#when will this end. somebody bring francesco home

[sugar-petals]

”taemin returning from the military”? more like the second coming of christ

[symphonicscans]

Interview with Hozumi for Sarasate Magazine, 2019

There are next to no interviews with Hozumi, so when I heard about this magazine having one I immediately bought it. Finally got around to translating it, and while it doesn't really talk about much, it's better than nothing! I formatted it to fit the original magazine, but there is also a text transcript as well.

Download the interview in PDF form (or read the transcript below) (I was also really pleased to get my headcannons confirmed XD)

WHO IS SOLLIMA?

Hozumi’s “My Giovanni” was inspired by the piece Violoncelles, Vibrez!

In the story, the main character Tetsuo Tezuka idolizes a cellist named Giovanni Bazzoni, who is modeled after Sollima, and the piece that inspires him is Call of the Cello, which is of course based on Violoncelles, Vibrez!

Giovanni Sollima * Composer, Cellist

Born in 1962 in Palermo, Sicily, Italy, he studied cello with Giovanni Perriera and composition with his father Eliodoro Sollima at the Conservatorio di Musica di Palermo. After graduating with honors, he continued his studies on cello with Antonio Janigro and composition with Milko Kelemen at the University of Music in Stuttgart and the Universität Mozarteum in Salzburg. In 1997, he founded the Giovanni Sollima Band in New York City, a group made up of musicians who were already active as soloists and chamber musicians, with such luminaries as Claudio Abbado, Martha Argerich, and Philip Glass. His compositions are often said to be strongly influenced by minimalist music, but he has established his own style by freely incorporating a variety of genres, including classical, rock, jazz, bop, and ethnic music from the Middle East, the Mediterranean, and Africa.

His most widely recognized work is a ballad for two cellos and string orchestra, titled Violoncelles, Vibrez! (1993), which was dedicated to his close friend Mario Brunello, a fellow student of Janigro. It has been performed by many cello ensembles in Japan, including in an arrangement for eight cellos. His other solo cello piece, Lamantatio (1998), which requires the cellist to sing as well as play, is also frequently performed. He also has written a work for shamisen and orchestra, which was commissioned in Japan. He currently teaches at the Conservatorio di Santa Cecilia in Rome, and the instrument he performs on is a Francesco Ruggeri made in 1679. His first visit to Japan was in 2004 for the “Summer in Tokyo,” where he performed Violoncelles, Vibrez! amongst other pieces.

A Must-Read Comic for Cellists

“Boku no Giovanni”

Writer/Yumi Kogo

Characters

The cast of the comic

Tetsuo Tezuka

A boy who loves the cello. After looking for a fellow cellist to play with, he ends up having mixed feelings about Ikumi’s cello talent. He later goes to study with Yuriko Soga in Italy. After returning to Japan, he enters a competition.

Ikumi Tachibana

The other protagonist of the story. The only survivor of a marine accident, he is taken in by Tetsuo’s family and is introduced to the cello. He grows up to become a emerging cellist in the classical music world.

Tetsuro Tezuka

Tetsuo’s older brother and good friend. He used to play the cello, but became jealous of his brother’s ability and stopped playing. Later he becomes a ‘mental trainer’ for musicians.

Yuriko Soga

A cellist living in Italy, Tetsuo initially refers to her as the ‘witch.’ She has a carefree personality, but she is an internationally famous cellist. She later becomes Tetsuo’s teacher.

Yukari Narita

A student in the piano department in a Music High School. She becomes Tetsuo’s accompanist, introduced to him by Yuriko. She likes his free style of playing and they become fast friends. She brings out the best in Tetsuo.

-

“Boku no Giovanni” is a popular music-themed manga serialized in “Monthly Flowers,” a manga magazine for women published by Shogakukan. There have already been four tankoubon released. The manga depicts the lives of two boys who choose to dedicate their lives to the cello, and it’s become popular not only with women but men as well. The story is different from the usual type that follow music students living happily while competing with each other, instead delicately portraying the struggles of a boy who aspires to find his place in the world of music. It is in this setting that the character modeled after Giovanni Sollima appears, and they play an important role in the story.

