Symphonic Works

My deepest and wildest dream for most of my life has been to compose for the symphony orchestra. I could give you a hundred reasons why and probably still miss the bullseye. Fact is, I don't know exactly why I have so long and so deeply wanted to compose for the symphony, but I have always tended to think in big terms, musically speaking.

Sadly, I have not yet had any success in convincing an orchestra to perform any of my symphonic works—and for a long time, the difficulties inherent in even getting a reading kept me from scoring anything for the symphony. I had tried scoring a couple works, but got no nibbles. And, much as I love electronic instruments (synthesizers and such), they didn't really satisfy the itch. I despaired of ever getting to hear any of my symphonic ideas realized.

Ah, but then came the almost-fulfillment of a lifelong dream, in the form of the Garritan Personal Orchestra (GPO) software. This amazing software, in conjunction with Finale music notatation and playback software, has finally made it possible for me to realize (at least in some reasonable facsimile fashion) my symphonic music. The recordings made available on this page were all done using these two pieces of software, and it has been a thrill to me to hear my music rendered in this way.

The only thing better would be to hear them played by a real symphony orchestra live—and I have not yet given up that dream.

About the Recordings

These recordings are currently made available for free download, for a variety of reasons. All I ask is that you copy them only for your own listening pleasure and not copy them for others. Instead, direct your friends and family to this website, where they can check the music out for themselves. If you would like CD-quality recordings, many of the pieces listed below are available on CD.

Of course, making and distributing copies of this music for your own personal gain is a violation of copyright and moral law. Please don't do it.

Title	Description	Order
All the Colors of the Rainbow: Chinese Folk Song Suite for Flute Approx. total performance time: 28:00 1. Boy with Purple Bamboo Flute 2:14 2.2 Mb 2. Poor Man Blue 5:08 5.0 Mb 3. Mountain everGreen 3:16 3.2 Mb 4. Tiny Yellow Bird 2:01 2.0 Mb 5. Woman Sewing Orange Purse 3:34 3.5 Mb 6. Red Ribbon Sister 1:05 1.2 Mb 7. All the Colors of the Rainbow 10:45 10.2 Mb	This is my third version of this suite. (The first two were for electro-acoustic CD accompaniment and piano-only accompaniment, which are both available from the Instrumental music page.) I was inspired to score this work for symphony orchestra when I found out that the Columbus Youth Symphony Orchestra was planning a tour of China a few years ago. I was hoping (against hope) that they might be inspired to give it a read and performance either before that tour or upon their return. Although they have not yet accepted the challenge, I saw the opportunity to do a demo using GPO and Finale, and that is the version you can listen to here. Interested orchestras, please let me know.	You can order this suite on CD.

Title

Description

Order

All the Colors of the Rainbow:
Chinese Folk Song Suite for Flute

Approx. total performance time: 28:00

1. Boy with Purple Bamboo Flute
    2:14         2.2 Mb

2. Poor Man Blue
    5:08         5.0 Mb

3. Mountain everGreen
    3:16         3.2 Mb

4. Tiny Yellow Bird
    2:01         2.0 Mb

5. Woman Sewing Orange Purse
    3:34         3.5 Mb

6. Red Ribbon Sister
    1:05         1.2 Mb

7. All the Colors of the Rainbow
   10:45        10.2 Mb

This is my third version of this suite. (The first two were for electro-acoustic CD accompaniment and piano-only accompaniment, which are both available from the Instrumental music page.)

I was inspired to score this work for symphony orchestra when I found out that the Columbus Youth Symphony Orchestra was planning a tour of China a few years ago. I was hoping (against hope) that they might be inspired to give it a read and performance either before that tour or upon their return.

Although they have not yet accepted the challenge, I saw the opportunity to do a demo using GPO and Finale, and that is the version you can listen to here.

Interested orchestras, please let me know.

You can order this suite
on CD.

Title	Description	Order
Vignettes for Orchestra 11:18 12.4 Mb	This piece started out as a piano solo (which maybe someday I'll try to reconstruct...). This was one of my first attempts at orchestration of a piece, and I think it has withstood the test of time—at least in my mind. In some ways, it is the most autobiographical of all my pieces to date, being a musical portrayal of my youth. It consists of eleven short movements (hence the title), one as short as four measures in length, which are all performed as one continuous work.	You can order this piece on CD.

