Two Songs for the OPP by Paul Blackburn

I.

Stay drunk!
that's my motto. 
Then you'll never have to know
if the girl love you or no
                                      (hee   hee hee
                                       nor will she

II.

Play gui-
tar, go to the bar
hope there's one hand will caress
and undress
But pints to go
before you sleep
                                    (har,   har,
                                     nobody care

Nikki Einfeld, Soprano
Left Coast Chamber Ensemble
Matilda Hofman, Conductor

Brooklyn Narcissus

Two Songs for the OPP for Soprano and Ensemble (2022)

Written for the New Mexico Contemporary Ensemble

Sounds like if Bruckner wrote a New Orleans funeral dirge in the style of DuFay

Fauxbourdon after Ellington for Open Instrumentation (2022)

Written for the New Mexico Contemporary Ensemble
http://www.nmcontemporaryensemble.org

How did you celebrate Book I of the Well-Tempered Clavier turning 300?

1722 for Open Instrumentation (2022)

Sharon Harms, Soprano
The Lyris String Quartet

Text by Fernando Pessoa
Translations by the composer

Link to text:
https://static1.squarespace.com/static/604e5a25dad32a12b2420c4a/t/65da47a1667b19235f71e5fe/1708804001702/CDD+-+Text+%26+Notes+Only.pdf

Da Capo al Fine - Tabacaria

Intervalo XII

Canção VI - Adiamento (Contrafacta for Sharon)

MOVEMENT VI - Intervalo XI

Sphinx II

Intervalo X

Canção V - Fuga

MOVEMENT V - Intervalo IX

Intervalo VIII - In Memoriam Big Bob

Canção IV - Fresta

MOVEMENT IV - Intervalo VII

Intervalo VI - Ricercar for Lyris

Canção III - Qualquer Música

MOVEMENT III - Intervalo V

Sphinx I

Intervalo IV

Canção II

MOVEMENT II - Intervalo III

Intervalo II

Canção I - Praeludium

MOVEMENT I - Intervalo I

Introdução - Tabacaria

A Concertino for Trombone and Ensemble.

"Pack up all my care and woe
Here I go, singing low
Bye-bye, blackbird"

2017-05-11: Noon Concert, Works by graduate student composers

Sing Low for Trombone and Ensemble (2017)

Er-Gene Kahng - Violin
Christian Baldini - Conductor
Camellia Symphony Orchestra

"Like the lights of home before me
Or an angel, who's watching over me
This will be my shining hour
'Till I'm with you again"

- Johnny Mercer

Sing High for Violin and Orchestra

Sing High for Violin and Orchestra (2018)

Sharon Harms - Soprano
James Baker - Conductor
Conference Ensemble

Poem by Paul Blackburn
Copyright © by Joan Blackburn.

https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/55511/brooklyn-narcissus

Brooklyn Narcissus II for Soprano and Chamber Orchestra (2019)

Brooklyn Narcissus I for Soprano Solo (2017)

Beethausenstro - Castockhoven for Two Pianos & Auxiliary Percussion (2020)

Program Notes:

Diabelli’s commission for a single variation from Beethoven yielded thirty-three variations; a set of variations that attempt to best Bach’s Goldberg. Receiving a similar commission from HereNowHear, founded to perform Stockhausen’s Mantra, I knew I wanted to compose more than one variation, but as an opponent to “best” I decided to focus on beating the Beethoven of Rage, who was younger than I am when he composed it. How does one best a Beethoven not quite thirty? What do I know that he did not? I know late Beethoven and Mantra.

Stockhausen has said of Mantra that it begins with the shortest introduction in the history of music. Finding this statement ridiculous, I decided to expand his introduction, which is a small rhythmic cell that grows proportionately to itself. The cell, in theory, could go on forever. Beethausenstro—Castockhoven is an amalgam of Stockhausen’s Mantra introduction with Beethoven’s Rage and late style.

Beethausenstro—Castockhoven is scored for two pianos with auxiliary percussion. It is a set of three variations that cycle strictly through the opening sixty-four bars of Rage. The first variation is a prelude to the second, a fugue. The fugue is composed in the style of late Beethoven, considering as a model the fugue from Hammerklavier. The final variation acts as a postlude, slowly becoming the opening harmonic framework of Rage. The title of my work builds from a Stockhausen work, Beethausen—Stockhoven. I am grateful to Ryan McCullough and Andrew Zhou for this opportunity to write for them. Happy 250th birthday to Ludwig van Beethoven, that sweet creature of bombast.

