Peter Schickele, whose comedic parodies of classical music overshadowed his own strengths as a serious composer, died Tuesday at his home in Bearsville, N.Y. at 88. His daughter confirmed the death and attributed it to a series of infections that damaged his health.

Schickele won the Grammy Award for Best Comedy Album four years in a row from 1990-1994. He also won in 2000 for Best Classical Crossover album.

The composer aimed at breaking down the stuffiness of classical music in the grand tradition of Victor Borge, His compositions included the No-No Nonette, the cantata Iphigenia in Brooklyn, the Unbegun Symphony, and Pervertimento for Bagpipes, Bicycle and Balloons, among other titles.

Schickele claimed to be the discoverer of 18th-century composer P.D.Q. Bach, the son of Johann Sebastian Bach, “the last and by far the least” of his 20 children. Schickele claimed to have made several unusual discoveries of P.D.Q. Bach works,...