Music by Daniel Dorff

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MUSIC FOR OPERA, CHORUS, and VOICE

 

OPERA for YOUNG AUDIENCES

Stone Soup: An Operatic Fable in One Act for SATB Soloists, optional SATB Chorus, Piano Accompaniment or Chamber Orch. (35')
A light-hearted comical interpretation of the fable, in which a Solider (T.) is hungry and lost, but with the help of children and Mayor (A.), he convinces the Vegetable Lady (S.) and Butcher (B.) to contribute food to his soup. The musical refrain “It Takes All Kinds of People to Make Up a Happy Town” is echoed by the story's use of all kinds of food to make the most delicious Stone Soup, and to celebrate community and diversity.

– COMMISSIONED by Young Audiences’ Philadelphia chapter for ongoing in-school use since 1983. – OVER 1000 PERFORMANCES! Continuous run for 20 seasons.
– PUBLISHED by Theodore Presser Company (411-41126 vocal score), orchestration on rental.
– INSTRUMENTATION: Piano Accompaniment, or  1111-1110 Pno Hp 1Perc Strings
– PROGRAM NOTES and  FULL SYNOPSIS 		    
   
CHORUS
Alleluia in D for S.A.T.B. Chorus with opt. Keyboard (2')

– PERFORMANCES include College Misericordia choir at St. Patrick’s Cathedral, NYC.
– PUBLISHED by Theodore Presser Company (312-41580).
– REVIEWS: 
             "adds a further example to the growing body of Alleluias to emerge from American organ lofts.”                             
                       — Music Teacher (UK) (Bannan), July 1991.
             Recommended in The American Organist by Philip Brunelle, November 1991.
 – AUDIO EXCERPT

 
Flames for S.A.T.B. Chorus, a cappella (3')

Poem by Catullus, in translation.
 PUBLISHED by Theodore Presser Company (312-41406). 
–  AUDIO EXCERPT

 
He Is Love for Two-part Chorus and Piano (2')
Poem by Pat Silver.
– PUBLISHED by Elkan-Vogel (362-03404).
– ALSO AVAILABLE for Voice with Brass Quintet.
– PROGRAM NOTES

 
Heaven-Haven for S.A.T.B. Chorus, a cappella (2')

Poem by Gerard Manley Hopkins.
– PREMIERED by Florence County (N.J.) Community Singers, Frank Bonanno conducting, May 19, 1985.

 
Jabberwocky for S.A.T.B. Chorus, a cappella (2')

– PUBLISHED by Theodore Presser Company (312-41725). 
– AUDIO EXCERPT 

 
Scholars’ Refrain for T.T.B.B. Chorus and Piano (4')

Poem from Carmina Burana, in translation.
– COMPOSED for and PREMIERED at Cornell University 1978 Commencement ceremony.

 
The Colors of Creation for S.A.T.B. Chorus, a cappella (6')
– COMMISSIONED and PREMIERED by the Ithaca College School of Music,  Nov. 2003.
– PUBLISHED by Theodore Presser Company (312-41836).
 – PROGRAM NOTES

 

VOICE (WITH PIANO OR CHAMBER ENSEMBLE)
Ambivalence of Opposites for Voice and Piano (7')

Poem by Mary Frances Wack.
– PREMIERED by Jeannie Clark Fisher and Clifford Earle, Ithaca, Spring 1978.

 
Ave Maria for Mezzo-soprano with Keyboard, or with Flute, Oboe, 2 Clars., and Glockenspiel (2')

– PREMIERED by Christina Lynn, Philadelphia, July 1980.
– PUBLISHED (ensemble version) by Theodore Presser Company (111-40104P).
– PUBLISHED (keyboard version) by Theodore Presser Company (111-40104).

 
Dreams for Voice and Piano (2')

Poem by Catullus, in translation.
– PREMIERED by Candace Sassaman and Mary Murphy, Philadelphia, September 29, 1979.

