Music by Daniel Dorff
MUSIC FOR ORCHESTRA
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NEW!!
THE TORTOISE AND THE HARE & OTHER TALES is now available at
the Bridge
Records shopping
cart as well as amazon.com and other leading retailers! Rossen Milanov conducts the Symphony in C, featuring Ann Crumb and Ukee Washington as narrators in Blast Off!, Goldilocks and the Three Bears, Billy and the Carnival, and Three Fun Fables (including The Fox and the Crow, The Dog and his Reflection, and The Tortoise and the Hare). Dorff's narrated stories entertain adults as well as children and are frequently performed at concerts around the world, while introducing young listeners to the sounds of an orchestra. Perfect for holiday and birthday gifts, music education classes, and plain old enjoyment! |
Allegro Volante for Xylophone and
Orchestra (1992)
5 min.
Mvt. 3 from Concerto for Solo
Percussion and Orchestra, works separately as a xylophone showpiece.
Click
here to see John Beck’s great review in Percussive
Notes.
Here's an audio clip of
xylophonist Dean Witten's premiere with the Haddonfield Symphony, conducted by
Alan Gilbert (30 sec., 469K
MP3) (used
by permission)
On rental from Theodore Presser
Company - 2(Picc)222-4331 Timp 3Perc Hp Strings
Also published with Piano or Band accompaniment.
Billy and the Carnival: A
Children’s Guide to the Instruments
for Narrator and Orchestra (1985, revised 1988)
14 min.
Commissioned by the Sacramento Symphony; performances include the Pittsburgh
Symphony.
Click
the links below to download some mp3 samples from the new CD!
1)
The opening orchestral jam session (37 sec.)
2) "A trumpet can play
strong and exciting music, and it sounds like this!" (37 sec.)
3) From the lullaby featuring
clarinet and then cello, over the strings (39 sec.)
Coloring book illustrated by Eiko Fan
also available.
Click here for program notes.
On rental from Theodore Presser Company - 2(Picc)222-2210 Timp 2Perc Strings
Full score for sale (416-41332).
Blast Off! for Narrator
with Orchestra (9')
Commissioned by Lockheed Martin and the Haddonfield
Symphony for NASA Astronaut Kenneth Reightler, Jr.
Travelog of a child’s journey to outer space - episodes feature various
sections of the orchestra to add music educational value.
The score went up on NASA's October 2000 Space Shuttle
launch.
Click
the links below to download some mp3 samples from the CD!
1)
"Have you ever looked up at a bright, shiny, full moon?" (41 sec.)
2) The brilliant and blazing
sun, portrayed by the brass section with percussion (29 sec.)
3) The ride back home and landing (33 sec.)
More sound clips and an interview are featured on
ASOL's www.playmusic.org
Mars Millenium website.
Study score published by Presser (416-41237)
Philadelphia Orchestra performances
October 14, 2003.
Click here for program notes.
Large score and parts on rental from Presser - 2(Picc)2(EH)22(Cbn)-4331 Timp 3Perc Hp Strings.
Concerto for
Contrabassoon
with Clarinet, Horn, and String Orchestra (1990-91) 12˝ min.
Commissioned by the Concerto Soloists Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia for
contrabassoonist Norman Spielberg.
Premiered November 3, 1991; Concerto Soloists Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia,
Norman Spielberg contrabassoon; James Freeman guest conductor.
Other performances include Louisville Orchestra (Roger Soren, cbn.), and many
others
“Repertory for the contrabassoon has been significantly enhanced of late by
the addition of concertos by Daniel Dorff...” — MLA Notes (Weait), December
1993.
“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.” — The Double Reed (Klimko),
Spring 1993.
“(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.” — Philadelphia
Welcomat (Purdom), November 13, 1991.
“This is a work that could effectively introduce the rarely heard solo
contrabassoon to audiences of any age or experience. It has the happy
chararacteristic of being easily understood. Performers will appreciate its
professionaly clear notation and effective orchestration.” — MLA Notes
(Weait), March 1995.
Study score and solo part published by MMB Music, Inc.; orchestral parts on
rental; Piano reduction also available; Quartet version for Contrabassoon,
Clarinet, Horn, and Piano also available.
Click here
for program notes on this piece.
Concerto for Piano
and Orchestra
(2006) 24
min.
Commissioned by the Etowah Youth Orchestras for pianist Jeffrey Biegel.
Full score and 2-piano version available for sale from Theodore Presser Company,
parts available on rental.
