Music by Daniel Dorff

---

home
ordering information

SELECTED REVIEWS

APRIL WHIRLWIND for Flute and Piano
“Great piece!! April Whirlwind has everything – lovely lyricism, a spontaneous spirit, and jazzy brilliance. I will look forward to sharing it with legions of students.”
            -Jeanne Baxtresser, principal flute, New York Philharmonic, July 1998

“Delightful... an exuberant and joyful paean to Spring.”
            -Sid Grolnic, Penn Sounds, Winter 1999

CONCERTO FOR CONTRABASSOON and Chamber Orchestra
“[The concert] was jammed with people who were obviously pleased they were there.  A local composer with a growing international reputation presented a world premiere that deserved the response the audience gave it.”
           -Tom Purdom, Philadelphia Welcomat, 11/13/91

“I’m sure all contrabassoon players will treasure this addition to their ... repertoire.”
           -Sol Schoenbach, former principal Bassoon, Philadelphia Orchestra, 6/92

“An excellent new concerto... in a very listenable and audience-appealing style.  Dorff has written a number of fine compositions and has crafted here an excellent new work for the contrabassoonist.”
            -Ronald Klimko, The Double Reed Journal, 3/93

“Repertory for the contrabassoon has been significantly enhanced of late by the addition of concertos by Daniel Dorff...”
            -Christopher Weait, MLA Notes, 12/93

“This is a work that could effectively introduce the rarely heard contrabassoon to audiences of any age or experience.  It has the happy characteristic of being easily understood.  Performers will appreciate its professionally clear notation and effective orchestration.”
            -Christopher Weait, MLA Notes, 3/95

CONCERTO FOR SOLO PERCUSSION AND ORCHESTRA
“Concerto for Solo Percussion and Orchestra is an excellent addition to the much-needed percussion concerto literature.  Its contrasting movements, challenging solo part, creative orchestration, accessibility to many players and visual interest makes this a worthwhile solo for those percussionists looking for a new percussion concerto.”
            -John Beck of the Eastman School of Music, Percussive Notes (review of whole concerto), 8/96

“Congratulations to Daniel Dorff for supplying a worthy extension of his concerto for those looking for a recital-quality xylophone piece.”
            -John Beck, Percussive Notes (review of Mvt 3, Allegro Volante, adapted for xylophone & piano), 10/96  

“An entertaining piece, exceptionally well received by the audience.”
            -Eleonor Sigal, Penn Sounds (review of Mvt 3, Allegro Volante, adapted for xylophone & piano), Winter 1993

FANTASY, SCHERZO AND NOCTURNE for Saxophone Quartet
“One hopes that many college ensembles will add this interesting selection to the short list of American saxophone quartets.”
           -Steve Mauk, MLA Notes, 9/79 
"The Fantasy is a lovely lyrical movement in medium tempo, followed by the fast, playful Scherzo. The slow Nocturne begins with a lovely duo for tenor and baritone saxophones. This is a dramatic and emotional movement... It's a good piece for both college students and professional players. The ensemble writing is excellent, with all four voices getting a chance to sing out. It is a remarkable work from such a young composer."
          -Susan Fancher, Saxophone Journal, September/October 2007

FAST WALK for Saxophone Quartet
"This short, upbeat piece makes a terrific opener for a concert, or as the first piece after intermission."
          -Susan Fancher, Saxophone Journal, September/October 2007

GOLDILOCKS AND THE THREE BEARS for Narrator and Mixed Octet or Orchestra
"An absolute delight!" - Marvin Rosen, Classical Discoveries, WPRB-FM, February 20, 2008.

IN A DEEP FUNK: DANCE SET FOR UNACCOMPANIED CONTRABASSOON 
Movement 2: “Twist Variations”
“Based on the popular dance from the 1960s, this is a fun piece for the audience as well as the accomplished contra player. A standard rock and roll chord progression is treated in a variety of ways melodically and rhythmically, with a few nods in the direction of Dave Brubeck and other jazz musicians as well. Although its duration is less than six minutes, the piece is quite grueling. The entire four-movement set is quite a blow at around twelve minutes! ... the piece really is a hoot for both the player up to the challenge, and for the audience.”
           -Jon Beebe, The Double Reed, Vol. 26, No. 4 (2003) 

IT TAKES FOUR TO TANGO for Saxophone Quartet
"It is a wonderful little soprano saxophone feature. You could program this anywhere on a concert, either on its own or right after Fast Walk, for example. It can be played "straight" as written, or more inflected in a jazz style."
          -Susan Fancher, Saxophone Journal, September/October 2007

LAMENTATIONS for String Orchestra
 “Worthy of the spotlight... the most interesting and sensitively performed on the concert... the composer should be heard from again.
            -Lesley Valdes, Philadelphia Inquirer, 10/27/87  

NOCTURNE CAPRICE for solo Flute
“Daniel Dorff wrote his Nocturne-Caprice expressly for this event, and an express composition it was, with about three weeks separating the commission and the premiere. It is an admirable addition to the repertoire, structured in a circular manner, as inspired by Chopin Nocturnes. Dorff encompasses a number of stylistic gestures, starting with a bluesy motif that morphs into whole-tone rows and flashy arpeggios, before settling back into a sweet repose. The elements are well integrated and are set out with calm pacing. Stillman rendered the music with utter confidence and palpable expressiveness.
            -Peter Burwasser, Philadelphia City Paper, 11/6/02

