A gifted composer, pianist and musical parodist, Peter Schickele was perhaps best known through his alter-ego, Professor Peter Schickele, the purported discoverer of the fictional, wholly made-up (we think) PDQ Bach, both of whom accompanied him through most of his career. He was one of those rare musician/performers who could present, dissect and parody music with wit and hilarity while still conveying respect and appreciation of the art form, in the vein of Victor Borge and Anna Russell.
His extensive output included chamber music, piano works and symphonic works, as well as the pieces ascribed to PDQ Bach, and he toured extensively entertaining audiences with the antics of the "last and unquestionably least" of J.S. Bach's children. He also hosted Schickele Mix on public radio. A Tempo host Rachel Katz spoke with several of his musical colleagues and friends about his talent, wit and musical legacy: Conductor Jorge Mester, who met Schickele at The Juilliard School and conducted the first PDQ Bach concerts; Conductor Leonard Slatkin, who premiered several of his works and championed his music; Pianist Jeffrey Biegel, who commissioned "Concerto for Simply Grand Piano and Orchestra," which was premiered in 2016 by the Colorado Symphony with Biegel as soloist; and Composer and Radio Personality Bill McGlaughlin.
