The Musicians

By Jean-Jacques Sempé and Jean Jacques Sempé

Book Overview

France's beloved cartoonist celebrates the bravery of the soloist, the camaraderie of the ensemble, the triumph of the orchestra in an endearing and funny, brilliant gift book for all music lovers. In 65 drawings, including 16 in mixed media and full color, Sempe's whimsical music-makers play all the time, anywhere-practicing, performing, alone or together, at recitals, sessions, and concerts, with audiences or without: a small boy takes on Mozart, an elderly woman struggles with "Echo of Harlem." They are caught in an overwhelming culture, but-like the speck-sized cellist of the last page-they move "towards a simpler world" through the music they make. This is a book that the "New York Times" praised as "A delicious, evocative album of caricature. . . . Sempe's line becomes music." Said Leonard Bernstein, "Sempe is a comedic genius, who gives all of us musicians the invaluable gift of redeeming our solemnity with the grace of humor."

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0894805088
• ISBN13: 9780894805080
• Release Date: January 1987
• Publisher: Workman Publishing Company
• Length: 24 Pages
• Weight: 1.32 lbs.
• Dimensions: 11.9" x 0.4" x 8.9"

Customer Reviews

If you don't know Sempe, you should

The artist / cartoonist / illustrator J.J. Sempe may not be familiar to many here in the US, but he is beloved in France. Here, however, he should be well known as a contributor to New Yorker magazine... having done dozens of covers over the years. This is one of his best book collections, with charming, insightful illustrations of the world of musicians. He gracefully peers into a moment in life and captures it with a few perfect lines. Subtle, beautiful, sweet. The color pages add a lot... worth every penny in either hardback, if you can find it, or paper.

Music to my eyes.

When you read Sempe, you hear music. That's how good he is. Don't miss the small details here and there. It's like finding a gem among his pencil strokes. I would highly recommend this beautiful book to anybody.

sempe and music

I'm not sure that is the book I'm looking for. But I do know one thing about Sempe's relationship with music. I'd like to see his picture with simple line and deeply reflection from his mind. I can find that he is good in playing music than his paint. That's what I think about Sempe.