P.D.Q. Bach's microtonal experiments

I am a huge fan of Peter Schickele, discoverer of P.D.Q. Bach, the last
and least of the sons of J.S. Bach. During his lifetime, Schickele has
discovered one work after another by P.D.Q., works which to my ear
contain a fine blend of humor and genuine musicality.

Wouldn't it be wonderful if it turned out that some microtonal works
were lurking?

If anyone on this list knows Prof. Schickele or knows someone who does,
would you please pass this request along? Thanks!!

JdL

--- In tuning@egroups.com, "John A. deLaubenfels" <jdl@a...> wrote:
> I am a huge fan of Peter Schickele, discoverer of P.D.Q. Bach, the
last
> and least of the sons of J.S. Bach. During his lifetime, Schickele
has
> discovered one work after another by P.D.Q., works which to my ear
> contain a fine blend of humor and genuine musicality.
>
> Wouldn't it be wonderful if it turned out that some microtonal
works
> were lurking?
>
> If anyone on this list knows Prof. Schickele or knows someone who
does,
> would you please pass this request along? Thanks!!
>
> JdL

I also enjoy him - mostly from NPR shows.

Jacky

JdL wrote...

> I am a huge fan of Peter Schickele, discoverer of P.D.Q. Bach

Me too...

> Wouldn't it be wonderful if it turned out that some microtonal
> works were lurking?

Say, that reminds me... I seem to recall an article in
Xenharmoniphobicon a while back that claimed P.D.Q. Bach's
original tuning of the organ at Wein-am-Rhein Cathedral
was 13 tET, and that he added the extra note to get a
"really big sound" out of an "otherwise pitifully flatulent
instrument"...

Rick

[Monz wrote:]
>I don't know about any specific or technical microtonal
>indications in P.D.Q. Bach scores, but I know for sure where
>you can hear some microtonal P.D.Q.:

>Give a listen to his oratorio _Iphegenia in Brooklyn_, which
>includes double-reeds in its instrumentation. But that's
>literally *double-reeds*, *NOT* double-reed instruments!
>The players blow on the reeds alone, in harmony, and wow!,
>what harmonies they are!!!

Right you are! He does similar things in "Oedipus Tex", and in the
"Four Folk Song Upsettings" found in the "WTWP Classical Talkity-Talk
Radio" album. In the case of Oedipus Tex, a french horn is gradually
assembled throughout the piece, so it gradually goes from absurd to
a lovely, real instrument. The WTWP album is a hoot from beginning to
end, including two early rock songs recorded by Elvis's younger brother,
Enus (who sounds suspiciously like Schickele with an effects processor).

So, maybe PDQ is already microtonal...

JdL