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."New P. D. Q. Bach finds to be played" by Eleanor Blau, The New York Times, 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.
Performers Professor Peter Schickele conducting the New York Pick-Up Ensemble James Billings, baritone (Antonio Salieri, a successful composer) Bruce Ford, tenor (Peter Schläfer, a mysterious writer) Gerald Tarack, violinist (Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, 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, an opera in one irrevocable act, S. 35 Aria: "What sweet music" (Salieri) Aria: "Nature gave us eyes" (Schläfer) Duet: "Uh Oh" Finale: "What hutzpah!" Octoot for wind instruments, S. 8 Vite, tout de suite Lent, tout au moins Minuet et, tout à l'heure, trio Chanson: "Toute l'année, hey, hey, hey" Tout à coup le bout Royal Firewater Musick for bottles and orchestra, S. 1/5 Long; neat; long March on the rocks Minuet with a twist Sarabande straight up One for the road
Sources
P.D.Q. Bach: A Little Nightmare Music
External links The Key of P. D. Q. Bach