Articles Tagged with 0-5min

Harvard-Radcliffe Reflections, op. 203

Published on

Organ Postlude for Harvard College Class of 1971 Reunion Memorial Service

starting with a fugue on the letters

HArvArD-rADCliFFE rEFlECtionS: “worSt ClASS EvEr”

then quoting “Fair Harvard,” 10,000 Men of Harvard,”

“Change the World, It Needs It” and “Let’s Change the Woild”

prem. by composer, Harvard Memorial Church, Sep. 22, 2011

(3’21”)  Posted on YouTube at

Republicans, op. 201

Published on

Cabaret song for duo, words by composer,

inspired by but not based on Jean Reizner’s “Barry’s Boys”

premiered at Kutsher’s June 18, 2011 by Helene Williams & composer

viewable on YouTube at

We Are Innocent, op. 94

Published on

cantata on letters of Julius & Ethel Rosenberg, 1987-88, 45’30”

for baritone (or tenor), soprano, and optional chorus, with piano or orchestra

in 12 movements, prelude & 2 interludes.

First complete performance by Helene Williams and Peter Schlosser,

with composer at piano, on “Meet the Composer” grant,

at Bryant Library, Roslyn 6/14/88;

also perf. at Museum of Fine Art (Roslyn)10/6/88,

Community Church of Boston, 12/11/88, WESPAC (Ardsley, NY) 12/22/88;

prem. with (Metropolitan Philharmonic) Chorus

at Community Church of NY 6/19/88

also perf. WQXR-AM, NY (“The Listening Room”) 12/8/88

#2, 1, 7 & 4 perf. at Weill Recital Hall benefit for Ezrath Nashim 6/14/89

and at Temple Sinai of Roslyn 8/20/89

prem. w/Soloists, Chorus & Orchestra:

Metropolitan Philharmonic Chorus & Orch, cond. by composer

[Associate Conductor: Bill Grossman]

Marymount Manhattan Theater 6/11/89;

video on YouTube as indicated below:

audio recording: OPUS ONE #145

other perfs w/Helene Williams, Ronald Edwards & Chor:

Plandome Unitarian Church 6/19/93;

w/Helene Williams, Gregory Mercer & Chor:

6/15/03 Puffin Cultural Forum, Teaneck NJ;

6/18/03 Stephen Wise Free Synagogue, Manhattan

Prelude

1) Childhood Memories (Julius)

2) The Shofar (Ethel [+Chorus])

3) Together (Julius & Ethel)

4) We Are Innocent (Julius & Ethel [+Chorus])

5) How Sad I Was To Leave You (Ethel) + Interlude

6) How Much You Have Given Me (Julius)

7) The Astounding Spectacle (Ethel & Julius [+Chorus])

7A) Interlude

8) A Visit From Mother (Ethel)

9) Of Course It Isn’t Easy (Julius)

10) “Mercy”?

11) On the Threshold of Death (Julius)

(Variations on a theme by Edith Segal, used by permission)

12) To Michael & Robert (Ethel & Julius [+Chorus])

Glorious War Song, The, op. 95 #17

Published on

Lyrics by Joel Shatzky & composer;

#17 from Superspy!: The S-e-c-r-e-t Musical, op. 95, 1988;

rev. in 1991; prem. at Tarrytown Music Hall WESPAC Benefit 3/15/91;

recorded by Helene Williams & composer on Songs of Conscience

cassette 3/91 & CD 6/03; also perf. on Composers Concordance concerts,

CAMI HAll & C.W. Post College, 2/92


Tell Me, What Is Love?, op.95 #10

Published on

Words by Joel Shatzky; #10 from Superspy!: The S-e-c-r-e-t Musical, op. 95,

1988; rev. 1989; expanded from 2′ to 3′

premiered by Helene Williams 12/27/90 Gay Men’s Health Crisis, NYC

on Center for Contemporary Opera Blitzstein program, sponsored by MTC;

also perf. LICA Songs of Love concert 2/5/95, North Merrick Library,

and repeated many times thereafter; recorded on Capstone  CPS 8647;

performed by Michele Eaton & Stephanie Watt, LICA concert 2/11/11.

