Track Listing

1. Opening and Introduction to the Short Tempered Cla
2. Short Tempered Clavier: I: C Major
3. Short Tempered Clavier: II: C Minor
4. Short Tempered Clavier: III: C Sharp Minor
5. Short Tempered Clavier: IV: D Major
6. Short Tempered Clavier: V: D Minor
7. Short Tempered Clavier: VI: E Flat Major
8. Short Tempered Clavier: VII: F Major
9. Short Tempered Clavier: VIII: G Minor
10. Short Tempered Clavier: IX: G Major
11. Short Tempered Clavier: X: A Major
12. Short Tempered Clavier: XI: A Minor
13. Short Tempered Clavier: XII: B Flat Major
14. Introduction to Little Pickle Book (S.6)
15. Little Pickle Book: I: Toccat et Fuga Obnoxia
16. Little Pickle Book: II: Chorale Prelude (Ave Maria et Agnus Dei)
17. Little Pickle Book: III: Fantasia Sopra "Gräulein Maria Mack"
18. Little Pickle Book: IV: Lullaby and Good Night
19. Introduction to Sonata da Circo (Circus Sonata) (S
20. Sonata da Circo (Circus Sonata): I: Spiel Vorspiel
21. Sonata da Circo (Circus Sonata): II: Entrada Grande
22. Sonata da Circo (Circus Sonata): III: Smokski the Russian Bear
23. Sonata da Circo (Circus Sonata): IV: Toccata Ecdyusiastica
24. Sonata da Circo (Circus Sonata): Calliope Frustration
25. Introduction to Three Chorale-Based Piecelets (S.I
26. Chorale-Based Piecelets (3): I: Chorale "Orally"
27. Chorale-Based Piecelets (3): II: Chorale Prelude on an American ...
28. Chorale-Based Piecelets (3): III: Chorale Variations on "In Der ..."
29. Epilogue

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #52121 in Music
• Brand: Bach
• Released on: 1995-08-29
• Number of discs: 1
• Dimensions: .21 pounds

Customer Reviews

Lackluster
I agree with most of the other individuals who have written comments. The first piece, "The Short Tempered Clavier" is, by far, the best piece on the CD. The other works seem oddly derivative of it. There isn't the usual variety in the pieces which Schickele includes (one or two instrumental, one or two vocal). My personal suspicion is that since, years ago, Schickele announced his intention to stop his P.D.Q. Bach work in order to focus on serious compositions, this CD may have been part of a contractual obligation, or, perhaps, just an effort to get the last of the P.D.Q. Bach pieces recorded.

While the "Short Temepered Clavier" is a good piece, its probably not worth the price of the CD. If you were looking for a good P.D.Q. Bach album, I'd buy "Oedipus Tex" or "1712 Overture" or even the lesser-known (but really funny) "Lieberslieder Polkas and Twelve Quite Heavenly Songs".

Some good tracks
I enjoyed the Short-Tempered Clavier pieces tremendously. Played masterfully by Christopher O'Reilley, they are witty and delightful. A new suprise is always around the corner, and upon my first listen I found myself grinning and sometimes laughing out loud.

Then comes the rest of the album.

In the succeeding pieces, Schickele uses the same jokes, the same tunes, and crummy synthesized instruments that become so annoying that I just want to turn the thing off.

Do yourself a favor and leave after the first act.

P D Q Bach achieves un-just intonation
Although not my favorite PDQ album, I enjoyed this one immensely. I think it helps a lot to know the purpose of the well-tempered clavichord and what exactly JS Bach set out to prove. PDQ does his best to undo everything his father started and Professor Schikele does his best to hold it all together, even though it does get a little wierd at times (did he say "little"?). Definitely worth the price of admission. JKS