Impresa Amorosa

Rainy Days

from Nocturnes

Compositions For Alto Sax Volume 1

Madonna du bist schöner als der Sonnenschein

Three Pieces from Suite No. 2

Ode To Joy

Little Boy Blue

Commisioned by the National Youth Orchestra of Canada Lead Us Home speaks to the power music holds: its ability to comfort to transport and heal. In moments of conflict strife and grief we turn to music to lead us home and make us whole. The music is homophonic and set in a hymn-like style. At the end of each concert in its 2018 tour the orchestra would stand and sing this piece a cappella. Duration: 3:00

Be/dazzled concertino for Electric Violin and Chamber Orchestra draws its inspiration from the first line of a text that is a paraphrase of the second Logion (sayings attributed to Christ) from the Gospel according to Thomas: Let him seek and cease not ’til he finds and when he finds he will be troubled and when he has been troubled he shall marvel: and he will reign over the All. The solo violinist is cast as the seeker. The opening cadenza has a searching quality which is developed in a dialogue between the soloist and the orchestra. The ending moves towards the idea of the title: that there is an opening into dazzling brilliance and understanding of the All.

Songs in Celebration of Singing-Nine separate songs which can be performed individually yet are ordered for a cohesive flow. The texts span many centuries (1598-1919) and all celebrate music specifically the joys of singing. Performance options include flute and string quartet or flute and string orchestra or piano only perhaps adding flute where written. Duration: 30:00 Contents: 1. Merlin's Song (SATB) 2. In Praise of Music and Poetry (a reconciliation)(Soprano and Baritone soloists) 3. The Lost Chord (SATB) 4. Refuge (SATB) 5. The Caged Bird Sings (SATB) 6. The Gift to Sing (SSA) 7. I Hear America Singing (TTBB) 8. Sky-Born Music (SATB) 9. Everyone Sang (SATB)

This text is part of a longer work by Mohja Kahf titled My People Are Rising: An unfinished poem begun in Spring 2011 for an unfinished Revolution begun in March 2011. It speaks so viscerally of the tragic events in Syria that it was impossible to imagine setting it with Western harmonies. And so the composer began an exploration of Arabic music with its quarter-tone scales its lack of vertical chordal structure its abundantly ornamented heterophony. Since quarter-tones are not a part of our Western choral training the scales are tempered a bit (resulting in a fair number of augmented seconds) and a violin is added to the melodic mix for pitch support. The voices and violinare accompanied by a doumbek player who is highly encouraged to improvise: the written notation is only there as a guide. This piece is dark dramatic and powerful yet not without triumph. Duration: 8:30

Songs in Celebration of Singing

Love Me

Stephen Chatman’s setting of Sara Teasdale’s whimsical poem pertaining to a brown-thrush April love and kisses emulates the meaning strict rhythm rhyme and strophic structure of the text. The soft rolled chords of the harp-like piano accompaniment highlight the lilting 6/8-meter folk-like melody and consistent homophonic choral texture. The repetitive lines “Love me love me love me!” and “kiss me kiss me kiss me!” inspire the musical refrains. One of a set of six of Teasdale's love songs. Duration: 1:45

The opening lines “Listen I love you. Do not turn your face / Nor touch me.” reflect the somber feelings encompassing Sara Teasdale’s poem. Paired voices initially express contrapuntal melodic lines enhanced by underlying harmony and slow syncopation in the piano accompaniment. The middle and final sections imbued with sad words such as “let me ease my heart ” “with broken wing” and “Forget that I am speaking ” evolve beautifully within contrasting tonal regions supported by undulating keyboard arpeggios. One of a set of six of Teasdale's love songs. Duration: 2:00

Sara Teasdale’s poem The Mystery depicts deep lasting love - “Your eyes drink of me” and “We have long been lovers”. It also raises a question - “Can I ever know you / Or you know me?” Stephen Chatman’s expressive setting begins with a unison melody supported by modulating harmonies in the piano accompaniment and evolves toward four-part voices. The middle section featuring rising vocal lines in imitative counterpoint precedes a return to the initial melody. One of a set of six of Teasdale's love songs. Duration: 2:30

The composer's initial use of the Scottish snap rhythm becomes a recurring motif throughout the piece. Strong almost fanfare-like declamations of the Isaiah 40 text alternate with imitative sections and soaring text painting giving a tremendous dynamic and emotional variety to this setting. The only divisi is in the soprano and occurs fairly frequently. Duration: 3:30

The texts for this set of three songs are mostly from the 19th century but the sentiments are ageless. The special imagery in each of the poems finds its way into the musical setting. Evening Song features moonlight sparkling on glimmering waves. The Cloths of Heaven has the lover yearning to give his beloved beautiful gifts. She Walks in Beauty provides a strong close to the set with a quote from the Song of Solomon (Set Me As A Seal) as a coda. Duration: 9:00 Contents: 1. Evening Song 2. The Cloths of Heaven 3. She Walks in Beauty

The opening line of Sara Teasdale’s poem After Love “There is no magic any more ” establishes the theme of vanishing love. Stephen Chatman’s setting of the poignant text in the key of E flat major emphasizes the natural rhythm of the words mixed meters and irregular phrase lengths. The climax of the melody embraces sustained intense vocal lines in contrary motion supported by an undulating piano accompaniment. One of a set of six of Teasdale's love songs. Duration: 1:45