Saturday, February 4, 2012

Peter Schickele - the Hippest of the Hop



Ok, ok, I know you've already seen this video.  It's had millions of hits on youtube, and wherever else.  A friend sent it to me some time back.  It's funny.

But it also reminded me of Peter Schickele.

Now, for those of you who don't know who he is...http://www.schickele.com/

His radio show, Schickele Mix, was heard on our local classical music station here in Chicago for years.  It has been off the air for way too long.  It was a very funny, very smart hodge-podge of music of all types and his own commentary.  As he said at the beginning of each show, it was..."Dedicated to the proposition that all musics are created equal".  He would also quote Duke Ellington..."if it sounds good, it is good".

 Please click on the link to his site for a more intelligent description of his work than I could ever provide.

Anyhoo, Peter Schickele -- musician, composer, educator, comedian, creator of PDQ Bach, all-round brilliant guy -- and rapper.  One of his compositions is called "Classical Rap".  And it just might be the prototype for the above Whole Foods opus.  No video, unfortunately.  But then again, no commercial for any Entire Groceries store either.



This piece can also be found on the 1990 Telarc disc, "Oedipus Tex & Other Choral Calamities".  That would be Oedipus (my friends just call me Ed) Tex, that is.  It still makes me laugh.

He would close each program with..."and remember, it don't mean a thing if it ain't got that certain je ne sais quoi".  Nice.  I miss hearing you each week, Professor.

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