PDQ Bach Speaks
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- čas přidán 21. 01. 2014
- Host Marcia Alvar speaks with Professor Peter Schickele, Professor of Music at the University of Southern North Dakota at Hoople, and composer. Professor Schickele, one of the great satirists of the 20th Century, best known as the perpetrator, er, discoverer of the oeuvre of that most classic of all composers, PDQ Bach. Although unknown before Professor Schickele's work of musical anthropology, J. S. Bach's last son, PDQ is now famous for such works as the 1712 Overture; Oedipus Tex; Bob and Ted and Carol and Alice, an Opera in One Un-Natural Act, and, of course, his masterpiece, The Abduction of Figaro, a Simply Grande Opera in Three Acts with Soloists, Chorus and Corpse de Ballet. Professor Schickele has also found time to compose over 100 works for almost every size and type of classical ensemble. He has created music for four feature films as well as for documentaries and television commercials.
"PDQ Bach is the only dead composer who can still be commissioned." - Peter Schickele
Unfortunately, that may no longer be true.
I had a Philip Glass record, which had a skip. Didn't notice for two years.
That was a REALLY LONG PLAYING record !
I got to play under Schickele’s baton at a Harvard Wind Ensemble concert. He had already retired from touring, but HWE director Tom Everett convinced him to come out for one show. It was an amazing experience. The man is so brilliant and so funny. And he pulled the same schtick on us that I guess he does on a lot of ensembles-live in concert, catching us off guard and panicked with an unexpected downbeat.
But the real joke was on the audience. We were used to playing for small crowds of a dozen parents and roommates. Here was Sanders Theater packed with paying members of the public, standing room only. A thousand souls who showed up to hear P.D.Q. Bach. Before they got what they wanted, though, they had to sit patiently through the first half of the program, which was Arnold Schoenberg’s Theme and Variations for wind band in G minor, Op. 43a.
The PDQ Bach 1712 Overture still makes me laugh out loud every time I hear it, and it's so well-composed there is always more stuff to discover. It's at the top of my list of masterpieces by Professor Schickele.
I love "Abduction of Figaro. it was show on our TV years ago. It took me ages to track a DVD of it (eventually on Amazon which in those days was unheard of in S Africa) and love it. I play it at least once a month. Never tire of it. Some lines have become classics in the family "Found a peanut". I urge you all to see it and realise the brilliance of this man.
“I’m so angry…I’m not even going to sing my aria!”. 🤣🤣🤣. I adore The Abduction of Figaro!
We attended a PDQ Bach show in Dallas, Texas in the early 1970’s. The show started with his “straight man” on stage explaining to the audience that they couldn’t find PDQ Bach ... he was lost someplace on the way from the airport.
Suddenly he appeared on the first balcony, threw a rope over the edge, and crawled down the rope ... people in the audience had to move so he would not land on them. It was a hilarious start!
Then the Dallas orchestra came out and starting setting up, tuning, etc. PDQ Bach walked out on stage and started directing immediately ... without telling the orchestra he was going to do that. There were honks, music stands tipping over, etc. ... the orchestra wasn’t ready. It was so funny!!!
There were many other hilarious things. A song of endings. Before the last note of one song, it went into another song ending, using songs the audience knew well.
Other funny things included a tuba playing a piccolo part ... a small group where people occasionally sang out their note instead of playing it on an instrument ... creating music with things such as bathroom faucets and water pipes ... a back and forth musical battle between a group on stage and a group on the second balcony.
He explained how the original PDQ Bach did not date his music. He wrote it in taverns. There were beer stein marks on the music paper. As the size of beer steins changed with time, people were able to date the music by looking at the size of the beer steins. They call this the Steinway method.
This was, and still is, one of the best shows we’ve ever seen. And serves as one example of how to make music fun.
We are grateful to Peter Schickele for his significant contributions to many of us. He left us with a smile on our faces!
I was first exposed (pun intended) to P.D.Q. Bach at a High School/Colorado State University Madrigal Festival in 1975. The Host small SATB choir performed "My Bonnie Lass She Smelleth." From then on I was hooked. I had most of the records Shickele put out. Unfortunately, my collection of records went up in a house fire in 2011. I lost some valuable instruments in the fire as well.
I was so jazzed to find PDQ on CZcams on an off chance search.
Thank you Peter Schikele for the many hours of laughter and enjoyment you gave us. RIP Sir.
In 1981 my college dorm’s singing group sang in a campus contest My Bonny Lass She Smelleth, the 1st and only of PDQ’s I’d heard till now.
