Commissioned by National Musical Arts, Washington, DC,  in celebration of the quincentennial of Columbus' "discovery of America".

Alice Weinreb, flute; Elisabeth Adkins and Sally McLain, violins, Daniel Foster, viola; David Teie, 'cello.

mvt I. - 'Suite Discovery' for flute and string quartet (with amplification and reverb)

'Canonic Polemic' for clarinet, cello and piano

Live recording from Embassy of the Netherlands, Washington, D.C.

Trinity Mvt. I.aiff

The second movement is evocative of La Danse (Dance), painted in 1910 during Matisse's early Fauve period. Five primitive-looking nude figures in a circle dance are depicted in a strong red color against a background of green, with deep blue sky. The musical movement likewise is also rather "in
your face" and employs original material along with French folk-dance tunes, often imitating the sound of cabrettes, which sound a bit like small bagpipes, and other folk instruments.

Evocations: Four after Matisse for saxophone quartet - II. La Danse (entire mvt.)

The fourth painting, 'Pianiste et joueurs de dames' (Pianist and Checker Players) was painted only two years later, in 1924, but could hardly be more different in style. It is one of Matisse's "family portraits", set in his Nice apartment; in the absence of his family, Matisse uses stand-in models for his
daughter, playing the piano, and his two sons, playing a game of checkers. While these two-dimensional figures' activities sound serene enough, the highly contrasting wallpapers, oriental carpet and other background objects viewed from different angles are extremely busy and rhythmic. Add to this
motion the downward "pull" of the lower portion of the painting and there is a plethora of activity. Influenced also by an account by Henri's son, Pierre, as to what an actual scene with piano and checker players would evolve into at the Matisse household, the composer was motivated to employ a variety of very "active" thematic materials, presented in a highly layered "counterpoint of characters", rather helter-skelter at times.
An additional note of interest is that in 1941, 'Pianiste et joueurs de dames' was one of the paintings confiscated from Jewish collections and transferred to Nazi Hermann Goring's personal art gallery in Paris. The painting was fortunately recovered and returned to its owner in 1946; it now resides in the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C.

Evocations: Four after Matisse for saxophone quartet - IV. Pianiste et joueurs de dames (excerpt)

Cycle de Vie was commissioned by an anonymous patron for bassoonist Truman Harris and National Musical Arts (members of the National Symphony), to whom the work is dedicated.

With the bassoon always as protagonist, the musical characters interact in much the same ways as do human beings during the various stages of the life cycle, from a 'simultaneous monologue' type of conversation in childhood during which youngsters listen and contribute to one another's ideas only occasionally, to violent clashes and rapidly changing moods of adolescence and passions of early adulthood, to a more peaceful coexistence with one's peers upon maturity, finally culminating in the acceptance of solitude and communication with one's inner self during the latter days of life.

Cycle de Vie for bassoon and string quartet

'Prelude and Variations' was premiered by pianist Rebecca LaBrecque in New York's Carnegie Recital Hall (now Weill) on February 5, 1982, on a program titled 'New American Music for Piano'.
NEW YORK POST, Robert Kimball: "Clare Shore's Prelude and Variations had a good deal of contrast and variety and showed her to be a promising young composer." (2/11/82)
NEW YORK TIMES, John Rockwell: "...earnest blends of chromaticism and neo-Classicism" (2/9/82)
NEW YORK TIMES, Bernard Holland: "...interesting contrapuntal writing..." (2/8/82)

Prelude And Variations I.

GRAVE NUMBERS for voice and guitar (or vibraphone) sets to music four poems of Blanche Farley from a chapbook bearing the same title.
In the first song, "Grave Numbers", a mother speaks to her child from the grave.
The second song, "Alzheimers", is a musical depiction of the chaos and anxiety brought about by the disease as well as the frustration and anger experienced by the primary caregiver. "Alder Moon", which follows, is a statement of despair and hopelessness that accompanies the realization of the finality of
death.
"Self-Healing" invites the reader/listener to revel in the cyclical phenomenon of nature; "... one day soon the sun will shift and knit the raw edges ...".

Grave Numbers was premiered on the AMERICAN COMPOSERS: THEIR MUSIC AND THEIR MUSES series at Strathmore Hall Arts Center, Bethesda, Maryland, on October 7, 1988, by Marilyn Boyd DeReggi, soprano; and David Perry, guitar.

'Grave Numbers' for voice and guitar  " 1. Grave Numbers"

Premiere Performance Series, Embassy of the Netherlands, 1997
Allison Potter, fl; Michael Ellert, bn; Monique Buzzarte, trb;
Michael Rosensky, gtr; Eric Phinney, perc; Kristen Conn, pft;
Carolyn Stuart, vn; Elizabeth Derderian Wood, va; Elaine Boda, vc; Alexander Jiménez, conductor. 


Trinity III. (entire mvt.)