The Beginning

Tetsuo Tezuka, an elementary school student who plays the cello in a small port town, feels lonely because his older brother Tetsuro, his only cello-playing friend, has stopped playing. Tetsuro had begun to feel inferior to Tetsuo’s rapid improvement, so decides to distance himself from the cello so he wouldn’t end up hating his younger brother. Unaware of his feelings, Tetsuo repeatedly asks him to play ‘Giovanni Bazzoni’s’ work for two cellos, Call of the Cello with him.

At the same time, a large passenger ship sinks on a stormy sea off the coast of their island; a faint voice in the distance is heard. Ikumi Tachibana, who followed to voice to the beach, loses his mother — his only living relative — in the accident, and is taken in by Tetsuo’s family. There, Ikumi learns that the voice he heard was actually Tetsuo’s cello playing.

World-renowned cellists Sollima and Yo-Yo Ma as models

Tetsuo starts playing the cello at age six. He always asks his older brother to play together with him.

It all started when he saw a video of Call of the Cello by Giovanni Bazzoni, which his father gave him. The character of Bazzoni — who has a great influence on Tetsuo — is modeled on Giovanni Sollima, the cellist and composer, and Call of the Cello is reminiscent of one of Sollima’s masterworks, Violoncelles, Vibrez! The other cellist in the panel, Lesser Curtis, is modeled after Yo-Yo Ma. Tetsuo was fascinated by the ‘shadow dancing’ between the two world-famous cellists and became enraptured with the cello.

***

Ikumi finds out that Tetsuo wants somebody to play cello with, so he can play Call of the Cello with them, so he asks Tetsuo to teach him how to play. Both boys start out lonely, but day by day they grow closer through their connection with the cello, and vow to remain lifelong friends.

The world-famous cello “Witch”

Another person who stands out in this story is the character of Yuriko Soga, a world-famous Japanese cellist living in Italy. Every summer she visits Tetsuo’s house to relax. She has a carefree personality, but her playing is of the highest level. Through Yuriko, Tetsuo realizes how difficult the life of a professional cellist is, but also thinks that he has no talent. As if to fight against this reality, he refers to Yuriko as a “witch” and rejects her as an outsider in his world.

One day, Tetsuo spends a week at his grandfather’s house, and when he returns home he finds that Ikumi has effortlessly learned how to play the Dvorak Cello Concerto, which he is unable to play yet. He becomes angry and jealous of Ikumi’s talent and his ability to play with the ideal sound that he wants for himself, and there are many scenes after this that make the reader turn the pages with a heavy heart; only in comics can you see the mood and atmosphere of a person’s feelings at a glance.

As if to escape from Ikumi, Tetsuo goes to study abroad in Sicily, Italy, where Yuriko lives. Five years later, he returns to Japan only to find that Ikumi’s talent has blossomed. Tetsuo pursues his own unique way of making music, but struggles to find a pianist to accompany him in a competition due to his strange way of playing. Through his connection with Yuriko, Tetsuo is introduced to Yukari Narita, a high school pianist who prefers a free style of playing, and this inspires Tetsuo to search for his own style in earnest. It will be interesting to see how his relationship with Ikumi and his future as a cellist develops in future chapters...

(Caption beneath image: Monthly Flowers March 2019 / featured cover illustration)

Interview with the Author of “My Giovanni”

- Hozumi-san - Discovering Sollima and the Fascination with the Cello

Hozumi-san, the creator of “My Giovanni,” debuted in 2010 with her work The Wedding-Eve, which won the Silver Flower Award at the Monthly Flowers comic audition. She made her published book debut with the same work, which is a collection of short stories of which the title is one. The book won the 4th Pukurog Grand Prix in the manga category, and also placed second in the “Staff Choice: This Manga is Amazing!” It also placed second In the ladies’ comics category. Subsequent works include Sayonara Sorcier, which depicts the life of Vincent Van Gough, and Usemono no Yado.

My Giovanni was inspired by a performance of Sollima’s Violoncelles, Vibrez! The series began in 2016 and is still ongoing. We asked Hozumi-san to talk about her encounter with the cello, its appeal, and how My Giovanni was born.

She first fell in love with the cello through 2CELLOS.

Q: I understand that you have always liked minimalist music. How exactly did you come to know about Sollima?

