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