The Mozart family lived on the third floor of the “Hagenauer House” at Getreidegasse 9 in Salzburg, Austria from 1747 to 1773. The celebrated composer, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, was born here on January 27, 1756. The building is named after the merchant and toy dealer, Johann Lorenz Hagenauer (1712-1792), who owned the building and was a friend of the Mozart family.
Jun 16
A Fan Chimes In…
This just in: Note Hunter Fan, first grader Katie S, published a ringing endorsement of The Case of the Haunted Swamp in her school newspaper.
T.W. Strouse reacted with a big thumbs up, commenting, “Who says newspapers are going away? As long as there are journalists like Katie out there, long live print media!”
Jun 16
Did You Know…?
In addition to mastering the language of music, Mozart was very good at spoken languages. He is reputed to have been able to speak as many as 15 different languages, and was particularly adept at Italian.
Jun 16
Detective Lingo
Definition: eighty-eight n. A piano. From the number of keys in a full keyboard. 1952: “I’ve been right here poundin’ on the old 88.” – Hoagy Carmichael. Movie, Las Vegas Story.
From the Dictionary of American Slang, Second Edition, published by the Thomas Y. Crowell Co., New York, 1975.
Jun 16
Mouse Tidbits
Mice are keen explorers. They find inventive ways of satisfying their curiosity to investigate such as squeezing through tight gaps and biting through obstacles with their strong teeth.
Jun 16
Music Definition: Chamber Music
Chamber music. In a broad sense “chamber music” is any music suited to a room or small hall, as distinct from music for a large auditorium, as church, operatic, or symphonic music. Practically, the term is most frequently applied to concerted pieces of instrumental music in the sonata form, as string or wood-wind quartets, quintets, etc. See NOTE * after citation.
From Elson’s Pocket Music Dictionary, Oliver Dutson Company, New England, 1909.
* NOTE – Chamber music is not to be confused with chin music – which isn’t music at all. The term “chin music” can mean anything from 1 Excessive jibber jabber, gibble gabble, or idle talk – to 2 A pitch in baseball thrown close to the batter’s face to “brush him back” from the plate. This second definition came into vogue just after WWII. For those interested in etiquette, it is never appropriate to engage in chin music whilst chamber music is being performed.
Jun 16
Detective Lingo
Detective lingo: cheese it or cheeze it. exclamation. 1 A warning or command to cease an improper activity in order to avoid detection. 2 To run away or disperse. c1810 to present. Orig. “cheese it, the cops.” Cf.
From the Dictionary of American Slang, Second Edition, published by the Thomas Y. Crowell Co., New York, 1975.
Jun 16
Did You Know…?
In the capricious letters of his youth, Mozart would sometimes spell his name backwards, signing them “Trazom” or “Mozart Wolfgang.”