The strip we know as Peanuts was first published on October 2, 1950 (Schulz had originally titled it Li'l Folks but copyright and marketing reasons prevented that title from being used.) Beethoven first makes his appearance in two hilarious strips from February 16 and March 20, 1951, that feature Charlie Brown playing Beethoven very badly on a toy violin. In the first Charlie Brown asks Snoopy, "Do you think I could have had anything to do with the death of Beethoven?" In the second, Charlie Brown confesses his playing is suffering because "Last night I dreamed that Beethoven strangled me!" By the fall of 1951 Schulz switched gears completely. Instead of Charlie Brown playing Beethoven miserably on a toy violin, Schroeder begins his career as a Beethoven-obsessed child prodigy on the piano. Here Schroeder exults at the arrival of his new mail-ordered bust of the composer that threatens to topple the piano.