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Notes from a Composer
Category Archives: Chamber Works
The Birthday Evocation Born in a Memorial Service
It’s Ed’s birthday today. Happy Birthday, Love. And as is tradition now in our relationship, I will gift Ed another viola/piano duet I compose for the occasion, each one called “Evocation”. This year my husband will receive Evocation … Continue reading
Posted in Beginnings, Chamber Works
Tagged 15th Street, Alzheimers, chamber music, chamber piece, duet, Evocation, Evocation XXIV, Friends of Friend, KenKen, Meeting House, memorial, New York Times, piano, Quaker, service, Vince Buscemi, Viola
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MANHATTAN BRIDGE and Associates
A Grab Bag of Bridge Photos, Bridge Songs and Bridge Memories. Art Garfunkel lays himself down like a bridge: Bridge Memory #1 (Spies and Walls) Adele’s love ain’t water under the bridge:
Posted in Beginnings, Chamber Works, Melodies Linger On, Two-fisted Touristing
Tagged Adele, Blondie, Bridge, Bridge of Spies, Bridge Over Troubled Water, Fellowship of the Ring, Glee, Kate Bush, Manhattan, Manhattan Bridge, Pantanal, photos, Simon and Garfunkel, Spreewald, Stevie Wonder
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HAPPY HALLOWEEN with Notes from a Composer
As Halloween falls on a Monday this year, I think it makes sense to call this a long Halloween Weekend. Much costumed celebrating and ghoulish goings-on will have already begun yesterday and continue through today and Sunday into the official … Continue reading
Take a Cool Musical Journey through the Spree Forest Canals during these Dog Days of Summer
Last July I posted a four part series on the Spreewald, or Spree Forest (one, two, three, four), the fabulous “rural Venice” an hour south of Berlin, Germany. The series included an elaborate photo tour of the region, and music … Continue reading
Posted in Chamber Works, Two-fisted Touristing
Tagged chamber music, chamber piece, flute, gurken, harp, pickles, schmalzbrot, Spree Forest Suite, Spreewald, Spreewaldlieder
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The 23rd Evocation for Viola and Piano on the Occasion of Edward’s 57th Birthday.
Today that handsome fellow pictured above, who also just happens to be my sainted husband, Edward Elder, turns 57. And, as has become tradition in our 23 years plus together, one of the birthday presents he receives from me … Continue reading
Posted in Chamber Works
Tagged birthday, chamber music, chamber piece, duet, Edward Elder, Evocation, music, piano, sightreading, Viola
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WIN A MUSICAL DOWNLOAD!
OK, I’m feeling a little silly and in the mood for a puzzle. I just posted this tweet: “I finished a composition la la la la Part of a cycle 23 years (& counting) in the making la la … Continue reading
A Funeral – Ein Begräbnis
My father would have turned 82 today. Friday, April 29 – Funeral Service in Stahnsdorf Cemetery
A Halloween Treat: THE TELL-TALE HEART – A MUSICABRE and the roommate from hell who planted its seed
Just in time for Halloween the Tell-Tale Heart page goes live today, showcasing the audio of a live performance of my musical adaptation of Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Tell-Tale Heart”. The Tell-Tale Heart is the ultimate bad roommate story, as … Continue reading
Posted in Beginnings, Chamber Works, Literary Lyricism, Musicabilia
Tagged alcohol abuse, Americana, cello, chamber opera, cocaine, Edgar Allan Poe, Edward Franko, festival, Halloween, literature, madness, Metropolitan Playhouse, monologue, murder, musical, Poe, psychopath, roommate, The Tell-Tale Heart
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EVOCATION II – Double Stop Etude or Relationship Elegy?
There were about 200 wedding guests present when Ed and I got married (the first time) April 25, 1998. It took at least an hour for the reception line to make its full way past us. And with the expected … Continue reading
Posted in Beginnings, Chamber Works, LGBTQ Alphabet Soup
Tagged birthday, chamber piece, classical music, composing, computer, dark night of the soul, double stop, duet, Evocation, LGBT, piano, Viola, virtuoso, wedding
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EVOCATION I – Happy Birthday, Ed, Now Pull Out Your Viola!
Today is my husband Edward Elder’s birthday. He is the mustachioed fellow in the picture above. One of my birthday gifts for him is a new viola/piano duet. He plays the viola, I play the piano. It has become a … Continue reading
Posted in Beginnings, Chamber Works
Tagged birthday, chamber music, classical music, composing, computer, double stop, duet, Edward Elder, Evocation, Finale, Finale '98, Finale 2014, glissando, music, piano, Viola
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A SPREE FOREST MUSICAL EXCURSION Part 4 (It’s been epic, wouldn’t you say…?)
And we are back for the final installment of our musical and photographic excursion into the Spreewald(lieder) – Spree Forest (Suite). (Head here and here and here for the first three parts.) The Duo Elysée performed Spreewaldlieder in concert on … Continue reading
Posted in Chamber Works, Two-fisted Touristing
Tagged bisbigliando, classical music, concert music, duet, Duo Elysee, flute, Germany, glissando, harp, song cycle, Spreewald, sunset, tourism, train, wild flowers
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A SPREE FOREST MUSICAL EXCURSION Part 3
And we’re back for Part 3 of the Spree Forest day trip and the Spreewaldlieder song cycle for flute and harp. (Head back here for Part 1 and Part 2) My favorite compliment I have received for the Spreewaldlieder song … Continue reading
Posted in Chamber Works, Two-fisted Touristing
Tagged bier, bier garden, boatride, canals, chamber music, classical music, concert, duet, farm country, flute, Germany, harp, hiking, pedals, schnapps, Spreewald, tourism, waterways
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A SPREE FOREST MUSICAL EXCURSION Part 2
Welcome back to the Spree Forest and the Spreewaldlieder song cycle for flute and harp. (Head here for Part 1 if you missed it.) When I got the commission from the Duo Elysée I was excited to compose for flute … Continue reading
Posted in Chamber Works, Two-fisted Touristing
Tagged canals, canoe, chamber music, classical music, duet, farmland, flute, Germany, harp, nature, pickles, reflections, song cycle, Spreewald, tourism, water
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A SPREE FOREST MUSICAL EXCURSION Part 1
Let’s take a musical trip to the one-of-a-kind Spreewald. The Spreewald (AKA the Spree Forest) is a gorgeous region, a kind of rural Venice located an hour southeast of Berlin, Germany in the source of the Spree River (which flows … Continue reading
Posted in Chamber Works, Two-fisted Touristing
Tagged Berlin, canals, chamber music, classical music, concert, duet, farmland, flute, Germany, gondolier, harp, nature, rural, song cycle, Spreewald, tourism, Venice
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