Chamber Music for Strings
As instructor of music theory and history and composer-in-residence at the Greenville Fine Arts Center, I have been privileged to work with many fine teachers and student performers in our strings chamber music classes. Many of these pieces were composed for them, and more are sure to follow. These are exceptional students, and I try simply to write them music that is truly new and interesting, yet within their technical grasp-- not "teaching music." Some of these pieces are clearly intended for professional players.
The style is variable-- sometimes Bartok-ish, sometimes jazzy, sometimes these elements and others in combination. I like to make textures colorful, and special effects are fairly frequent. Though I regard every piece as "serious," I have sometimes enjoyed cloaking serious musical materials with humor. Some of these pieces have programmatic content, but I like to think that the listener can ignore the program without compromising the listening experience.
Solos
Excerpts Present Affections (2000-2003)
Six movements, all deriving their melodic material from the first, played without break. In the Baroque, composers generally restricted a movement of a work to the expression of one state of the human mind, or affection, resulting in the single-mindedness typical of a movement in the Baroque style. Present Affections, loosely modeled on a Baroque solo sonata, takes a similar approach-- evoking, with a touch of humor, some common contemporary human states that have earned colorful mass-media labels. |
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Excerpt Polka Diabolique (2001)
Rendered with all the kinetic enthusiasm of an ordinary polka, this piece inconspicuously incorporates several humorous quotations (The Rite of Spring, Beer Barrel Polka, Night on Bald Mountain, The Twilight Zone, The Chicken Dance). A couple of sips from a strategically-placed beer stein, before, during or after the performance, will help set the mood. |
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An Afternoon in a Striped Balloon (1998)
A dreamy piece in moderate tempo. Piano part also designed for a young pianist. Available from Latham Music, Ltd. The Lorenz Corporation http://www.lorenz.com/product.aspx?id=730103. |
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Excerpt Hannah's Waltz (1996)
A jazz waltz/lullaby for a young soloist with piano accompaniment. Alternates between even 8ths and "swing" 8ths; some pizzicato. Available from Manduca Music Publications (#50269). www.manducamusic.com/Cello&Keyboard.htm |
Duets
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Symbionts (2010)
A symbiont is any organism involved in a symbiotic relationship. In mutualistic symbioses—such as the combination of fungus and algae in lichens, the honeybee and the clover it pollinates, or the clownfish and the anemone—the two organisms have evolved to the point that one can scarcely survive without the special services of the other. Here, the violin and viola sound closely related parts, often imitative and in the same general range, neither complete without the other. The degree of importance of the parts is equal and balanced throughout. There is a symmetry to the whole: movements I. and V. are different takes on the same material, as are movements II. and IV. Movement III. is unique—the one in which the two instruments combine to sound a single voice. Nice recording available. |
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Excerpts Contra-Dances (2002)
Though not stylized dances, these pieces are are vaguely suggestive of dancing in their motoric and somewhat repetitive rhythms; they are “contra” in that the two players frequently exchange roles. All are in rondo-like forms and employ various sorts of ostinati. I. Bow-Tied (3:15) is an all-pizzicato movement with A sections in a lopsided 3/4-7/8 meter and contrasting B sections with a somewhat Middle Eastern flavor; II. Multi-Plied (5:55) is a slow and pensive ABA moves in a more balletic fashion. In the outer sections, diatonic melodies float over colorful accompaniment patterns; the movement’s title is suggested by the manner in which the various tone colors and disjunct ranges give the illusion of more than two layers, or “plies.” In the middle section the two instruments discuss their relationship in a number of brief, lyrical canons; III. High-Fived (6:20) has an abundance of perfect fifths and a generally rough-hewn sound that lend this sonata-rondo the character of a rustic folk dance. Ending is humorous-- an actual high-five by the players. Nice recording available. Available from ISG Publications, www.isgpublications.com/Grier/grier.html |
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Significant Others (1994)
