the "Il Distratto" symphony no 60 where at times the orchestra is made to sound as if it is being played by drunks or madmen.

[amateur51]

In the "Letters to his Son" Lord Chesterfield , writing from Bath on 9 March 1748:


"I would heartily wish that you may often be seen to smile, but never heard to laugh while you live. Frequent and loud laughter is the characteristic of folly and ill-manners; it is the manner in which the mob express their silly joy at silly things; and they call it being merry. In my mind there is nothing so illiberal, and so ill-bred, as audible laughter. I am neither of a melancholy nor a cynical disposition, and am as willing and as apt to be pleased as anybody; but I am sure that since I have had the full use of my reason nobody has ever heard me laugh."

Chesterfield?! That's in Derbyshire, innit? All is explained

[MrGongGong]

Chesterfield?! That's in Derbyshire, innit? All is explained

Indeed, home of the famous trio
Benn, Skinner & Says ............

[amateur51]

Indeed, home of the famous trio
Benn, Skinner & Says ............

By Gad Sir, you caught my drift!

[Oldcrofter]

Tom Cat in cocert:

Liszt Hungarian Rhapsody no.2

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SLekV3eUYmU

[Roslynmuse]

Lots of Beethoven and Haydn raise a smile or a laugh (Rage Over A Lost Penny; H's Symphony No 90, as already mentioned above) but no Mozart or Schubert.

Liszt's Second Hungarian Rhapsody made me laugh the first time I heard it even without interventions or visuals...

I used to have a lovely LP of Louis Frémaux and the CBSO in Ibert's Divertissement (which I always enjoyed) and Poulenc's Les biches suite - bittersweet wit that always raised a wry smile and perhaps a tear too! Les mamelles de Tirésias has some wonderful moments of purely musical humour (opening of Act 2) as well as perfect mirroring of the wacky text. Francaix's String Trio is my favourite example of his sometimes rather forced humour.

[Roehre]

Lots of Beethoven and Haydn raise a smile or a laugh (Rage Over A Lost Penny; H's Symphony No 90, as already mentioned above) but no Mozart or Schubert.

Mozart's Non piu andrai (Figaro) and its re-appearance in Don Giovanni are mozartian jokes, and i certainly enjoy his Dorfmusikantensextett (the musical joke KV522) too.

[salymap]

Poulenc - L'Embarquement pour la Cythere for 2pianos is a piece I really like and it will brighten my day anyway. Part of alonger work I believe.

[VodkaDilc]

Bartok's spoof on the Leningrad Symphony in the middle of Concerto for Orchestra.

Hely-Hutchinson's Handelian Old Mother Hubbard (Haven't heard it for years. Does anyone perform it these days?)

The point when Siegfried sings: "Das ist kein Mann". (Not many laughs in The Ring!)

[Bryn]

Bartok's spoof on the Leningrad Symphony in the middle of Concerto for Orchestra.

Ever been had? Both Shostakovich and Bartok were alluding to the same source, by Lehar, a favourite of Hitler's.

[Roslynmuse]

Hely-Hutchinson's Handelian Old Mother Hubbard (Haven't heard it for years. Does anyone perform it these days?)

Funnily enough I've played it for a couple of students over the last few years, so, yes, it's still out there!

[Barbirollians]

Truly the best skit of crossover ever - and before it became ubiquitoushttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DQYgFw7RgEQ

[MrGongGong]

Truly the best skit of crossover ever - and before it became ubiquitoushttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DQYgFw7RgEQ

not a patch on this though IMV

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AP1140w6Vtg

[Barbirollians]

Ah well there is no accounting for personal taste .

[MrGongGong]

Rejoice in the Lamb (with mint sauce)

always brings out a smile (but is a great piece nevertheless)

as does "And the land brought forth frogs"

BUT

These have more to do with the texts than the music