Girl Without Morals, A, op. 95 #9

Published on

#9 from Superspy!: The S-e-c-r-e-t Musical, book by Joel Shatzky;

lyrics by composer & Shatzky, 1988; 5′

performed by Helene Williams at Hadassah, 6/88,

Jewish Arts Festival of L.I., 9/3/89,

and many other times as part of program The Jewish Woman in Song;

also by Kathryn Wieckhorst, Gershwin Hotel cabaret, 2/19/09

Zelophehad’s Daughters, op. 100 #3

Published on

#3 of Sisters, op. 100 – last of 3 Biblical monologues;

for solo soprano & piano or 9 instruments (3’40”)

or SSMAA Quintet & piano or 9 instruments (4’53”);

prem. separately 6/12/89 National Council of Women,

Time-Life Bldg, NYC; also performed widely in Florida

and in Europe by Helene Williams;

prem. w/dancers: 6/23/91 Merkin Hall by Helene &

Wendy Osserman Dance Co., viewable on YouTube:

I’d Like to go Away Alone, op. 105

Published on

setting of poem by Alena Synkova (child survivor of Terezin)

Eng. tr. by Jeanne Nemcova, for Voice & Piano/Organ

(1’27”) 2/91, premiered at Merkin Hall 6/23/91 by

Helene Williams & Composer; recorded on

Songs of Conscience cassette 3/91 & CD 6/03;

arr. (op. 105A)  for Solo Soprano with SATB Chorus

& Piano/Organ; premiered by Cantor Susan Alcott,

Asbury Choir, Asbury United Methodist Church 4/27/95;

also performed by Helene Williams &

Workmen’s Circle Chorus, CUNY Graduate Ctr, 4/18/04

Journey of Life, op. 115

Published on

setting for Voice & Piano of poem by William Cullen Bryant

(3’43”) Summer, 1994, in memory of Arthur James;

premiered by Helene Williams & composer,

LICA Bryant Bicentennial Concert, Bryant Library 10/30/94

and SUNY-Purchase 11/3/94; recorded on Capstone CPS 8623

The William Cullen Bryant Bicentennial Concert

by The Long Island Composers Alliance

Rabbi & the Rich Man, The, op. 116

Published on

aka “The Parable of the Mirror,”

setting for voice & piano of text based on Hassidic legend,

used by S. Ansky in The Dybbuk

and by Bernard Malamud in Suppose A Wedding;

incorporated into one-act opera based on Malamud, op. 125.

Premiered 3/2/95 as part of A Blitzstein Cabaret,

Medicine Show, NYC; also at NOA Boston convention

symposium on Blitzstein’s Sacco and Vanzetti, 12/2/95

Longest Stairs, The, op. 117

Published on

setting of poem by Norman Rosten

from his Songs for Patricia

composed in his memory, 3/95 (81”)

version for voice & piano, premiered by

Helene Williams & composer, BargeMusic Bkln 4/4/95;

version for piano alone premiered 5/17/95

Borough Hall, Brooklyn

Song, op. 120A

Published on

2003 completion of 1925 13-measure sketch by Marc Blitztsein

on poem by Rupert Brooke, for Voice & Piano;

also arr. for SATB & Piano;

premiered by Helene Williams & Leonard Lehrman

and recorded by them 10/9/04 in Boulder, CO;

released on Original Cast Records OC 6127

The Marc Blitzstein Centennial Concert CD;

choral version premiered at Blitzstein Centennial concerts,

Feb.-Mar. 2005

Expatriate, op. 120 #1

Published on

#1 of Three Completions of Songs Begun by Marc Blitzstein

completion of musical sketch for voice & piano

begun by Marc Blitzstein to his lyrics from

No For An Answer Act II Scene 5

first presented 4/6/95 Madison WI Sonneck Society

first public performance 6/11/95 LICA concert,

Center Moriches Free Library

recorded by Leonard Lehrman, Orig Cast Records OC 4441

published in Marc Blitzstein Songbook, v. 1

(Boosey & Hawkes, 1999)

Sonnetina #9, op. 123

Published on

setting for voice & piano (3′) of sonnet by

Wiliam Kunstler on Corliss Lamont, Oct. 1995

Text: June 3, 1995

premiere by Janis Sabatino Hills & composer,

LICA concert, Adelphi Univ., 10/7/96

also performed by Helene Williams & composer, NCRRC,

Tamiment Library, NYU 6/19/08 in honor of

Kunstler’s widow, Marjorie Ratner Kunstler

Suppose A Wedding, op. 125

Published on

one-act opera (53′) after Scene from a Play

by Bernard Malamud, 4/96

concert premiere 9/2/96 IJAFLI, Suffolk Y, Commack

co-sponsored by LICA, Puffin Foundation,

East End Arts Council-NYFA SOS Grant;

staged premiere 6/1/97 LICA concert at

Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion, Manhattan

for soprano, mezzo, character tenor, high baritone,

male one-liner, piano/orch; publisher: Theodore Presser

as part of trilogy, Tales of Malamud –

intermezzo between Idiots First, op. 37 & Karla, op. 38

or independent work; includes Leon’s Arietta (2’30”)

and “The Rabbi and the Rich Man,” op. 116 (q.v.)

