Well, this is rather interesting: I have music that is or is being published.
Seven pieces published by the German publishing company, Kistner und Siegel.
And one piece by Echelon Music.
I
have been asked to provide links to sound files so that each of these
could be heard in some form. Remember, I cannot show the musical
scores, but I can showcase the musical performances. This blog entry
will also allow me to collect comments and reviews that some of these
pieces have received over the past decade or so.
That any of these pieces came into being is truly a
gift from God. I am the unworthy recipient of His grace and any talents
that I may have. And to think that somehow some of this music connects
to other people and touches them by listening (or performing) is really, really
humbling!
Here
is the list of published music. Click on each to go to a separate page
describing the piece, complete with reviews (in many cases) and links to a recording of
a performance.
Wednesday, February 10, 2016
Dialogues for Two Clarinets
Published by Kistner und Siegel:
* Dialogues for Two Clarinets
This duet started off because someone asked me to write a duet for trumpet and clarinet. It worked well, but several people (including myself) felt that it would work even better as a clarinet duet.
Here is the link to the computer playback of the piece.
The three movements are
In the last movement you will hear percussion sounds. These are to represent the foot-stomping or toe-tapping that the performers are to engage in whilst playing. The foot antics are written into the score and are very deliberate, punctuating the dialogue.
The first two movements are intermediate in difficulty, the last movement is more challenging do to triplet sixteenths and the foot-stomping / foot-tapping required. All together the three movements are a little under five minutes in length.
* Dialogues for Two Clarinets
This duet started off because someone asked me to write a duet for trumpet and clarinet. It worked well, but several people (including myself) felt that it would work even better as a clarinet duet.
Here is the link to the computer playback of the piece.
The three movements are
- Reminiscing
- Pleasant Conversation
- Punctuated Dialogue
In the last movement you will hear percussion sounds. These are to represent the foot-stomping or toe-tapping that the performers are to engage in whilst playing. The foot antics are written into the score and are very deliberate, punctuating the dialogue.
The first two movements are intermediate in difficulty, the last movement is more challenging do to triplet sixteenths and the foot-stomping / foot-tapping required. All together the three movements are a little under five minutes in length.
Brass Suite with Trumpet
Published by Kistner und Siegel:
* Brass Suite with Trumpet
This is an interesting ensemble. Four tubas and a trumpet. (Technically two tubas, two euphoniums and a trumpet.) I wrote the first movement and was almost immediately asked to turn it into a complete suite. I am indebted to David Carter for using his Vienna Symphonic Sound Library to make a very realistic computer playback performance of this piece. Indeed it was he who encouraged me to write additional movements for this suite after he surveyed the initial piece.
The music is of intermediate to advanced level. The complete three movements are about eight minutes long.
Here are links to various ways of listening to it:
The whole suite
Or the first two movements with cool pictures illustrating part of what I heard as I wrote it.
Movement I, Fanfare
Movement II, Reflections
Reviews:
The whole suite—
Individual movements—
Movement I, Fanfare
The first review has been lost to time and the bit bin of the internet.
Movement II, Reflections
Movement III, Delight!
* Brass Suite with Trumpet
This is an interesting ensemble. Four tubas and a trumpet. (Technically two tubas, two euphoniums and a trumpet.) I wrote the first movement and was almost immediately asked to turn it into a complete suite. I am indebted to David Carter for using his Vienna Symphonic Sound Library to make a very realistic computer playback performance of this piece. Indeed it was he who encouraged me to write additional movements for this suite after he surveyed the initial piece.
The music is of intermediate to advanced level. The complete three movements are about eight minutes long.
Here are links to various ways of listening to it:
The whole suite
Or the first two movements with cool pictures illustrating part of what I heard as I wrote it.
Movement I, Fanfare
Movement II, Reflections
Reviews:
The whole suite—
mmmm that's nice
This 3 movement work features some beautiful lower brass chords and maintains rhythmic interest throughout. The trumpet melodic work is so different to the way I approach melody that at first I found it hard to lock into, but as the piece developed, the logic and sense of the melodic work became apparent and actually, quite catchy. To me, the underlying feeling of serenity/tranquility is the unifying feature of the work. The review headline is actually what I said after the last notes. I note that some of the composers other works have this same underlying feeling. A work of quality.
~Jeffrey Thorpe
Individual movements—
Movement I, Fanfare
The first review has been lost to time and the bit bin of the internet.
Movement II, Reflections
Beautifully done
While some may argue with the "muddy" side of such an ensemble, four tubas is the foundation of just about every brass band around and I think the chords you have presented here underneath the trumpet are well structured.
~ David Smith
Movement III, Delight!
