Chamber Music

Growth of a composer

This quartet was written over a period for 27 years. The first two movements were written in the summer of 1993, and the final two movements were written in the winter for 2020-21. I've been facinated by the Appalachian hymn tune Wonderous Love since I first played it in a Norman Luboff song book. Each movement is based loosely on the tune. The entire quartyet is a mediation on Love as it is expressed through nature, juman sociaety, romance and through Divine Love. 
1. Allegro non troppo - Sonata Allegro Form
2. Scherzo - Presto - Fugue
3. Andante affetuoso - Song Form surrounding a modified chaconne. 
4 Moderato - Double Fugue and Chorale

String Quartet (Wondrous Love)

Sonata For Cello And Piano

The Power Of Ten

Still Life With Viola

This is a duet for flute and clarinet dedicated to Eric Dolphy

Fantasy And Fugue For Flute And Clarinet

Pastorale And Fugue For Oboe And Bassoon

This was my first full orchestral piece. It was commissioned by the Cannon Valley Orchestra in 1980. I was 19. 

Each movement of the piece was inspired by a different early 20th century technique and composer. 
I. Brass Chorale - inspired by Stravinsky and using "wrong note" harmony. 
II. Nocturne - Inspired by Ives and using twelve note chords. Scored for strings and solo trumpet. 
III. Scherzo - inspired by Bartok (maybe too literally) and using modalism and more wrong note harmony.

Three Bagatelles For Orchestra

Pastorale for Mixed Ensemble Audio

Pavane for Mixed Ensemble Lento

Brass Quartet (1981)

Written in 1981, when I was 19 years old, this piece was commissioned by the Cannon Valley Orchestra in Rice Country Minnesota. It was the first larger scale composition I wrote and the beginning of my first stylistic period.

String Quartet (Wondrous Love)

Christopher Gordon Forbes