Puck, 1877-07-25 · page 5 of 16
Puck — July 25, 1877 — page 5: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This satirical piece mocks a musical performance by German musicians. Herr Schwarzenschwaffelbach, described as an amateur musician and "Wagner apostle," invites friends to play Wagner's Tannhäuser overture. Messrs. Katzendellenbogen and Pips join him, with Mr. Brady (identified as non-German) arriving fourth. The satire escalates as the performance devolves into chaos: Pips disturbs the harmony, Katzendellenbogen retaliates violently, new discords erupt, and Brady scores "one for Ireland" by criticizing the "Teutonic triumvirate." By evening's end, Schwarzenschwaffelbach concludes he must perform the quartet solo. The joke: ambitious amateur musicians attempting Wagner create discord—both musical and interpersonal—ending in complete failure.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
This is Herr Schwarzenschwaffelbach, the These are Messrs. Katzenellenbo- On the arrival of the fourth of the party, distinguished amateur musician and Wagner gen and Pips, compatriots of Mr. Mr. Brady, who is not a German, they prepare apostle. And this is the way he looked when Schwarzenschwaffelbach, who have for the onslanght on Wagner. he said: “I will invite a few friends to-night come to play the Tannhiuser over- to play the ‘Tannhauser overture!” He said it ture. in German, But scarcely have they begun, when the har- Herr Katzenellenbogen-retaliates And several new discords are introduc- mony is disturbed by Herr Pips, who hits Herr ed into Tannhiuser. Katzenellenbogen on the shin with his violin- bow. Mr. Brady takes a hand in, and scores one for Ireland, to the manifest discom- By the time that the evening with Tannhiu- fiture of the Teutonic triumvirate, Herr Brady demands: “ Will any one shtip ser is finished, Herr Schwarzenschwaffelbach on the tail of me coat ?” has come to the conclusion that the next time he has a quartette to play, he will play it alone. comicbooks.com