Schroeder (Peanuts)
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Schroeder is a character in the renowned comic strip Peanuts, authored by Charles Schulz. He is distinct for his love of the piano and the composer Ludwig van Beethoven, as well as being the object of Lucy van Pelt's undesirable love. Schroeder is also the catcher on Charlie Brown's baseball team.
Schroeder was introduced as a baby in 1951, but aged to the maturity level of the other characters over the next three years. He initially had no notable characteristics, but soon, Schulz had the idea to incorporate his daughter Meredith's toy piano into the strip. He decided to give it to the newest character in the strip, and thus the character as he is known to millions of fans was born.
From his first appearance at the piano, Schroeder has played classical pieces of virtuoso level, as depicted by Schulz's painstaking transcription of sheet music onto the panel. He is often found playing selections from a sonata by Beethoven, his favorite composer. As revealed in one strip wherein Lucy took his bust of Beethoven and smashed it, he has an entire closetful of Beethoven busts. Every year, Schroeder marks December 16, the birthday of his idol. It has been said one choice for his idol would have been Brahms, but Charles Schulz explained 'Beethoven' sounds funnier.
Schroeder is usually depicted sitting at his toy piano, able to pound out multi-octave selections of music, despite the fact that such a piano has a very small realistic range (for instance, and as a running joke early on, the black keys are merely painted on to the white keys). This has been a recurring joke through the duration of the comic. Schroeder's other distinguishing mark as a character is his constant refusal of Lucy's love. Lucy is infatuated with Schroeder, and frequently leans against his piano while he is playing, professing her love for him.
Schroeder is normally a very impassive character, content to play his music, but can be angered quite easily if his music or his idol Beethoven are insulted.
TRIVIA
- Schroeder's last name is Klein.
- In the 1950's, Charlie Brown's baseball team had to have a sponsor to play games. Schroeder's sponsor was "Beethoven".it:Schroeder