The Key of P. D. Q. Bach

This page has been superseded by the P.D.Q. Bach Wiki.

Peter Schickele has "discovered" a great many musical spoofs by "P. D. Q. Bach," supposedly the last and oddest of Johann Sebastian Bach's twenty-odd children. There are many websites devoted to these works, but I haven't found any site which tries to list all the pieces being quoted and parodied. The list here is far from complete, but at least provides a point of reference.

A given P. D. Q. Bach piece often not only quotes specific works of music, but parodies a particular composer's or period's style, or a work as a whole. If not, usually the title at least provides an in-joke. The "Model" notes indicate what I think the reference is.

Hearing a joke explained in advance ruins it. On the other hand, having parts explained which you were missing can make it funnier. This list is intended primarily for people who've heard the music and wonder if they're getting all the jokes. I'm sure I haven't caught all of them here, and there are P. D. Q.'s which I haven't even heard, but for most people, there's a good chance I've caught some references which you missed. If you've caught some which I've missed, please let me know. (See my homepage for information on how to contact me; unfortunately, spammers have made it a bad idea to post email addresses openly.) I'll provide appropriate credit if I use your information.

When looking for quotations in music, it's easy to start chasing phantoms. Does Brahms' Piano Concerto No. 2, for instance, really quote "The Battle Hymn of the Republic"? In a few cases, I've put (?) after a citation to indicate that I'm not sure it's intentional.

February 7, 2004: Some additional citations have been provided by L. P., who has asked not to be identified by name.

• 1712 Overture, S. 1712
• Blaues Gras, S. 5-string
• Canzonetta, "La Hooplina"
• The Civilian Barber, S. 4F: Perrückenstück (Hair Piece)
• The Civilian Barber, S. 4F: Suite
• Classical Rap, S. 1-2-3
• Concerto for Horn and Hardart, S. 27
• Consort of Choral Christmas Carols, S. 359
• "Dutch" Suite, S. -16
• Echo Sonata, for Two Unfriendly Groups of Instruments, S. 999999
• Einstein on the Fritz, S. e=mt² (Prelude)
• "Erotica" Variations, S. 36EE
• Four Folk Song Upsettings
• Grand Serenade for an Awful Lot of Winds and Percussion, S. 1000
• Hansel and Gretel and Ted and Alice, S. 2ⁿ-1
• "Howdy" Symphony, S. 6 7/8
• Iphegenia in Brooklyn, S. 53,162
• Eine Kleine Nichtmusik
• Knock, Knock Choral Cantata, S. 4/1
• Liebeslieder Polkas, S.2/4
• A Little Nightmare Music, S. 13
• Little Pickle Book, S. 6
• Minuet Militaire, S. 1A
• Missa Hilarious, S. N₂O
• Musical Sacrifice, S. 50% off
• My Bonnie Lass She Smelleth
• "No-no" Nonette, S. 86
• Octoot, S. 18
• Oedipus Tex, S. 150
• Royal Firewater Music, S. 1/5
• Schleptet in E-flat, S. 0
• The Seasonings, S. 1/2 tsp.
• The Short-Tempered Clavier, S. easy as 3.14159265
• Sonato de Circo (Circus Sonata), S. 3 ring
• The Stoned Guest, S. 86 Proof
• Three Chorale-Based Piecelets, S. III
• Toot Suite for Calliope Four Hands, S. 212°
• Twelve Quite Heavenly Songs, S. 16

• 1712 Overture, S. 1712
  • Model: Tchaikovsky's 1812 Overture
  • Other allusions:
  • Pieces referenced:
    • Yankee Doodle
    • Pop Goes the Weasel
    • Jack Benny's Violin Exercise
    • Dvorak, Symphony No. 9 in E minor ("New World")
    • J. S. Bach, Toccata in D minor

   

• Blaues Gras, S. 5-string
  • Model: Baroque cantatas
  • Pieces referenced:
    • Shave and a Haircut
    • J. S. Bach, Brandenburg Concertos No. 3 and 5
    • J. S. Bach, "Air on the G string" (Air from Orchestral Suite No. 3) [L. P.]
    • Irving Berlin, "Blue Skies" [L. P.]
  • Other allusions:
    • The closing section with spoken jokes imitates the TV shows Hee Haw and Rowan and Martin's Laugh-in. The line "Sehr interresant, aber dumm!" is a German translation of a line often spoken in the latter by Arte Johnson in the role of a German soldier, with the final adjective varying.
  • Note: This is the only P. D. Q. Bach piece presented in the "original German." Correction from previous version: What I had thought was "cheval," which would be a strange word for horse in German, I've been told is "Schimmel," a German word for "gray horse."

