Alphabet associations - I

[mercia]

when you got CPE Bach, I thought initially that you were doing so well

so Emanuel is not the common factor (as I asked in #3115). In which case Ofca is probably right with Eugene.

'stopping' suggests any stringed or tuned percussion instrument (apparently)

I shall trawl through the list of Walk-of-Fame people to find a string player (we had William Primrose the other day so it won't be him)

[Nick Armstrong]

so Emanuel is not the common factor (as I asked in #3115). In which case Ofca is probably right with Eugene.

'stopping' suggests any stringed or tuned percussion instrument (apparently)

I shall trawl through the list of Walk-of-Fame people to find a string player (we had William Primrose the other day so it won't be him)

AH! I hadn't thought of string stopping .. No it was a cryptic reference to 'stops'....

And it is neither Emmanuel or Eugene...

As I said - you were initially doing so well.... (that's a cryptic clue).

[mercia]

a cryptic reference to 'stops'

ah, sorry, an organist, and I see E Power Biggs fits the bill

[Nick Armstrong]

ah, sorry, an organist, and I see E Power Biggs fits the bill

Hercule, mon brave - you are almost there!!

E Power Biggs, famed for his recordings of JS Bach, is No 3, CPE Bach is No 2....

[Anna]

AH! I hadn't thought of string stopping .. No it was a cryptic reference to 'stops'....

So, are we thinking about Organs?

Edit: Didn't see last two posts!

[mercia]

so now I want a German E and a mass and some dancing nuts and sand

[Nick Armstrong]

so now I want a German E and a mass and some dancing nuts and sand

Simples!!

[Nick Armstrong]

Remember my clue about No 1 not being solely a composer. Indeed, he is better known for something else - which activity enabled the dance inspiration

[mercia]

oh dear, my cultural knowledge is so narrow

E T A Hoffmann wrote Der Sandmann on which Coppelia is partially based and also The Nutcracker and The Mouse King on which the Nutcracker ballet is based

[Nick Armstrong]

oh dear, my cultural knowledge is so narrow

E T A Hoffmann wrote Der Sandmann on which Coppelia is partially based and also The Nutcracker and The Mouse King on which the Nutcracker ballet is based

You got there!!! Nice one Herc!

What I didn't know was that ETA was a composer as well as a writer, with a Symphony to his name as well as his D Minor Mass in 1805

Yes, I thought I'd ring the changes by making the "E" answer simple: "E"... and those three are the only musically-related people I could think of who are known by initials including E.

In other fields, there are Richard E Grant of "Withnail" fame and Capt. W E Johns who wrote the Biggles books

But I digress.

Your terrier-like skills allow me to invite you to "F' off, Hercule

[Anna]

Oh, well done hercule! I honestly didn't have a single clue to this one. However, just now, searching for a combination of sand, dance and nuts I cam across Wilson Keppel and Betty. I have no idea why but their routines always make me laugh. Sorry, very off-topic.

[mercia]

Wilson Keppel and Betty

that was my very first port of call on this journey [big laugh]

[Nick Armstrong]

Oh, well done hercule! I honestly didn't have a single clue to this one. However, just now, searching for a combination of sand, dance and nuts I cam across Wilson Keppel and Betty. I have no idea why but their routines always make me laugh. Sorry, very off-topic.

Is that the knobbly-kneed trio who did the Egyptian-style dances on sand, from music hall days?

Meantime, for the benefit of readers and our esteemed archivist, maybe I should pull the answer together in one place, as it emerged bit by bit.

The "E" answer is "E" being one of the initials by which
1. E.T.A. Hoffmann
2. C.P.E. Bach
3. E. Power Biggs
are commonly known.

[mercia]

for the benefit of readers

cripes! do people read this stuff?

[Anna]

cripes! do people read this stuff?

Well, this thread has had over 26,000 views!