Songs in the Key of G
Jan. 14th, 2009 09:08 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
captainsblogI always had some fascination for Schroeder, among the second-tier members of the Peanuts gang. He somehow knew how to call a game from behind the plate for the inept Charlie Brown, he had to put up with Lucy's affections, but most of all he was a consummate pianist despite only having a toy piana to work with:
Yet, as today's Times, um, notes, there was more method than madness in Charles Schulz's use of Beethoven throughout his years of Schroederstripurz:
“If you don’t read music and you can’t identify the music in the strips, then you lose out on some of the meaning,” said William Meredith, the director of the Ira F. Brilliant Center for Beethoven Studies at San Jose State University, who has studied hundreds of Beethoven-themed “Peanuts” strips.
When Schroeder pounded on his piano, his eyes clenched in a trance, the notes floating above his head were no random ink spots dropped into the key of G. Schulz carefully chose each snatch of music he drew and transcribed the notes from the score. More than an illustration, the music was a soundtrack to the strip, introducing the characters’ state of emotion, prompting one of them to ask a question or punctuating an interaction.
“The music is a character in the strip as much as the people are, because the music sets the tone,” Mr. Meredith said. To understand what gave Schroeder chills, he said, you have to listen to the musical passage. “When you actually hear the symphony, the whole thing feels completely different.”
Many of these scored strips, along with some other musical memorabilia, are in their final weeks on display at the Charles Schulz Museum in Santa Rosa, California. They'll reappear in May at another museum in San Jose. No, I do not know the way to it.
The reporter also notes that, despite Schroeder's lifelong love of Ludwig, his creator's favorite composer was actually Brahms. He chose Beethoven for the comic riff, he says, because the name just sounds funnier.
As were many of Beethoven's other incarnations:
Yet, as today's Times, um, notes, there was more method than madness in Charles Schulz's use of Beethoven throughout his years of Schroederstripurz:
“If you don’t read music and you can’t identify the music in the strips, then you lose out on some of the meaning,” said William Meredith, the director of the Ira F. Brilliant Center for Beethoven Studies at San Jose State University, who has studied hundreds of Beethoven-themed “Peanuts” strips.
When Schroeder pounded on his piano, his eyes clenched in a trance, the notes floating above his head were no random ink spots dropped into the key of G. Schulz carefully chose each snatch of music he drew and transcribed the notes from the score. More than an illustration, the music was a soundtrack to the strip, introducing the characters’ state of emotion, prompting one of them to ask a question or punctuating an interaction.
“The music is a character in the strip as much as the people are, because the music sets the tone,” Mr. Meredith said. To understand what gave Schroeder chills, he said, you have to listen to the musical passage. “When you actually hear the symphony, the whole thing feels completely different.”
Many of these scored strips, along with some other musical memorabilia, are in their final weeks on display at the Charles Schulz Museum in Santa Rosa, California. They'll reappear in May at another museum in San Jose. No, I do not know the way to it.
The reporter also notes that, despite Schroeder's lifelong love of Ludwig, his creator's favorite composer was actually Brahms. He chose Beethoven for the comic riff, he says, because the name just sounds funnier.
As were many of Beethoven's other incarnations:
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no subject
Date: 2009-01-15 02:15 am (UTC)I love the Belushi/Beethoven has a statue of himself on his piano!
headdesk
Date: 2009-01-15 02:57 pm (UTC)Re: headdesk
Date: 2009-01-15 03:02 pm (UTC)I do know I'm way remiss as a commenter, with most people, but I do enjoy your words and your sights and will try to reflect that a little more/better:)
Re: headdesk
Date: 2009-01-15 03:32 pm (UTC)Re: headdesk
Date: 2009-01-15 04:12 pm (UTC)And I've never had a better opportunity to use my Schroeder icon. Thanks! :-)
Re: headdesk
Date: 2009-01-15 04:23 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-01-17 04:19 am (UTC)