A Little Nightmare Music
Encyclopedia
A Little Nightmare Music is an opera
in "one irrevocable act" by Peter Schickele
under the pseudonym
he uses for parodies and comical works P. D. Q. Bach
. The title of the work refers to the English translation of Mozart
's famous Eine kleine Nachtmusik
(A Little Night Music). The opera is described as being "based on a dream he had December 4, 1791, the night that Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
died and Antonio Salieri
didn't." The opera was "newly exhumed" (a.k.a. premiered) at Carnegie Hall
on December 27, 1982. It was later recorded with the premiere cast and released on CD by Vanguard Records
in 1983. The album also includes two other works by P. D. Q. Bach: an octet (Octoot for wind instruments) and a parody of Handel
's Water Music
and Music for the Royal Fireworks, Royal Firewater Musick.
A Little Nightmare Music
Octoot
Royal Firewater Musick
Opera
Opera is an art form in which singers and musicians perform a dramatic work combining text and musical score, usually in a theatrical setting. Opera incorporates many of the elements of spoken theatre, such as acting, scenery, and costumes and sometimes includes dance...
in "one irrevocable act" by Peter Schickele
Peter Schickele
Johann Peter Schickele is an American composer, musical educator, and parodist. He is best known for his comedy music albums featuring his music that he presents as music written by the fictional composer P. D. Q...
under the pseudonym
Pseudonym
A pseudonym is a name that a person assumes for a particular purpose and that differs from his or her original orthonym...
he uses for parodies and comical works P. D. Q. Bach
P. D. Q. Bach
P. D. Q. Bach is a fictitious composer invented by musical satirist "Professor" Peter Schickele. In a gag that Schickele has developed over a five-decade-long career, he performs "discovered" works of this forgotten member of the Bach family...
. The title of the work refers to the English translation of Mozart
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart , baptismal name Johannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Theophilus Mozart , was a prolific and influential composer of the Classical era. He composed over 600 works, many acknowledged as pinnacles of symphonic, concertante, chamber, piano, operatic, and choral music...
's famous Eine kleine Nachtmusik
Eine kleine Nachtmusik
The Serenade No. 13 for strings in G major, K. 525 was written by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart in 1787. The work is more commonly known by the title Eine kleine Nachtmusik. The German title means "a little serenade", though it is often rendered more literally but less accurately as "a little night music"...
(A Little Night Music). The opera is described as being "based on a dream he had December 4, 1791, the night that Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart , baptismal name Johannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Theophilus Mozart , was a prolific and influential composer of the Classical era. He composed over 600 works, many acknowledged as pinnacles of symphonic, concertante, chamber, piano, operatic, and choral music...
died and Antonio Salieri
Antonio Salieri
Antonio Salieri was a Venetian classical composer, conductor and teacher born in Legnago, south of Verona, in the Republic of Venice, but who spent his adult life and career as a faithful subject of the Habsburg monarchy....
didn't." The opera was "newly exhumed" (a.k.a. premiered) at Carnegie Hall
Carnegie Hall
Carnegie Hall is a concert venue in Midtown Manhattan in New York City, United States, located at 881 Seventh Avenue, occupying the east stretch of Seventh Avenue between West 56th Street and West 57th Street, two blocks south of Central Park....
on December 27, 1982. It was later recorded with the premiere cast and released on CD by Vanguard Records
Vanguard Records
Vanguard Records is a record label set up in 1950 by brothers Maynard and Seymour Solomon in New York. It started as a classical label, but is perhaps best known for its catalogue of recordings by a number of pivotal folk and blues artists from the 1960s; the Bach Guild was a subsidiary...
in 1983. The album also includes two other works by P. D. Q. Bach: an octet (Octoot for wind instruments) and a parody of Handel
George Frideric Handel
George Frideric Handel was a German-British Baroque composer, famous for his operas, oratorios, anthems and organ concertos. Handel was born in 1685, in a family indifferent to music...
's Water Music
Water Music (Handel)
The Water Music is a collection of orchestral movements, often considered three suites, composed by George Frideric Handel. It premiered on 17 July 1717 after King George I had requested a concert on the River Thames...
and Music for the Royal Fireworks, Royal Firewater Musick.
Performers
- Professor Peter SchickelePeter SchickeleJohann Peter Schickele is an American composer, musical educator, and parodist. He is best known for his comedy music albums featuring his music that he presents as music written by the fictional composer P. D. Q...
conducting the New York Pick-Up Ensemble - James BillingsJames BillingsJames Billings is an American operatic baritone, librettist, and opera director. He began his career in the late 1950s in Boston and later became a member of the New York City Opera where he performed regularly from the early 1970s through the 1990s...
, baritone (Antonio SalieriAntonio SalieriAntonio Salieri was a Venetian classical composer, conductor and teacher born in Legnago, south of Verona, in the Republic of Venice, but who spent his adult life and career as a faithful subject of the Habsburg monarchy....
, a successful composer) - Bruce Ford, tenor (Peter Schläfer, a mysterious writer)
- Gerald Tarack, violinist (Wolfgang Amadeus MozartWolfgang Amadeus MozartWolfgang Amadeus Mozart , baptismal name Johannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Theophilus Mozart , was a prolific and influential composer of the Classical era. He composed over 600 works, many acknowledged as pinnacles of symphonic, concertante, chamber, piano, operatic, and choral music...
, a not-successful composer) - Paul Dunkel, flute
- Susan Palma, flute
- Steve Taylor, oboe
- Pamela Epple, oboe
- Charles Russo, clarinet
- John Moses, clarinet
- Lauren Goldstein, bassoon
- Jane Taylor, bassoon
Recording
A recording of the original cast of the opera was made. Since the opera is short, the recording also includes two other works by P.D.Q. Bach, Octoot for wind instruments, S. 8 and Royal Firewater Musick, for bottles and orchestra (original version), S. 1/5. The track listing is as follows:A Little Nightmare Music
- 1. Aria: "What sweet music" (Salieri)
- 2. Aria: "Nature gave us eyes" (Schläfer)
- 3. Duet: "Uh Oh"
- 4. Finale: "What hutzpah!"
Octoot
- 5. Vite, tout de suite
- 6. Lent, tout au moins
- 7. Minuet et, tout à l'heure, trio
- 8. Chanson: "Toute l'année, hey, hey, hey"
- 9. Tout à coup le bout
Royal Firewater Musick
- 10. Long; neat; long
- 11. March on the rocks
- 12. Minuet with a twist
- 13. Sarabande straight up
- 14. One for the road