In 4 programmatic movements (the viola part is female, the bass part is a male jazz player): Written as a wedding present for friends, the sounds and the content invite the use of appropriate facial expressions and body language in performance. Awarded Honorable Mention in the 1997 International Society of Bassists Composition Contest. Nice recording available of performance at the 2000 Southeastern Composers' League Forum at UNC Greensboro. Available from Ludwin Music, www.ludwinmusic.com/10l.html. Version for Violin and ‘Cello available from the composer only. |
Trios
Excerpt Too Many Notes (2006)
This is a sonata with the usual order of exposition events reversed in the recapitulation. In honor of Mozart's 250th birthday and his always elegant treatment of sonata form-- which I have tried in my small way to emulate in this piece-- the retransition quotes the opening theme of the last movement of his 41st symphony. There are a number of rock-inspired motoric sections and a wide range of textural colors are included; solos for all players. Performed by the Fine Arts Center group for whom it was written at the 2006 Converse College High School Chamber Music Competition, where their performance won 1st place; a recording of this performance is available. |
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Ménage à Trio (1994)
Fast, turbulent, octatonic scales, textures and dynamics extremely varied. Good showpiece for all players. Available from Frank Warren Music Service. To purchase, go to few-music.com/buy.html. To view this publisher’s catalogue, go to few-music.com/2009Cat_FewMusic.pdf. |
Piano Trios
Excerpts Nostalgias (1991, revised 1997)
Commissioned by the Kandinsky Trio. Three programmatic movements: "Cantankerous" about my first car (moderate tempo, motoric, humorous, 4:35); "Cavernous" about an early teenage visit to Carlsbad Caverns (slow, lush and atmospheric, 6:15); and "Calamitous" about the torture of high school generally (turbulent, polyphonic, 9:00). Movements are somewhat interrelated. |
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Excerpt Death, Taxes, and Tristan (1992)
A send-up of the famous 1859 Prelude to Tristan und Isolde by Richard Wagner. The melodic material is derived (er, stolen...) from Wagner, and set in jazzy harmonies. Slow, romantic (duh), mostly in 3. Solos for all players, no swing rhythms. Available from Manduca Music Publications, www.manducamusic.com/ChamberTrios.htm. |
String Quartet
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Four Are in the River (2011)
The voice part may also be performed on violin, viola, clarinet, English horn, or alto saxophone; appropriate parts can be provided for this. In this case the poems should be recited before each corresponding movement. The piece in its full description is here. |
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Excerpts Edigitudes (2005)
Three Hollywood Stereotypes for String Quartet and Synthesized Sounds. I frequently complain about the effect that typical movie scores have had on much of the audience, conditioning them to react in a practically Pavlovian manner to hackneyed combinations of sounds. It seemed a good way to mock this whole state of affairs by indulging in exactly this sort of stereotyping, with tongue planted firmly in cheek. Requires an on-stage stereo system to play a CD of electronic sounds with which the group plays along; 2nd movement requires a large rain stick. Package includes performance CD & parts, rehearsal CD & parts, and score with set-up instructions. |
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Excerpt Scherzophrenia (2002)
This piece is generally turbulent, with frequent and sudden variations in texture, color, and mood. There are no literal repeats of any portion, though the melodic material adheres to a strict diet of minor 2nds and major and minor 3rds throughout. |
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Excerpt A Skeleton in the Closet (1999)
A comical Halloween-ish piece, with lots of special effects and stage antics; Halloween dressing-up is encouraged. Available from Latham Music, Ltd, www.lorenz.com/product.aspx?id=703316 |
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Excerpt September Blue (1999)
A bluesy piece in moderate tempo, designed for younger players. Some swing rhythms. |
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String Quartet #3 (the "Automotive," 1998)
Five sometimes ironic character pieces, describing automobiles (and one bulldozer) named after animals: I. Impala (fast, 7:18), II. Caterpillar (slow and ponderous, 3:00), III. Beetle (waltz, 4:06), IV. Jaguar (slow and lyrical, 8:37), and V. Mustang (fast, 6:06). There are some stage antics involving stomping feet, balloons, and a set of wrenches. Professionally recorded (Recordings). |
