Welcome to "Intermezzo" — where we take a few minutes to bounce some ideas around about classical music.
In this episode of Intermezzo, Christy L’Esperance and co-host Hazel explore the playful side of classical music, diving into the world of musical teasing and pranks.
Building on yesterday’s conversation about comedic timing, Tuesday’s discussion wanders into the mischievous behavior of both animals and composers.
Did you know great apes tease each other by poking, blocking paths, and even hair-pulling? Turns out, we’re not so different — and neither are the musicians among us. Christy highlights how composer Joseph Haydn used his symphonies to poke fun at orchestra players, including writing crazy noises into the music in Symphony No. 60, nicknamed "Il Distratto."
For more musical fun, Christy suggest Camille Saint-Saëns's "Carnival of the Animals," where pianists are hilariously portrayed as clumsy creatures.
Submit your answer to today’s riddle
To wrap things up, the Christy and Hazel serve up a delightfully terrible musical riddle. Listen to the podcast and if you think you know the answer — text it in and we’ll give you a shout out on Friday. The number to text is (833) 490-4718. By texting your answer, you agree to receive follow-up messages from IPR.
Hear today's full episode by clicking "Listen" above.
Christy L'Esperance is the host and producer of Intermezzo.
Thanks to our cohost Hazel.
Scott Clemens is IPR's Digital Content Producer.