A: My first exposure to minimalist music was with Michael Nyman’s The Heart Asks Pleasure First, but one day I got hooked on 2CELLOS. I had a CD of cellist and composer Siegen Tokuzawa, but I had never watched a proper cello performance before. When I started listening to 2CELLOS, I became more and more fascinated with the sound of the cello and started listening to serious classical music. That’s when I came across Sollima’s Violoncelles, Vibrez! From that point on, I started buying Sollima’s recordings and playing them while working on manuscripts (laughs). After that, I listened to recordings of Joe Hisaishi, Ryuuchi Sakamoto, and others that had a bit of minimalist elements, but I still find it difficult to listen to completely minimalist music. I prefer works that mix minimalist elements with folk and other styles.

Q: I heard that your encounter with Sollima’s works is what led you to create My Giovanni. What was it about Sollima’s music that appealed to you?

A: More than anything, it’s the drama! Of course there’s a strong element of repetition since it’s minimalist, but after listening to a song I feel a sense of fulfillment, as if I’d watched an entire movie. When I heard it for the first time, I remember being impressed and thinking, “Wow, I’ve found such an amazing piece of music!” I was so impressed. It seemed like all of human life experience was depicted in it, and I racked my brain wondering if and how I could draw a manga like that. I started to draw it, but it still didn’t reach the ideal I have, and I’m still struggling with it (laughs).

Q: Do you have any specific cellists that you modeled the characters of Tetsuo, Ikumi, and Yuriko Soga after?

A: I don’t have anybody specific in mind, because I think the way they perform is related to their personalities, so I wouldn’t want to attach them to a specific cellist. I’m not sure it’s a good idea to use anybody in particular as a model because, for the sake of the story progression, I sometimes have to push through the performance scenes with a more comic-like style…

But I have a feeling that there is a bit of Sollima in all of them. Actually, learning to play the cello has made me realize that more.

Q: Hozumi—san, your drawings of cellists are natural and beautiful. Is there anything you pay attention to when you draw them, or anything you are very particular about?

A: I really appreciate you saying so. But I don’t think I’m quite there yet. I actually started cello classes and tried to play the cello myself, but it’s really difficult to draw not only the instrument itself but also the playing position — and not only for cellists. I will continue to work hard to draw the flow of the skeleton and muscles as realistically as I can.

Q: You said you’re learning to play the cello. What was your impression of the cello when you started playing it?

A: This might not be something to talk about in a classical magazine, but I was in a band for a while when I was in school, so I had a little bit of experience with the electric bass. So, when I started cello, I had the faint hope that I would be a little better than an amateur because it was a string instrument… but (of course) it was completely different. Unlike electric bass and guitar there are no frets, and even just holding the bow is very difficult. It was a struggle for me to make a single note sound good. Since then, when I hear cellists play — which I used to listen to without much thought — now I am in awe of them. When I draw the characters in my work I think, “It’s amazing, they can all play so well.” (Laughs)

Q: What is the appeal of the cello for you?

A: It has a wide range, with high notes that pull at your heartstrings but also deep bass notes. I think it’s great that they can play everything from melody to bass lines, and since I used to play the bass I think it’s really cool to be able to do that! As a manga artist, my motivation for drawing them is to find a way to express the sexiness that cellists exude when playing cello.

Q: What are your favorite songs, both to play and to listen to?

A: I haven’t gotten very far with my playing because I’m too busy with the manuscript, but I often listen to the song Rain by Ryuichi Sakamoto. It’s a trio for piano, violin and cello, and I imagined this song when I was drawing the live performance scene for the same ensemble in the comic. I also like Piazzolla in general, but in particular I often play Duo de Amor when I’m drawing.

I really like to hear the cello played by my teacher.

Q: How much time do you spend practicing the cello? What do you find most difficult when you practice?

A: Actually, I haven’t been able to attend classes since I had a health scare last year, and I’m not able to play as much as I used to. Really, all practicing is difficult, but if I had to pick one thing I’d say that even though my left hand fingering is good, I can’t keep up with the bowing… sorry for being such a beginner…

Q: Is there a moment that made you glad you started playing the cello?

A: I’m really only a novice, so just being able to play a single note with a tight, deep sound is a great feeling. “Amazing! I can make the cello sound like a cello!” That alone makes me very happy. Also, it was really helpful for me to understand how to hold the bow and use proper tilted posture as a reference for drawing, it was really great! I’m also happy just listening to the teacher play so skillfully in front of me.

Q: What color is your case?

A: I haven’t bought a case yet because I’m still at the stage where I’m renting my cello, but I like white ones and the deep red Bordeaux-like color, and in the comic Tetsuo’s case is white and Ikumi’s is Bordeaux.