PACHELBEL'S CHRISTMAS A Merry Melange for Brass Quintet
“This is a clever, original and amusing number which will add spice to the Christmas concert.”
           -Winds Magazine (UK), Summer 1990 

SERENADE TO EVE, AFTER RODIN for Flute and Guitar
“A really charming miniature.”
           -Hubert Culot, Music Web (UK), January 2003 

SONATINE DE GIVERNY for Piccolo and Piano
“Bravo! This is a wonderful piece.  The impressionist mood is so lovely and the piccolo fits into this environment beautifully.  I am delighted with this piece of music.  Congratulations – your piece makes me wish I still played piccolo.”
            -Jeanne Baxtresser, former Principal Flute, New York Philharmonic, Oct 2000

 “Daniel Dorff’s Sonatine de Giverny is the first composition for piccolo and piano that is in the great tradition of the French School… Giverny will become the landmark composition for expressive French piccolo playing.  We are grateful for Dorff’s fine effort. Giverny now becomes a musical standard which other composers must attain.”
            -Jan Gippo, solo Piccolo, Saint Louis Symphony, May 2000

SUMMER SOLSTICE for Clarinet and Strings
“Summer Solstice is very pleasant music – light without being insubstantial, melodic without being obvious.  It has an invariably American sound.”
            -Peter Dobrin, Philadelphia Inquirer, 4/2/94

“Summer Solstice opened with Arne Running’s jazzy, dancing clarinet playing in front of the kind of American country fair music that makes you feel like someone should step out of the crowd and start dancing.  The slow movement was easy and full. The finale was sweet and driving.
            -Tom Purdom, Philadelphia Welcomat, 4/20/94

“Daniel Dorff’s Summer Solstice was the palatable dessert, while mid-century music of... Schnittke was the experimental main course.”
            -Monroe Levin, Jewish Exponent, 4/30/94

“Notable events of 1994 included the impressive premiere of Daniel Dorff’s Summer Solstice.”
           -Tom Purdom, Philadelphia Welcomat, 12/28/94

“Gave a distinctive contemporary accent to the Haddonfield Symphony’s third program of the season... For those who brave the first storm of winter — and most did — there was much to enjoy...  Dorff’s 18-minute piece cast a friendly glow with its jaunty rhythms and sunny musical themes.  Summer Solstice falls on the ears like the graceful caress of a warm day.  Superbly performed, the score radiated an old-fashioned charm.  The three-movement score is a gift for a superb soloist.”
            -Robert Baxter, Camden Courier-Post, 2/10/97

“a delightful three-movement work for which the description “rollicking” is most often the apt word… a celebration of summer filled with bright harmonies and happy spirit.”
            -Paul Somers, Classical New Jersey, 2/12/97

“Summer Solstice is lyrical and fresh as rainwater. [John] Yeh gave a bright turn to its tangled tunes and merry melodies and a subtly nuanced performance of the languid larghetto. His clarinet cut like a lean laser above the lush cohesive strings.”
            - Dorothy Andries, Pioneer Press, March 1998

THE KISS for Orchestra
“The performance encourages me to delve further into the music of the composer.... A world premiere from a relatively young yet established composer is always thrilling, especially when the music is as enjoyable as that of the orchestra's composer-in-residence, Daniel Dorff... The performance was stunning perhaps because the musicians seemed to be enthusiastic about the score.  This certainly reflects well on the composer.  The audience clearly felt and responded to the music.... I was delighted to hear such unabashed melodic writing.”
           -Classical New Jersey, 3/7/02 

THE YEAR OF THE RABBIT for Flute Quartet or Ensemble
“Daniel Dorff always pleases and his The Year of the Rabbit... did not disappoint. Dorff is deeply musical, eschews rhetoric, and this piece for eight flutes was charming and unaffected.”
           -Lou Camp, Penn Sounds, Summer 1999 

THREE DANCE ETUDES for Marimba Duo or Ensemble
“highly-appealing, vigorous... coloristic, lively dances exploited the instrument’s best qualities.”
           -Michael Kimmelman, Philadelphia Inquirer, 11/11/85  

THREE FUN FABLES for Narrator and Orchestra
“I was very pleased to have the opportunity to conduct this work in a Philadelphia Orchestra Family Concert in April of 2000.  Mr. Dorff’s work is exciting, engaging, and funny for the children, as well as containing some very good learning experiences from the wonderful Aesop’s fables.  It is very skillfully written for the orchestra, and uses the instruments in a most effective way.  I can recommend this work with great enthusiasm for a Family or Children’s Concert.”
            -Wolfgang Sawallisch, Music Director, Philadelphia Orchestra

“delightful”
            - Ted Shen, Chicago Sun-Times, 4/12/01

“the hit of the show… more fun for adults than children”
          - Donald Peck, principal flute Chicago Symphony, 4/19/01