Cast: Ronald Edwards, Lenora Eve/Lucy Sorlucco,

Benjamin Spierman, Janis Sabatino Hills, Joel Ackerman;

directed & conducted from the piano by the composer

videotaped by Helene Williams – soon to be on YouTube

Harvard Hero for Our Time, A, op. 126

Published on

for voice & piano, words by composer (3′) 1996

on the Unabomber, Ted Kaczynski,

with reference also to Teddy Roosevelt, et al;

premiere by composer, Sanders Theater, Harvard, 6/6/96

also at Merrick Library LICA Concert honoring

80th Birthday of J. Willard Roosevelt, 1/18/98

Echo, op. 128

Published on

setting for 2 voices a cappella, 1996 of Christina Rossetti poem (3′)

premiered by Helene Williams & Ronald Edwards,

Kleine Szene, Saechsische Staatsoper, Dresden, Germany 7/2/96

and by Ron with Janis Sabatino Hills

at Adelphi University 10/7/96 (both LICA concerts);

also sung by Helene & Paul Sperry

on Composers Concordance concert  5/27/04

Mi Chamocha, op. 129 #6

Published on

#6 from Friday Evening Service, op. 129 (1996) in Hebrew (2′)

octatonic setting for solo voice & piano/organ

(w/optional unison chorus)

sung by Helene Williams on LICA concerts at

Malverne Community Presbyterian Church, 11/15/98

and Plainview-Old Bethpage Library 12/19/10

Suite(s) for Cello & Piano, op. 133

Published on

suite of 12 pieces in memory of Benar & Olga Heifetz (1997)

#1-6 and 7-12 may be performed as Suites #1 (16’45”) & 2 (16’30”)

1. A Light in the Darkness (2’15”)

2. The Shepherd (3’30”)

3. Thanatos (2’00”)

4. Eros (3’00”)

5. The Definition (2’00”)

6. The Moon (4’00”)

7. The Painted Veil (5’00”)

8. Night (1’00”)

9. Thinking of You (2’30”)

10. Don’t Ask (3’00”)

11. One Day (3’00”)

12. A Blessing (2’00”)

#1 performed at North Shore Synagogue, Syosset NY 4/11/97

and at subsequent Yom Kippur services, 1997-2000;

#1, 3 & 6 performed 8/20/99 Bryant Library (LICA)

Wild Nights, op. 137 #3

Published on

setting of poem (#249) by Emily Dickinson for voice & piano

#3 (of 3) from Emily Dickinson Song Cyclette, op. 137

premiered by Helene Williams & composer, 2/99 (LICA)

recorded on Capstone #CPS-8667:

Helene Williams sings More Songs of Love by LICA Composers

Faith, op. 138

Published on

setting of text by James Baldwin (3′)

for solo voice or SATB chorus & piano;

choral premiere, Malverne Community Presbyterian Church 11/15/98

solo premiere, Helene Williams & composer, Hofstra (LICA) 1/17/99

also sung by Faith Steinsnyder with composer at piano

8/16/09, 8/20/09, 8/8/10, 1/23/11 (Lehrman birthday concerts)

Alphabetical Song, op. 140

Published on

setting of 26 words, beginning with A-Z, text by composer

for voice & piano (1’00”)

inspired by & written as complement to

Daniel Dorff’s “Two Alphabetical Songs”

premiered (with them) by Helene Williams & Leonard Lehrman

8/20/99 Bryant Library (LICA) Lehrman Semi-Centennial Concert

What Can I Give?, op. 145

Published on

2-part canon with accompaniment (+optional bells)

setting of poem by Christina Rossettii (2′)

for Malverne Community Presbyterian Church Jr. Choir

premiered by them 12/17/00;

performed & recorded with bell choir,

St. George’s Church, Hempstead 12/10/06

Equatorial, op. 149 #18

Published on

setting of poem by Ian McBryde (3’15”),

#18 (finale) from An Australian Odyssey, op. 149;

premiered by Helene Williams & composer,

Bryant Library, Roslyn NY Dec. 2, 2001,

Chapel Off Chapel, Prahran, Melbourne, Jan. 5, 2002

Woman’s Song, op. 149 #17

Published on

setting of poem by Judith Wright (2’30”) –

quotes (Schubert’s) “Death and the Maiden,”

as the poem does; #17 from An Australian Odyssey,

op. 149; premiered by Helene Williams & composer,

Bryant Library, Roslyn NY Dec. 2, 2001,

Chapel Off Chapel, Prahran, Melbourne, Jan. 5, 2002