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Excerpt Holiday Jazz (1993)
11 traditional Yuletide melodies in jazz. The collection covers a wide variety of jazz and related styles. Titles include "We Wish You a Merry Tango," "Yeah, Joy," "Somebody Jingled My Bells" (includes a sleigh bells part for 2nd violin), "We Three Kings in 3 Be We," "Fiddlin' on the Housetop" (bluegrass), "Auld Lang Syne," and so on. Very suitable for December gigs. Some of these will also work with larger groups. Available from Latham Music, Ltd. (http://www.lorenz.com/product.aspx?id=703164) |
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Excerpts String Quartet #2 (the "Nautical", 1991, revised 1995)
Three character pieces: Outer movements exploit ostinati and humor. 2nd movement, slow and atmospheric, includes use of an unusual percussion instrument (played intermittently by the 2nd violin) called an Aqua-harp. Score includes instructions for ordering the Aqua-harp (about $160, very cool sound, a bit like whale song), or, alternately, using a kitchen pot partially filled with water (cheap, but less cool). Cellist also occasionally plays a simple shaker (about $2.50). For more detailed explanation before buying, request a complete copy of the performance notes from the score. Professionally recorded (Recordings). |
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String Quartet #1 ("Brieflets", 1989)
This is a set of 4 character pieces: Fidgeting, (2:20) about an audience member trying to get comfortable and stay awake; Mourning, (4:14) about a child who loses a beloved pet; Badgering, (2:01) about a nagging wife and her insensitive husband; and Panicking, (2:21) about a young musician waiting for an audition. Not computer notation, but very neatly manuscripted. Professionally recorded (Recordings). |
Larger Chamber Groups
Excerpt Passacaglia & Gigue (2000 / 2007)
A neoclassical work. The passacaglia is based upon the simple the 8-7-6-5 minor mode Baroque passacaglia bass ostinato. Mostly polyphonic, with a few coloristic passages; moderate tempo, parts very independent. The gigue is in imitative polyphony and in the typical rounded binary form. Both sections employ very contemporary harmony. Each section can be performed independently if desired. (Performance) |
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Excerpt The Number of Things (1999)
Commemorates the 25th Anniversary of the Greenville Fine Arts Center through the incorporation of the notes F, A, and C (with chromatic alterations), the street number of the Center's address (1613), and the numbers 5 and 25. Mostly fast and motoric, with a slower, lyrical section near the end. Includes some 4-mallet playing in marimba. Clarinet substitution for alto sax is very workable. Available also in arrangement for Chamber Orchestra, adding percussion and bass parts and changing the solo part to clarinet. |
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Excerpt Take Me Out to the Ball Game (arr. 1998)
A comedic theater piece that includes various silly quotations. Performers dress like three baseball players and one umpire; foam rubber baseballs are hit with a viola; the 4th viola is eventually thrown out of the concert for protesting the umpire's call of three wrong notes in a row. Not for anyone who thinks such things should be formal. Available from Latham Music, Ltd. |
String Quintet/String Orchestra
Excerpt A Stitch in Time (1992)
A moderate tempo etude employing jazz rhythms and harmony, with numerous special effects, including col legno battuto and some unpitched vocalizing. The 2nd part could be played by violin or viola, and the bottom part by bass and/or 'cello. Also performable by a larger string orchestra. Available from Frank Warren Music Service (W-120). |
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Excerpt A Moment's Notice (1990)
Adagio, espressivo, some jazz harmony. Mostly in chorale texture; pensive, reflective. 1st violin carries the most of the melody, with a solo for the 3rd & 4th parts in the middle. Flexible instrumentation: 3rd voice playable by violin and/or viola, 4th voice by viola and/or 'cello, and 5th voice by 'cello and/or bass. Can be performed as a chamber piece or by a larger string orchestra. |
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Excerpt Allegretto Animoso (1985; revised 1987, previously titled String Thing)
Can be done as chamber music, or with a larger string orchestra. Brief sonata form, fast, syncopated, loosely tonal, emphasis on perfect intervals and tritones. 1st theme in 1st violin, 2nd in viola & cello. This was published in 1988 by Warner Brothers, but is out of print; as of now you can only get it directly from me. |