Aptly named
The title of this piece is a perfect description. A delight to listen to. Short and sweet, bouncy, plus any other synonyms of delight that could be thought of to make this review more than the minimum 30 words. :-D
~ Tony Matthews
Mars—59,620 Years
Published by Kistner und Siegel:
* Mars—59,620 Years
Click here to find a computer playback of this piece.
A Wind Quintet written in 2003 for a small, informal competition. It had its premiere in London in 2006 at a small gathering of musicians who were showcasing new works. The center section is the difficult part involving fast tonguing of triplet sixteenths across the flute, oboe and clarinet parts. It is approximately six minutes long.
The theme of the competition was the fact that the planet Mars was reaching its closest approach to earth in an estimated 59,620 years. I took that theme and wove the idea of the Roman god of war with the dry and dusty images from the planet.
59,620 Years--Mars Returns is the simple telling of the approaching of Mars, the god of war. Mars, the Planet, is dry and arid--much like many of the deserts found throughout central Asia. For that reason, I chose a wind quintet and often featured the use of the double reed instruments with a haunting melody to try to invoke the feeling of a desert or at least nomadic life.
The approach of Mars is signified by a change to a minor key and an increasing sense of urgency. The storm clouds of war gather and break over everything. But Mars is old. The youthful delights that once he took in the exploits of war now easily tire him and his passion quickly drains away. Fear and foreboding subside. Calmness returns. The idyllic joy again returns as Mars fades away into the distance.
The numbers 5, 9, 6, 2, and 0 play an important part in developing the underlying intervals used in two sections of this piece.
* Mars—59,620 Years
Click here to find a computer playback of this piece.
A Wind Quintet written in 2003 for a small, informal competition. It had its premiere in London in 2006 at a small gathering of musicians who were showcasing new works. The center section is the difficult part involving fast tonguing of triplet sixteenths across the flute, oboe and clarinet parts. It is approximately six minutes long.
The theme of the competition was the fact that the planet Mars was reaching its closest approach to earth in an estimated 59,620 years. I took that theme and wove the idea of the Roman god of war with the dry and dusty images from the planet.
59,620 Years--Mars Returns is the simple telling of the approaching of Mars, the god of war. Mars, the Planet, is dry and arid--much like many of the deserts found throughout central Asia. For that reason, I chose a wind quintet and often featured the use of the double reed instruments with a haunting melody to try to invoke the feeling of a desert or at least nomadic life.
The approach of Mars is signified by a change to a minor key and an increasing sense of urgency. The storm clouds of war gather and break over everything. But Mars is old. The youthful delights that once he took in the exploits of war now easily tire him and his passion quickly drains away. Fear and foreboding subside. Calmness returns. The idyllic joy again returns as Mars fades away into the distance.
The numbers 5, 9, 6, 2, and 0 play an important part in developing the underlying intervals used in two sections of this piece.
Nothing but the Blood
Published by Kistner und Siegel:
* Nothing but the Blood
A duet for Piano and Violin that is an arrangement of an old hymn.
Initially I started this as an exercise of "Can I write music in 5/4?" But it quickly developed into something that transformed the old hymn and made it soar. I am blessed to have performed this three or four times. The recording, although not our best, is from one of those occasions.
With minor modifications, this could be performed as a Piano / Flute duet too. Most of the piece is Intermediate in level with a few tricky rhythms to work out. The piece is nearly three minutes long.
Click here to find the link to a recording of the performance.
* Nothing but the Blood
A duet for Piano and Violin that is an arrangement of an old hymn.
Initially I started this as an exercise of "Can I write music in 5/4?" But it quickly developed into something that transformed the old hymn and made it soar. I am blessed to have performed this three or four times. The recording, although not our best, is from one of those occasions.
With minor modifications, this could be performed as a Piano / Flute duet too. Most of the piece is Intermediate in level with a few tricky rhythms to work out. The piece is nearly three minutes long.
Click here to find the link to a recording of the performance.
Reviews
Excellent
I stumbled across this while browsing through the composer's personal page, and before I'd even begun to listen to the scorch playback, I knew that it was not going to be just another arrangement—the obvious and wonderful rhythmic style is perfect for this hymn. All too often, I find versions of this—one of my favorite hymns—done in too much of a "rock" style, but this is perfect. It sets itself apart while still not violating the spirit of the song. I would love to hear this performed, I'm sure it is even more moving in person. Excellent, excellent job.
