From: dwight <dkelvey at hotmail.com>
If we'd thought about it we could count to 1023 on
our fingers.
I used to play string bass in a symphony, and there were many times that
there would be long periods of rest, where it was important to count the
bars (measures) going by so as to come back in at the right time. To this
day (that was 40+ years ago) I can still count quite rapidly up to 31 on one
hand (either one). Higher numbers slow me down a bit...
Old bass joke: During the last movement of Beethoven's 9th symphony, there
is a very long tacit (rest) for the basses. So the bass section all went
over to the bar across the street for a drink or three. To keep the
conductor from passing by their entry, they put a rubber band around his
music. So the situation was... Bottom of the ninth, basses loaded, score
tied. (sorry...)
~~
Mark Moulding