For my next trick, I will now turn back into my six-year-old self hearing the rackett for the first time and laughing so hard I hyperventilate because I envision a flotilla of angry and obese ducks. That is all.
…No really, guys. That’s the entire post today. I have no interesting backstory, no history about this piece, nothing. It just makes me laugh. Really, really, really hard.
The Daily Tune-Up 
First heard this piece (played by recorders) in freshman music appreciation. It caused me to begin to listen to “classical” music in addition to Frank Zappa and The Incredible String Band and Ray Charles. Nothing risable about obesity (ok, maybe ducks) but what a compelling musical invention.
And I thought the bassoon was the most comical instrument ever invented! Hah.
That’s great. Reading the Wikipedia entry on the rackett I kept expecting each sentence to be followed by a punch line written in the style of P.D.Q. Bach.
The wackadoo sea chanty-type thing at 0:58 is pretty phenomenal. Perhaps the pinnacle of western music.