20th-century American composer Peter Schickele is perhaps best known in the persona of his alter ego, P.D.Q. Bach, the fictional youngest son of J.S. Bach. Known for his frivolous and often unusually-scored compositions, P.D.Q. Bach brings Schickele's knowledge of classical music and his love of comedy together. From the tongue-in-cheek titles to his use of familiar musical themes (often folk or pop songs), Schickele encourages us not to take ourselves too seriously - something that many of us "classical stiffs" ought to keep in mind! The Only Piece Ever Written for Violin and Tuba (S. 9, 10, big fat hen) might be just that - it is certainly an odd combination by most standards! Schickele (composer or editor, however you prefer to look at it) explains: "The Musical literature for tuba is quite extensive, and the literature for violin is, of course, even extensiver, but the number of pieces written for just those two instruments together seems to be the same as the number of people who believe that my Uncle Harry is the reincarnation of Alexander the Great. And yet, The Only Piece doesn't sound that bad; in point of fact, it's surprising how well PDQ Bach wrote from the tuba, considering that it had not yet been invented. Although actually, when you think about it, he didn't write any better for the violin, which had been around for a long time." - from the program notes Despite its oddities, The Only Piece Ever Written for Violin and Tuba treats both instruments with respect, allowing them "a chance to flaunt their soulful sensitivity as well as their keester-kickin' dexterity." This work is for violin and tuba, in score form. Published by Theodore Presser Company. Difficulty: A4 Click here to learn more about the Apprentice and ASTA Sheet Music Difficulty Ratings.
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