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Was there really a P.D.Q.Bach? or is that just a joke?

I got to that link Pretty Darn Quick. Thanks, canadian.

Bob

Pretty darn quick because all canadians have paralyzingly deft quantification skills.

I had a book on PDQ Bach and I threw it in the garbage because I found it irritating!

I have seen that website before. I just don't know or understand if PDQ Bach was for real or if it is just a made up story to be a joke?

its a tongue in check joke. Very dry stuff. But quite witty. ... or should that just be a ?

OK, pink, here is a typical P.D.Q. Bach aria lyric. I couldn't resist posting it. See, pink, it's just all just a joke...

Monk’s Aria from Hansel and Gretel and Ted and Alice

Et expecto resurrecreation;
Et in unum Dominos and checkers;
Qui tollis peccata mundi morning.

Mea culpa kyrie elei-
Sonny Tufts et Allah in Pompeii;
Donna nobis pacem cum what mei;
Agnus and her sister Doris Dei;
Lord, have mercy on my solo.

Et in terra chicken pox romana;
Sic sic transit gloria mañana;
Sanctus estes Kefauviridiana
In flagrante delicto Svetlana;
Lord, have mercy on my solo.

Credo in, at most, unum deum;
Caveat nabisco mausoleum;
Coitus interruptus bonus meum;
Kimo sabe watchum what you sayum;
Lord, have mercy on my soul so low.

wait whats PDQ Bach?

"P.D.Q. Bach (1807-1742) was born in Leipzig, the twenty-first of Johann Sebastian Bach's twenty children.

"His creative life has been divided into three periods: the Initial Plunge, which he spent in Vienna, trying, vainly, to master the basic principles of musical composition; the Soused Period (by far the longest period of his life), which he spent in the town of Wein-am-Rhein, trying, vainly, to stand up; and Contrition, which he spent in a charming southern German spa called Baden-Baden-Baden, trying, vainly, to stave off the visitor who must inevitably call upon us all.

"Considering his dedication to idleness and Bacchus, it's amazing how much music he wrote, which just goes to show what you can accomplish if you are unfettered by such things as psychological hang-ups and artistic standards. Someday, P.D.Q. Bach will be recognized for what he was, even more than he is now."

If you can't get iamcanadian's link (above) P.D.Q. Bach is a pure invention of Peter Schickele, destined to, at one and the same time, spoof the music and style of the Baroque period and also to show the comedic and musical brilliance (I did not say genius) of Mr. Schickele.

Some of his musical parodies and his verbal humor are the equivalent of slapstick comedy - not very subtle - but nevertheless quite amusing if taken for what they are. Don't take Dr. Schickele too seriously; I'm sure he doesn't take himself that way. He just enjoys having fun with music much as did Victor Borge, and in that context, I say more power to him.

Cheers!

Schickele also has a weekly radio show on Sunday (air date may vary from place to place) that I've listened to a couple of times on WebRadio or somesuch. It's a lecture on various music topics...history, structure of music types... pretty wide variety and pretty well done. I suspect most of these are reruns now, but enlightening and entertaining.

I'm not sure where he is based, but I think he's in the midwest, perhaps Indiana?

One of his musical parodies, "Please, Kind Sir" is a "vocal fugue" (there's a correct name for this type of song, but I've forgotten it) with two singers who each sing their part alone, and then mixed together. The result of the mixing is hilarious.

He's more akin to Tom Lear than Garrison Keeler, but reminds me of both of them.

I'd probably agree with BruceD's statement about the brilliance vs genius, but the man's mind is quite definitely switched "on".


Bob