Realigned

Came across this old piece of mine from the 80s, when I was still doing jazz, called: Realigned.
It’s not bad. Well‚ better than I remembered anyway. Here’s an excerpt, the last minute of the piece.
Listen to: Realigned.

Praise Ye the Lord

Finally had a chance to add this recording of a performance from January 2015 of my hymn: Praise Ye the Lord.

Big thank you to Ben Lane, and the Cathedral Choir from the Cathedral Church of Saint Luke. They really did a great job finding the music hiding in the notes!

Listen to: Praise Ye the Lord.

The Angel Gabriel

This Christmas season (2014), there was a performance of my string orchestra arrangement of the carol The Angel Gabriel.

As commonly happens, there didn’t appear to be enough rehearsal, so the performance is a bit tentative, and the tempo a little too slow, but you can get the idea of what it should sound like.

Listen to: The Angel Gabriel.

Bring a Torch, Jeanette, Isabella

Also, this Christmas season, there was a performance of my string orchestra arrangement of the carol Bring a Torch, Jeanette, Isabella.

This performance was perhaps a little tentative, but there was only one rehearsal prior to the concert.

Listen to: Bring a Torch, Jeanette, Isabella.

I Hear America Singing

My largest work to premier this year was for a patriotic program, I Hear America Singing. It’s written for Baritone soloist, mixed chorus, and orchestra. The text is from Walt Whitman.

I wrote it with the wonderful voice of Thomas Potter in mind, and was very fortunate that he was available for the performance.

Listen to: I Hear America Singing.

You can also download the text here.

Shepherds

This is one of my own favorites from my series of original Christmas carols for string quartet (or string orchestra), Shepherds.

Listen to: Shepherds.

A Christmas carol

Last year, First United Methodist Church of Orlando liked one of my Christmas carols (originally for chorus and organ) so much that they commissioned an orchestral arrangement.

I probably wouldn’t have considered doing that on my own, and it turned out really well. Thanks, Bill!

Listen to: A Christmas Carol.

You can also download the text here.

What Sweeter Music Can We Bring

Can you tell I write a lot of religious and Christmas music?

Here’s another original Christmas carol for string orchestra (or string quartet), What Sweeter Music Can We Bring.

Often, after completing a work, you are just too close to it to be able to assess it’s quality. And you have to believe in it while you are working on it! So it’s only after some time has passed that you can look at it with a more objective eye.

Usually, for me, listening to things I wrote later, all I hear are the “flaws”, what I’d do differently now, etc.

This is one of my few pieces where my opinion of it has actually risen over time. I’m very happy with it. I especially like how the excitement and energy of the climax generates such momentum that it carries on through the final statement of the theme.

Listen to: What Sweeter Music Can We Bring.

The Journey of the Magi

Another of my original Christmas carols for string orchestra (or string quartet), The Journey of the Magi.

This became one of my favorites after I wrote it.

Listen to: The Journey of the Magi.

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