One Saturday morning during the summer, I was on the phone with my niece and nephew, age 7 and 4, who live quite far. First the niece, then the nephew. Neither wanted to talk to their uncle for too long. They were busy watching TV.

I asked what was on. They answered, "Bugs Bunny."

My first thought was, "How cool. They're watching the same cartoons I watched when I was a kid."

My second thought was, "You know, if they're watching Bugs Bunny, they're old enough now. I wish I could get them listening to some of the music I play at the symphony." Not that there's anything wrong with the Wiggles, or whatever they're into these days.

My third thought was, "I wonder if we're playing anything this year that would make great cartoon music."

Peruse our symphony schedule, and, the answer is obvious: It's all about the Strausses.

The Strausses, Johann Jr. and Richard — completely unrelated, incidentally — were perfect cartoon music writers. Johann's "Blue Danube Waltz" was used for not one, but two classic "Bugs Bunny" cartoons.

On the other hand, "Till Eulenspiegel's Merry Pranks," by Richard, was never used for a cartoon (as far as I remember.) But if I could pick one musical piece as The Most Perfect Piece To Use In A Cartoon, it would be "Till Eulenspiegel." The clarinet line that keeps coming back again and again, representing the prankster character Till, is amusing in exactly the same way a cartoon character is funny. It runs up, and then suddenly falls, like someone going "harmlessly" over a cliff. I am sure my niece and nephew would love it.

I'd definitely rather have them listening to prankster rap than gangsta rap. Now if I could just get them on a plane to Hawai'i. ...

Sasha Margolis is a violinist with the Honolulu Symphony Orchestra.