Tortoni Tremelo the Cursed Musician

Note: This is a Learn From the Greats post which means it includes story spoilers to provide the proper context for the study. Proceed at your own risk.

Published in 1998, Tortoni Tremolo is about a very talented musician whose neighbor cursed him, because his music broke her crystal ball. From then on, his name changed constantly, and his music would transform into olive-like physical music notes. He ruined a funeral, got kicked out of his apartment, and fled to a secluded cabin where he played music for only the animals. They gave him the idea to try eating his music which was delicious and changed depending on the type.

He went back to town, began mass producing his music food, and was invited to a big show. It was a disaster as everyone’s TVs burst when he started playing. But without TVs, the whole world returned to home cooked meals and life with no violence. One day, the old neighbor burst in and told Tremolo she was taking the curse back because it had made him happy. He sold his food factory, bought a symphonic hall, and conducted music.

As usual, Ungerer is the king of details. I love how he added a musical note on the title page to dot the I. The frame of the music is such a good way to foreshadow what’s to come.

The birds continue to hint at plot points in the story. I tend to think of the title page and end papers in a chronological way, but I like the idea that we can use them to intrigue. The through-line is music, so it still feels like a natural progression.

Our first introduction to Tortoni is a compliment of “gifted” and “versatile,” but the composition feels like it contradicts that by setting a tone of overwhelm. We learn why on the next spread.

His neighbors. They are overwhelmed by his music. I could see this introduction in two ways. 1) Tremolo is actually a gifted musician and his neighbors just don’t like hearing him practice. Or 2) maybe the narrator is a little unreliable here. Tremolo’s music is actually breaking glass and angering people to the point where they want to curse him…is he actually making great music?

I love Ungerer’s phrases like “Blasted din-maker, you” and “So be cursed, and three time cursed.” And his visual humor like the way he drew the cat and the evil eye. His characters feel like people you’ve met before. Like I recognize the expression of the exhausted mother. The wailing baby. The evil child in pigtails.

The feeling of overwhelm continues. I love all the costume changes, especially the barefoot guitar.

We are now in ultimate overwhelm. So far in the story, Ungerer has used panels and fairly contained shapes with a lot of space around everything. Things spill off the page and across the gutter. And by having everyone running to the left in opposition to how we are reading the book, this moment feels even more off-kilter.

The more you look at this spread, the more you’ll laugh. The guy squishing the dog makes me chuckle every time I look at it.

Wait, is that a zombie? Oh boy. This guy is definitely cursed.

I love this illustration of him driving away from the sun. His dedication to his music is unmatched…like this dude carries a piano on his back! Alone.

He hasn’t looked this peaceful the entire story. A part of me wonders if he should have stayed here in the forest. He’s got an adoring audience. He’s even being photographed by the gnomes.

The happiness spreads from his face to the rest of the town. Again, his characters feel so specific. Is this the same mother that used to be his neighbor? Also note that the little rat follows him in a few spreads. Always a fun thing for kids to look for.

Now the chaos we’ve felt in the book becomes the chaos of creativity. Which builds…

And builds…

And dazzles…(Note the look of overwhelm again on his face.)

Until the chaos overflows and explodes all the TVs.

Strangely we don’t see Tremolo at all on this spread. Just the peaceful aftermath of all the TVs going away. The contrast between chaos and peace drives this story.

Ungerer likes to push the absurdity in his books. The chaos builds until it explodes. The peace builds until all the thieves and kidnappers stand in line to return their loot and weapons. And then the neighbor appears to take the curse back, because Tremolo is too happy.

He must accept his fate yet again. In the text, the narrator reassures us that he ultimately believes, “music still tastes better in your ears than in your stomach!” But then ends on the line, “Yet, curses can take their own course…”

The illustration reveals something is off. It looks like now the music has become liquid? And someone’s head is floating in one? And there is an instrument inside an instrument? This ending puzzles me. One theory is that she cursed him three times. The first cursed moment was the funeral, then the musical notes exploding the TVs, so I guess this is the third? I’m curious what you think this ending means. And if you think the narrator is reliable.

Please share your theories in the comments!

Just wanted to note that the same year this book was published, Ungerer won the Hans Christian Andersen Award. Pretty cool.

Thanks for reading with me today,

Rachel