Composer

:

P.D.Q. Bach

Genre

:

Keyboard

Style

:

Prelude & Fugue

Average_duration

:

31:41

Movement_count

:

12

Movement ....

The Short Tempered Clavier, S3.14159, is a satirical composition by the fictional composer P.D.Q. Bach. It was composed in 1963 and premiered on April 1st of that year at Carnegie Hall in New York City. The piece is a parody of Johann Sebastian Bach's famous keyboard work, The Well-Tempered Clavier. The Short Tempered Clavier consists of 24 preludes and fugues, one in each major and minor key. However, unlike Bach's work, each prelude and fugue in The Short Tempered Clavier is characterized by a specific emotion or temperament, such as anger, frustration, or impatience. The titles of the pieces reflect these emotions, with names like "Prelude and Fugue in C# Minor, BWV 849 1/2 (The Agitated Clavier)" and "Prelude and Fugue in G Major, BWV Anh. 30a 1/2 (The Irritable Clavier)." The Short Tempered Clavier is known for its humorous and irreverent tone, with P.D.Q. Bach taking liberties with Bach's original style and adding unexpected musical elements. For example, the "Prelude and Fugue in C Major, BWV 846a 1/2 (The Crazed Clavier)" features a section where the performer is instructed to play the notes in a random order, while the "Prelude and Fugue in D Minor, BWV 851 1/2 (The Short-Tempered Clavier)" includes a section where the performer is instructed to bang their fists on the keyboard. Overall, The Short Tempered Clavier is a playful and entertaining work that showcases P.D.Q. Bach's unique sense of humor and musical creativity.

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