Saturday, January 19, 2013

Piano trios

Hyperblue (1991-93) commissioned by the Fromm Music Foundation for the Itzkoff-Shapiro-Rider trio. This is the recording of the premiere performance in March, 1993. In three movements without pause. Copyright © by CF Peters, Edition 67541. "A nontraditional piano trio of strong profile." — Richard Buell, Boston Globe.



Attitude Problem (1996) for the Triple Helix Trio. In three movements without pause. Copyright © by CF Peters, Edition 67776. I wrote about it for Current Musicology, and it looks like this. "It uses silences and sudden parameter shifts to delightfully droll effect." — David Cleary, 21st Century Music.




Inside Story (2005) for Curtis Macomber's festival in Vermont, with Norm Fischer, 'cello, and Jeanne Kierman, piano. In three movements with pause. Copyright © by CF Peters, Edition 68134. This performance is by Speculum Musicæ. "This is the news, and it's not pretty." — Alan Kozinn, NYT

Saturday, January 12, 2013

Non-étude non-prélude piano music

Hotfingers (2012) for Nick Phillips. For an "American vernacular" project, and I am one of several composers who wrote for it. It's a funk that never quite turns into funk, a blues, and a bebop. The set is dedicated to Gene Caprioglio for what can only be described as the silliest of reasons. It's published by CF Peters, and the subtitle is Three Vernaculer Nondances.

Here is Nick's performance of the piece on his faculty recital at UW Eau Claire February 9, 2014.








The edited CD recording of all of Hotfingers can be previewed (but not downloaded) on SoundCloud: Superfractalistic, Growing Season Blues, and Ecoutez et Répétez.

Beezle Nose (2004) for Robert Ceely's retirement concert.

Sara (2004) Elegy in memoriam Sara Doniach.



Siren Song (1995) ostinato piece on Italian ambulance sirens. I dashed it off to have something to play to clear my head whenever an ambulance would pass by the American Academy in Rome. This is what they sound like. Note that my piece incorporates the Doppler shift by modulating down a half step (the smallest possible modulation increment available on the piano).



Crackling Fire (1990) for piano four hands. For Jim Goldsworthy and Sara Doniach.