Music: Museum Piece

In the grimy British Museum in London last week assembled a small group of excited British savants. It was a momentous occasion, they felt: they were to unseal the first of a great collection of historical gramophone cylinders, recorded years ago for the benefit of posterity. They were to hear first the voice of Alfred, Lord Tennyson, Poet Laureate of England, on the 50th anniversary of its recording, in a reading of his own works.

Reverently an official inserted a needle, adjusted the record on an oldtime gramophone. He turned it on. From the old trumpet came a little sound: that was probably the Bard clearing his throat. Then came his voice, dismally wailing: "Oojee Boojee! Oojee Boojee!"

This was puzzling. They speeded up the instrument. Lord Tennyson roared angrily. They tried another adjustment. Firmly he repeated his wail: "Oojee Boojee! Oojee Boojee!"

Dismayed, the savants colled off the meeting, began hunting for someone who knew about 50-year-old gramophones.