The following are actual quotations from papers of grade school children about classical music:

Refrain means don't do it. A refrain in music is the part you better not try to sing.

J. S. Bach died from 1750 to the present.

Handel was half German, half Italian, and half English. He was rather large.

Beethoven wrote music even through he was deaf. He was so deaf that he wrote loud music. He took long walks in the forest even when everyone was calling him. I guess he could not hear so good. Beethoven expired in 1827 and later died of this.

Henry Purcell is a well-known composer few people have heard of.

Aaron Copeland is one of our famous contemporary composers. It is unusal to be contemporary. Most composers don't live until they are dead.

An opera is a song of bigly size.

In the last scene of Pagliacci, Canio stabs Nedda who is the one he really loves. Pretty soon Silvio gets stabbed also and they live happily ever after.

Music sung by two people at the same time is called a duel.

Agnus Dei was a woman composer famous for her church music.

I know what a sextet is but I'd rather not say.

Caruso was first an Italian. Then someone heard his voice and said he would go a long way. So he went to America.

Most authorities agree that music of antiquity was written a long time ago.

Probably the most marvelous fugue was the one between the Hatfields and the McCoys.

My favorite composer is opus.

A virtuoso is a musician...with real high morals.

My very best liked piece is the bronze lullaby.