Premiere Performance Series, Embassy of the Netherlands, 1997
Allison Potter, fl; Michael Ellert, bn; Monique Buzzarte, trb;
Michael Rosensky, gtr; Eric Phinney, perc; Kristen Conn, pft;
Carolyn Stuart, vn; Elizabeth Derderian Wood, va; Elaine Boda, vc; Alexander Jiménez, conductor.

Trinity II. (entire mvt. - segue to III.)

Trinity I. (entire mvt.)

Suitable for small or large choruses, Clare Shore's 'Three a cappella Carols' utilize traditional English texts in new musical settings.
Performed as a set, the three songs offer contrast in style and length, beginning with two brief carols - a jubilant Joy to the World, followed by the more somber Silent Night - and culminating in the lively Good King Wenceslas, with optional solos. The carols are accessible to the listener and are suitable for sacred or secular occasions.

Good King Wenceslas

Silent Night

Joy To The World

WASHINGTON POST, Joseph McLellan (from the "Best of 1992"): "Has the world heard enough music about Christopher Columbus to get us through the next hundred years? Last week I thought so, but after hearing the world premiere of Clare Shore's  "Suite Discovery", I think we must make room for one more. Shore fills her agenda ... effectively and musically ... she conveys the awe, excitement and anxiety, the sense of mystery and adventure associated with the idea and act of discovery ... It is an intriguing work, and its dimensions were set forth clearly and powerfully..." (12/14/92)

Suite Discovery for Flute and String Quartet - I. Terra Incognita

Each movement of 'River Songs' for alto saxophone and piano was inspired by a cherished day trip experiencing the beauty of one of Florida's natural waterways. Whether daydreaming while lazily paddling along near-currentless crystaline water, or fiercely paddling to escape a  snouted beast whose prey has been unwittingly alerted, the feelings experienced while coexisting with fellow creatures in the wild are among life's golden moments.

The dreamy first movement, "Peace at Dawn," alternates between sections of very loosely notated music which gives the performers certain parameters within which to interact, and sections of traditionally notated music. The vivacious second movement, "Juniper Run," sports obvious jazz influence and has a homophonic underpinning combined with horizontal lines which sound almost improvisatory at times, but are strictly notated.

'River Songs' was written for Alan Theisen, alto saxophone; and Jennifer Reason, piano; and was premiered by them at the Festival of New Music (FeNAM) in Sacramento, CA, on November 11, 2016.

"Juniper Run" from 'River Songs' for alto saxophone and piano

"Peace at Dawn" from 'River Songs' for alto saxophone and piano

(Premiered by Dannel Espinoza, March 7, 2020 at NASA Biennial Conference, Tempe, AZ)

PROGRAM NOTE:
 Over the past few years I’ve discovered a stress-busting technique which helps me recover from a period of extreme duress:

The first day of my escape to New Orleans is perhaps spent mostly alone in bed, staring at the walls of my hotel room, trying to sort out the events leading up to my current state. Even after drifting off to sleep my being struggles with demons which are determined to overtake me until a scream from deep within awakens me.

The next day venturing out from my “cell,” I wander through the streets of the French Quarter, encountering a sweet plethora of aural delights blending into one another like a pot of slow-cooked gumbo: a choir rehearsing in the cathedral; all varieties of street musicians; club music wafting out into the street ... voilá … Elliott Carterian layers!

Energized, I stride along the river walk, chuckling at the river boat's out-of-tune calliope sounds, which remind me that Harrah's casino is nearby. It calls to me ... was I really in a state of despair only a few hours ago?

Upon my return to St. Peter Street I drop by the Gumbo Shop for Miss Shirley’s special. Afterward, she sings “Happy Birthday” to me – what a set of pipes!

Nightfall descends; mmm, mmm, my palate has been totally cleansed and I’m ready to experience the next course that tomorrow brings.

                  -- Clare Shore

'Palate Cleanser' for soprano saxophone and fixed media (semifinal version, MP3)

*Many more soundfiles are located at www.ClareShore.com
Clare Shore, the second woman to earn the Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Composition from The Juilliard  School, has received critical acclaim for her works, with reviewers from the New York Times, New York Post, Boston Globe, Washington Post and others hailing her works as "provocative" … "immensely  dramatic" … ""unpretentious" … "ingenious and evocative" … "intriguing" … "romantic to the core". While at  Juilliard Ms. Shore studied with David Diamond, Vincent Persichetti and Roger Sessions, and subsequently with Gunther Schuller. Since then, she has received numerous commissions, awards, and grants, including a  Composer Fellowship from the National Endowment for the Arts.
Shore has served on the faculties of Fordham University, Manhattan School of Music, the University of Virginia, George Mason University, and Palm Beach Atlantic University. She currently holds an exclusive publishing contract with E.C. Schirmer. Her works are recorded on CRS, Owl Recordings, and Opus One, produced by Grammy Award-winning Elite Recordings.

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