Hoffnung, Gerard
Created | Updated Jan 28, 2002
(Naturualised) British cartoonist, humourist and musician. Gerard Hoffnung was born in Germany in 1925 aged about 40, so although he died just 34 years later he managed to appear a crusty old man for most of his life.
His most famous recorded item is probably his "barrel" monologue, one of his many spoof letters, this one purporting to be from a builder excusing himself from work. Space and copyright forbid complete reproduction herein, but "at this point I must have lost my presence of mind. I let go of the rope and the barrel, [freed of his weight] descended..." gives a pretty good idea.
This is a shame because his first love was music. His Festival of Music (followed by the Interplanetary and Astronautical music festivals) include fine performances on the vacuum cleaner and Vespa, and the exceptional Concerto for Double Bass Tuba and Piccolo.
His cartoons are still beloved of musicians everywhere, and few indeed are those who achieve in a much longer span what Hoffnung achieved in his tragically short life.
His most famous recorded item is probably his "barrel" monologue, one of his many spoof letters, this one purporting to be from a builder excusing himself from work. Space and copyright forbid complete reproduction herein, but "at this point I must have lost my presence of mind. I let go of the rope and the barrel, [freed of his weight] descended..." gives a pretty good idea.
This is a shame because his first love was music. His Festival of Music (followed by the Interplanetary and Astronautical music festivals) include fine performances on the vacuum cleaner and Vespa, and the exceptional Concerto for Double Bass Tuba and Piccolo.
His cartoons are still beloved of musicians everywhere, and few indeed are those who achieve in a much longer span what Hoffnung achieved in his tragically short life.