Q: Like My Giovanni, many of your works feature gentlemen, siblings and their home environments. Are those things you consciously decide to focus on?

A: When I create my stories, I often adapt and build on my own experiences as a teenager, so that might have an influence on my work. However, I think the best part of a story is to leave things to the imagination of the reader rather than explaining everything about how the story came to be. Although there are fragments of my personal memories in some parts, it is undoubtedly the original story of the characters, and I hope you will enjoy reading it until the end.

[lewabo81]

French Perspective on American Film - Social Qualities

Social trades fill an assortment of needs. They can be utilized to connect political partitions, increment the comprehension of another country, or give a fare market to items and administrations. At the point when one culture's mastery of a specific medium exists, their might be doubt and hatred when it is traded to different pieces of the world.

In the US, the creation of movies is viewed as an industry. In this view, Los Angeles is a processing plant town that produces films, network shows, and melodic accounts similarly that Gary, Indiana produces steel and refines oil. In different pieces of the world, be that as it may, the creation of movies is viewed as a work of art similar as composing a novel or verse. No place is this social gap more obvious than the thought of film in the US and France.

The French perspective on American film is very much communicated by film maker Marin Karmitz. Karmitz has expressed that, "the U.S. film industry is enormous business, however behind the modern angle, there is likewise a philosophical one. Sound and pictures have consistently been utilized for promulgation, and the genuine fight right now is over who will be permitted to control the world's pictures, thus sell a specific way of life, a specific culture, certain items, and certain thoughts" (Francesco 441). Is French culture undermined by the importation of American movies and amusement? A nearer assessment of the two contending societies, and the job of the film in each, is significant in discovering the appropriate response.

American and French Film

The Part of the Film in France

The Clash of France and the subsequent German triumph in 1940 prompted a period of extreme interior assessment of French culture as a methods for discovering an answer, and fixing fault, for the loss. No place is this preferred represented over on account of the 1937 film "Le Grande Deception" (which was restricted by the French Government in 1939). Jean Renior's film was perhaps the most mainstream French movies of the interwar years and was the climax of a progression of against war films that started with Gance's "J' Blame" in 1919. The "Excellent Dream" is that war addresses anything (Jackson 148). After the loss, this film, alongside books by Proust and Cocteau, were reprimanded for making a conservative culture in France that prompted the loss. Marin Karmitz's remarks about the force of film cited above, in this manner, are all around grounded in French history and culture.

The Movie Business in America

Rather than unfamiliar producers, the American entertainment world perspectives its items as a ware. The item is to make a film, showcase and appropriate it, and procure the benefits (Francesco 442). While "Slaughterhouse Five" and "One Flew over the Cuckoos' Home" are instances of American producers creating insightful, philosophical pictures, these are special cases instead of the standard. Most American movies are created only for amusement esteem and, simultaneously, do well monetarily both in the U.S. what's more, abroad.

Differentiating French and American Culture

As expressed in the content, "authoritative and public societies impact hierarchical conduct" (Francesco 13). A comprehension of the varying perspectives on media outlets between the US and France must be shown up at by an assessment of their societies.

Hofstede's Elements of Social Qualities

Hofstede's Components of Social Qualities gives a helpful device in analyzing the varying societies in France and US. In view of his investigation of more than 100,000 IBM workers across the world, Hofstede verified that there are measurements to clarify contrasting societies: independence/community, power distance, vulnerability evasion, and manly female.

Independence/Cooperation

In independent social orders, individuals are more worried about themselves and their families than with others. Mirroring this, associations endeavor to respect the individual and base advancement and remuneration on singular exertion. This remains constant in any event, when people are essential for a group.

In collectivist nations, the general great of the gathering is foremost. This holds particularly obvious in the previous Soviet Association and its satellites in spite of their transformation to unrestricted economy economies. The assumption in these social orders is that people will subordinate their objectives to benefit the gathering.

Under Hofstede's examination, both the US and France are maverick social orders. In the two nations, singular drive is significant and remunerated. Applying this examination to the entertainment world, it is not difficult to see that films in the two nations are basically recognized by their lead entertainers and makers.

Force Distance

Force distance is characterized as the level to which less amazing individuals from an association acknowledge that force is unevenly conveyed.

