Once upon a time long, long ago, before the time of Beethoven and Mozart, there was a musical genius named Johann Sebastian Bach.

His “inventions” were acclaimed by critics all over Germany but were nothing more than a prelude to the fugues that were to come. As a composer, he was deeply committed to his music and naturally wanted his children to have the same commitment.

Bach’s youngest child, P.D.Q. Bach, was the only one of his children who hated music despite his family name and reputation. However, he was not a very bright boy, so after failing at everything else, he decided to give it a shot. His music was actually liked by many people, but just like the music of many other composers, was lost over time.

There was once a man named Peter Schickele who made it his mission to find the music once written by the successful P.D.Q. Bach.

Legend has it, once when Schickele was staying in a motel, the motel safe was broken into and inside the safe, crumpled up in some old jewelry was P.D.Q.’s “Safe Sextet.”

Another discovery of P.D.Q.’s music occurred while Schickele was visiting the Alamo in San Antonio, Texas. While looking at Davy Crockett’s uniform, Schickele saw pages sticking out and reconstructed the pieces to find that it was none other than the score to the Oedipus text.

Well, some of the story is true — all except for the part about P.D.Q Bach.

J.S. Bach never had a son named P.D.Q. whose music was hidden in odd places, but P.D.Q. does mean something to many musicians — “pretty darn queer” Bach.

P.D.Q. is non-typical classical music played with a satiric approach.

And the part about Schickele? He’s actually responsible for the music associated with P.D.Q. Bach, but not because he found it — because he wrote it.

Composer, pianist, author, satirist, radio personality and Ames native, Peter Schickele will join the Lark String Quartet Friday night at the Ames City Auditorium for the opening concert of the Ames Town and Gown concert season.

Despite rumors that Schickele attended the “University of Southern North Dakota,” ISU music professor Carl Bleyle said that too is just part of the legend.

“He grew up in Fargo, North Dakota and played bassoon, and then went on to get his MS at the Julliard School,” Bleyle said. “He’s very well trained.”

Another sign of Schickele’s sophistication is his choice of musicians. Bleyle said Schickele has a history of always playing with good musicians because it’s hard to make fun of something without good resources.

“When you ham up a melodrama with bad performers, it’s not a melodrama, it’s ridiculous,” Bleyle said.

Although Friday night’s composition “Quintet No. 2 for piano and strings” is not marked by P.D.Q., Diane Pascal, violinist for the Lark quartet, said it’s not exactly European influenced like many of the other pieces in the program.

“This music is American sounding and has pop themes. It’s influenced by rock ‘n’ roll,” Pascal said. “He uses the quartet in ways not used by any other composer.”

The style of Schickele isn’t a surprise to members of the Lark Quartet though. Pascal said they have actually played complete concerts of his music in the past.

“We’ve played over the years with him several times,” Pascal said.

Because the Lark Quartet is 14 years old, Pascal said she hasn’t been around for all of the Lark/Schickele encounters.

“Over the years each position has changed. There are no original members,” Pascal said.

Throughout the quartet’s existence, they have acquired the prestigious Naumburg Chamber Music Award and won the Shostakovich International String Quartet competition in St. Petersburg, Russia among many others. Although Pascal is grateful for the group’s many awards, she said they don’t mean as much as the award of a receptive audience.

“It’s a stressful life we lead,” Pascal said. “That reward that can happen when things go right is what makes it worthwhile.”

Schickele and the Lark Quartet will play a concert Friday night at 7:30 in the Ames City Auditorium. Free tickets will be available at the door for students, and the cost is $15 for non-students.