I interviewed Professor Pete twice on the radio. I'm surprised that it wasn't brought up that he was one of the composers of the famed or should I say infamous musical "Oh, Calcutta!" A thoroughly charming, intelligent and insightful man😎😎
I have been listening to PDQ Bach since I was a kid. Being the child of a music teacher, I have a great appreciation of both the hilarity and the genius of the music.
I saw this man's wonderful live show in the old Houston (TX) Music Hall very many years ago in the 1970s. It started with Schickele's stage manager unexpectedly flying down out of the balcony over the audience and onto the stage on a zip-line. The whole show was amazingly inventive and funny, one of best evenings of high-class entertainment in my 76 years.
I've heard Peter Schickele's music over the years but don't recall ever seeing or hearing an interview. It was very enlightening to hear personal history and detail on him. I admire his ability and personality.
The icing on the cake was a sharp and engaging interviewer - one that I do not typically see in any form of media.
Thank you for uploading the video!
Philip Glass helped to build the automat featured in Concerto for Horn and Hardart, S. 27. Only recently discovered that fact thanks to the Wikipedia article on Prof. Schickele.
My parents were huge P.D.Q. Bach fans, and I grew up listening to their records of him. I was actually able to see Peter Schickele in concert 3 separate times. This is really awesome, hearing this from Mr. Schickele. One of my favorites of all his recordings is his commentary on the first movement of Beethoven's 5th Symphony. I listened to it so many times that the first time I actually had to PLAY it (on cello, in college) I could still hear the commentary in my head, and I kept cracking up during rehearsals!
At Montgomery College in Rockville MD in the mid 70`s I played his Monochrome !! for 7 trombones--really interesting modernist exploration using muted effects along with the usual open sounds. I wish I could find a good contemporary rendition of it. But before that......only months after arriving from a small western Colorado city in 1969, my parents took us to see a Bach concert at Constitution Hall in Washington DC (expecting a night of high classical culture, mind you) and here comes the conductor "Tarzan-ing" himself down to the stage to open the concert. What the.... As the craziness ensued (including the string quartet players wearing army boots), I remember asking my parents, "Is this for real??"
I knew he had to be brilliant to create the pieces, but who knew he was so erudite? And the interviewer is as sharp as a stiletto. Pure gold.
Amen to that ! A truly wonderful interview !
seconded on Marcia Alvar. Excellent interviewer. Helps to have an excellent subject.
I wish they didn't cut away during his final piano piece. What a great interview and fascinating person!
I love the line in "Opera from the Sticks", which describe Schickele as the man "responsible, if that is the correct word, for discovering PDQ Bach." I've had a great delight listening to all of this.
I am proud to say I am a graduate of SNDSU At Hoople! lmao
I saw him in 1973 at the Midland Civic Center in Midland MI. He performed "The Intimate PDQ Bach." I was studying music theory at a local college and our professor encouraged us to see it. I can still remember many parts of the show especially "Calliope Four Hands" that he played with a second player whose name I can't remember. It was a great show and it taught me a lot about just having fun with music.
Jim, Peter brought me into his Three Christmas Concerts at Philharmonic Hall in Lincoln Center during Christmas of 1975. I auditioned my Handwhistling(Handocarina) in the Fall of 1975. Peter let me Handwhistle the Marcello Sonata in E minor accompanied by piano, a Bassoon Sonata. That Sonata is on a video of my Performance at West Chester University on my HandwhistlerBen Channel. I am the Original Pioneer that got Handwhistling and the control of the Wind is more important than a reed or an instrument through the use of the diaphragm, and pressurizing the air stream. He is a wonderful easy to talk to person who also studied Bassoon in College. Without Peter allowing me to perform at his P.D.Q. Bach Concerts, I never would have been on Evening Magazine or had The Tonight Show bring me on in October of 1979 along with Mike Douglas. Those videos are up.
@@HandwhistlerBen What a great story! You're so lucky to have known him personally. People like him, Victor Borge and a few others helped me develop my way of approaching music that I taught my students, music is a toy, that's why we say we "play" music, not "work" music. Learn everything you can about it but also have fun with it.
@@HandwhistlerBen I just checked out your video of you playing the song "Hero." Very cool. How you can get such a pure tone is beyond me.
@@jimvandemoter6961 Jim, I was a Vocal-General Music Teacher in Philadelphia School District for 35 years teaching K-8 children. I handpicked a 50-60 member choir every year with many staying on and others waiting for openings. I took my Choirs out and performed at City Hall and for Pennsylvania Congressmen and U.S. Senators. I took my students where they would get noticed and appreciated! I wish you nothing but the same kind of joy that I felt during my Teaching Career!
