Peter Schickele and P.D.Q. Bach, the 18th century composer he rescued from oblivion, have introduced glee and raucous laughter into sedate concert halls where formality is expected to rule. Now they have implicated maestro Leonard Slatkin in a madcap fest, three days of “Serious Fun” with otherwise decorous musicians.

“A lot of conductors would shy away from these kinds of programs,” Schickele says. “They’d be afraid of lowering their stature in the eyes of the audience, but Leonard has a great sense of humor.”