As a cataloger in a university library, naturally student life is of particular interest. So when I ran across Johann Strauss Jr.’s waltz Studentenlust (Students’ Joy), the cover illustration delighted me. The guy in the center is inked slightly darker, and clearly meant to be the focus: but what of his joys? A pipe, a fencing foil, books, his beloved serenading him on a guitar, dancing of course, and, well, hard to ignore, BEER! A flying beer keg appears to be steered by a naughty little fellow clothed only in ivy, while a poor harassed professor clings on for dear life behind. Hmmm, any of this seem familiar?
[Thanks to Andrea Cawelti, Ward Music Cataloger, for contributing this post.]