I hadn't heard that description of Spike Jones before. Fits.
Thanks!
As per well-tempered, i believe it is a technical term which describes a specific tuning of keyboard instruments such that symmetry is preserved: corresponding chords in different keys sound the same. And it does this by not using perfect 5ths (easy to tune) but something slightly less. Bach's stuff there was specifically written to show off that tuning.
And actually if there is discussion along these lines, i may benefit from it.
There is an out of tune piano in the basement, and i got a tuning key over the interwebs recently, and hope to learn by doing over the summer...