   

• Canzonetta, "La Hooplina"
  • Pieces referenced:
    • Mozart, "Eine Kleine Nachtmusik"

   

• The Civilian Barber, S. 4F: Perrückenstück (Hair Piece)
  • Model: Italian concert arias
  • Other allusions:
    • "The Civilian Barber" plays on the title of The Barber of Seville. The leading character, Figaro, is here called Le Figaro, after the name of a French newspaper.

   

• The Civilian Barber, S. 4F: Suite
  • Pieces referenced:
    • Rossini, Overture to William Tell
    • Sound Off (marching chant)

   

• Classical Rap, S. 1-2-3
  • Pieces referenced:
    • Handel, Hallelujah Chorus from The Messiah
    • Johann Pachelbel, Canon in D
    • Vivaldi, Violin Concerto in E, RV 269 ("Spring" Concerto from The Seasons)

   

• Concerto for Horn and Hardart, S. 27
  • Model: Early Classical period concertos
  • Pieces referenced:
    • Mozart, Symphony No. 29 in A
    • Mozart, Piano Conerto No. 21 in C
  • Other allusions:
    • Horn and Hardart Coffee Co. was once well-known for its Automat vending-machine restaurants, and the musical instrument called the hardart is part vending machine.

   

• Consort of Choral Christmas Carols, S. 359
  • Model: A capella choral music
  • Pieces referenced:
    • O Little Town of Bethlehem
    • Good King Wenceslas
  • Other allusions:
    • To figure out the significance of the Schickele number, take a close look at a calendar.

   

• "Dutch" Suite, S. -16
  • Model: Chamber music. The title plays on the "English" and "French" Suites of J. S. Bach.
  • Pieces referenced:
    • Mancini, Theme from The Pink Panther

   

• Echo Sonata, for Two Unfriendly Groups of Instruments, S. 999999
  • Model:Various baroque pieces for antiphonal ensembles

   

• Einstein on the Fritz, S. e=mt² (Prelude)
  • Model:"Minimalist" modern music, such as Philip Glass's "Einstein on the Beach"
  • Pieces referenced:
    • J. S. Bach, The Well Tempered Clavier, Book 1, Prelude 1

   

• "Erotica" Variations, S. 36EE
  • Model:Beethoven's "Eroica" Variations

   

• Four Folk Song Upsettings
  • Pieces referenced:
    • The Farmer in the Dell
  • Other allusions:
    • The name of the instrument called the "tuba mirum" is taken from a phrase in the Latin Requiem Mass.

   

• Grand Serenade for an Awful Lot of Winds and Percussion, S. 1000
  • Model: Baroque divertimenti, combined military band music
  • Pieces referenced:
    • Stephen Foster, "Old Folks at Home"
    • Beethoven, Overture to Coriolan
    • Beethoven, String Quartet in F, Op. 59, No. 1
    • You Gotta Be a Football Hero
    • Beer Barrel Polka (?)

   

• Hansel and Gretel and Ted and Alice (An opera in one unnatural act), S. 2ⁿ-1
  • Model: Opera buffa. The title comes from "Bob and Carol and Ted and Alice," a once-controversial but now forgotten movie about swinging couples.
  • Other allusions:
    • The Monk's Song is in the style of an ecclesiastical chant and plays on Latin liturgical phrases, much like the Missa Hilarious.

   

• "Howdy" Symphony, S. 6 7/8
  • Model:Haydn, Symphony No. 45 in E minor ("Farewell")
  • Pieces referenced:
    • Hernando's Hideaway
  • Other allusions:
    • In Haydn's "Farewell" Symphony, the musicians gradually leave during the last movement. In this symphony, they gradually arrive at the beginning.

   

• Iphegenia in Brooklyn, S. 53,162
  • Model:Baroque secular contatas, such as J. S. Bach's "Wedding Cantata"
  • Pieces referenced:
    • Dvorak, Humoresque
  • Other allusions:
    • The "Amenities" who are chasing Orestes are properly called the Eumenides or Furies.

   

