Ahahaha, thanks for this, I have to send it to my sister, as this is her favourite song!

I figured folks would either think this terribly offensive or find it ridiculously funny! I'm still laughing over it with a couple of people via text this evening. I guess we are easily entertained!

I don’t understand..... are they making fun of bad flautists?

sixty-four years ago I was introduced to flute playing. I loathed it, but tried to please my father by giving it a shot. I sounded exactly like this for quite some time... Love this rendition of a very beautiful song.

It was so pretty at the beginning and then....well I wasn't expecting that. Then I started LMAO! Thanks.

Hey, there are ads attached to that. I want my royalties from my .4th grade recorder class recital.

My dog was quite disturbed! Not really funny IMO, especially with all the suffering this year.

To each their own! Suffering doesn't negate the very real human need to laugh and enjoy a bit of silliness. Remember our very amusing thread on Covid humor! I knew some wouldn't get it or appreciate it. Doesn't matter, but sorry to disturbed animals everywhere. 😁

If you've ever attempted a woodwind instrument or have a child who has, you might find it relatable. My mother has accompanied youngsters auditioning or playing for UIL for decades, so of course she found it hilarious. I played clarinet in 7th grade, and I and the rest of my fellow bandmates pretty much sounded this bad. I'll never overcome the horror of performing in a Christmas concert at the school (in front of parents, students, staff, and the baby Jesus himself), when the bell of my clarinet fell off, crashed to the ground and rolled down the aisle.

I like this one Silent Monks sing the Hallelujah Chorus

Hahaha! I get the humor and love the comments on you tube. “If this isn’t played at my funeral then I’m not dying!” Hahaha!!! Thanks for sharing.

Does the OP really go on for 4 minutes? I could only listen to a few seconds of the 'solo'.

The silent monks are hilarious.

That was great ... the comments there are cracking me up, too. 😄

ETA: But you are mean to tell us to turn it up. I did, very high. Nearly dropped my coffee when, um, it got going. 😂

My dog alerted on the flute sounds. LOVE the silent monks.

Suffering doesn't negate the very real human need to laugh and enjoy a bit of silliness.

No, in fact, it underscores that need. I read the comments and thought "meh, that doesn't sound so funny just sounds unpleasant." As Mom of 3 I've heard a lot of awful music. But then i went to the link and giggled. Thx for the laugh!

As far as laughter during a time of suffering. What a mean thing to say.

I'm not sure whose comment you're referencing, Trail, but if it was mine, I hope you know that your words simply highlight the point I tried to make. In the midst of our deepest anguish, laughter remains, and it has a way (in my experience) of bursting forth and bubbling over in what might seem to be the most inopportune times. But I think that's how it helps us heal, and I also think we need to remain open to laughter and yes, even silliness - in whatever guise it takes, so long as it sparks something joyful within us. Obviously, we each find that in our own unique way, and that's part of the beauty of the whole thing as well.

I just want to add that I had an opportunity years ago to shadow a funeral director and his staff as they went about their work behind the scenes. I was at first taken aback by the wise-cracking jokes and funny little ways that they bantered back and forth, riffing off one another to produce a private environment that had all the hallmarks of improv comedy. Some of it off-color, yes; some of it not something they would ever want their clients to overhear. Once I settled into it, I found the entire experience absolutely delightful, and it became clear to me that THIS was exactly how these hard-working people managed to get through their long days that were otherwise laden with the grief of strangers. I have tried to carry that memory forward, and today I find very little that is to me sacrilegious if it's undertaken (pun intended) to be funny.

No worries, Trail. I thought that's probably what you meant, but just wanted to be sure we were aligned. Anyway, I'm glad you said what you did, because I think it's opened a side discussion that has tremendous value for us all. Laughter truly is the best medicine. I can think of times I've felt depressed and just generally out of sorts, and along comes a big ol' belly laugh from something completely random (and most likely stupid), and oh, how that lifts my soul.

Sending much love and joyful laughter to you today. (((((Hugs)))))

“A good laugh overcomes more difficulties and dissipates more dark clouds than any other one thing.” ~Laura Ingalls Wilder

When I was in Jr. High my boyfriend was killed in a car wreck. A friend took me to pay respects at the funeral home. First time I experienced death. While standing in front of the casket I thought my friend said something highly inappropriate. I started laughing. And I couldn't stop even with people coming into the chapel. We made it look like I was crying, but I laughed so hard I felt a lot better when we left, if even only temporarily.

