Orchestral
Gold Lights in Blue
If we could see the stars up close, what fascinating characters might be frolicking in the sky! A rush of emotion in a short orchestral overture or character piece. Title from a poem by Elkaneh Taylor, Sunset and dusk and home – Gold lights in blue. Suitable for celebration of the European Union, since it describes the flag and the characters.
Highlight:
Duration: 4:30
Instrumentation: Orchestra; 2121-4221-Pc-Tmp-Strings
Publishing Catalog: 0624
Echoes of Ellen’s Evening
Finale from Ellen’s Alley stands alone as a cheerful orchestral novelty. Ellen’s Evening moves from spooky to happy party in the neighborhood as Ellen returns home in the night.
Highlight:
Duration: 6:30
Instrumentation: Chamber Orchestra – Alto Saxophone, 2 Perc.
Publishing Catalog: 0502
Ellen’s Alley
Programmatic suite begins with Dawn in the Alley, as Ellen’s Elm awakens to a shocking crash with the garbage truck. Ellen’s cat, the Clarinet in Catch, is never caught, though the fuguing alley cats (Horn, Oboe, Flute, and Bassoon) try their best. In Vegemedic the tree doctor arrives to treat Ellen’s Elm; at Rush Hour the alley is overwhelmed with busy percussion and brass. Finally Evening in Ellen’s Alley, all is well.
A movement for woodwind quintet, a movement for string orchestra, a movement for brass and percussion. First and last of 5 movements for chamber orchestra.
Highlight:
Duration: 22:00
Instrumentation: Chamber Orchestra
Publishing Catalog: 0111
Dogwood
Each Tree in the Trees of the Mid-Atlantic looks at a native tree in a different way. All of the Tree compositions, naturally, must abstract and rarify impressions received from the natural world into an almost alien world of tones.
Alfred, Lord Tennyson, approached the same problem of describing the natural marvel of a tree, with as little expectation of success, and his words are quoted on the cover of the score: “…but if I could understand what you are, root and all, and all in all, I should know what God and man is.”
Duration: 6:30
Instrumentation: String Orchestra (no bass)
Publishing Catalog: 0108
O Danny Boy
Original harmonization and structural framework for this beautiful melody.
Duration: 6:00
Instrumentation: Wind Ensemble
Publishing Catalog: 0205
Fugue and Toccata after Cernohorsky
Written for and premiered by the Delaware Symphony, and enjoyed by amateur community ensembles. Cernohorsky, the “Prague Bach”, was a leading baroque Czech composer. Baroque passages that string players enjoy, a modern sound that audiences appreciate.
Duration: 9:00
Instrumentation: String Orchestra
Publishing Catalog: 0095
Oak
Premiered by the Newark Symphony. Fifth and final of the Trees of the Mid-Atlantic series.
Duration: 9:00
Instrumentation: Chamber Orchestra
Publishing Catalog: 0110
Pine
Premiered by the Newark Symphony.
Duration: 4:00
Instrumentation: Flute, String Orchestra
Publishing Catalog: 0107
Symphony for Strings
Solo violin and viola concertante with strings; three movements: In Praise of FA-LE, The Consolation of FI-LE-SOL-FA, and LA-FI the Best Medicine.
Duration: 16:00
Instrumentation: Violin, Viola; Strings
Publishing Catalog: 0606
Raptor Wings
This is a rhythmic piece written for beginners ready for the G string, eighth notes, and a few accidentals. Unison beginning gets the sound of the music firmly in mind before development begins, then your students will easily visualize great swoops of wing soaring through the auditorium. The work may be performed with or without the optional ‘cello and piano parts and with the less advanced violinists on the second and third parts. The key signature has one flat (D minor).
Duration: 2:00
Instrumentation: Youth String Ensemble
Publishing Catalog: 0152
Night Music
String rhythmic features and sharp dissonance in a sustained drama for strings.
Duration: 6:00
Instrumentation: String Orchestra
Publishing Catalog: 0047
Romance for Violin and Orchestra
Violin concertino Dramatic, strong solo part and lyrical, not too difficult chamber orchestra parts. Some metrical modulation.
