Re (tilly) 2: Conway's Kindergarten talk

[tilly]

What was the tune? Gilbert and Sullivan's patter song "I am the very model of a modern major-general"?

If so, did he try singing it at speed?

(For those who don't know, G&S were noted for their patter songs. They were very lighthearted songs that were meant to be sung extremely fast which practically trip over themselves. They are infamous for exercising your enunciation...)

UPDATE
Oops, premchai21 corrected me on the title.

[John M. Dlugosz]

A decade ago I heard Stan Kelly Bootle do that to "Software Pirates of Pizants (sp?)". Great song.

[virtualsue]

The patter is actually 'opera'. :) In case anyone is particularly interested, the song is from the light (comic) opera "Pirates of Penzance", and its original lyrics go along the following lines:

GENERAL: I am the very model of a modern Major-General,
         I've information vegetable, animal, and mineral,
         I know the kings of England, and I quote the fights historical
         From Marathon to Waterloo, in order categorical;
         I'm very well acquainted, too, with matters mathematical,
         I understand equations, both the simple and quadratical,
         About binomial theorem I'm teeming with a lot o' news,
         With many cheerful facts about the square of the hypotenuse.

ALL:      With many cheerful facts, etc. etc. etc.

GENERAL: I'm very good at integral and differential calculus;
         I know the scientific names of beings animalculus:
         In short, in matters vegetable, animal, and mineral,
         I am the very model of a modern Major-General.

Three guesses why it appeals to geeks. :)

[chromatic]

Not quite at speed. Maybe 2/3 speed. It was still impressive.