A little force distance society is awkward with power distances. These distances might be founded on monetary riches, training, or hierarchical positioning. It is viewed as certain conduct for somebody in a significant level situation to treat somebody at a lower level as an equivalent. Associations in little force distance social orders will in general have more interest at all levels in the dynamic cycle.

In an enormous force distance society, a person's cultural or hierarchical level impacts their conduct and the conduct of others toward them. While people in a higher authoritative or cultural position approach others with deference, the distinctions in position are clear and never completely neglected. In huge force social orders, choices are made by pioneers with almost no contribution from those beneath them on the progressive stepping stool. Appointment of dynamic is infrequently done.

While the U.S. is a little force distance society in Hofstede's investigation, France conversely is a huge force distance society. This reality was ridiculed in a 1941 political animation. In the animation "two dazed French workers are being told by an educated person: 'How might you be astounded [about the defeat]? You glutted yourselves on crafted by Proust, Gide, and Cocteau.' Every one of these journalists partook in like manner the way that they are gay" (Jackson 4). In addition to the fact that this cartoons depict the goals of the elites, it likewise brings up again the significance of human expressions in influencing French general assessment.

American associations in principle, if not generally practically speaking, esteem the contribution of people paying little heed to their cultural or hierarchical position. Quite a while prior, Sperry Rand Enterprise ran a promoting effort dependent on tuning in. In its commercials, it depicted a leader toward the day's end examining the organization with a more seasoned individual from the support office. The message Sperry Rand attempted to pass on was that its leaders were available to thoughts paying little heed to their source.

Vulnerability Evasion

Vulnerability evasion characterizes the favored measure of design in a general public. This design may include common laws or exacting behavior of conduct at the one limit, and the acknowledgment of a wide scope of practices at the other.

In a solid vulnerability evasion society, individuals lean toward structure and unequivocal standards of conduct. As is valid in numerous enormous force distance social orders, there is a solid regard for specialists. The danger evasion conduct found in these societies can prompt a lack of new plug adventures and a craving among chiefs to stay utilized by a similar association for an extensive stretch of time.

Conversely, feeble vulnerability evasion social orders favor unstructured circumstances, overwhelming inclinations of individual certainty, and enterprising conduct.

French society is set apart by solid vulnerability evasion. This might be clarified partially by the excruciating encounters of two universal conflicts in the twentieth century and may clarify its disposition toward human expressions. In a general public where specialists and savvy people are regarded due to their social status, high worth is put on human expressions and the security of local culture.

American culture interestingly is set apart by powerless vulnerability evasion. The pioneering idea of the American film industry is highlighted by two realities. The first is that the early film pioneers in California didn't move toward the West Coast for its bounty of daylight, however to be liberated from Thomas Edison's legal advisors who were requesting eminences for the utilization of Edison's innovation. Furthermore, a considerable lot of California's initial studios were established by Jewish finance managers from the East Coast, who as a result of bias, were obstructed from seeking after customary vocations in banking and enormous business.

Manly/Female

In manly social orders, achievement, confidence, and contest are compensated. In ladylike societies, individual connections, care for other people, and personal satisfaction are profoundly esteemed. Hofstede characterizes American culture as manly and French society as feminine.There are a few different ways to see the movie and media outlets in this light. From one perspective, American movies will in general be activity situated with a self-assured and fruitful legend or courageous woman. Simultaneously, American studios were established by daring people who were remunerated monetarily for their endeavors. find more information international movies streaming

French movies interestingly will in general be insightful and less activity situated. As "Le Grande Hallucination" shows, French movies are frequently clearly political in nature.

End

French and American movies are extraordinary. In like manner, the disposition of French and American producers toward their industry's part in the public arena is unique. Hofstede's Elements of Social Qualities furnishes a structure with which to investigate these distinctions. French society can be described as individualistic, enormous force distance, solid vulnerability avoidant, and female. Conversely, American culture is described as individualistic, little force distance, frail vulnerability avoidant, and manly.

At the point when see through the viewpoint of culture, it isn't hard to comprehend

[claire-alex-fan]

Very Special People: Joseph Merrick – Elephant man, Chang and Eng – Siamese twins, Francesco “Frank” Lentini – Three-legged boy, Carl Unthan – Limbless violinist

Special people always fascinated me, not because of their visage (even it’s make an important role), but mainly because of their stories. Even when those people were different, anybody can’t deny their will to live. Their will to live as others, will to shout: “Who cares I am different? I am human just like you! Behave to me as to human!”

