Aycharaych congratulates Flandry on l'affaire Nyanza, a touch of Fransai in the Anglic, and informs him that:
"'Not even excepting Xingu, [Richard] Strauss is the most misunderstood composer of known galactic history.'" (p. 12)
I had to google to confirm that Xingu was not a Terran composer. Aycharaych refers to known galactic history. Most of the galaxy is unknown.
Aycharaych visited Terra clandestinely to walk in certain forests and see certain paintings and graves. Knowing him, he probably did more than that.
When Aycharaych sees violet as black, Flandry deduces that he sees further into the red and that his sun is cooler and redder than Sol. That does not identify it but every datum helps.
11 comments:
Interestingly enough, "Xingu" is a human word. It's the name used by (for?) a small (in numbers) indigenous people in the Brazilian Amazon, and - from that usage - for one of Embraer's products. Pronounced something like "shingoo" in Anglicized Portuguese ...
Kaor, Dave!
Yes, but I think we should understand Aycbaraych's use of "Xingu" as referring to a non-human composer.
Ad astra! Sean
Kaor, Paul!
I wonder if Aycbaraych visited the tombs of the Terran Emperors and contemplated the grave of Manual Argos?
Ad astra! Sean
Probably.
"Xingu" is also the name of a river which is a tributary of the Amazon. Is it named after the tribe?
Kaor, Paul and Jim!
Paul: Indeed! Aycharaych mentioned Manuel the Great and Manuel the Wise in A KNIGHT OF GHOSTS AND SHADOWS.
Jim: I don't know. I never heard of any human uses of "Xingu" before today.
Ad astra! Sean
Jim - True. The people and the river share the name; which came "first" is presumably an unanswerable question.
I think Xingu was meant to mean a human composer long after the 20th century.
Kaor, Mr. Stirling!
Possibly, despite me thinking Anderson meant us to think "Xingu" was a non-human composer.
Ad astra! Sean
Sean: either of us could be right. Alas, we can't consult Poul!
Kaor, Mr. Stirling!
Too true! Albeit, I like to think PA reads our comments/arguments in the afterlife with bemused amusement! (Smiles)
Ad astra! Sean
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