Laugh your heart out!

nini is entitled to express her feelings too. I’m sure she did not mean any harm. Things hit people differently, especially during these times. I believe laughter is good and we need it, just as we need tears. What is so hard right now is how we are feeling things. Sometimes I feel like an out of control hormonal mess (and I’m way past that). It’s the craziness of the times. I can totally understand both nini and carolyns emotions.

Isn't laughter closely related to crying physiologically? Who hasn't laughed until we cried? It is SO much a part of our human DNA. Hell, embrace it. Get the giggles in church til the pew shakes.

Oh, that reminds me. My mother is a pianist and she has played for countless funerals throughout the years. For one summertime service, she was unable to find a sitter for my young brothers, who must've been 4 and 6 at the time, so she took them to the funeral and plopped them on the front row where she could keep an eagle eye on them even while at the piano. She warned them within an inch of their lives about acting up, and promised them that if they behaved, she'd treat them to McDonald's afterward. (They adored Mickey-D's.) Unbeknownst to my mother, the soloist she was to accompany was a loud soprano with an overtly operatic style. As the woman launched into her song (and for all I know, it very well could've been Ave Maria), my eldest brother, from the focal point of the front row, clutched his chest and threw out his arm dramatically, and proceeded to mimic cartoon-like opera. Not just for a second or two, but throughout the song. My poor mother was horrified.

As they were exiting the premises, my brothers excitedly asked, "Can we go to McDonald's now? Can we? Huh? Can we?" -- and my mother, grabbing them each by an ear replied in her darkest, meanest voice, "You're never going anywhere EVER AGAIN. NEVER!"

So inappropriate, but it still cracks me up to this day.

“Isn’t laughter closely related to crying physiologically?”

Funny, I was just thinking that! I think it is. :)

[Deleted rest of my comment as I impulsively shared too much personal info.]

Years ago at my Dad’s funeral, as we (all the siblings) got out of the limo at the cemetery, my brother made a very funny comment. From a distance, I’m sure the mourners gathered in the little gazebo thought we were shaking because of crying, but we were laughing. A few minutes later during the ceremony, some of us were crying. That’s life and death, not disrespectful IMO.

Your brother’s antics made that a memorable funeral. I’m sure many of the attendees appreciated it, I would have.

I have to believe the dead want us to keep laughing. It's definitely not disrespectful; it's a vital part of who we ARE.

hhireo - thank you for posting the monks' video. I haven't had a chance to listen yet, but will do so as soon as I can. :-)

Of course we are all entitled to our opinions and to our feelings and to our own particular brand of humor. That goes without saying. I did feel upon first reading it, however, that the comment above about the flute video not being funny in this time of suffering was akin to "shaming". And it never feels good to be on the receiving end of that; it's sort of like being shushed when you're, well ... laughing heartily! That said, I do know that many of us are in the throes of all manner of experiences and emotions, and something can strike at a sensitivity when we least expect it. I alluded to the fact that not everyone would appreciate the stupid Ave Maria/flute thing when I shared it, so I posited that from the get-go.

Really, it doesn't matter. If it made anyone here laugh, then my work for the day is done. ;-)

WHY? WHY are things like this so freaking hilarious??? I cannot stop laughing!!!

LOL! I think sometimes certain things just hit a person a certain way, and this seems to be one of those things for many! I don't think I care to delve into my own twisted psyche to try to figure out what exactly it is about this that has produced tummy-aching laughter in me (well, to be fair, in others that I hold dear too, so it's definitely not just me), but suffice it to say that I can often come completely unraveled by something that is beyond stupid. And don't even get me started on f*rt jokes, because I instantly become a 6 year old boy, and they are Hi-LAAAAAAAR-ious, I tell you. ;-D

That's not a FLUTE it's a RECORDER!! It is closer to a clarinet than flute! I only read the first few responses so if anyone else already pointed this out my bad. I THINK the person who posted on youtube was making fun of the mom who thought this worthy to share...THAT makes it HILARIOUS, IMHO

If you want to get technical, a recorder IS a flute.