Those special people always gave me brave to live and go for my dreams. They gave me hope.

As a little honour to those special people I wanted to draw some of them and add their story. I hope it will be inspiring for you.

And please, be forgiving for my English. I am not national speaker.

And it will be little bit longer…

  (I made this pictures year ago and I did't submit it because of this long english description. Description I came out of most beautifull book Very Special People by Frederick Drimmer, what I have thank's to closest friend)

Joseph Merrick – Elephant man

Joseph Merrick was first special person, whom I ever know. Thanks to him started mine fascination with stories of special people. Although his story didn’t start happily, but mainly because of compassion of Sir Frederick Treves he could live how he always wanted – live in seclusion with something as small as acceptance.

 Joseph Carey Merrick (August 5, 1862, Leicester - April 11, 1890, London). He suffered from two very rare diseases, namely neurofibromatosis and Proteus syndrome and because of that he suffered severe deformations of face due to which he was difficult to talk, could not laugh or sing. He also had deformed right arm and both legs. Because of his fall in childhood he had a severely damaged hip, so he could barely walk.

               In his early childhood he must run from home. During these years, when he lived as he could, he decided to perform in a panoptic, where people first saw him as an Elephant Man. Here he was noticed by Tom Norman, who travelled with him to London. Here he performed in a small shop opposite the medical academy, where Frederick Treves first noticed him. Treves convinced Norman to allow Joseph Merrick to undergo a medical examination. Treves investigated him, and because Merrick was unable to talk, doctor thought he was imbecile.

               However, Victorian England changed its attitude towards panoptics, and so Tom Norman, along with Joseph, had to go to Europe, where they did not do well. The manager eventually picked up Merrick's almost all of the property and send him back to England.

               Exhausted, without anything and with severe bronchitis, he got back to London. He did not know what to do or where to go. Because of his appearance, people have been avoiding or trying to persecute him. From the hands of the crowd he was saved by the police who found the last thing Merrick had owned - a card from Doctor Frederick Treves.

He was admitted to isolation at the London hospital, even though Treves had broken the hospital rules. Here the doctor began to recognize a person who, despite all expectations, was intelligent, full of emotion, and with a soul of romance.

Here in the hospital began times that were radically different from those that Merrick had lived through.

However, although the nurses were not hostile to him, Treves knew that theirs professional conduct only confirmed Merrick's thought that he is a mere monster. Treves decided to bring him to his girlfriend. He briefly warned her about his appearance and asked her if she could greet him and give him a hand. And she also did that. The meeting lasted only a moment, and Merrick started to cry. Then he told Treves that she was the first woman to smile at him and gave him a hand.

               Because Merrick could not stay forever in the hospital, Treves decided to put his story in the Times. With the help of the newspapers, he organized a collection to buy two rooms in the hospital. Thanks to his story, he was able to collect so much money that he could not only buy the room, but he also had enough finances for the end of his life. At the same time, the aristocrats became interested in him, and Merrick got into the society of higher people and he kept regularly correspondence with many of them.

               Merrick was a soul of romance, and he was very happy to read stories of love. He also confided to Treves that he sometimes wished to be in the institution for the blind. He claimed that he could find there a woman who would not see him and so could fall in love with him.

               The happiest moment in his life happened when he wanted to go somewhere out into the countryside where he could walk without people's view. Treves had arranged for this, so Merrick could travel to a small villa that belonged to Lady Knightley's estate.

And so Merrick got into the forest silence, watching animals, exploring the countryside and collecting flowers.

               Merrick died six months after returning from the countryside. He was found in bed on his back. Treves, who led his autopsy, said he broke his neck because his head was too heavy. (Merrick normally slept with his knees at his chin). Apparently Merrick wanted to fulfil his last wish and sleep as normal people... and it became fatal to him.

 Chang and Eng – Siamese twins

Siam (today’s Thailand) always fascinated me because of cats, kitchen, but mainly because of Chang and Eng.

They showed me that even when you are reliant on somebody you whole life, you can love each other. And solidary, knowing that someone can be with the other not only for own benefit, that was something what I needed when I read their story for first time.

 Chang and Eng Bunker (May 11, 1811 - January 17, 1874), sometimes called the first Siamese twins.

Brothers were born in Thailand (formerly called Siam).

