Description
ThreetwooneLaugh-off! Musical mayhem blasts into orbit as Professor Peter Schickele and OrchestraX celebrate the music of composer P.D.Q. Bach, whose oeuvre Schickele "discovered" and unleashed on the world 40 years ago. Long neglected by music scholars (and deservedly so), the "oddest" of Johann Sebastian Bachs 20-odd children composed the most hilarious music of all time. This performance showcases P.D.Q. at the nadir of his creative power, including Schleptet in Eb major, Iphigenia in Brooklyn, "Unbegun" Symphony, Fuga Meshuga, and The Seasonings. And did we mention sportscaster Schickeles play-by-play analysis of Beethovens Fifth, complete with cheerleaders and pom-poms? "P.D.Q. Bach is a very funny showeven for people who like music but dont know why" The New York Times.
Amazon.com
P.D.Q. Bach can perhaps best be described as highbrow slapstick comedy for the musically minded. A skilled composer with a healthy sense of humor and a bent toward the absurd, Professor Peter Schickele is a musical satirist who juxtaposes "serious" classical music with folk tunes, comedic visual cues, farce, and instrumentation ranging from standard orchestral instruments to toy slide whistles, brass-double reed hybrids, and instruments cobbled together from strange components like shower hoses and cardboard tubes. The resulting crowd pleasers keep audiences laughing and wondering what can possibly come next. This 90-minute, live presentation features Peter Schickele and the "Orchestra X" chamber orchestra, is filmed in widescreen, and offers 2.0 stereo or 5.1 surround sound. The program includes the "Desecration of the House Overture," of which the lead-in is by far the most climactic part, the "Schleptet in E-flat Major" which represents P.D.Q.s "soused" period and is a true test of the wind sections fortitude, and "Iphigenia in Brooklyn" which features the double reeds (separate from the oboes and bassoons), the wine bottle played by Professor Schickele, and a "Bargain Counter Tenor" whose performance simply defies description. The "Unbegun Symphony" is an exercise in manic plagiarism and provides an abundance of laughs for the musically literate while the "New Horizons in Music Appreciation" makes Beethovens Fifth Symphony accessible to the most die-hard sports fan. The "Fuga Meshuga" illustrates the art of the fugue in a whole new way and "The Seasonings" is a painfully funny demonstration of P.D.Q. Bachs original approach to instrumentation. As Professor Schickele declares in the bonus KUHT interview, it is a sense of context that truly provides the humor in P.D.Q. Bachs works--viewers possessing a sense of humor and a familiarity with classical music will laugh their way through this presentation, others may simply scratch their heads. --Tami Horiuchi
Rate Points :4.5
Binding :DVD
Label :Acorn Media
Manufacturer :Acorn Media
MPN :8849
ProductGroup :DVD
Studio :Acorn Media
Publisher :Acorn Media
UPC :054961884995
EAN :0054961884995
Price :$19.99USD
Lowest Price :$10.32USD
Customer ReviewsClassical -- With a Twist
Rating Point :5 Helpful Point :0
If you love classical music, but can enjoy a good parody, this is a concert for you. Having a good background in music theory comes in handy to truly appreciate the way Schickle has shifted keys, combined themes, etc. Having performed "The Seasonings", I understand just how difficult these pieces truly are. Its great fun.
Recordings are funnier
Rating Point :3 Helpful Point :3
The P.D.Q. Bach franchise has had some hilarious recordings. Because of this it would seem it would be even funnier to see them performed. The choir is in robes, but of terry cloth not polyester. Its fun to see the wacky instruments and shenanigans happening in concert with the music.
But, Schickele has been presenting these concerts for over 40 years - and it shows. The pacing is slow and the humor lacks energy. He attempts to take a rope down to the concert stage but ends up falling in a pile. This would be funny if he were a fit, young Tim Conway. But hes not - instead I was concerned he might have broken a hip. Other gags are momentarily funny but not for the entire time they take to run their course.
Its a nice trip down memory lane but probably more worth a rental.
Excellent PDQ performance
Rating Point :4 Helpful Point :0
If you have never seen Peter Schickele (aka PDQ Bach) in performance before, you should see this one. The CDs are entertaining in themselves, but, with live performances, there are other visual jokes that are just as humerous as the musical. I have always enjoy "The Seasonings" (Schickele number 1/2 tsp), and would like to perform it. THis group did a great job. IT is a recording of a live performance, so the sound is sometimes a bit garbled. But, dont let that dissuade you from SEEING PDQ Bach as well as hearing him. Schickele is a genius in this genre, so enjoy it.
Hilarious
Rating Point :5 Helpful Point :0
I saw the noble Professor in concert nearly 3 decades ago, and Im glad to have finally found a DVD that has some of his on-stage humor. Maybe more perfomances (like perhaps the Stoned Guest...?) will show up on DVD
Funny as hell
Rating Point :5 Helpful Point :0
Wonderful!!!! So good to see whats happening rather than just hearing it,
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