Duration: 10:00
Instrumentation: Violin and Chamber Orchestra
Publishing Catalog: 0400
Serenade
Gem for string orchestra. Rapid scales, pizzicato, and tuneful passages will please any advancing student group, community ensemble, or professional orchestra. No compromises on musical quality necessary to make this work accessible to performers of less than professional skills. Also available for chamber orchestra.
Duration: 3:00
Instrumentation: String Orchestra
Publishing Catalog: 0124
Philosophy
I think of the art of creating music as a lot like sculpting, using a difficult and inflexible medium like marble.
When beginning there is an idea about what is to be made, broadly: a statue of Diana, for instance. Then there is a specific part of the statue on which I work, moment by moment — her hand, active in the hunt, maybe. And there are the challenges of the medium: will one blow of the hammer reveal a line of beauty or will it cause a crack in the texture that must be reviewed, revised, worked around, or even removed altogether.
Sycamore
Winner, composer of the year, by the Delaware Music Teachers Association.
Duration: 9:00
Instrumentation: Clarinet, String Orchestra
Publishing Catalog: 0109
Symphony #1
Subtitled, “Southern Living”. Prominent horn parts, 4 movements. Based on music from the opera “Sally Hemings”.
Duration: 24:00
Instrumentation: Orchestra
Publishing Catalog: 0079
Symphony #2
Written for and premiered by the Wilmington Community Orchestra.
Duration: >20:00
Instrumentation: Small Orchestra
Publishing Catalog: 0131
Symphony #3
Premiered in Newark DE, the Newark Symphony. Based on folk songs collected by a distant relative in Sussex, England, Robert Copper of the Copper Family Singers.
Duration: 24:00
Instrumentation: Large Orchestra
Publishing Catalog: 0160
The Bride
Stately wedding processional builds and builds to a joyous dance. Appropriate for many concert situations with love, spring, and family.
Duration: 14:00
Instrumentation: Orchestra; 2121-4221-Pc-Tmp-Strings
Publishing Catalog: 0513-2
First Minute After Noon
Overture for orchestra. Title refers to a poem by John Donne, “A Lecture Upon the Shadow”
Duration: 7:00
Instrumentation: Orchestra
Publishing Catalog: 0042
Dramatic
The Elixir of Love
L’elisir d’amore
The opera tells a familiar story of the lovesick Nemorino, the talented Adina, the self-satisfied Belcore, and the travelling doctor Dulcamara who sells a potion good for anything. For Nemorino, it is a Love Potion.
Full opera in two acts, sung in Italian, with complete supertitles in Italian and English in the score. Available as orchestra score, string quartet, piano vocal, and reduced orchestra. Special offer for signed autograph copy.
Libretto by Felice Romani (1788-1865)
Publishing Catalog: 0515, 0516, 0517, 0522
Moses Facing Jordan
The oratorio, in seven parts and 36 numbers, tells a retrospective, a looking-back, story of the life of Moses.
Part I You Shall Be Gathered to Your People
Part II The Call of Moses
Part III The Successes of Moses
Part IV The Laws
Part V The Troubles
Part VI Face to Face
Part VII Miriam Sang
Publishing Catalog: 0565
Opera Oratorio and Ballet
The Other Half
Publishing Catalog: 0084
Choral
O My Luve’s Like a Red, Red Rose
Passionate, powerful setting of this familiar text. Available for men’s chorus SACTBB or mixed chorus SSATBB. Original version is part of New Lovelife Dances, chorus and 4-hand piano; new edition for chorus and piano.
Duration: 3:00
Instrumentation: Men’s chorus SACTBB or mixed chorus SSATBB
Publishing Catalog: 0425, 0657
Ave Regina
Latin. Lovely full four voice choral texture throughout; middle section contains strict imitation in diminution to beautiful effect. Written to be sung with pure intonation, a cappella or with orchestra.
