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Chopin's heart exhumed in secrecy. For the story go to...

http://www.wqxr.org/#!/story/chopins-heart-exhumed-secret-relic/?utm_source=local&utm_medium=treatment&utm_campaign=carousel&utm_content=item2

Wow. And it's real - there are many articles online by now.

Damn, all this and still no genetic tests? C'mon...

I hope they publish the photo that was shown to The Associated Press for "proof".

I have always heard that Mozart was buried in an unmarked pauper's grave, and so I was very surprised when I read a recent article stating that they've just recently positively identified his grave. When the forensic archaeologist dug the grave and opened the coffin, they found Mozart feverishly erasing manuscripts that contained some of the most beautiful music ever conceived. When they asked him what he was doing, he said, <... wait for it ...> "Can't you see? I'm decomposing!"

Yes. I was doubtful at first.

Thank you for posting this, Jonathan.

It is a "heart rending" tale!

What. Why? What answers are they looking for?

Ugh. I read one of the articles. That's just nasty. Treating someone's long dead body part like some sort magically imbued totem is ghoulish and slightly deranged.

But, but, but....

it's CHOPIN's HEART !! !!


Sorry, couldn't resist. I agree - the interest in Chopin's heart is more than a little ghoulish and weird, but, you know - Chopin. It's to be expected.

This is my answer to a surprising amount of things.

Chopin's heart--is it important? Well, it's not chopped liver.

I'm heartsick over it.

Richard III's remains were recently "found".

We have some very odd superstitions about some of the internal organs.
Where the various attributes of people dwell, etc.

Richard the Lion Heart ?

"One forensic scientist on the team, Tadeusz Dobosz, described the moment as more spiritual than scientific."

If Chopin's heart is ever made available for scientific evaluation, I'm on board that some are interested in answering exactly what illness killed him.

But the heart wasn't made available for any useful purpose. This was a group of loonies oohing and aahing at a pickled heart.

I rate this action alongside "Powdered rhino horn gives you superpowers" and "Jesus Toast".

Beliefs about bodies, especially dead ones vary enormously across cultures.

yes, but usually Roman Catholic belief (Chopin was nominally a Catholic even if not all that devout) is that the body should be buried and stay buried. I'm assuming that means all the innards as well.

We have Chopin's heart, it sits on countless music desks, libraries, recordings, and concerts throughout the world and throughout history.

Anyway I guess it's a point of interest, but I don't feel anything about his heart.

- I mean I don't feel anything about the heart they just dug up. I love his music!

"Please, please. It's not a holy relic".

(Salieri to Wolfie who'd kissed his hand, mimicking Emperor Joseph in Amadeus )

Really?
http://www.theguardian.com/artandde.../nov/18/st-peters-bones-christian-relics

Yes, true. So your point is that actively participating in ghoulish and deranged belief systems causes them to become normative? And therefore any activity at all is okie dokie if it's deemed "cultural"?

I think an average citizen without a scientific reason for keeping a preserved human heart on display would be arrested for desecration or at minimum, placed under psychiatric evaluation.

The "scientists" ogling Chopin's coeur felt they were being respectful. How respect makes it any less weird to worship bits of dead human bio-matter is debatable.

Oh well. Relic away.
(To the tune: "Oo ee oo ah ah ting tang walla walla bing bang" )