 
Eyelash Wish for Voice and Piano (3')

Poem by Jessica Greenbaum.
– PREMIERED by Diane Rama, New York, 1974.
– PUBLISHED by Theodore Presser Company (111-40178).
– RECORDED on Capstone Records by Helene Williams and Leonard Lehrman.

 
Four Hebrew Love Songs for Voice and Piano (not complete yet)

Texts from Shir Ha-shirim (Song of Songs). 
1. Yi shakeni mineshikot, 2. Kumi lach, 3. Hadigah li she'ahavah, 4. Dodi li

 
Five Songs from the Goliards for Tenor, Clarinet/Soprano Sax, Bassoon, Trombone, Viola/Percussion, and Cello/Percussion (10')   

Poems from Carmina Burana, in translation.

 
Kokoro o Komete for Voice and Piano (2')

Poem by Eri Takahira; title means "From the bottom of my heart" (Japanese).
Premiered by Christina Lynn and James Primosch, Philadelphia, October 23, 1982.
– PROGRAM NOTES

 
Kurontokai for Tenor and Piano (12')

Cantata on Tamil love poems, translated by A.K. Ramanujan.

 
Nature for Voice and Piano (January 1979)
Poem by Arshile Gorky.
– PREMIERED by Candace Sassaman and Mary Murphy, University of Pennsylvania, September 29, 1979.

 
Newness for Flute and Baritone voice (3')

Poem from Carmina Burana, in translation.

 
On Drowning for Tenor, Flute, Bass Clarinet, Viola, and Crotales (17')  

Poem by Deborah Wong.

 
Si Linguis Angelicis for Soprano, Flute or Clarinet, and Piano (2') 

Poem from Carmina Burana.
– PREMIERED by Christina Lynn, Deborah Wong (Flute), and James Primosch, Philadelphia, October 23, 1982.
– PERFORMANCES include October 1999 Derriere Garde festival in San Francisco.

 
The Center Ring for Voice and Piano (2')

Words by the composer.
– PREMIERED by Jody Applebaum and Marc-Andrι Hamelin, through Network for New Music, Phila., February 3, 1985.

 

The Curse of Catullus for Soprano, Tenor, Flute/Alto Flute, Soprano Sax/Alto Sax, Clarinet/Bass Clarinet, Electric Piano, and 2 Percussion (14') 
Poems by Catullus, in translation.
– PREMIERED by Mimmi Fulmer and Jeffrey Rehbach, conducted by Duane Heller, at Cornell University, Winter 1978.

 
Tidal Song for Voice and Piano (2')
Poem by Jody Tannenbaum.
– PREMIERED by Diane Rama, New York, 1974.

 
Tobetara for Voice and Piano (2')

Poem by Eiko Fan; title means “To be able to fly” (Japanese).
– PREMIERED by Janis Sabatino Hills, soprano, and Jane Leslie, piano, Commack, NY, October 22, 1998.

 
To Daffodils for Baritone and Cello (3½')  

– COMPOSED for and PREMIERED at the Orchestra 2001 AIDS Quilt concert, May 26, 1996, Philadelphia; Kevin McDowell, Baritone, Lori Barnet, Cello.

 
Two Alphabetical Songs for Voice and Piano (2')
Texts by the composer, with the words in alphabetical order.
– PREMIERED by Helene Williams and Leonard Lehrman, August 20, 1999; Roslyn, NY.
– Second song premiered November 11, 1995 by Manuela Ochakowski, soprano, and Johannes Harneit, piano, and subsequently broadcast across Europe, as a winner of the Neue Musik in Delmenhorst competition.

 
Wedding Songs for Tenor, Flute, and Piano (14')

Cantata on poems by the composer and Mary Frances Wack, and translations of Ausonius and Paulinus.

 
Yuki no Uta for Voice and Piano (3')

Poem by the composer about the comforting beauty of snow, translated into Japanese by Eiko Fan Takahira.
– PREMIERED by Yukiko Ishida May 25, 2000 in Suntory Hall, Tokyo.
– PROGRAM NOTES

last updated 1/4/12
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