Title

Description

Order

Vignettes for Orchestra

11:18 12.4 Mb

This piece started out as a piano solo (which maybe someday I'll try to reconstruct...). This was one of my first attempts at orchestration of a piece, and I think it has withstood the test of time—at least in my mind. In some ways, it is the most autobiographical of all my pieces to date, being a musical portrayal of my youth.

It consists of eleven short movements (hence the title), one as short as four measures in length, which are all performed as one continuous work.

You can order this piece
on CD.

Title	Description	Order
A (No. 2) Fancy 13:08 12.3 Mb	This piece represents one of my earlier works and my first-ever attempt at orchestration. Although it is an immature work, and it will no doubt be dubbed as “reactionary” by some, I still feel that it displays my commitment early on at blending traditional symphonic styles with more contemporary musical idioms from the rock/pop world. Besides, I just like it. Particularly the extended solo piano section at the heart of it all. Originally scored in the late 70s, I have yet to hear it performed by a live orchestra (and doubt I ever will), so the demo you can listen to here, like all the other demos on this page, was produced thanks to the musical magic of GPO and Finale.	You can order this piece on CD.

Title

Description

Order

A (No. 2) Fancy

13:08 12.3 Mb

This piece represents one of my earlier works and my first-ever attempt at orchestration. Although it is an immature work, and it will no doubt be dubbed as “reactionary” by some, I still feel that it displays my commitment early on at blending traditional symphonic styles with more contemporary musical idioms from the rock/pop world.

Besides, I just like it.

Particularly the extended solo piano section at the heart of it all.

Originally scored in the late 70s, I have yet to hear it performed by a live orchestra (and doubt I ever will), so the demo you can listen to here, like all the other demos on this page, was produced thanks to the musical magic of GPO and Finale.

You can order this piece
on CD.

Title	Description	Order
The Firebird Suite (1919 version) by Igor Stravinsky 1. Introduction The Firebird and Its Dance Firebird Variations 4:22 4.1 Mb 2. The Princesses' Khorovod (Rondo) 4:42 4.4 Mb 3. Infernal Dance of King Kashchei 4:53 4.6 Mb 4. Berceuse and Final 6:20 6.0 Mb	OK, I admit it: I did not write this one. But I have always been in love with this piece, from the first time I experienced it. Especially the “Berceuse and Final” section. And even more after hearing how the amazing progressive rock group Yes used it during their Yessongs concert tour in the 70s. One of the first projects I took on while trying to learn the GPO and Finale software combination was the “Berceuse and Final” section from this suite. Originally, I intended to do only that section, but the bug had bit. I ended up spending several very interesting and fruitful weeks transcribing the entire suite for GPO and Finale. In addition to learning the potential (and limitations) of my new software, I also learned a whole lot about orchestration and composition in general. Thank you, Mr. Stravinsky!	You can order this piece on CD.

Title

Description

Order

The Firebird Suite (1919 version)

by Igor Stravinsky

1. Introduction
    The Firebird and Its Dance
    Firebird Variations
     4:22         4.1 Mb

2. The Princesses' Khorovod (Rondo)
     4:42         4.4 Mb

3. Infernal Dance of King Kashchei
     4:53         4.6 Mb

4. Berceuse and Final
     6:20         6.0 Mb

OK, I admit it: I did not write this one.

But I have always been in love with this piece, from the first time I experienced it. Especially the “Berceuse and Final” section. And even more after hearing how the amazing progressive rock group Yes used it during their Yessongs concert tour in the 70s.

One of the first projects I took on while trying to learn the GPO and Finale software combination was the “Berceuse and Final” section from this suite. Originally, I intended to do only that section, but the bug had bit. I ended up spending several very interesting and fruitful weeks transcribing the entire suite for GPO and Finale. In addition to learning the potential (and limitations) of my new software, I also learned a whole lot about orchestration and composition in general. Thank you, Mr. Stravinsky!

You can order this piece
on CD.