The recorder is a family of woodwindmusical instruments in the group known as internal duct flutes—flutes with a whistle mouthpiece, also known as fipple flutes. A recorder can be distinguished from other duct flutes by the presence of a thumb-hole for the upper hand and seven finger-holes: three for the upper hand and four for the lower. It is the most prominent duct flute in the western classical tradition.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Recorder_(musical_instrument)#:~:text=The%20recorder%20is%20a%20family,also%20known%20as%20fipple%20flutes.&text=It%20is%20the%20most%20prominent%20duct%20flute%20in%20the%20western%20classical%20tradition

I was both horrified and crying from laughing. Does this remind anyone else of sitting through your kid’s (insert name of instrument here) recitals?

Anyway, thanks for sharing, it is such a beautiful song, yet here I am I enjoyed the attempts at a vibrato and the sustained note at the end (which seemed to be broken up into something like 3 or 4 somewhat long and short notes), lol!

Oh yes, the monks! One of my favorites. They truly bring life to Handel’s work.

One thing I recall from my childhood...I started taking piano lessons in 3rd grade and I don’t recall when this happened but I was probably old enough to know better I’m sure, maybe 6th or 7th grade. Whenever a concert was happening in our small town, my piano teacher made sure his students had an opportunity to attend.

My friend and I attended a piano concert by some young man. He was very intense, and when he played he was quite bent over the keyboard to the point it appeared, to us hooligans, that he was playing with his quite long nose. We became quite tickled over this fact and were giggling quietly and uncontrollably for a period of time. I don’t know who observed us, no one said anything. We finally were quiet, but as soon as he started again, we did too. It was awful. We were awful.

I’m Elaine here. And Mr Jinx would totally do this to me.

I'm dying laughing, Outside! Hahahahaha! Ohhhh, I can absolutely picture the whole scene unfolding! 🤣

Jinx! That is a classic! 🤣😂🤣

Once in a long, long, boring meeting in a large conference room, the speaker lost her place. The person sitting next to me whispered “great, now she’s even boring herself.” The comment and delivery made me laugh (still does when I think about it). It was one of those trying not to be noticed laughs, which are never as subtle as you think they are. Luckily, we were some distance from the speaker and she was busy trying to find her place again to notice us.

I need to email that old coworker now that I’m thinking about her.

Well I’ve read the whole thread and it doesn’t seem to make any sense so I am definitely missing both the humor and the meaning. 🙁 Not all people have the same sense of humor and that’s okay as long as it doesn’t hurt anyone’s feelings. I assume the flautist was deliberately playing that way and was not simply an inexperienced musician.

Yes, I know; you said upthread you didn't get it, but I believe you may be waaaaay overthinking it. It's just one of those silly things that strikes some people as funny. And yes, it is ok that we all find humor in a world of ways. What a boring old planet this would be if we were all the same. So Happy Chuckles to all today, wherever you may find them! It feels so fantastic to laugh. 😁❤

Ocotillo - I definitely did not find it offensive nor funny. Those first notes were so painfully discordant that I simply could not listen past a few bars.

I agree KSWL, there are different senses of humor. We'd be pretty boring if we were all the same. One of my dad's famous sayings was "that's why they make chocolate and vanilla"! LOL

Ocotillo, I keep thinking of your story about your brother doing the cartoon opera singer imitation. In fact, I woke up laughing about it. It sounds just like something my little brother would do, and I can see me sitting beside him laughing my head off. We shared a sense of humor that most people didn't understand. Thanks for the fun.

Schoolhouse, thanks for making me smile! I have so many stories about the antics my "baby brothers" got up to over the years, and even now that they're in their mid-40s, I still laugh about things said and done that were simply hilarious. It's good to remember, and to keep telling those funny family stories, isn't it? I like that we as human beings keep humor alive in that way too.

:-)

Ocotillo, the story about your brother imitating the singer was what triggered my memory of the piano concert. My mother would have been mortified if she had been there and seen me behaving that way.

Back in those days, we were pretty much free to attend those things with friends and without parents after a certain age.

And then there's this school band rendition of Space Odyssey, for your listening pleasure.

Space Odyssey

rhizo 😂

That isn’t a school band; it’s the Portsmouth Sinfonia.

Bwhahahaaaaaa!!!!

OMG. I needed the laughs today!!!!!