| |
|
DIRECTIONS
Below is a brief description of each piece. To see the score, click the .PDF file.
If you do not have Acrobot Reader installed, please click here to download this software.
To hear the piece, click on the .MP3 file; to hear them, you will need iTunes or RealPlayer. For iTunes, click here; for RealPlayer, click here.
To see the text of the poems, click on the .Text file.
At present, the MP3 files were all generated by MIDI . My hope is to replace them all with live performances as soon as recordings are available. Nevertheless, I feel that a combination of the score plus the MP3, will make clear to musicians and music teachers the intentions of each piece. |
Instrumental |
String Tango
I composed “String Tango” in 2004 for one of the beginning/intermediate groups who are part of the Ojai Youth Symphony. I made two versions of this piece, the second version being slightly easier than the first. I did this to be sure that the level of difficulty for at least one of the versions would correctly match the abilities of the performers, who are grouped according to age and musical skill. Amy Hagen, the Director of the string groups of the Ojai Youth Symphony, opted for the easier version. I am always happy to fine-tune a piece to make it comfortably within the reach of the group that is to perform it. All of my scores use the Sibelius music programs and it is an easy matter to make changes in a score. |
|
String Tango.MP3 |
|
| String TangoV2.PDF |
String TangoV2.MP3 |
|
Fly Around D
I composed “Fly Around D” in 2004 for the intermediate/more advanced string performers of the Ojai Youth Symphony. Because this particular string group included several flutists and a bassoonist, I included parts for these instruments as well. (The flute part represents the “Fly,” the “Round” is a canon, and “D” is the key.) If desirable, I could re-orchestrate the woodwind parts to accommodate the makeup of other instrumental ensembles. |
| Fly Around D.PDF |
Fly Around D.MP3 |
|
| |
 Back to top |
|
Vocal |
| In vocal pieces, you will hear the vocal musical line but not the lyrics, which do appear in the score. |
| A Song Cycle of Children’s Poetry: |
I composed these songs when my children were in elementary school and have recently revised them. The texts are from Richard Lewis’s book,
Miracles: Poems by Children of the English-speaking World (1966, Simon and Schuster: New York )
and are used with his permission.
These songs are appropriate for singers of a wide range, including nine-year-olds and above. They are unusual in that they are not like folksongs or pop tunes or Broadway show tunes. I would characterize them as art songs for children.
The Ventura Children’s Master Chorale will perform these songs in May 2005. Marcene Jardine, the Director of this group, plans to have each poem, poet’s name, age, and country read aloud before the chorus sings the song. I think this is a wonderful idea and in like manner have included the poem and the poet’s biographical information before the musical score, which follows it. |
| A Teacher |
| A Teacher.PDF |
A Teacher.MP3 |
A Teacher.text |
| As I Was Going Out |
| As I Was Going Out.PDF |
As I Was Going Out.MP3 |
As I Was Going Out. text |
| A Cat |
| A Cat.PDF |
A Cat.MP3 |
A Cat.text |
| Rain |
| Rain.PDF |
Rain.MP3 |
Rain.text |
| The Setting of the Sun |
| Setting of the Sun.PDF |
Setting of the Sun.MP3 |
Setting of the Sun.text |
| Trees |
| Trees.PDF |
Trees.MP3 |
Trees.text |
| Slave of the Moon |
The .MP3 of Slave of the Moon does not have the percussion accompaniment of sand blocks and rattle, but only the vocal parts. |
| Slave of the Moon.PDF |
Slave of the Moon.MP3 |
Slave of the Moon.text |
| |
Back to top |
|
A Song Cycle from
William
Blake's Songs of Innocence and of Experience
|
| In this composition I have selected five poems from Blake’s Songs of Innocence and of Experience: four from the “Innocence” side and one from “Experience” side. The entire cycle requires an adult choir, a children’s choir, a pianist, and two percussionists. Cradle Song is an exception, in that it only calls for the adult choir. I am currently working on an additional thirteen songs to be added to the cycle. |
| Introduction |
| Introduction.MP3 |
|
Introduction.text |
| Introduction.PDF |
Introduction Choral.pdf |
Introduction Percussion.pdf |
| Infant Joy |
| Infant Joy.MP3 |
Infant Joy.text |
| Infant Joy.PDF |
Infant Joy Choral.PDF |
Infant Joy Percusion.PDF |
| Infant Sorrow |
| Infant Sorrow.MP3 |
Infant Sorrow.text |
| Infant Sorrow.PDF |
Infant Sorrow Choral.PDF |
Infant Sorrow Percussion.PDF |
| Cradle Song |
| Cradle Song.MP3 |
Cradle Song.text |
| Cradle Song.PDF |
A Cradle Song Choral.PDF |
A Cradle Song Percussion.PDF |
| Ecchoing Green |
| Ecchoing Green.MP3 |
Ecchoing Green.text |
| Ecchoing Green.PDF |
The Ecchoing Green Choral.PDF |
The Ecchoing Green Percussion.PDF |
| |
Back to top |
|
|
