From the category archives:
Clarinet Rhapsody for clarinet and orchestra (1979) mp3
Music: Roger Bourland
Performers: Gunther Schuller conducts Collage (Sanders Theater)
Publisher: Associated Music Publishers
[Audio clip: view full post to listen]
This piece was commissioned by my old classmate, John Strickler, who at this time was a doctoral student in conducting at USC and wanted a contemporary work for his final [...]
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The Smiling Spider for soprano, soprano sax, viola, cello, and piano (1983) mp3
Words and music: Roger Bourland (quotes from Charlie Chaplin)
Performers: Composers in Red Sneakers, Karen McVoy, soprano
Publisher: Yelton Rhodes Music
[Audio clip: view full post to listen]
The story behind this piece is actually pretty funny. The Composers in Red Sneakers decided to offer their “Concert [...]
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Recent Dreams for horn trio (1989) mp3
Music: Roger Bourland
Performers: Richard Todd, horn, Debra Price, violin, Delores Stevens, piano
Publisher: Yelton Rhodes Music
[Audio clip: view full post to listen]
Commissioned by Pacific Serenades, “Recent Dreams” was written during a period when I was having a lot of vivid dreams. Each morning, after waking up, I made musical sketches [...]
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Glamour & Eros (1987/90) mp3
for alto saxophone and electronics
Music: Roger Bourland
Performer: Greg Chambers, saxophone
Yelton Rhodes Music
[Audio clip: view full post to listen]
Glamour and Eros was originally commissioned by Jack Elliott and the New American Orchestra who specialized in orchestral jazz. Jack came up with the idea of including 3 Yamaha DX7s and an EWI [...]
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Mirabell (1991) mp3
Music: Roger Bourland
Performer: William Powell, clarinet
Yelton Rhodes Music
[Audio clip: view full post to listen]
Portable Rhapsody No.3 “Mirabell” for clarinet and tape was written for and dedicated to William Powell. “Mirabell” is a character in James Merrill’s epic The Changing Light at Sandover. Mirabell is a young mischievous spirit that speaks to [...]
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NOSTOS (1982) mp3
for flute, alto flute, soprano and alto saxophones, clarinet and bass clarinet
Music: Roger Bourland
Ensemble: Composers in Red Sneakers, Concert 7
Conductor: Theodore Antoniou
Yelton Rhodes Music
[Audio clip: view full post to listen]
In my composer-biography phase of movie watching lately I watched biographies of Rachmaninov and Tchaikovsky. Both tremendously popular composers, but both lived with nostos [...]
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For readers who wish to find CDs with music by Roger Bourland, here is a discography.
Wind Song (2007)
Marijim Thoene (organ) and Anne Chabreck (flute)
Composition: Cantilena for flute and organ (1981)
Format: compact disc
Purchase
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Saxtronic Soundscape (2007)
Douglas Masek, saxophone
Composition: Glamour and Eros (1989) for alto sax and accompaniment
Format: compact disc
Purchase
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Live in Poland (2006)
Boston Gay Men’s Chorus
Composition: A More [...]
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Waltz Nr.70 for violin and piano (1989) mp3
[Audio clip: view full post to listen]
“Waltz Nr.70″ was composed for a festshrift for Leon Kirchner’s 70th birthday. I never heard the piece until some friends played it at a party last year. I quoted it in “Recent Dreams” for horn trio.
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CaLibration Music (1991)
for woodwind quintet and string quartet mp3[Audio clip: view full post to listen]
Music: Roger Bourland
Publisher: Yelton Rhodes Music
CaLibration Music was commissioned by the California chapter of the Music Library Association. This group put on a concert that featured Los Angeles composers, I being one and sadly not at the performance, and my piece [...]
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Stories We Tell for cello quartet (1998) mp3
[UCLA Students] Hillary Smith, Bryan West, Jennifer Li, Christopher Ahn cellos.
[Audio clip: view full post to listen]
Stories We Tell was commissioned by the Concord Community Music School for their 1998 Anniversary Weekend. Students are in their early teens and get lessons and coaching from the schools instructors.
In this [...]
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