Beethoven

While walking through a cemetery in Vienna a tourist heard music coming from a gravesite. The headstone read, "Ludwig van Beethoven, 1770-1827." The man listened for a few moments before recognizing the music as the Ninth Symphony, being played backwards. Puzzled, the man left the graveyard and persuaded a friend to return with him. By the time they arrived at the grave the music had changed. This time it was the Seventh Symphony but, like the previous piece, it was being played backwards. Curious, the men agreed to consult a music scholar. When the two men returned to the grave with the expert, the Fifth Symphony was playing. Again, it was backwards. Naturally, word got around about the strange happenings at Beethoven's grave and the next day a large crowd had gathered and was listening to the Second Symphony, being played backwards. Just then the graveyard's caretaker ambled up to the grave. Someone in the crowd asked him if he had an explanation for the music.

"Don't you get it," the caretaker asked incredulously, "he's decomposing."