~ Curtis Schweitzer
A Transformation
Despite the title, this is an instrumental piece for violin or any other suitable instrument and piano. The old-fashioned and slightly four square gospel hymn by Robert Lowry is transformed into a moving almost epic, folk-like piece. The original 4/4 time is changed into 5/4 time which helps give it a new character and any jerkiness is avoided by an effective flowing then dramatic piano accompaniment. The melody itself is beautifully varied and ornamented—soaring to a lovely climax. Anyone who needs an instrumental piece to play during moments of reflection in a service or, indeed, in a sacred concert should have a look at this.
~ Charles Dodds
Longings
Published by Kistner und Siegel:
* Longings
A duet for Piano and Violin in one movement.
The steady underlying quarter note rhythm of the piano throughout much of the song provides an almost hypnotic effect over which the violin raises questions and hopes. There is the initial "longing" which grows into a more petulant and vocal whine before subsiding into a deep resignation. It is the music of a man staring out a rain-spattered window, contemplating many things that had been or almost were.
The is an intermediate level piece that pushes the skill level especially in the center 5/4 section. The piece is seven minutes long.
Click here to listen to the computer performance.
* Note: the glissando mentioned in the above review did not show up on this computer playback. It would have been between the second to last note, a high G, and the last note, a G one octave lower.
* Longings
A duet for Piano and Violin in one movement.
The steady underlying quarter note rhythm of the piano throughout much of the song provides an almost hypnotic effect over which the violin raises questions and hopes. There is the initial "longing" which grows into a more petulant and vocal whine before subsiding into a deep resignation. It is the music of a man staring out a rain-spattered window, contemplating many things that had been or almost were.
The is an intermediate level piece that pushes the skill level especially in the center 5/4 section. The piece is seven minutes long.
Click here to listen to the computer performance.
Reviews: Staring at the rain from a glass window, immersed in thought
An intriguing piece of music for piano and violin. It begins like a kind of an aria with an interesting tune and a fair bit of chromaticism which sometimes generates surprises, such as in bar 13. I would like to know what inspired this piece, because it has quite a sombre mood. This is confirmed by the title ("Longings") and indications in the score ("with much feeling", "sighing" and "resignation"). I have the theory that these longings are of a spiritual nature, rather than not.
The opening movement is hinted at in the program note as being "Slow and plodding". This is not an entirely inappropriate description. The piano accompaniment is quite uniform: one note in every beat of the 4/4 metre — very constant in rhythm, and one wonders if the music would benefit from a greater use of syncopation and suspension to make the piano part more attention-grabbing. But then, perhaps that would not be what is intended, as the music succeeds in generating a certain eerie and almost hypnotic feeling.
By bar 40 the accompaniment's basic rhythm begins to change a bit, and at 62 a contrasting section commences, immediately delivering a more threatening kind of sound, as the music gets progressively more disturbed (never losing its basic restraint, though).
The music concludes very quietly, perhaps giving the feeling that the longings have not been entirely resolved, the ending being "resigned and sullen" as hinted in the program note ? certainly no happy ending here. I liked very much the glissando at bar 123 *, which was in the right place of the music to impact emotionally. In summary, I find this piece to be quite sad and resigned, like staring at the rain from a glass window immersed in thought about old dreams, the unfulfilled promises of youth, the longing for answers about the loneliness of the human condition in this world. I felt that the piece had interesting harmonic twists but that it could benefit from more rhythmic variety and more strongly contrasting sections but I found it interesting enough to keep my attention. That's why I can say that, personally, I liked it.
~ Jordi Vives i Batlle
* Note: the glissando mentioned in the above review did not show up on this computer playback. It would have been between the second to last note, a high G, and the last note, a G one octave lower.
Passages of Time
Published by Kistner und Siegel:
* Passages of Time
A duet for Piano and Flute in four movements.
I do have a recording of this being performed by Flute and Piano, but the recording was on an old cassette tape and was of poor quality. I'm not putting it on the web. Period. Instead I have three of these movements recorded as performed with Violin and Piano. The violinist said there was no way she could work up the second movement. Far too flute-like and demanding of all but the most advance violinist.
All four movements run almost 17 minutes, the last movement being the longest. The second movement is the most demanding in terms of the flute part (tonguing) and the piano part (getting all the notes in with the right rhythm).
* Passages of Time
A duet for Piano and Flute in four movements.
I do have a recording of this being performed by Flute and Piano, but the recording was on an old cassette tape and was of poor quality. I'm not putting it on the web. Period. Instead I have three of these movements recorded as performed with Violin and Piano. The violinist said there was no way she could work up the second movement. Far too flute-like and demanding of all but the most advance violinist.
All four movements run almost 17 minutes, the last movement being the longest. The second movement is the most demanding in terms of the flute part (tonguing) and the piano part (getting all the notes in with the right rhythm).
