Peter Schickele Cause of Death

Peter Schickele, an American composer known for his serious concert music and famed for his humorous alter ego, the fictional and outrageously prolific P.D.Q. Bach, passed away on Tuesday at his home in Bearsville, a hamlet outside Woodstock, N.Y. He was 88.

The news of his death was confirmed by his daughter, Karla Schickele, who mentioned that his health had declined following a series of infections last fall.

While composing over 100 symphonic, choral, solo instrumental, and chamber works under his own name, pronounced SHICK-uh-lee, Schickele’s career spanned from the 1950s. His compositions were first heard on concert stages and later commissioned by some of the world’s leading orchestras, soloists, and chamber ensembles. In addition to his concert music, he contributed film scores and musical numbers for Broadway productions.

His works were performed by prestigious institutions such as the New York Philharmonic, the Cleveland Orchestra, the Lark Quartet, and the Minnesota Opera, showcasing his versatility across various genres. Moreover, folk singers like Joan Baez and Buffy Sainte-Marie interpreted his music, with Schickele providing arrangements for them.