A Little Nightmare Music and released on CD by Vanguard Records in 1983. The album also includes two other works by P. D. Q. Bach: an octet (Octoot for wind instruments) and a parody of Handel's "Water Music" and "Music for the Royal Fireworks", Royal Firewater Musick. A recording of the original cast of the opera was made. Since the opera is short, the recording also includes two other works by P.D.Q. Bach, "Octoot" for wind instruments, S. 8 and "Royal Firewater Musick", for bottles and orchestra (original version), S. 1/5. The track listing is as follows: A Little Nightmare Music Octoot Royal Firewater
The Merry Wives of Windsor (opera) was to become his masterpiece in the German language. The composer himself made some changes to the libretto. It was difficult at first to find a stage that was willing to mount the opera, but following the premiere at the Königliches Opernhaus (Royal Opera House, now Berlin State Opera) in Berlin on 9 March 1849 under the baton of the composer, it achieved great success and its popularity continues to this day. Though the libretto and the dramaturgy may seem old-fashioned to today's audiences, the music is of such high quality that the work is nevertheless performed with increasing regularity.