# Ludwig Van and I can read your mind **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 11, 2005, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ludwig-van-and-i-can-read-your-mind/298784 "2005-04-11T14:11:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![roger\_thornhill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/d9b06d/32.png) [@roger\_thornhill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/roger_thornhill)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2005, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ludwig-van-and-i-can-read-your-mind/298784/1 "2005-04-11T14:11:23Z")
On my recent trip to Singapore, I saw Zubin Mehta conduct a predominantly Beethoven concert. Magical. I was in tears. Anyway, it got me to thinking on the journey home, while I wasn’t checking out the Singapore girls. I have come up with this hypothesis that symphony preferred tells a lot about a person’s character and desired self-presentation. So what I did - and this is the cunning part - was to jot down the names of around 15 Dopers with whom I have interacted most, and guess which one of the nine symphonies they would nominate as their favourite. So, drop by and test my mini theory out. Those on my list include Owl, GorillaMan, ruadh, Shibboleth, Dexter, Tomnbebb, AndyPolley, Zoe, Starvers, Eve, Sentient Meat, matt\_mcl, Polycarp, Cecil and his doppelganger/amanuensis Ed Zotti. So you guys just name it, and I’ll tell you if I was right. Others who want to play just drop by and I’ll look in my crystal ball and tell you what’s in your heart. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2005, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ludwig-van-and-i-can-read-your-mind/298784/2 "2005-04-11T14:37:01Z")
Guess away. Or go for my favorite piano concerto – you’ve got a one in five chance of getting that one right. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2005, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ludwig-van-and-i-can-read-your-mind/298784/3 "2005-04-11T20:59:33Z")
It’d obviously be more challenging for those of us not on your list, since you supposedly don’t know us as well. Suppose we give you a clue – say, our favorite color or movie or non-Beethoven symphony? ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2005, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ludwig-van-and-i-can-read-your-mind/298784/4 "2005-04-11T21:06:36Z")
The fourth Were you right? ---
**Author:** ![roger\_thornhill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/d9b06d/32.png) [@roger\_thornhill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/roger_thornhill)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2005, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ludwig-van-and-i-can-read-your-mind/298784/5 "2005-04-12T02:24:41Z")
> [@GorillaMan](#): > > The fourth > > Were you right? No, GMAn, but I was, in my humble opinion, half right. I knew that a pro like you would never admit to liking the popular (YUK!) ones the best, so the 5th, 6th, 7th and 9th were out. That left me with the 1st and 2nd (which I discounted because they’re not much good - Mozartian, as I recall), the 3rd, the 4th and the 8th. I went for the 3rd for you on the grounds that, though popular, it had the least recognisable tunes, and therefore would be appealing to the true musicophile. I was wrong. Has happened before. ---
**Author:** ![roger\_thornhill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/d9b06d/32.png) [@roger\_thornhill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/roger_thornhill)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2005, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ludwig-van-and-i-can-read-your-mind/298784/6 "2005-04-12T02:27:27Z")
> [@twickster](#): > > Guess away. > > Or go for my favorite piano concerto – you’ve got a one in five chance of getting that one right. > > 😛 Twickie, you seem like a nice sort of gal. Bright, but not quite in the genius category. Anyone who posts here so much, so long will be keen to be at least a little bit different from the herd, so I’m going to go for: Concerto: 4th Symphony: 7th ---
**Author:** ![roger\_thornhill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/d9b06d/32.png) [@roger\_thornhill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/roger_thornhill)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2005, 2:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ludwig-van-and-i-can-read-your-mind/298784/7 "2005-04-12T02:31:31Z")
> [@panache45](#): > > It’d obviously be more challenging for those of us not on your list, since you supposedly don’t know us as well. Suppose we give you a clue – say, our favorite color or movie or non-Beethoven symphony? I know that you bat for the other side, Panache, but little else. Though you seem and amusing and quite laid back (by Doperdom standards) kid of guy. Clues would only confuse things, as well as giving me even less cred when I get it wrong. So, here goes: 6th (Pastoral) So, can any of you guys guess what my favourite symphony is? By a distance, in fact. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2005, 3:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ludwig-van-and-i-can-read-your-mind/298784/8 "2005-04-12T03:55:46Z")
> [@roger thornhill](#): > > Twickie, you seem like a nice sort of gal. Bright, but not quite in the genius category. Anyone who posts here so much, so long will be keen to be at least a little bit different from the herd, so I’m going to go for: > > Concerto: 4th > Symphony: 7th Right on the symphony – I prefer the third piano concerto, though. (“Not quite in the genius category?” Harrumph. Is is my fondness for reality TV?) ---
**Author:** ![roger\_thornhill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/d9b06d/32.png) [@roger\_thornhill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/roger_thornhill)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2005, 4:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ludwig-van-and-i-can-read-your-mind/298784/9 "2005-04-12T04:01:39Z")
> [@twickster](#): > > Right on the symphony – I prefer the third piano concerto, though. Bloody hell, I’m better than I thought. Re the concertos, I only really know (i.e. can hum - though people around me don’t encourage this) the 4th and the 5th. Once again, the 5th’s too popular for your average Doper. > [@](#): > > (“Not quite in the genius category?” Harrumph. Is is my fondness for reality TV?) Ok, pretty good work. Yes, that would be part of it. On the other hand, though, part of _my_ genius is the Mozart-like ability to enjoy the base as well as the refined. To cock a snook at the world (especially, the world of liberals - eternally my favourite target for piss-taking) in a non-self-conscious sort of way is one mark of the prospective genius. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2005, 11:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ludwig-van-and-i-can-read-your-mind/298784/10 "2005-04-12T11:53:20Z")
> [@roger thornhill](#): > > Bloody hell, I’m better than I thought. Re the concertos, I only really know (i.e. can hum - though people around me don’t encourage this) the 4th and the 5th. Once again, the 5th’s too popular for your average Doper. Check out the third. It’s one of my most favorite pieces of music ever, not just “favorite Beethoven” or “favorite classical.” ---
**Author:** ![MaxTheVool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9fc29f/32.png) [@MaxTheVool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MaxTheVool)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2005, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ludwig-van-and-i-can-read-your-mind/298784/11 "2005-04-12T22:49:55Z")
I saw “phooey” to all those who dismiss the 9th symphony because it’s so popular. It’s so popular because it’s FRICKING AMAZING!!!