Music by Daniel Dorff

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MUSIC FOR PERCUSSION

Allegro Volante for Solo Xylophone and Orchestra, or with Band or Piano (4½')

A dazzling showpiece in the style of a Russian galop, with jazzy American harmonies; Movement 3 from Concerto for Solo Percussion and Orchestra.
 – PREMIERE of orchestra version: Alan Gilbert conducting the Haddonfield Symphony; Dean Witten solo xylophone.
– PUBLISHED on rental by Theodore Presser Company; score available for sale.
– INSTRUMENTATION: 2(Picc)222-4331 Timp 3Perc Hp Strings 
– ALSO PUBLISHED for Xylophone with Piano (114-40750) or with Band (115-40196).
– PERFORMANCES of Piano version include Niel DaPonte xylophone, on the Oregon Symphony's Chamber Music On Tap series.
– REVIEW: “An entertaining piece, exceptional well received by the audience.”
                              — Penn Sounds (Sigal), Winter 1993.
– PROGRAM NOTES
– AUDIO EXCERPT  from the premiere

 

 
Concerto for Solo Percussion and Orchestra (20')  
– COMMISSIONED by the Polish Chapter of the Percussive Arts Society for the International Music Workshops in Bydgoszcz, Poland.
– PREMIERED March 18, 1995 by Haddonfield (NJ) Symphony, Dean Witten, solo percussion, Alan Gilbert, conductor.
– PUBLISHED by Theodore Presser Company: Solo part alone (114-40751); Complete piano reduction alone (114-40751A); Full score (416-41193); orchestra parts on rental.
– INSTRUMENTATION: 2(Picc)222-4331 Timp 3Perc Hp Strings  
– ALSO AVAILABLE: See Allegro Volante above - Movement III is a xylophone stand-alone showpiece.

 – REVIEWS:
“impressive... highlighted the concert... It exploits the full range of sonorities and technical possibilities of a whole arsenal of percussion instruments... most arresting... a joyous finale... bold and extroverted but also filled with sensitive details.”
                              — Camden Courier-Post (Baxter), March 22, 1995.
“it is only a truly inventive and inspired composer like Mr. Dorff who is able to go one step further [than just using many percussion instruments] and create unusual sounds, textures, and combinations that work for the listener.” 
                              — Maestro Alan Gilbert, Music Director of the NY Philharmonic.
– PROGRAM NOTES
– EXTENDED REVIEW: complete review in Percussive Notes magazine.
–  AUDIO EXCERPTS of Dean Witten's premiere with the Haddonfield Symphony, Alan Gilbert conducting:
           from Mvt. 1
           from Mvt. 2 
           from Mvt. 3

 
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browse the complete score 
Three Dance Etudes for Marimba Duo or Ensemble (17-21')
– PREMIERED SIMULTANEOUSLY by Hitoshi Maeda and Brian Prechtl, Philadelphia, and by Nachiko Maekane (as solo player), Sacramento, November 8, 1985.
– PERFORMANCES include the St. Louis Symphony's On Stage Series, February 8, 1988.
– PUBLISHED by Theodore Presser Company (114-40432).
– Included on New York State's NYSSMA contest list.
– REVIEWS: 
“highly appealing, vigorous... coloristic, lively dances exploited the instrument's best qualities.”                                              — Philadelphia Inquirer, (Kimmelman), November 11, 1985.
“in the hands of mature performers, Three Dance Etudes would be suitable for most any recital or ensemble program.”
                                             — Percussive Notes (Holly), Fall 1987.
“in fact, I feel that they also make good solos.”
                                             — Modern Percussionist (James Preiss), September 1987.
 – PROGRAM NOTES
– YOUTUBE of Duo Anime (Mell Csicsila and Andrew Pongracz) playing Dance Etude No. 1 at Cleveland's "Happy Dog" December 2011
– AUDIO EXCERPTS (1 & 2 "badly-miked" premiere by Hitoshi Maeda & Brian Prechtl; 3 by Florence Ierardi & Andrew Reamer)
        from Dance Etude No. 1
        from Dance Etude No. 2
        from Dance Etude No. 3

 

Three Mysteries for Violin and Percussion (13')

– PREMIERED by Terry Vermillion (perc) and Marion Judish (vn), St. Cloud, MN., Feb. 2000.
– PUBLISHED by Theodore Presser Company (114-41079).
– AUDIO EXCERPTS from the premiere:
          from Mvt. 1
           from Mvt. 2
           from Mvt. 3
                                                                                                            
 Terry Vermillion's set-up for premiere

last updated 3/1/12
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