The Definitive Biography of P.D.Q. Bach

by Peter Schickele

What little-known son of a famous genius has been called:

"A musical blight"

"A one-man plague"

"History's most justifiably neglected composer"

"The worst musician ever to trod organ pedals"

"A pimple on the face of music"

In this long-awaited hoax, possibly the most unimportant piece of scholarship in over two thousand years, Professor Peter Schickele has finally succeeded in ripping the veil of obscurity from the most unusual -- to put it kindly -- composer in the history of music: P.D.Q. Bach, the last and unquestionably the least of the great Johann Sebastian Bach's many children.

Genres: Humor, Music, Biography, Nonfiction, Classical Music, Satire

238 pages, Paperback

First published August 12, 1977

About the author

American composer, musical educator and parodist, best known for comedy albums featuring music written by Schickele, but which he presents as being composed by the fictional P. D. Q. Bach.

Reviews

[Judie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Peter Schickele died last week. I’ve seen him in person and was totally entertained. Since his death, I’ve watched some of his videos and read his book THE DEFINITIVE BIOGRAPHY OF PDQ BACH for the first time. My only complaint is that I wish I knew more about music.
The book is delightful and full of laughs that sneak up on you. For example, names of people and places and footnotes (do read them all). My husband, who is a musician, is sitting near me reading the book, cracking up at many of these passages. He’ll explain them to me when he finishes.
Some serious information explaining some of information does creep in but it is often an offshoot cloaked in humor such as defining terms like “What do you mean by form?”
Other examples of humor are found in chapter titles: Chapter 1 Early Infancy. 1742 to 1745. Chapter 2. Late Infancy 1745 to 1766.
“A man who triumphed over the most staggering obstacle ever place before a composer:: absolute and utter lack of talent.”
One sentence has 102 words and 27 commas.
There are descriptions and drawings of esoteric instruments as well as stories of his operas and compositions.
Schickele goes into detail analyzing the music. The more you know about the music, the funnier it will be.
At one point the author was trying to locate a person to get more information about P. D. Q. Bach. but the man was no longer at the monastery. “He had been exposed as a thief, and sent away with brand on his forehead signifying to all the world that he was a felonious monk.”
Unfortunately, I read an e-book version and the photography was blurry.
If you’re not familiar with PDQ Bach, go online and look at some of the videos. Here’s one: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=WR4CdKS...

[Epongue Ekille · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hilarious.

[David Ramirer · Rating 5 out of 5]

eine wunderbare, unverzichtbare biographie dieses leider immer noch viel zu unbekannten bach-sohns, der standards setzte, auf die die welt der klassischen musik gerne auch verzichtet hätte.
ein genuss für musikliebhaber- und aber auch für erziehungsbedingte hasser der klassischen musik.
-
auch beim zweiten lesen ein unfassbarer genuß, wie detailliert und kreativ hier die klassische musik durch den hochprozentigen kakao gezogen wird!

[Karyl · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you've never heard of P.D.Q. Bach, the least of J.S. Bach's twenty-odd children, you probably have no business reading this. But if you have, it's a funny little romp through the life of one of the worst composers in history.

[Scott Benowitz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Peter Schickele (1935- 2024) was a modern classical composer. In the 1960's, he'd assisted some of the famous folk musicians from that era with writing some of the songs that they recorded for their albums, and beginning in the 1970's, he composed a number of modern classical symphonies, amd he also composed and orchestrated the scores for a number of movies.
However, Peter Schickele is perhaps most widely known for his humorous writings and performances as well as the humorous radio show "Schickele Mix," which aired on public radio stations throughout the U.S. from 1992 through 1997, and some public radio stations continued to air rebroadcasts of "Schickele Mix" until 2007.
Peter Schickele continued to perform his unique blend of modern humor and classical music until the early 2020's.

In the mid 1960's, Peter Schickele created the fiction composer "P. D Q. Bach," who, according to Peter Schickele was one of the lesser known sons of Johann Sebastian Bach.
In notable contrast to Carl Phillipp Emmanuel Bach (1714 - 1788) and Johann Christian Bach (1735 - 1782), whose compositions are performed by chamber music ensembles and by symphony orchestras throughout the world, and whose compositions are still aired on classical music radio stations throughout the world today, most of the information about as well as the sheet music of the compositions which had been composed by P. D. Q. Bach had been largely lost to the dustbin of history.

Actually, entirely lost.

And with very good reason.

Peter Schickele "rediscovered" all of "the lost compositions" which had been composed by P. D. Q. Bach, and Peter Schickele was the world's leading expert about P. D. Q. Bach, as well as the sole archivist of the lost composer.

In 1977, Peter Schickele wrote the definitive biography of the fictional composer that he'd created back in the mid 1960's.
If you are looking to read something that will make you laugh, this book will certainly accomplish this goal. Peter Schickele's unique humorous blend of references to classical music and pop culture of the 1960's and the 1970's is clever and witty and always continues to make me laugh.