Reviews: Music of a man at peace with the world
After hearing the first bars of this piece it became quite clear to me that the best I could do was not to try to "analyse" it, but instead to allow myself to be surrounded and transported by this beautiful music. I experienced a range of subtle, warm, delicate emotions while listening to this piece as the sinuous line melodic lines of the flute and the enchanting piano accompaniments unfolded. Perhaps the best way to describe this feeling is that I felt as if I was beginning to soar in the air, like a bird learning to fly, gliding higher and higher above the land and watching the calm sea, and the diffuse line of the horizon. Passages of Time is the music of a man at peace with what lies ahead and what has slipped into eternity behind us. It is the music of a man on a journey, who has found his sense of purpose and can bid farewell with sweet melancholy without striving desperately for the unattainable. In some way this music encapsulates our human experience and our ability to move forward and let our memories fly over the horizon without casting them away from our soul.
~ Jordi Vives i Batlle
Tripping
Published by Kistner und Siegel:
* Tripping
A Wind Quintet originally written for the 60 x 60 project and it was accepted in 2008. Since this piece is under 60 seconds long, I cannot think of this as being a full, formal Wind Quintet, but instead a "Breeze Quintet." It is light and playful like a breath of early Summer. Tripping is a light-hearted interplay between instruments, filled with musical humor.
Even though the piece played at tempo is note quite a minute long, I would rate this piece as fairly difficult.
Click here for link to the computer performance.
Reviews
* Tripping
A Wind Quintet originally written for the 60 x 60 project and it was accepted in 2008. Since this piece is under 60 seconds long, I cannot think of this as being a full, formal Wind Quintet, but instead a "Breeze Quintet." It is light and playful like a breath of early Summer. Tripping is a light-hearted interplay between instruments, filled with musical humor.
Even though the piece played at tempo is note quite a minute long, I would rate this piece as fairly difficult.
Click here for link to the computer performance.
Reviews
Pleasant Whimsy
I hear a pleasant little whimsy—interesting gestures, rhythmic interplay and tonal sound world. This composer shows some promise. }:¬)
~David Carter
Unconventional & Engaging!
This "Breeze Quintet" is quite fitting of the title "Tripping". David has written lines which almost all descend, and by passing them from higher to lower voices gives a sense of a slow fall over the course of the piece.
The harmony is most unconventional, and a welcome change from the often bland harmonic language present in today's music, and adds to the programmatic nature of the piece, giving a sense of uncertainty to the slow descent.
A fine work, David!
~ Jonathan Loving
Dancing Night Wind
Published by Echelon Music:
* Dancing Night Wind
A flute solo, but the best recording I have of it is by Charlie Brighton who heard the piece and thought he could do a grand job with it as a solo tuba piece. I think he did an outstanding job. (He reviewed the piece; see below.)
This is an intermediate level solo piece that allows the instrumentalist to showcase their strengths and interpret the piece with appropriate rubato and dynamics. It is about 5½ minutes long.
(Lest some try to give me grief about the continuous glissando between the low D and the low E, it can be done if you have an open key flute. Likewise the whistle tones. I have done it. Yet if the performer chooses not to do those techniques, the piece still stands solidly on its own.)
Listen here.
This piece was premiered in Sacramento in 2011, by Maquette Kuper, who is the director of the Davis Youth Flute Choir.
Reviews
* Dancing Night Wind
A flute solo, but the best recording I have of it is by Charlie Brighton who heard the piece and thought he could do a grand job with it as a solo tuba piece. I think he did an outstanding job. (He reviewed the piece; see below.)
This is an intermediate level solo piece that allows the instrumentalist to showcase their strengths and interpret the piece with appropriate rubato and dynamics. It is about 5½ minutes long.
(Lest some try to give me grief about the continuous glissando between the low D and the low E, it can be done if you have an open key flute. Likewise the whistle tones. I have done it. Yet if the performer chooses not to do those techniques, the piece still stands solidly on its own.)
Listen here.
This piece was premiered in Sacramento in 2011, by Maquette Kuper, who is the director of the Davis Youth Flute Choir.
Reviews
A flute's magic flight
With due apologies to Herr Mozart for the headline, this is ravishing music for a solo flute. Full of dance-like figurations, subtle changes in rhythm, lyrical episodes and dream-like reveries. The technical demands are self-evident along with the challenge of combining and balancing pace and poise in such a carefully written piece. Highly satisfying.
~ Cedric Peachey
Brilliant
A wonderful piece, full of atmosphere, great fun to play and listen to. I featured it in my Euphonium recital and the live recording can be heard here, played in concert C, with a few octave changes.
Best wishes,
~ Charley Brighton, BBC Winds, London
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