User talk:Joecunnane

Getard Langslanger
Getard Langslanger is a little known Austrian flute player born around the time of Mozart in the valleys of Gaestein, not far from Salzburg. He would have lived around the time of Mozart and it is thought that his proximity to the great composer may have overshadowed many of his great works.

Born in 1768 into a family of fourteen, Getard was the youngest in the group. His parents Rickard and Waatamuch Langslanger had a tempestuous relations and the Langslanger household was known for the banshee like cries that emitted from the master chambers on Rickards return home from the local silver mines.

This led to a lot of the younger Langslangers, who weren't able to stand up for themselves, been shunned by local townspeople due to the curse of the Langslanger. Rumour went around of the dangers of being touched by a Langslanger and this led to Getard leading an early life of quiet solitude.

It was around his thirteenth year that Getard discovered his talent for flute playing. The legend goes that he just seen the instrument lying around and thought what harm would it be to give it a go. Self taught, the young Langslanger fame grew far and wide. He developed a brilliance and maturity of style that encompassed the light and graceful along with the dark and passionate.

Getard soon moved to Salzburg to continue practicing is art and it was here that he met and married the daughter of a Russian immigrant banker. He and Ivana seemed a perfect match from the outset and she was to remain with him, especially through the times.

It is thought that at his peak Getard performed for many of the nobility of the time. It was also rumoured that he was to join the older Mozart in Vienna, but members of Mozart’s court-fearful of a life full of Langslanger, stopped the move. This hit the young Langslanger very hard and his performances dropped in intensity and duration. In one last hope of revitalising his career Getard turned to his brother Floppi for refuge and assistance but this proved not to be the answer. Despite numerous coaxings from Floppi and especially Ivana it appeared that Getards passion for the flute had deserted him.

With monies running low and a family to support the young Getard started a small brewery. While the brewery itself is no longer in operation the name Langslanger is still associated with good frothy beer in Austria today.

While Getard and most of his family remained in Austria until his death in 1807 it is rumoured that some of his family moved from mainland Europe near the western shores of Ireland. However none of this information is verifiable and the name Langslanger would not be well known or common in these parts.--Joecunnane (talk) 13:42, 12 March 2009 (UTC)