Terry Jones, a founder of the Monty Python comedy troupe who died Tuesday at 77 after suffering from dementia, once said he would like to die to Mozart's music. He had other classical music connections, too.
During an appearance on KCRW's Guest DJ Project, Jones played Mozart's Serenade No. 10 in B-Flat Major for 13 Wind Instruments.
"I just think it is such a spiritual piece and the adagio is wonderful," he told host Eric J. Lawrence. "I would like to die to this music," he added with a laugh.
Jones went on to explain his love for classical music and his contributions to the field:
TJ: I like chamber music, really. Four instruments playing together.
EJL: What about like other forms like opera. Are you an opera aficionado?
TJ: I have written an opera, Evil Machines, which we performed in Portugal. It starts off with the vacuum cleaners and the biggest vacuum cleaner in the world. [Laughter.]
I've written two things for the Lloyd Opera House: Doctor Dog, which is a story about a wonderful doctor whose patients all love him and the general medical council says he has got to close down because he's a dog. [Laughter.]
So the patients all go up in arms about it and calamity to get him reinstated.
And I did another thing, The Owl and the Pussycat Went to Sea, and that was performed on a barge for the Royal Opera House.
Of course, the members of Monty Python — who also included John Cleese, Eric Idle, Terry Gilliam, Graham Chapman and Michael Palin — regularly trawled classical waters in their sketches.
One of the most memorable involved Jones playing a modern composer named Arthur "Two Sheds" Jackson. During a TV chat, interviewer Eric Idle becomes obsessed with exploring how the composer got his unlikely nickname, not his music, and if he really has two sheds.
"I wish you'd ask me about my music," an exasperated Jones finally says. "I'm a composer! People are always asking about the sheds, but they've got it out of proportion!"
Watch the classic skit below.
RIP, Terry Jones. Here's hoping you're enjoying Mozart in the after-life.
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