Duration: 4:75
Instrumentation: SATB, a cappella or SATB, Chamber Orchestra (1111-0000-Strings)
Publishing Catalog: 0631, 0524
Recordings: Voices of Earth & Air Vol. 3, Navona Records (NV6299), 2020
Magnificat
Twelve movement work structured somewhat like J.S. Bach’s Magnificat, with each phrase from the Canticle of Mary treated in a musical picture. As in the Stabat Mater, Mary represents humanity: in this case for the beauty and wonder of the growth of life inside.
Duration: 25:00
Instrumentation: SATB, Soloists, Orchestra
Publishing Catalog: 0465
Ask Me No Reason
A letter from Sir John Falstaff to Mistress Page, from Shakespeare’s comedy, The Merry Wives of Windsor.
Duration: 3:00
Publishing Catalog: 0429
Blessed the Gift
Beautiful offertory or concert piece for organ and chorus. A translation and free adaptation of a benedictus from St. Peter’s mass by Stanislaw Moniuszko, 19th century Polish composer. Begins with soprano melody, chorus joins in with an effective but easy organ part.
Duration: 3:30
Instrumentation: Chorus, Organ
Publishing Catalog: 0309
Danny Boy
Arrangement for mixed chorus of this sad but beautiful folk melody, the Londonderry Air.
Duration: 3:00
Instrumentation: Mixed chorus
Publishing Catalog: 0295
Great, Wide, Beautiful Wonderful World
Optional processional and closing repeat. Poem by William Brighty Rands.
Duration: 4:30 – 5:00
Instrumentation: SSA, Piano
Publishing Catalog: 0317
Holy Holy
Brief lovely introit or postlude for children’s chorus. Original text paraphrase of Sanctus translation.
Duration: 1:00
Instrumentation: SA, a cappella
Publishing Catalog: 0221
I Can See the Lord
A modern spiritual for chorus with coloratura soprano solo and keyboard accompaniment.
Duration: 4:00
Instrumentation: Chorus with coloratura soprano solo, piano
Publishing Catalog: 0097
And the Lord Delivered Him
When Moses succeeds in battle, he doesn’t hold back. “.. and we smote him, and all his people, we left none to remain.” A fierce, powerful, rhythmic account of part of the Moses story.
Duration: 2:00
Instrumentation: SATB, Orchestra or Piano
Publishing Catalog: 0565-15
Join Me in the Jumping
Original Christmas carol moving swiftly from “Doloroso” to “Giocoso” in 6/8 time. Piano accompaniment and string orchestra accompaniment available.
Duration: 2:00
Instrumentation: String Orchestra, Piano
Publishing Catalog: 0369
Love the Lord
Moving somber/sweet psalm paraphrase, “Love the Lord, who hath lifted my darkness…”, leading to the dance of God’s mercy and love. Vocal parts for children’s chorus are challenging to sustain in music and rhythm but not difficult in range or pitch. SA, piano or string orchestra.
Duration: 3:00
Instrumentation: SA, Piano or String Orchestra
Publishing Catalog: 0098
Lovelife Dances
The Liebeslieder for the 21st century: Love, life, and lovelife in dance rhythms. Six centuries of English poetry, Geoffrey Chaucer through James Merrill. A major work now available for scheduling. “Musically there is only this to say: this is beautiful music” “… All in all, I’m in love with the work.”
Duration: 25:00
Instrumentation: SATB, Piano 4-hands
Publishing Catalog: 0351
Lullaby for Christmas
Beautiful original manger song with a twist, comparing the tears of the baby Jesus to the tears of Mother Mary at the cross. Available SSA or SATB, with piano, organ, or strings.
Duration: 3:00
Instrumentation: SSA or SATB, with Piano, Organ, or Strings
Publishing Catalog: 0362
Marian Motets
Five settings of Latin texts offering a Life of Mary, from before Christ’s birth to after Christ’s death. “Magnificat”, “O Magnum Mysterium”, “Ave Maria”, “Ave Regina Caelorum” and “Stabat Mater”. Each work is listed separately below, and they are intended to be performed individually as well as in sequence.