@@HandwhistlerBen I've been retired for some time, I'm going to be 71 in June. I studied music theory, arranging and composition in college. I never completed my degree but I did teach at music stores for 32 years and also taught community ed classes. Even though I taught private lessons I taught theory to students as young as 12 years old. I've had former students go on to major in music and become composers and teachers themselves. Even though I don't teach music I do volunteer with my local adult adult literacy council tutoring illiterate adults. That helps keep the juices flowing.
Love his stuff since 1965!
I wasn't a big classic music fan until I found Peter Schickele. Thank you for bringing this music to me
Fascinating footage ! THANKS so much for sharing ! When I was a kid, our local public libraries had record albums available to borrow and they had a few "PDQ Bach" records. I knew nothing about the character or his creator, Professor Schickele. But I new they were comedic songs because the album covers were funny. By the way, Prof. Schickele's voice sounds a lot like TV host David Letterman !
I had the pleasure of seeing him in Fresno in the 70s and he was great fun.
Schickele Mix was one of my most favorite radio programs. I wish that those episodes would be released in CD (or some other format) that I could listen to again.
Sadly, there will probably never be any official release of Schickele Mix due to permissions issues. But you might be able to find bootleg collections online.
Thanks for this. I've been following Schickele for decades (not in a stalking sense)... his PDQ music, his own music, and his radio program. This program was so enjoyable because he just talked...it felt like Peter being peter. Good interviewer, good questions and observations. It's a good half hour. Thanks again.
My fantasy ad campaign:
Like a stalker...
State Farm is There!
The first large audience PDQ Bach concert was at Town Hall NYC? That's where, years before, Edgard Varèse's Écuatorial was premiered.
I was introduced to PDQ when taking a music appreciation class as a sophomore at Duke. Loved him ever since. Saw two live performances at the Kennedy Center with Leonard Slotkin. Wish it had been taped.
Peter Schickele is just brilliant!
I have been to Hoople many times and have not found the University yet.
I think they have since changed the name to "Wottsamatta U".....probably best known for being the alumnae of Bullwinkle J Moose !
I think, that you have searched in west and east dakota.
Anyone who enjoys this, see him live! You'll laugh your self silly!
That's "Hansel and Gretel and Ted and Alice: and Opera in One Unnatural Act"
Really interesting interview, but I wish they hadn't cut off the ending.
He is one of the most inspiring creators I've known. First bought a record from him in 1984 which happened by accident. Got hooked after that. Brilliant art and entertainment for me! Thank you Peter!!!
Saw him in Wausau Wisconsin long ago... Watched him play a piano and bassoon duet... by himself... and yes, his show entry was made by throwing a rope from the balcony and then climbing down... A remarkably loony high-brow experience... LOL
Prof Schickele Speaks
Fixed
A true genius!
Love the spike jones story.
we are doing Good King Kong Looked Out and its so fun
I attended more performances of PDQ Bach than any other movie or performer of any kind. We figure it must be 10 or 11, from Iowa City to Milwaukee, to Cleveland and Akron, Ohio.
I like the early years of PDQ Bach the best - seeing Professor Schickele swinging the censer while singing "Et Expecto Resurecreation" is among my earliest memories of him.
I worked for two years in Northern Iowa (in what turns out to be a town in an ancient meteor crater, go figure) at a time when now-retired radio host Garrison Keillor was doing a morning show on Minnesota Public Radio, there across the border.
He played PDQ Bach, sometimes, as I recall.
I stupidly skipped Anna Russell's (actual) final tour, but saw Victor Borge at age 75 and 85 (and stupidly skipped seeing him one more time at 95!).
There just isn't enough funny music in the USA, but if you get a chance to catch The Mozart Group or Salut Salon, just do it!
Okay, I stupidly missed The Mozart Group too, when they were within driving range in Florida.
I first heard of PDQ in music school in the sixties, as a fellow student described a cadence of G7 resolving to B Major instead of C Major. I saw him in Symphony Hall in Boston, making his usual entrance from the balcony a la Tarzan. My late husband sang Don Octave in The Stoned Guest in the 1980s, and very much enjoyed it. He said the high "D"s were easier than the low "A"s .
Just love to see him in a Glenn Gould Halloween mask:cracking his knuckles….
Loved the song about hunger! 😂
I don't want a CD player where can I buy 1712 overture full cd.album
Would you please write some breakfast music? Not Breakfast over at Tiffanies, But breakfast over here at the house. Thanks.
What piece of music is the opening score of the program?
His spoofing of Philip Glass's work, at its absolute laziest and most formulaic (i.e. at least 90 percent of it) was totally uncanny.
The world just became a little less humorous. RIP, dear Peter....
She looks like David Bowie.
Or Scarlett Johannsson
And he looks like Brahms.
I assume that is a compliment…she looks fabulous and is a brilliant interviewer!