Posted on 01/19/2024 3:48:58 PM PST by Borges
Peter Schickele, an American composer whose career as a writer of serious concert music was often eclipsed by that of his antic alter ego, the thoroughly debauched, terrifyingly prolific and mercifully fictional P.D.Q. Bach, died on Tuesday at his home in Bearsville, a hamlet outside Woodstock, N.Y. He was 88.
His death was confirmed by his daughter, Karla Schickele, who said his health had declined after a series of infections last fall.
His music was performed by the New York Philharmonic, the Cleveland Orchestra, the Lark Quartet, the Minnesota Opera and other notable ensembles, as well as by the folk singers Joan Baez and Buffy Sainte-Marie, for whom he wrote arrangements.
Under his own name, Mr. Schickele (pronounced SHICK-uh-lee) composed more than 100 symphonic, choral, solo instrumental and chamber works, first heard on concert stages in the 1950s and later commissioned by some of the world’s leading orchestras, soloists and chamber ensembles. He also wrote film scores and musical numbers for Broadway.
But to his resigned chagrin, it was as a musical parodist in the tradition of Victor Borge, Anna Russell and Spike Jones — Mr. Schickele’s particular idol — that he remained best known.
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
He was a very nice guy. I got him to sign my copy of the Biogrpahy of PDQ Bach.
He WILL be missed.
He grew up in Fargo, ND. About two blocks from the home where I grew up. My wife and I visited him after a performance at the University of Maine, Orono.
I loved the Concerto for Horn & Hardart.
“New Horizons in Music Appreciation” Play by play of Beethoven’s 5th. Laughed until I cried
some of his ‘compositions’…
The Abduction of Figaro
Canine Cantata: “Wachet Arf!” (S. K9),
the Trite Quintet (S. 6 of 1),
“O Little Town of Hackensack”,
A Little Nightmare Music,
The cantata ‘Iphigenia in Brooklyn’,
The Art of The Ground Round (S. $1.19/lb.),
Blaues Grasse (The Bluegrass Cantata),
the dramatic oratorio Oedipus Tex, featuring the “O.K. Chorale”.
Concerto for Piano vs. Orchestra
Hansel & Gretel & Ted & Alice, an opera in one unnatural act.
“The Seasonings”
The Unbegun Symphony
Lasso D’Amore”, originated by 18th Century Viennese cowboys
Rest in peace.
Every once in a while some line or satirical situation from his albums come into my mind.
As PDQ Bach’s most successful composition contained not one original musical phrase but was taken from others’ work. Listeners at the concert hall went out humming from his concert.
Schumann announced the arrival of Chopin, the young unknown composer, with the prophetic words, “Hats off gentlemen, a genius!”
When hearing PDQ Bach it was said “Hats back on, gentlemen, an idiot.”
One composition was The Dairy Queen.
One requiring elaborate movement from side to side of the organ pedals was known as the Tootsie Roll.
I use to love PDQ Bach back in the day.
Also My Bonnie Lass She Smelleth. LOL!
you've got the money, honey, I've got the thyme, if you've got the money, honey, I've got the thyme; bide thy thyme somehow.
I've got the time if you've got the inclination, I've got the time if you've got the inclination; Bide thy thyme for now."
Enjoyed playing his work in junior high and high school concert bands!
RIP. I hope they play a requiem by PDQ Bach at Schickele’s funeral.
I was fortunate to see him in concert back in my youth when I was just starting to learn the WTC book 1. Watching Shickle run down the aisle and flop onto the stage at the last possible moment that the concert was supposed to start - hilarious. Watchet Arf with the giant sheep dog....priceless!
Love PDQ Bach
LOL! In my case it was a couple fingers of bourbon.
I first heard some P.D.Q. Bach in 1976 and loved it. RIP Prof. Schickele. You were the best kind of lunatic.
Schickele was a teacher at Julliard until he wrote a piece called “Variations on a Rock and Roll Theme.” He was fired for that. That was when he invented PDQ Bach.
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