[Coenraad · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is sheer comedic genius. A five star rating does not do it justice. I do not think that any book has ever made me laugh so much, so loudly and so many times, and I doubt any other will (in movie world, Team America: World Police has managed a similar response). If you know the world of classical music, this is a major treat because it is irreverent, witty and well executed. Even the art of bookmaking does not get off scot-free ...

Hierdie kamma-biografie is sekerlik die snaaksste boek waarmee ek nog ooit te doen gekry het. Vir musiekkenners is dit soos die soet aan die einde van die ete. Ek twyfel sterk dat ek al ooit so baie, so luid en so lank gelag het vir enigiets as vir hierdie boek nie (wel, daar is die rolprent Team America: Wirld Police ...) en ek twyfel of enigiets anders dit ooit sal regkry. Nie eers die kuns van boekmaak kom skotvry daarvan af nie!

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

Music humor at its best. PDQ (supposedly stands for Pretty Darn Quick) is a fictional son of JS Bach, created by Peter Schikele, who also “discovered” (ie composed) music “written” by PDQ. It helps to have knowledge of classical music, especially Bach but also others. I remember watching PDQ Bach’s opera “The Abduction of Figaro” (lampooning of Mozart who wrote operas “The Abduction from the Seraglio” and “The Marriage of Figaro”). At one point the character Dona Donna sings “I’m so mad…”. “How mad are you, Dona Donna?” Someone asks. “I’m so mad that I’m not even going to sing my aria” she says. It’s all very meta. I read it many years ago—Schikele was actually an alum of my college (Swarthmore) although years before I attended.

[Tom Schulte · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have long enjoyed and found hilarious the Peter Schickele hoax/farce of P.D.Q. Bach. I first was introduced through the now defunct Detroit classical music FM station WQRS. After collecting records, I now have enjoyed this detailed and encompassing book-length treatment of the joke. I think it hits my funnybone the same way Monty Python does for being irreverent and smartly funny and I see in reading these old chestnuts that some of this stuff has crept into my own repertoire and become part of my own sense of humor...

[Rex Libris · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not since the publication of Leslie Nielsen's "The Naked Truth" has there been such an unvarnished, starkly truthful account of a life. Along with the biographical details of Bach's life, Schikele includes a collection of plates featuring Bach and his habitations, as well as an annotated discography.

Well worth reading, and indeed a must-read, for anyone who likes authentic music and rare instruments.

[Renee · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fantastic little audiobook. PDQ Bach's life story is funny enough on its own, but the production takes it over the top. Clicks to designate quotes, bells for footnotes, and a narrator flipping through the book and editorializing on the content. Schickele is a genius who deserves to be better remembered.

[Dan · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Mad Magazine of classical music. Humor in a jocular vein.

[Ryan Moore · Rating 3 out of 5]

A Monty Python esque look at the life and stylings of JS Bach’s most forgotten child. A hilarious alter ego.

[Sen Garcia · Rating 1 out of 5]

There is nothing said about P.D.Q. Bach's music that could not also be said of Schickele's humor.

[Robu-sensei · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hilarious history of the last of the twenty-odd children of Johann Sebastian Bach, and definitely the oddest. The more you know about classical music, the more this biography will make you laugh. Some of the humor is very sophisticated. Includes detailed descriptions of many of P.D.Q. Bach's works, a few of which have appeared on albums since the biography was published. No fan of P.D.Q. Bach or of his official historian, Prof. Peter Schickele, should be without this essential reference work.

[Mark Dickson · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you love classical music, if you studied classical music, you have to listen to Peter Schiclele's "P.D.Q. Bach" parodies. Catch him live, if you can, but there are plenty of recordings if you can't. This book is just icing on the already sumptuous cake.

[Peter · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the funniest books I've ever had the pleasure to read. My latest re-reading didn't have as many laugh-out-loud moments, since I'm so familiar with the text, but there were still plenty of snickers and smiles.

[Billy · Rating 5 out of 5]

With such well-known works as "Oedipus Tex" and "Fanfare for the Common Cold", is it any wonder that PDQ Bach reigns as one of the greatest composers of all time?

[Carol · Rating 5 out of 5]

So funny - brilliant book!

[Joseph Schlesinger · Rating 5 out of 5]

"It don't mean a thing if it ain't got that je-ne-sais-quoi."

[CAMERON · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely daft but pant-wettingly funny.

[Jeremy Potter · Rating 2 out of 5]

meh

[Robert Kaufman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Without a doubt. My favorite non-existent composer/musician of all time.

[Brent Yorgason · Rating 4 out of 5]

Essential reading for music nerds.

[Kevin Burrow · Rating 5 out of 5]

The more you know about music history, the funnier this book becomes. This is the ultimate parody.

[Simona · Rating 5 out of 5]

Every musician should read it - I actually thought it was true the first time I read it :)

[Jared · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a very funny “biography” of Peter Schikele’s alter ego PDQ Bach. I would recommend it to any Schikele fan.