I like to share that cartoon from the 19th century with you. Maybe it is well known, I don't know.

Wilhelm Busch lived in the neigborhood where I live now, and this cartoon shows me how very well Busch watched pianists. Isn't it strong how well the musical emotions are given back in the cartoon? E.g. the "Adagio con sentimento" or others?

This cartoon, colored, hangs as picture in the near of my piano, in order to inspire a bit, how to play to get that effect on a listener ...

Here is the link:
http://www.wilhelm-busch.de/index.php?pageID=50

I try a translation of the beginning:
The virtuos
A new years concert

To the new year welcomes here
a virtuos on the clavier
He leads you with treat and favor
through the wonder of his art

What do you think about that? Have fun!

Very funny, thank you for sharing! The drawings remind me very much of American cartoons like Tom & Jerry (or Itchy & Scratchy ) with these giant ears and eyes. But I don't think Busch is very famous in other countries.

That's cute, Olaf. I like the smorzando and the fortissimo ones.

Yes, these are very funny indeed. Whoever says Germans have no sense of humour is wrong
I much enjoy this gentleman's silly poems as well, even if I do not understand all of the German words. Great stuff.

I have an old book with Dutch musical cartoons (use to belong to my father), a bit similar to these. Should really scan some of them and post them one day.

At least there are rare exceptions from that rule...



That would be great!