• Eine Kleine Nichtmusik
  • Model: Mozart's "Eine Kleine Nachtmusik," which is played in its entirety, with lots of other pieces played as counterpoint. Schikele lists this piece under his own name, rather than P. D. Q. Bach.
  • Pieces referenced:
    • 1st movement:
    • Turkey in the Straw
    • Liszt, Piano Concerto No. 1
    • Mozart, "La ci darem del mano" from "Don Giovanni"
    • Mozart Symphony No. 1
    • Mexican Hat Dance
    • Mozart, "Voi che sapete" from The Marriage of Figaro
    • Rachmaninoff, Piano Concerto No. 2
    • Mozart, Symphony No. 41 in C ("Jupiter")
    • Dvorak, Symphony No. 9 in E minor ("New World")
    • Beethoven, Symphony No. 5 in C minor
    • Dixie
    • Tchaikovsky, March from The Nutcracker
    •  
    • 2nd movement:
    • Stephen Foster, "I Dream of Jeannie"
    • Merrily We Roll Along
    • Tchaikovsky, Swan Lake
    • Beethoven, Piano Concerto No. 3 in C minor
    • Mendelssohn, "Spring Song"
    • Auld Lang Syne
    • Verdi, "Anvil Chorus" from Il Trovatore
    • Wagner, Tristan und Isolde
    • Rachmininoff, Piano Concerto No. 2
    •  
    • 3rd movement:
    • Beethoven, Symphony No. 5 in C minor
    • Take Me Out to the Ball Game
    • Oh, Dear, What Can the Matter Be?
    • Rimsky-Korsakov, Scheherazade
    •  
    • 4th movement:
    • Stephen Foster, "Oh, Susanna"
    • Rossini, Overture to William Tell
    • Schubert, Marche Militaire
    • Grieg, Peer Gynt Suite
    • Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star
    • Mozart, Symphony No. 29 in A major
    • Offenbach, Overture to Orpheus
    • Schumann, Symphony No. 1 ("Spring")
    • Mussorgsky, "Great Gate of Kiev" from Pictures at an Exhibition
    • Richard Strauss, Till Eulenspiegel

 

• Knock, Knock Choral Cantata, S. 4/1
  • Pieces referenced:
    • Rogers and Hammerstein, "Some Enchanted Evening"
  • Note:
  • WTWP Classical Talkity-Talk Radio (by far the least entertaining PDQ Bach recording published) includes an alternate opening piece, "Sam and Janet," for the "Knock Knock" cantata, which features the "Some Enchanted Evening" reference.

   

• Liebeslieder Polkas, S. 2/4
  • Model: Settings of classic poetry. The title alludes to Johannes Brahms' Liebeslieder Walzer (love-song waltzes).

   

• A Little Nightmare Music, S. 13
  • Model: Mozart's Eine Kleine Nachtmusik. The performers in this short opera sing their lines in counterpoint with Mozart's music, which is performed in its entirety. The repeats in the third movement are slightly rearranged to accommodate the words.
  • Other allusions:
  • Peter Schaeffer wrote Amadeus, which, like this piece, is about Mozart and Salieri. In the present piece he appears as "Peter Schlaefer." "Schlaefer" means "sleeper." Not surprisingly, it's Schlaefer and not Mozart whom Salieri wants to kill.

   

• Little Pickle Book, S. 6
  • Model: Organ works by J. S. Bach
  • Pieces referenced:
    • J. S. Bach, Toccata and Fugue in D minor
    • Children's mocking chant
    • Merrily We Roll Along (Mary Had a Little Lamb)
    • Mendelssohn, "Spring Song"
    • Beethoven, Symphony No. 5 in C minor
    • Suppé, Overture to Light Cavalry
    • Brahms, "Lullaby"

   

• Minuet Militaire, S. 1A
  • Model: Haydn's minuets, and perhaps his "Military" Symphony
  • Pieces referenced:
    • Reveille (bugle call)

   

• Missa Hilarious, S. N₂O
  • Model: Classical settings of the Mass. "Missa Solemnis" was often used for large-scale settings.
  • Pieces referenced:
    • K-k-k-Katy
    • Banana Boat Song
    • Leonard Bernstein, "Maria" from West Side Story
    • Hare Krishna
    • Wagner, "Ride of the Valkyries" from The Valkyrie
    • Wagner, Bridal Chorus from Lohengrin
    • Beethoven, Symphony No. 5 in C minor
    • Handel, Hallelujah Chorus from Messiah
    • Theme from Batman TV show
  • Other allusions:
  • The text contains innumerable wordplays on the text of the Latin Mass.

   

• Musical Sacrifice, S. 50% off
  • Model: The title refers to J. S. Bach's "Musical Offering." ("Das Musikalische Opfer"). "Opfer" can be translated as "offering," "sacrifice," or "sacrificial victim."

   

• My Bonnie Lass She Smelleth, from The Triumphs of Thusnelda
  • Model: The title alludes to an old song, "My Bonny Lass She Smileth." The opening words are similar: "My bonny lass she smileth / When she my heart beguileth. / Fa la, fa la, fa la, fa la ..."
  • Other allusions:
  • Thusnelda was a minor figure in first-century Roman history.