Conjoined twins have been known earlier in history, but Chang and Eng have become one of the most famous. So thanks to them that every twin born conjoined are called Siamese twins.

Both brothers were born healthy and beautiful. The only thing that distinguished them from the other children was that they were a connection from the breast bone to the belly button. After their birth, local doctors advised their parents to let brothers cut off. But their mother refused to do so, preferring to have two children, though conjoined, than two separate dead bodies.

Their mother cared for them with love and regularly practiced with the twins, so that the muscular band that connected them was longer and the brothers gained at least a little more freedom. Through her diligent work, the boys could eventually stand side by side, walk and live as if they were normal children.

               The most interesting were their connections. Both brothers, though twins, had a distinctly different personality. Chang was dominant and often decided where the brothers would go, and when he and his brother argued, it was the Eng, who retreated.

Nonetheless, although they were different, they held brotherly love and devotion.

When the twins were ten years old, they had to start assisting in livelihood because they lost their fathers and their mother had to take care of the whole family. So they began with a street shop, which was very good for them because they had a natural charm and a sweet smile.

               In this time businessman Robert Hunter came to meet them and offered them to show them to world. He knew that twins which was never seen before would be able to sell well in panoptics. So he began negotiating with the authorities to bring the twins into the world. Five years later, he got the franchise, and with the then twelve-year-old twins he went to Boston, where he immediately began to perform and immediately pulled crowds.

They also travelled to England and visited the most important doctors of that time and they confirming their authenticity.

And they did not lose sympathy with others (several times when they noticed that they had a handicapped child in the audience, they gave him a gift) or a sense of humour.

               When the twins were twenty-one, they quarrelled with their manager, Captain Coffin, (who had taken them over from Robert Hunter, who had to leave for his business matters) and decided to travel alone. However, although they wanted to travel back to Thailand, they never returned to their homeland.

When they were on their travels through America, they met P. T. Barnum, about who has been told that every weird man in the 19th century has ever met him. But they only cooperated with him briefly.

When twins were twenty-eight, they decided to settle down and buy a small farm. They began to grow corn, to keep pigs and to long for the family. They gained American citizenship, and because they had no surnames, they decided to accept the surname Bunker. It is still unclear why they decided to name their self like this.

Twins started to propose two girls, but their neighbours did not agree. But even this did not forced twins to make any retreat. Both of them wanted to love and they were not afraid to fight for it. They therefore decided to undergo surgery which had to divide them. When their mistresses learned about it, they immediately talked to them because they did not want to risk that something happened to the brothers in the operation.

And not long after that, a two-fold wedding took place.

Coexistence with twins, though, required a special regime, but in essence it did not restrict anyone. The two brothers became the fathers of more than twenty children (Eng was father of six boys and five girls, and Chang had seven girls and three boys).

               Because of the war they lost almost all of their property and were forced to go back to the show business and they returned to P. T. Barnum. After a journey in Europe, when the brothers returned to America, Chang had a stroke and because of that he was paralyzed to part of his body. He realized that it made life harder for his brother, and he began to fall into depressions, which often drowned in alcohol.

In January 1874, Chang had a bronchitis disorder. Even though his condition improved, one night, Chang woke up in the middle of the night and awakened his brother because he badly breathing. Both of them fell asleep again, and a few hours later Eng awoke knowing that there was something wrong. Chang was dead. Eng knew very well that his end would come soon. They called on the doctor to try to divide the twins, but before he arrived, it was obvious that it was too late. Eng had severe cramps and died shortly after the doctor arrived. It was on Friday, January 17, 1874.

               And this is how died the most famous Siamese Twins, Chang and Eng, who, even though they had not spent simple years, astonished surgeons and viewers all over the world, they never lost their sense of humour, and their devotion and mutual love. They lived and died and also pass their message - forever together.

(With this one picture I had a lot's of fun, and there is early sketch af Chang's face: sta.sh/01a32mmc8afk)  

Francesco “Frank” Lentini – Three-legged boy

This man captivated me because he took his condition with humour. He taught me self-acceptance and mainly that, whatever we are, we can always take it with humour and don’t care what thinks people around, because they don’t know what we feel, or what we had to go through. And because of that it’s more important how we accept ourselves and not how accept us others. And with bit of humour we can bring some hope to people who need it.