Duration: 56:00
Instrumentation: SATB, Soloists, Orchestra
New Lovelife Dances
More Lovelife Dances. 14 new choral songs with texts from a wide range of English poetry, including Robert Burns, William Shakespeare, and George Elliot, and Christopher Marlowe. Like the first set, “an amazing suite”, “passionate, tender, jolly, and wry”.
Duration: 28:00
Instrumentation: SATB, Soloists, Orchestra
Publishing Catalog: 0420
O, Swallow, Swallow
SSA One of the loveliest of the Lovelife Dances. The only setting for female voices alone, with piano 4 hand accompaniment reduced to piano 2 hands.
Duration: 2:30
Instrumentation: SSA
Pentamic Iambeter
A setting of John Donne’s “Song”, which begins “Goe and catch a falling starre, get with child a mandrake root, tell me where all past yeares are, or who cleft the Divels foot”. A series of unlikely or impossible events, ending with the search for a person true and fair. Language made inclusive by the trading of “he’s” and “she’s” by the men and women at the end.
Duration: 3:00
Instrumentation: SATB, Piano
Publishing Catalog: 0404
Piano
A setting of the poem by D. H. Lawrence, requires a good pianist and conductor, with not-too-difficult choral parts that sound far harder than they are. Parts for solo voices.
Duration: 5:00
Instrumentation: Chorus, Piano
Publishing Catalog: 0456
Pie Jesu
Latin text, unison treble chorus with treble soloist. Piano or Organ accompaniment.
Duration: 2:00
Instrumentation: Chorus, Paino or Organ
Prelude XXII / The Two April Mornings
Setting of a poem by William Wordsworth to a prelude by J. S. Bach from the Well-Tempered Clavier, with meaningless expressive syllables emphasizing and heightening the sad tale of a father’s love for his dead daughter. The music can’t be better and the poem is marvelous. The result of combining them??? Unusual, anyway, and a lot of fun to sing this kind of Bach.
Duration:3:00
Publishing Catalog: 0357
Sanctus
Meditative Latin setting for men’s chorus a cappella. Sustained lines, slow changing harmonies, and a celestial tenor melody on top. Alternate setting for choir of men and boys includes a part for cambiata (changing voice).
Duration: 2:31
Instrumentation: Men’s chorus a cappella
Sea Love
Setting of a poem Charlotte Mew, beginning “Tide be runnin’ the great world over”.
Duration: 1:30
Publishing Catalog: 0460
Soft! The Night So Deep
Shepherds’ Carol with King Herod shouting in the middle. SSA or SATB, piano/organ or strings with optional flute and handbells.
Duration: 2:30
Instrumentation: SSA or SATB, piano/organ or strings with optional flute and handbells
Publishing Catalog: 0324
Songs from the Book of Knowledge
A set of songs for children’s chorus and piano. Contains seven songs: 1. Answer to a Child’s Question 2. Great Wide Beautiful Wonderful World 3. A Tragic Story 4. My Heart is Like 5. Birds 6. Good-bye 7. The Dance of the Flowers.
Duration: 20:00
Instrumentation: SSA, Piano
Publishing Catalog: 0484
The Animal Fair
Traditional words and melody arranged for chorus, with additional comical lyrics added.
Duration: 3:00
Instrumentation: Chorus
Publishing Catalog: 0419
The Grey Squirrel
TTBB pre-World War I ironic poetry: the squirrel, who is “not all he should be”, and the keeper, who is a Christian and loves his enemy, which shows the squirrel is not one of those.
Duration: 2:30
Instrumentation: TTBB
The Half-Bird
A fantasy children’s opera about a mythical bird and two children who accidentally find themselves in ancient Persia.
Duration: 60:00
Instrumentation: Children’s Chorus, Soloists, Ensemble
Publishing Catalog: 0084, 0086, 0085
The Oubit
An oubit is a caterpillar, used here as a metaphor for a young poet. Tak’ warning, then, young poets, from this poor oubit’s shame … for critics lie, like salmon fry, to mak’ their meals of you. Setting of the poem by Charles Kingsley. Fairly easy piano part; revised edition.