Concerto for Solo
Percussion and Orchestra
(1991-1992)
c. 20
min.
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.
“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 Royal Stockholm Philharmonic.
Here are some audio clips of Dean
Witten's premiere with the Haddonfield Symphony, Alan Gilbert conducting:
Mvt. 1: (21 sec., 327K
MP3)
Mvt. 2: (31 sec., 479K
MP3)
Mvt. 3: (30 sec., 469K
MP3)
(used by permission)
Click
here to see John Beck’s great review in Percussive Notes.
On rental from Theodore Presser
Company - 2(Picc)222-4331 Timp 3Perc Hp Strings
Complete solo part published by
Theodore Presser Company. (114-40751, $15.75).
Complete piano reduction published by Theodore Presser Company (114-40751A).
Full score published (416-41193).
Click here
for program notes on this piece.
Fanfare Overture
for Orchestra (April 1983)
3 min.
Composed for and premiered by the 1983
Spoleto Festival USA Youth Orchestra for its inaugural concerts, Claude White,
conductor.
On rental from MMB Music, Inc. - 2222 4331 3Perc (no Timp) Strings; full score
available for sale.
Fast Walk
for Orchestra (1989,
orch. 1990)
2˝ min.
Performances include the DC Youth Orchestra televised on over 300 PBS-TV
stations to an audience over 8,000,000 on the MENC “World’s Largest
Concert.”
Here's an audio clip of the Harmo
Saxophone Quartet playing the sax version, from their Meister CD (29 sec., 447K
MP3) (Used by permission)
Score published by MMB
Music, Inc., parts on rental - 222(Bcl)2 4330 1or2Perc Strings; full score
available for sale.
Goldilocks and the
Three Bears c. 8
min
1) for Narrator
with Flute, Clarinet, Bass Trombone, Harp, 1 Percussion, Violin, Cello, and Bass
Commissioned by the Minnesota Orchestra Volunteer
Association for Kinder Konzerts for 51 performances in 2000-2001 season.
Score published by Presser; full set available on rental.
Click
the links below to download some mp3 samples from the CD!
1) "Once
upon a time, there were three bears." (40 sec.)
2)
The entrance of Goldilocks (21 sec.)
3)
The happy ending (24 sec.)
2) for Narrator and
Orchestra
(same music as the octet, with more instruments)
Premiered December 2001,
Susquehanna Symphony Orchestra conducted by Sheldon Bair.
Click
here for program notes.
Rental from Presser - 1111 111(Bass)0
1-2Perc Hp Strings. (Full score published)
"An absolute delight!" - Marvin Rosen, Classical Discoveries,
WPRB-FM, February 20, 2008.
The Kiss (after the painting by Gustav Klimt) for Orchestra (2001) c. 13˝ min. |
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Premiered February 16, 2002; Rossen Milanov conducting the
Haddonfield Symphony. Here are some audio clips of the premiere: 1) from the starry background (34 sec., 536K MP3) 2) from the scherzo of budding new love (32 sec., 498K MP3) 3) from the lust section (32 sec., 498K MP3) 4) from the kiss-climax (32 sec., 509K MP3) (Used by permission) For a higher quality printing (248k) reproduction of the painting click here On rental from Theodore Presser Company - 3(Alto,Picc)3(EH)3(TSx)2 4331 Timp 3Perc Hp Strings Full score available for sale (416-41329). Click here for program notes on this piece. |
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Lamentations
for String Orchestra (1977)
5 min.
Composed for the Santa Monica Civic
Orchestra, Frank Fetta, Music Director.
Performances include Concerto Soloists Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia, Marc
Mostovoy conductor.
“Worthy of the spotlight... the most interesting and sensitively performed on
the concert... the composer should be heard from again.”
— Philadelphia Inquirer (Valdes), October 27, 1987.
On rental from Theodore Presser Company. (Full score available for sale,
416-41330.)
Pachelbel's Christmas
for Orchestra
(2005)
4˝ min.
44 Christmas melodies in canon and quodlibet over
the Pachelbel Canon. Perfect for Christmas Pops concerts!
On rental from Theodore Presser Company - 2(Picc)222 2(or 4)221 2Perc
Timp Strings, suitable for volunteer and student orchestras.
Philly Rhapsody
for Orchestra (1997)
10 min.
1997 Commission from Philadelphia's High
School for the Creative and Performing Arts and Network for New Music. This is a
rock-inspired work which pays homage to the R&B Sound of Philadelphia as
well as the symphonic tradition.