 Francesco "Frank" Lentini (April 18, 1881 - September 22, 1966), sometimes called Three-Legged Football Player, was born in the small town Rosolini in Italy. Because of the part of the body of his incomplete twin, he had a scrubby pan attached to the skeleton, from which another leg had grown. It was shorter than the other legs, but, he had full control over it and managed to kick into a ball, which he later used in his performances.

               When he was young, his family had to immigrate to the United States. Here he first appeared in the circus.

Even though his third leg had never bothered him in his life, he was often ashamed of it and advised the doctors to remove her. When doctors refused surgery, he gradually fell into depression. He noticed that everyone around him was sorry for him, and he began to hate himself. His family did everything to cheer him up. Once they took him to the Disability Institute. Little Lentini here saw the children who had to suffer because of their disability. Lentini himself says that experience was not pleasant to him, but when he saw the other children who had far worse deformities than he, and how they wanted to live and did what they could, it's gave him hope and desire to experience his life. He reconciles with himself and learned with his third leg to do a lot of bits, but also ordinary activities such as jump, swim or drive a car.

               Several people asked him how he bought boots, and he simply said, "I buy two pairs of boots and I give my left boot to my one-legged friend who lost his leg during an unfortunate accident."

               He had performed for many years, married and had four children. He spent a long and happy life, and finally he did not mind was different. He was able to accept himself and motivate others.

               He died because of lung failure in Jacksonville, Florida, on September 22, 1966.

 Carl Unthan – Limbless violinist

Carl Unthan is close to me mainly because of his violin plays. He all his life wanted to live like if he had no handicap. He tries to be like others and it strengthened him.

But always when I touch my violin I recall two men. My grandfather, who bequeath me that violin, and at Carl Unthan, who thought me that every person, if he/she want, can make every dream come true.

 Carl Unthan (April 5, 1848 - 1929), sometimes called the Limbless violinist.

He was born in Germany, and when the midwife saw he had no arms, she suggested she would suffocate him, but his father strongly rejected it. He gently took his baby and carried him to his wife.

               Carl grew rapidly, and his relatives and neighbours often regretted him. As soon as his father noticed it, he immediately realized that regret in a boy wakes up only self-pity, and it destroys him. He forbade everyone to regret it. He set three principles. The first one was that no one should regret the boy. When the boy was a year, he began to try to put things on his feet, and so a second principle emerged. No one was allowed to put on him shoes or socks. Carl began to use his legs instead of his hands and he became extremely skilful. Once at dinner, he started feeding by his feet. His father said at that moment that Carl could do what he wanted and nobody could help him.

Carl grew up and became very skilled. Gradually he managed a great deal of activities that no one thought he could do without hands. He was tenacious and patient (and stubborn), and what he did not do for the first time, he still tried to do it until he succeed.

               The house he lived in was attached to the school building, and little Carl had often secretly sneak there and learned to write and count. When his father enrolled him at school at the age of six, he could read and write.

And he has also tenaciously learned many other activities we consider as commonplace. He learned to dress himself, swim, even go shopping, or help his parents farm fields.

               However, he was still very sensitive in the core, and other people often unconsciously hurt him. When his younger brother died, several people drop a hint that God had called to himself the wrong man. Every note about his physical condition was like a burning blow to his face. However, over the years, he has learned to accept all of the notes.

               Carl loved music very much, and he was eager to begin playing the violin. No one ever thought Carl could learn such a thing, but Carl did not agree with them. Once he secretly lent the violin, tied it to the chair and began to play on them. He ignored the fact that his family was covering his ears. He trained long hours with the tenacity of his own. When he was sixteen and he mastered the violin play, his parents sent him to the Conservatory. After his first concert, he began to travel and play. People watched him watch not only because of music but also because of how he can play without hands.

When he was in Prague (today's capital of the Czech Republic (my homeland, yay!)), he met a young singer named Antonie Beštová and immediately fell in love with her. He persuaded her to go with him to a concert tour, and when he finished, he asked for her hand. Antonia accepted his offer.

               When the First World War broke out, he was over sixty years old, but still he wanted to serve his homeland. So he began showing wounded soldiers who had lost their limbs how they could live without them. None of the soldiers couldn't be as skilled as Carl, but his optimism and tenacity gave them hope and a taste for life.

               Before his death, he wrote his autobiography and instead of manuscript he called it "pediscript" because he wrote it with his legs. At the beginning of the book, he wrote the motto that had led him all his life: "Where there is a will there is a way."