DECOMPOSING

A TOURIST IN VIENNA IS GOING THROUGH A

GRAVEYARD AND ALL OF A SUDDEN

HE HEARS SOME MUSIC.

NO ONE IS AROUND, SO HE STARTS

SEARCHING FOR THE SOURCE.

HE FINALLY LOCATES THE ORIGIN AND

FINDS IT IS COMING FROM A GRAVE

WITH A HEADSTONE THAT READS:

LUDWIG VAN BEETHOVEN, 1770-1827.

THEN HE REALIZES THAT THE MUSIC IS

THE NINTH SYMPHONY AND IT

IS BEING PLAYED BACKWARD !

PUZZLED, HE LEAVES THE GRAVEYARD

AND PERSUADES A FRIEND TO RETURN WITH HIM.

BY THE TIME THEY ARRIVE BACK AT THE GRAVE,

THE MUSIC HAS CHANGED.

THIS TIME IT IS THE SEVENTH SYMPHONY,

BUT LIKE THE PREVIOUS PIECE,

IT IS BEING PLAYED BACKWARD.

CURIOUS, THE MEN AGREE TO

CONSULT A MUSIC SCHOLAR.

WHEN THEY RETURN WITH THE EXPERT,

THE FIFTH SYMPHONY IS PLAYING,

AGAIN BACKWARD.

THE EXPERT NOTICES THAT THE SYMPHONIES

ARE BEING PLAYED IN THE REVERSE ORDER

IN WHICH THEY WERE COMPOSED,

THE 9TH, THEN THE 7TH, THEN THE 5TH.

BY THE NEXT DAY THE WORD HAS SPREAD

AND A THRONG HAS GATHERED AROUND THE GRAVE.

THEY ARE ALL LISTENING TO THE

SECOND SYMPHONY BEING PLAYED BACKWARD.

JUST THEN THE GRAVEYARD'S CARETAKER

AMBLES UP TO THE GROUP.

SOMEONE IN THE CROWD ASKS HIM IF

HE HAS AN EXPLANATION FOR THE MUSIC.

"DON'T YOU GET IT?"

THE CARETAKER SAYS INCREDULOUSLY.

"HE'S DECOMPOSING!"