There is controversy over whether he was born on March 21 or March 31.

When I was in music school, Bach and Stravinsky were two of my favorite composers. Here are two gems I heard.

Q. Why did Bach have 20 children?
A. His organ had no stops!

(Organ stops are the pull-knobs used to change an organ’s sound.)



Sylvester Stallone invited his fellow action heroes to join him for a Hollywood lunch. Jean-Claude Van Damme, Arnold Schwarzenegger and Bruce Willis all agreed.

“I want to make a film about famous composers. I’m going to be Beethoven. Are you guys in?” asked Stallone.

Van Damme said, “Yeah, I’ll be Mozart.”

Willis responded, “Sounds like fun! I’ll grow a beard and play Brahms.”

They all looked at Arnold with raised eyebrows.

“Aw, come on, guys,” he whined. “I don’t want to say it.”






(In an Austrian accent, “I’ll be Bach.”)

Never heard of him.