Beethausenstro - Castockoven for Two Pianos (2020)

Chris Castro is a composer and double bassist from Brooklyn, New York. He is a recipient of Chamber Music America's 2021 Classical Commissioning Award, where one of the jurors described his music as “On par with Varèse,” giving him the nickname “The New Colossus of Sound.” His new work, Canções dos Desassossego (Songs of Disquiet), will be written for the Lyris Quartet and soprano Sharon Harms and premiered in 2023. His music has been performed by Sharon Harms and the Composers Conference Ensemble under James Baker (Two Songs from Brooklyn Narcissus), the St. Louis Symphony under David Robertson (Choruses III), pianists Sarah Cahill and Eric Zivian (IV - I), piano duo HereNowHear (Beethausenstro - Castockhoven) and the Lydian String Quartet (Choruses IV). He is the 2022 Guest Composer for the James Tenney Memorial Symposium, composing and collaborating with the New Mexico Contemporary Ensemble. Starting in August he will join the faculty of Chapman University as Assistant Professor of Composition. He has a Ph.D. in Composition and Theory from University of California, Davis and a Bachelor's in Music from the Juilliard School in both double bass and composition.

Website: https://www.chriscastrocomposer.com

Contact: crcastro36@gmail.com

Selected list of works:
Lines for Flute(s), Percussion, Harp, Viola, & Cello (2024)
Forms & Doubles for Flute(s) and Viola (2024)
Two Partsongs for Treble Voices (2024)
Canções dos Desassossego (Songs of Disquiet) for Soprano and String Quartet (2023)
Á la tienne! for Speaking Pianist (2023)
Eight Pops & A Center Pop for Contralto, Viola, Cello, and Organ (2023)
Snow White & Rose Red for Storyteller and Orchestra (2023)
Two Songs & Two Doubles for Voice and Well-Tempered Clavier (2023)
Miroirs Obscurcis for Well-Tempered Clavier (2023)
1722 for Open Instrumentation (2022)
Fauxbourdon After Ellington for Open Instrumentation (2022)
Two Songs for the OPP (from Brooklyn Narcissus) for Soprano and Chamber Ensemble (2022)
Clock-a-clay for Piano Trio (2021)
Beethausenstro - Castockhoven for Two Pianos (2020)
La for Alto Flute, Bass Clarinet, and Viola (2019)
Brooklyn Narcissus II for Soprano and Chamber Orchestra (2019)
Coyote Goes To The Sky & Birds Of Fortune: Two Stories for Storyteller, Flute, Cello, and Percussion (2019)
Sing High for Violin and Orchestra (2018)
Easy & Sad for Seven players (2018)
Choruses IV for String Quartet (2017)
IV - I for Two Pianos (2017)
Choruses III for Chamber Orchestra (2017)
Music for the short-film 'Postmodern Love' (2017)
A Drinking Song for SATB Choir (2017)
Brooklyn Narcissus I for Solo Soprano (2017)
Sing Low for Trombone and Ensemble (2017)
Choruses II for Violin and Piano (2016)
Ruines for Flute and Chamber Ensemble (2016)
Cavatine for Orchestra (2016)
Nocturne for Flute, Clarinet, Cello (2015)
Scherzo for Flute, Oboe, Clarinet (2015)
Cavatine for Solo Cello (2015)
Variations on an Original Theme for Clarinet, Violin, and Piano (2015)
Choruses I for String Quartet (2015)
Storm Fear for Mezzo-soprano and Piano (2014)
Poseidon's Steeds for Women's Choir and Organ (2014)
Movement for Piano (2014)
Etude for Percussion and Electronics (2013)
Fantasy on a Theme of James Bassi (backwards) for Flute, Clarinet, Violin, Viola, and Cello (2013)
Maw for String Quartet (2012)
Brooklyn Hymn-Variations for Saxophone Ensemble (2012)
Song of Quietness for SATB Chorus (2012)
Hymn and Fuguin' Tune for Cello Duo (2011)
When Jesus Wept (After Billings) for Brass Quintet (2011)
Monolith (A Symphonic Sketch) for Orchestra (2010)
Kyrie for SATB Chorus (2010)
Burn Like Roman Candles for Big Band (2009)
Suite for Double Bass (2008)
Nothing for String Quartet (2008)
Essay for Orchestra (2007)

Chris Castro

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