Duration: 3:00
Instrumentation: SATB, Piano
Publishing Catalog: 0405
Water, Water Everywhere
From the Rime of the Ancient Mariner, the sea farer becalmed in the doldrums.
Duration: 2:30
Publishing Catalog: 0462
Weep, Weep Ye Woodmen
An easy men’s chorus. Setting of an anonymous poem from around 1598, attributed to Munday, and telling of the death of Robin Hood.
Duration: 3:00
Instrumentation: TB, Piano
Why Hast Thou Dealt Ill With Thy Servant
Moses seeking strength and perseverance and courage from God. Much unison, and very limited ranges, but effective and powerful.
Duration: 3:00
Instrumentation: Unison Baritone or TTB, Piano
Young Orpheus
An invocation of Orpheus by a child trying to bring a friend back to life.
Duration: 3:00
Instrumentation: SA, Piano
Publishing Catalog: 0366
Chamber
Sunny Days
Sunny and serene piano quartet. Piano part calculated to be in tune with the strings, at first, and later either by itself or in a more excited, less precise, mix of tuning with the music of the strings. The strings always play in just intonation with pure tuning, never in an attempt to match the piano pitch.
Duration: 7:00
Instrumentation: Violin, Viola, Cello, and Piano
Publishing Catalog: 0471
String Quartet #2
Three movements of Americana: 1. “Door to Door” gives the restless movement across the country, never ceasing. 2. “Emporium” the exoticism of the country store, fantasies of barrels, silk, zinc, cheese, flies, hopes, and dreams resting along with the common fare, and 3. “Cattle Drive”, the animal spirits bigger than the country itself.
Duration: 22:00
Instrumentation: 2 Violins, Viola, Cello
Publishing Catalog: 0438
Eternity
“As if in time suspended” dramatic interpretation of poem by William Blake Premiered in Krakow.
Duration: 6:30
Instrumentation: Soprano, Violin, Glockenspiel, Piano
Publishing Catalog: 0308
Catch
Premiered by the Mid-Atlantic Chamber Music Society.
Duration: 4:00
Instrumentation: Flute, Oboe, Clarinet, Horn, Bassoon
Publishing Catalog: 0570
Lakeside, Flute Quartet
Allegretto quartet for flute and strings.
Duration: 3:30
Instrumentation: Flute, Violin, Viola, Violoncello
Publishing Catalog: 0614
Graveside, Flute Quartet
Sombre arrangement of Danny Boy for flute and strings.
Duration: 3:30
Instrumentation: Flute, Violin, Viola, Violoncello
Happy Happy
Premiered by the Machina di Venti.
Duration: 3:00
Instrumentation: Flute, Oboe (clarinet), Bassoon
Publishing Catalog: 0300
Piano Trio #1
In Memoriam Dmitri Shostakovich. Premiered at the Charles Ives Center for the Contemporary Arts. Middle movement is a favorite; one hearer called it ‘best piece of contemporary music I’ve ever heard’. Also performed in Philadelphia and New York City at the Theodore Roosevelt Memorial.
Duration: 20:00
Instrumentation: Piano, Violin, Cello
Publishing Catalog: 0302
Piano Trio #2
Premiered by the Mid-Atlantic Chamber Music Society.
Duration: 24:00
Instrumentation: Piano, Violin, Cello
Publishing Catalog: 0304
Raptor Wings
Very easy 4-part ensemble piece.
Duration: 4:00
Instrumentation: Youth String Ensemble
Publishing Catalog: 0152
Seaside, Flute Quartet
Molto vivace quartet for flute and strings.
Duration: 6:00
Instrumentation: Flute, Violin, Viola, Violoncello
Publishing Catalog: 0613
String Quartet #1
Premiered in Krakow, Poland. First prize, Southeastern Composers League.
Duration: 20:00
Instrumentation: 2 Violins, Viola, Cello
Publishing Catalog: 0071
Woodside, Flute Quartet
Graceful quartet for flute and strings.
Duration: 5:00
Instrumentation: Flute, Violin, Viola, Violoncello
Publishing Catalog: 0556
