Music from Tractor Parts-Fiction!

Music From Tractor Parts-

Summary of the eRumor:
The email comes with a video file attachment. It says that it is a performance of music from a mechanical device that was built by the Robert M. Trammell Music Conservatory and the Sharon Wick School of Engineering at the University of Iowa and 97 percent of it is components from farm equipment from John Deere and the Irrigation Equipment company from Bancroft Iowa. It says it took the team a combined 13,029 hours to build, align, calibrate, and tune the instrument. The eRumor also claims that the device is on display at the Matthew Gerhard Alumni Hall at the University of Iowa.

The Truth:
The eRumor is a hoax.

The music is actually an acclaimed example of what is called "animated music" and is titled Pipe Dream. It is from www.animusic.com and is included on a DVD of other animated music productions.

The University of Iowa says there is neither a "Robert M. Trammell Music Conservatory" nor a "Sharon Wick School of Engineering" on the campus. Those are fictional institutions.

Updated 12/5/06

A real example of the eRumor as it has appeared on the Internet:

This incredible machine was built as a collaborative effort between the
Robert M. Trammell Music Conservatory and the Sharon Wick School of
Engineering at the University of Iowa.

Amazingly, 97% of the machines components came from John Deere Industries
and Irrigation Equipment of Bancroft Iowa, yes farm equipment!

It took the team a combined 13,029 hours of set-up, alignment,
calibration, and tuning before filming this video but as you can see it
was
WELL worth the effort.

It is now on display in the Matthew Gerhard Alumni Hall at the University
and is already slated to be donated to the Smithsonian.

Enjoy.