This subject reminded me of a wonderful cartoon that appeared a few years
ago.
A man enters a pet shop. "How much is the blue one with the amazing
plumage" he asks, pointing to a parrot.
"That's 4000 pounds, Guv, on account of it knowing all three Mozart/da
Ponte operas off by heart" replied the salesman.
"Wondrous! How much for the slightly less amazing looking red one?"
"15,000 pounds" comes the salesman's reply "It's got the entire Ring cycle
off by heart."
"Hum! Still a bit pricey. What about that moth-eaten looking speciment
there?"
"Nah! That one's a million pounds - we don't know what it does but the
other ones call it "Maestro."
Concert agents love this story!
John G. Deacon
Home page: http://www.ctv.es/USERS/j.deacon
PIPEDOWN - Campaign Against Piped Music http://www.btinternet.com/~pipedown