She was also famed for her vast repertoire that spanned more than 1,000 songs.

Indeed, it has been a painstaking progress, exploring not only the staple masterpieces of most concert virtuosi, but a vast repertoire of lesser-known works, his own arrangements and original compositions.

These composers represent a tiny fraction of his vast repertoire, acquired over a 55-year career, but they are among the ones he returns to with most pleasure.

In the wild, belugas are known as the 'canaries of the sea,' because they communicate via a vast repertoire of sounds including whistles, squeals, moos, chirps and clicks.

No such summaries, though, justice to the sheer inventiveness, wit, complexity, erudition, unexpectedness and originality of the works, nor to their vast repertoire of intricate word-play and puns.