An appreciation of Peter Schickele.
My musical interests have always included an oversized appreciation for the silly or comedic. I love funny music, whether we’re talking about Tom Lehrer, John Forster, Danny Kaye, Flanders & Swann, Spike Jones, or the inimitable Peter Schickele.
Schickele, better known by his iconic creation P.D.Q. Bach, gleefully parodied musical forms and styles while creating music that powerfully shaped my own musical taste as a teen. (Yes, I was the kind of teen who routinely listened to Tom Lehrer and P.D.Q. Bach. Shocker.)
I often think that the choral world needs more gleeful humor injected into concerts – it’s a lovely counterpoint to the powerful and serious expressions we spend most of our time on. Schickele showed the way to create excellent music that also provoked excellent laughter from the audience. We could use a dozen more comic composers.
Now to go listen to the Missa Hilarious.