The Worst Musical Trio – vocabulary and notes
To have the chance to do sth – to have the opportunity to do sth
A recital – the performance of a programme of music by a soloist or a small group
Note: 30 years ago – i.e. in about the 1940s or 50s. The book in which this was published in about 1980.
‘quite unhampered by great musical talent’. This sort of ironic understatement is common in English. ‘Damning by faint praise’ is when we understand that someone is phrasing in polite terms something (s)he really means is dreadful.
Note:
‘Quite‘ here means ‘completely, totally, absolutely’. In English ‘quite‘ means ‘reasonably, or fairly‘ much more often than ‘absolutely,or very’. If you say a meal was ‘quite nice’ it means you only enjoyed it a little, or it was only moderately tasty. You would be wise to say ‘very nice’ or very tasty’.
a sell-out – 1) the selling of an entire stock of something. 2)an event for which all tickets are sold 3) a sale of a business or company 4) a betrayal
reluctant – adj – unwilling and hesitant
To volunteer – 1) to offer to do sth 2) to commit someone else to do sth without consulting him / her 3) say or suggest sth without being asked 4) to work for an organisation without being paid.
a trio – a set or group of three, or a performance by three singers, instrumentalists or dancers, or a composition for the above.
A duet – a performance by two singers, instrumentalists of dancers, or a composition for the above.
Note:
We sometimes say ‘a trio of friends‘ but we would never use duet in this way – we would say ‘a duo of friends’.