Pervertimento for Bagpipes, Bicycle and Balloons
Encyclopedia
Pervertimento for Bagpipes, Bicycle and Balloons is a satirical
work authored by Peter Schickele
under the pseudonym P.D.Q. Bach, whose works and life Schickele purports to study. It is a concerto
for orchestra
, featuring the aforementioned bagpipes
, bicycle and balloons as musical instruments.
The bagpipes player uses three radically different incarnations of the instrument; first, the chanter
is removed from the bagpipes and played similar to an oboe
or clarinet
. "The tone, though jarring, is not altogether unexpected" in the words of the dust jacket for the original LP. In the subsequent movement, a "practice bagpipes" with the drones
removed and the chanter muffled is used. In the final movement, the full bagpipes are employed.
Balloons are rubbed and popped through the majority of the piece. For the final chord, three helium balloons, attached to pitchpipes, are released from the percussion section behind the orchestra. The bicycle is "played" first as a percussion instrument using playing cards in the spokes, then by blowing through the handlebars similar to a trumpet
, and finally using pedal power to drive a rotary whistle.
and recorded live on the album An Hysteric Return: P.D.Q. Bach at Carnegie Hall
.
Satire
Satire is primarily a literary genre or form, although in practice it can also be found in the graphic and performing arts. In satire, vices, follies, abuses, and shortcomings are held up to ridicule, ideally with the intent of shaming individuals, and society itself, into improvement...
work authored 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 P.D.Q. Bach, whose works and life Schickele purports to study. It is a concerto
Concerto
A concerto is a musical work usually composed in three parts or movements, in which one solo instrument is accompanied by an orchestra.The etymology is uncertain, but the word seems to have originated from the conjunction of the two Latin words...
for orchestra
Orchestra
An orchestra is a sizable instrumental ensemble that contains sections of string, brass, woodwind, and percussion instruments. The term orchestra derives from the Greek ορχήστρα, the name for the area in front of an ancient Greek stage reserved for the Greek chorus...
, featuring the aforementioned bagpipes
Bagpipes
Bagpipes are a class of musical instrument, aerophones, using enclosed reeds fed from a constant reservoir of air in the form of a bag. Though the Scottish Great Highland Bagpipe and Irish uilleann pipes have the greatest international visibility, bagpipes of many different types come from...
, bicycle and balloons as musical instruments.
Description
In Schickele's own words during the introduction, "The title, Pervertimento is... not P.D.Q. Bach's own. As a matter of fact, it was not so much a title as an opinion of the people who first played it". The piece incorporates several unconventional instruments, and in some cases non-instruments.The bagpipes player uses three radically different incarnations of the instrument; first, the chanter
Chanter
The chanter is the part of the bagpipe upon which the player creates the melody. It consists of a number of finger-holes, and in its simpler forms looks similar to a recorder...
is removed from the bagpipes and played similar to an oboe
Oboe
The oboe is a double reed musical instrument of the woodwind family. In English, prior to 1770, the instrument was called "hautbois" , "hoboy", or "French hoboy". The spelling "oboe" was adopted into English ca...
or clarinet
Clarinet
The clarinet is a musical instrument of woodwind type. The name derives from adding the suffix -et to the Italian word clarino , as the first clarinets had a strident tone similar to that of a trumpet. The instrument has an approximately cylindrical bore, and uses a single reed...
. "The tone, though jarring, is not altogether unexpected" in the words of the dust jacket for the original LP. In the subsequent movement, a "practice bagpipes" with the drones
Drone (music)
In music, a drone is a harmonic or monophonic effect or accompaniment where a note or chord is continuously sounded throughout most or all of a piece. The word drone is also used to refer to any part of a musical instrument that is just used to produce such an effect.-A musical effect:A drone...
removed and the chanter muffled is used. In the final movement, the full bagpipes are employed.
Balloons are rubbed and popped through the majority of the piece. For the final chord, three helium balloons, attached to pitchpipes, are released from the percussion section behind the orchestra. The bicycle is "played" first as a percussion instrument using playing cards in the spokes, then by blowing through the handlebars similar to a trumpet
Trumpet
The trumpet is the musical instrument with the highest register in the brass family. Trumpets are among the oldest musical instruments, dating back to at least 1500 BCE. They are played by blowing air through closed lips, producing a "buzzing" sound which starts a standing wave vibration in the air...
, and finally using pedal power to drive a rotary whistle.
Recordings
The work was first performed at Carnegie HallCarnegie 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....
and recorded live on the album An Hysteric Return: P.D.Q. Bach at Carnegie Hall
An Hysteric Return: P.D.Q. Bach at Carnegie Hall
An Hysteric Return: P.D.Q. Bach at Carnegie Hall is live recording of a P. D. Q. Bach concert in Carnegie Hall and was released on Vanguard Records in 1966.-Performers:*Professor Peter Schickele, bicycle, windbreaker, tromboon*The Royal P.D.Q...
.