P.D.Q. Bach: WTWP Classical Talkity-Talk Radio

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
As we've come to expect from Peter Schickele (aka P.D.Q Bach), this is a comedy CD based thoroughly and utterly in classical music in-jokes, puns, references, mis-hearings, etc. Here, we're in the world of a casual, presumably classical music radio show ("all Pachelbel, all the time"), with a host and two sidekicks, all of whom can't resist "witty" chitchat. There are spoofs of fundraising (they hope for $100.00 by the end of the show), a song called "Sam and Janet," which actually turns into a polyphonic version of "Some enchanted evening" (get it? Sam and Janet = Some enchanted), a set of four folk songs accompanied by "devious instruments," one of which is a cardboard tube, which is to "played" by hitting it against someone's head. And one of the rules of the station is that all music must be in a major key until after 11 PM. Fans of Schickele who truly love his sophisticated spoofs of classical music will find fewer of them here than usual, oddly enough, but the CD is fun. And a highlight is a non-classical number or two (snuck in by the co-hosts, Jocko and Blondie) sung by Elvis's brother "Enos," who liked his name until they started calling his brother "Elvis the Pelvis." Delightful, if this is what you're looking for. --Robert Levine

Tracks:

Getting Ready
Theme Song: Opening
Canzon Per Sonar A Sei- Count Them-Sei
Pledge Plea
Four Folk Song Upsettings
Station Id
Classical Kwickie-Kwiz
Sam And Janet
Weather Report
Hound Dog
Flip Side Intro
Love Me
Station ID
Cadenza
Safe Sextet
Oo-La-La Intro
Oo-La-La: Cookin French Like The French Cook French
Station Id
Canzonetta Intro
Canzonetta 'La Hooplina'
Wrap-up
Theme Song (Pachelbel Canon)

Amazon.com

As we've come to expect from Peter Schickele (aka P.D.Q Bach), this is a comedy CD based thoroughly and utterly in classical music in-jokes, puns, references, mis-hearings, etc. Here, we're in the world of a casual, presumably classical music radio show ("all Pachelbel, all the time"), with a host and two sidekicks, all of whom can't resist "witty" chitchat. There are spoofs of fundraising (they hope for $100.00 by the end of the show), a song called "Sam and Janet," which actually turns into a polyphonic version of "Some enchanted evening" (get it? Sam and Janet = Some enchanted), a set of four folk songs accompanied by "devious instruments," one of which is a cardboard tube, which is to "played" by hitting it against someone's head. And one of the rules of the station is that all music must be in a major key until after 11 PM. Fans of Schickele who truly love his sophisticated spoofs of classical music will find fewer of them here than usual, oddly enough, but the CD is fun. And a highlight is a non-classical number or two (snuck in by the co-hosts, Jocko and Blondie) sung by Elvis's brother "Enos," who liked his name until they started calling his brother "Elvis the Pelvis." Delightful, if this is what you're looking for. --Robert Levine

Customer Reviews:

Not My Favorite.......2006-04-04

This is a satire of the annoying disc jockey "personalities" who are all-too-apparent on radio today. As is so often the case with this sort of satire, it mimicks what its mocking a little too closely while not providing enough in the way of humor. There are some good pieces, like the PDQ Bach folksongs, but the music faded to the background when viewed alongside the obnoxious radio personalities. Some of it, was not only annoying, but kind of poinless, like the Elvis parody. I'm a huge fan of PDQ, but this album was too much even for me.

For the dedicated PDQ fan only..........2005-10-29

Okay, I am not really a listener of classical radio stations, so
I cannot comment on whether this send-up of classical radio
stations is really fair. But, when I am trapped in a car without
my IPOD, I do listen to many pop radio stations and the
material on this CD with lots of annoying and stupid DJ
chatter is all too familiar. But that is the problem. Listening
to this CD is like watching a comedy skit that goes on and on
longer than it has to. Yes I did laugh a few times at the material
and the liner notes. But I cannot say this is really even "average"
PDQ material, hence the below average rating.

Better than Citizen Kane.......2005-02-16

Ok, it's not better than Citizen Kane. It's just that I played "Jocko" on this CD and had a great time doing it. I'm glad so many people reviewed and liked the recording.

Elliott Forrest

blistering parody.......2004-09-03

Let me say at the outset that this is not my favorite PDQ Bach album. I agree with other reviewers that the PDQ Bach works themselves are somewhat less inspiring that on other albums. But there is one aspect of this album that needs to be pointed out: it is an absolutely devestating parody of what has become of classical music radio stations. More and more I find (and apparently Schickele also finds) that classical stations have become watered-down affairs, bland, inoffensive-- "relaxing" they call it. Music for people who basically don't like music very much. You know, background music that you don't have to pay much attention to or think about too much. Basically, high class muzak. This album takes that whole thing on in spades. In fact, in some sense it's really too true to be funny. I swear, the classical station in Boston must really have a "no minor keys until after 11pm" rule, and if they're not quite "all Pachelbel all the time!", they certainly play at least 33% obscure baroque works, while playing maybe 2% romantic and *zero* percent 20th century. So while the comedy on this album may not be the very best, the parody is absolutely spot-on. For that, I say "Kudos!!"

Very witty parody.......2002-07-02

This is a CD that in several places brought tears to my eyes -- tears not of sadness, but of laughing so hard I cried. The hilarious parody of obnoxious and insulting sports talk show hosts (Jocko) reminds me of some all-too-real jerks on the radio now. The "Enos Presley" songs, Hound Dog and Love Me, were the real "tear jerkers" if you know what I mean. They are foisted upon the hapless "Prof" Schikele by his rambunctious co-hosts Jocko and Blondie, who figure that the station owner never listens and so it's okay to play something that's not classical on this otherwise "all Pachelbel all the time" station. "Enos," who didn't mind his name until they started calling his brother "Elvis the Pelvis" -- actually has quite an incredible voice: a combination of Elvis, Buddy Holly, Roy Orbison, and others. He is backed by an authentic and straight-faced "Jordanaires-like" group that is the perfect foil to his over-the-top parody of 50's Elvis-style pop.

Other hilarious songs are the four "Folk Song Upsettings" for soprano, piano, and "devious instruments" including Prof hitting himself over the head with cardboard tubes.

The reason I give this only a 4 rather than a 5 rating is that some of the actual PDQ instrumental music isn't that good. Sure, it's obviously not SUPPOSED to be good, but I mean it isn't bad or zany enough to be as funny as earlier PDQ Bach pieces like "My Bonnie Lass She Smelleth" and "Shleptet" and "The Stoned Guest," all of which were more inspired comedically and musically.

Still, this is definitely a CD to make you laugh. The best parts make it worth going through some less inspired sections.

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