Humanities desk
< December 23	<< Nov \| December \| Jan >>	December 25 >

Welcome to the Wikipedia Humanities Reference Desk Archives
The page you are currently viewing is an archive page. While you can leave answers for any questions shown below, please ask new questions on one of the current reference desk pages.

December 24

Anonymous Authors

I'm looking for information about book authors who remained anonymous. How did they communicate with the publisher? How did they get paid if their bank account can't be anonymously attributed to them? etc. Thanks, 17:47, 24 December 2011 (UTC) — Preceding unsigned comment added by 46.116.226.68 (talk)

They are not anonymous to their publisher. Kittybrewster ☎ 18:28, 24 December 2011 (UTC)[reply]

Someone has to know who they are. So either the publisher or a go-between of some sort. Or the money is left in a sack somewhere, but that seems unlikely. ;-) --Mr.98 (talk) 01:14, 25 December 2011 (UTC)[reply]

In some cases, they may not have been paid for their work. Somebody writing something "subversive" under an oppressive government might have operated the printing press personally and left copies where others would find them. These days, with the Internet, anonymous online posting is far easier (like what we are doing right now). StuRat (talk) 06:13, 25 December 2011 (UTC)[reply]

Thanks. And what about examples of pen names or books of anonymous authors? 85.250.163.208 (talk) 12:29, 25 December 2011 (UTC)[reply]

The famous Chinese novel Journey to the West was anonymously published in 1592. The author remained unknown until the early 20th century. A Chinese scholar connected the book with Wu Cheng'en in the 1920s. However, modern scholarship has cast doubt on the connection. --Ghostexorcist (talk) 15:44, 25 December 2011 (UTC)[reply]

For a more recent example, Joe Klein published Primary Colors anonymously and kept it that way for seven months in 1996 before being unmasked. Meelar (talk) 17:59, 25 December 2011 (UTC)[reply]

B. Traven comes to mind. --Incognito.ergo.possum (talk) 15:41, 26 December 2011 (UTC)[reply]

And, of course, there's the theory that William Shakespeare did not write his own plays, but that somebody else wrote them and gave them to him. StuRat (talk) 16:04, 26 December 2011 (UTC)[reply]

See Shakespeare authorship question. -- Jack of Oz ^{[your turn]} 23:02, 26 December 2011 (UTC)[reply]

There are Wikipedia articles on various anonymous and pseudonymous works which have some info. In the last 100 years, sex seems to be the principle reason for anonymity in the west. Belle de Jour, author of Secret Diary of A Call Girl etc used a corporation to hide her real identity; only her agent and accountant knew who she was. Story of O by Pauline Réage was published pseudonymously with a preface by Jean Paulhan who was actually the author's lover but made up a spurious story about its provenance. In earlier times it was a little easier; the Brontë family, who pretended to be the brothers Bell, seem to have done most of their business by mail, although there were soon rumours about authorship, and allegedly at one point they all travelled to London to prove to their publisher who they were. --Colapeninsula (talk) 18:57, 26 December 2011 (UTC)[reply]

James Cook's feather cloak(s)

Does anybody know how many Hawaiian feather cloaks of Captain James Cook exist in museums around the world. And is the one currently in the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa the same one as the one that was in the Australian Museum in 1899?--KAVEBEAR (talk) 19:40, 24 December 2011 (UTC)[reply]

Der Holle Rache

This is probably one of the most difficult arie to sing, and the F₆ has tripped up many a soprano. Of the recordings of this aria I've listened to in every one there is something around this spot (right after 'so bist du meine Tochter nimmermehr') that is not right - the soprano either "squeaks" on the high F or else hits the F but at the expense of some of the surrounding notes. Are there any recordings available online of this aria being sung perfectly or near-perfectly? If so, I'd appreciate links - even if I might have heard the recording before. Thanks. 24.92.85.35 (talk) 22:55, 24 December 2011 (UTC)[reply]

I'm not familiar with this aria, but a similarly difficult aria is the Mad scene from Lucia di Lammermoor. Our article says that Maria Callas and Dame Joan Sutherland performed this role with distinction, so I wonder if they also recorded the aria you're looking for? --TammyMoet (talk) 11:02, 25 December 2011 (UTC)[reply]

I assume you've checked out our article Der Hölle Rache kocht in meinem Herzen, which says that Edda Moser's recording was chosen for Voyager 1, so it must have been considered pretty special. It also mentions the notorious Florence Foster Jenkins, whose recording is worth hearing for the novelty value of its utter awfulness, but for no other reason, I promise you. Also have a look at The Magic Flute discography for the names of some noted singers of the important roles. It's not complete, but it's a start. -- Jack of Oz ^{[your turn]} 11:39, 25 December 2011 (UTC)[reply]

Here's the much lamented Lucia Popp doing it admirably (it says Cecilia Bartoli but that's wrong).

PS. Those reading this thread may not know the aria under its incipit, but might know "The Queen of the Night's Aria". -- Jack of Oz ^{[your turn]} 18:30, 25 December 2011 (UTC)[reply]

I second Lucia Popp - she recorded it with Otto Klemperer, and she is close to perfect in it. --Stephan Schulz (talk) 00:04, 26 December 2011 (UTC)[reply]

thanks for all the responses guys! By following the links you gave I eventually came to this, which is about as perfect as I expect to find. WIkipedia is awesome! 24.92.85.35 (talk) 18:28, 26 December 2011 (UTC)[reply]