On rental from Theodore Presser Company - 3(Picc)23(Bcl)2 4331 Pno Hp DrumSet
3Perc (no Timp) Strings [Ob2, Bn2, Hn3&4 may be omitted].
Full score for sale, 416-41331.
Summer Solstice
for Clarinet and Strings (1986 &1993)
c. 18 min.
Premiere by Orchestra 2001, Arne Running,
solo clarinet; James Freeman, conductor; March 30, 1994, Philadelphia.
Also performed by John Bruce Yeh (Haddonfield Symphony, Chicago String Ensemble,
Lamont Symphony)
and Bil Jackson (Colorado Symphony).
Here are some audio clips of John Bruce
Yeh's performance with the Haddonfield Symphony conducted by Alan Gilbert
from Mvt. 1 (25 sec., 388K
MP3)
from Mvt. 2 (29 sec., 460K
MP3)
from Mvt. 3 (25 sec., 388K
MP3)
(Used by permission)
“Summer Solstice is
very pleasant
music — light without being insubstantial, melodic without being obvious. It
has an invariably American sound.” — Philadelphia Inquirer (Dobrin),
April 2, 1994.
“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.” — Philadelphia
Welcomat (Purdom), April 20, 1994.
“Notable events of 1994 included the impressive premiere of Daniel Dorff's
Summer Solstice.” — Philadelphia Welcomat (Purdom), December 28,
1994.
On rental from MMB Music, Inc; Piano reduction also published.
Click here
for program notes on this piece.
Sunburst
for Violin and String Orchestra (1998)
c. 3 min.
Commissioned by Colorado Symphony’s Up Close and Musical series for ongoing
outreach concerts.
This brief work highlights the brilliance, lyricism, and warmth of the violin,
as well as technical effects like harmonics and double stops, within a 3-minute
dance.
On rental from Theodore Presser Company.
The Tortoise and the
Hare for Narrator
with Chamber Orchestra (1996)
c. 5˝ min.
A comical telling of the Aesop fable, featuring
Contrabassoon and Clarinet as the Tortoise and the Hare. Themes are
exaggeratedly low/slow and high/fast to illustrate contrasts in music.
Re-scoring of Minnesota Orchestra octet commission.
World premiere narrated by Olympic track star Carl Lewis.
Here’s an audio clip of Carl
Lewis’s premiere with the Haddonfield Symphony conducted by Daniel Hege (25 sec., 398K
MP3)
(Used by permission)
See below for more audio from the new CD!
Also performed by Baltimore Symphony, Detroit Symphony, Indianapolis Symphony,
and others.
Click here for program notes.
Rental from MMB - 1112(Cbn) 1110 1-2Perc Hp Strings.
Three Fun Fables
(11')
1. The Fox and the Crow (features Trumpet and
Bass)
2. The Dog and His Reflection (features Trombone and Violin/Harp/Percussion)
3. The Tortoise and the Hare (features Contrabassoon and Clarinet)
Each character is portrayed by an instrument, allowing for pre-concert
illustrations to help instrument recognition, musical contrasts, and familiarity
with the story and music.
1) Narrator with Chamber
Orchestra
Orchestral version commissioned by the Philadelphia
Orchestra; premiered April 29, 2000 with Wolfgang Sawallisch conducting, Susan
Spafford narrating.
Here are audio clips of the
Philadelphia Orchestra performance:
Mvt 1: (30 sec., 476K
MP3)
Mvt 2: (29 sec., 446K
MP3)
Mvt 3: (29 sec., 448K
MP3)
(Used by permission)
Rental from MMB 1112(Cbn) 1110 1-2Perc Hp Strings.
2) Narrator with
Clarinet, Bassoon/Contrabassoon, Trumpet, Trombone, Harp, 1 Percussion, Violin,
Bass
Commissioned for Minnesota Orchestra's KinderKonzerts - 52
performances in 1996-97 season.
Click the
links below to download some mp3 samples from the CD!
THE FOX AND THE CROW
1)
The crow singing proudly (featuring Kurt Muroki on the amazing bass solo) (48
sec.)
2) The fox planning
how to get the cheese from the crow (47 sec.)
THE DOG AND HIS REFLECTION
1)
The dog... (20 sec.)
2) ... and his
reflection (30 sec).
THE TORTOISE AND THE HARE
1)
Introducing the tortoise and the hare (26 sec.)
2) The hare falls
asleep... (33 sec.)
Click here for program notes.
Rental from MMB.
last updated 12/22/07