   

• "No-no" Nonette, S. 86
  • Model: Classical pieces with noisemakers, such as Leopold Mozart's Toy Symphony
  • Pieces referenced:
    • Mozart, Piano ConCerto No. 21 in C
  • Other allusions:
  • To be "eighty-sixed" is to be excluded. P. D. Q. supposedly wrote this piece specifically for devices that aren't accepted as musical instruments.
  • The title plays on the musical "No, No, Nanette," by Irving Caesar, Otto Harbach and Vincent Youmans.

   

• Octoot, S. 18
  • Pieces referenced:
    • Joplin, "The Entertainer"
    • Stephen Foster, "The Camptown Races"
    • Mozart, Piano Sonata in C, K. 545 (?)

   

• Oedipus Tex, S. 150
  • Model: Western music crossed with classical and baroque styles.
  • Pieces referenced:
    • J. S. Bach, "Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring"
    • The Eyes of Texas

   

• Royal Firewater Music, S. 1/5
  • Model: The title is a cross between Handel's Water Music and Royal Fireworks Music, and the piece parodies Handel's orchestral style.

   

• Schleptet in E-flat, S. 0
  • Model: Classical chamber music, particularly Beethoven's Septet in E-flat, Op. 20
  • Pieces referenced:
    • Mozart, Piano ConCerto No. 23 in B-flat, K. 595
  • Other allusions:
  • "Yehudi Menuetto" suggests the name of the composer and conductor Yehudi Menuhin.

   

• The Seasonings, S. 1/2 tsp.
  • Model: Handel's oratorios, though the title refers to Haydn's The Seasons
  • Pieces referenced:
    • Old MacDonald Had a Farm
    • Stephen Foster, "Old Black Joe"
    • Summer is a-Coming In"
    • Handel, Hallelujah Chorus from Messiah

   

• The Short-Tempered Clavier, S. easy as 3.14159265
  • Model: J. S. Bach's The Well-Tempered Clavier
  • Pieces referenced:
    • Chopsticks
    • Beer Barrel Polka
    • Beethoven, Symphony No. 5 in C minor
    • Merrily We Roll Along
    • Snake charmer tune (title?)
    • Children's mocking chant
    • Shave and a Haircut
    • Ah, vous dirai-je, maman (Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star)
    • Brahms, Symphony No. 1 in C minor
    • Joseph Haydn or Ignatz Pleyel, Chorale St. Antoni
    • Tchaikovsky, "Dance of the Mirlitons" from The Nutcracker
    • How Dry I Am
    • You Are My Sunshine
    • Handel, Water Music
    • Richard Strauss, Till Eulenspiegel
    • Cielito Lindo
    • Westminster Chimes
    • Mozart, Piano Sonata in A, K. 331
    • J. S. Bach, The Art of the Fugue (B-A-C-H motif)
    • The Bear Went Over the Mountain [L. P. suggests that citing this tune as "For He's a Jolly Good Fellow" would be more appropriate. I believe both versions are derived from a French song, "Malbrouk s'en va-t-en Guerre."
    • Sibelius, Symphony No. 5 (?)
    • Great Tom Is Cast [L. P.]

   

• Sonato de Circo (Circus Sonata), S. 3 ring
  • Pieces referenced:
    • Man on the Flying Trapeze
    • Rosas, "Over the Waves" (?)
    • Fucik, "March of the Gladiators"
    • J. S. Bach, "Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring"

   

• The Stoned Guest, S. 86 Proof
  • Pieces referenced:
    • Mozart, the Commendatore's entrance, from Don Giovanni
  • Other allusions:
    • The title refers to "The Stone Guest," a title used for several versions of the Don Juan story.
    • The character Carmen-Ghia refers to Bizet's Carmen and also to a Volkswagen sports model called the Karmann-Ghia; Don Octave and Donna Ribalda play on characters in Mozart's Don Giovanni; Il Commendatoreador hits both operas at once.
    • The shorter recorded version of the opera is hosted by "Milton Host" and has an "Opera Whiz" feature. This is a nod to Milton Cross, the host for many years of Metropolitan Opera broadcasts, and the "Opera Quizzes" which were featured during intermission.

   

• Three Chorale-Based Piecelets, S. III
  • Model: J. S. Bach's Chorale Preludes
  • Pieces referenced:
    • Aura Lee
    • Yankee Doodle
    • Au Clair de la Lune

   

• Toot Suite for Calliope Four Hands, S. 212°
  • Pieces referenced:
    • The Volga Boatman
  • Note: The fugue based on "The Volga Boatman," variously called the "Fuga Vulgaris" or "Toot Fugue," is the best-known part of this suite.

   

• Twelve Quite Heavenly Songs, S. 16
  • Pieces referenced:
    • O Holy Night

   

Some P. D. Q. Bach links:

• Publisher Theodore Presser's site
• Peter Schickele's homepage