Name: Sirocco: Opening Dance by warrenparkmusic
Duration: 4 min 24 s
Description: This the the opening scene from a wonderful full-length dance work called Sirocco. It starts out spooky but then jumps into a complicated 5+6 time signature. This is written for chamber orchestra, performed by the Garritan Personal Orchestra (computer synth voices).

I love the varied textures and the sense of mystery and intrigue!

Interesting change of mood, rhythm, and tonality!

Like the addition of reeds, including bassoon

Lush song written and sung originally by John Koerner from Minneapolis and covered by Bonnie Raitt on her first record which she gave a bit more upbeat, folky spin to.  I always admired John and his partner Willie Murphy's skill for sketching out just what it's like to be longing for something different to happen and not quite knowing who to get it there.

This Feels Like Where I Came In

I Ain't Blue

Score/parts: M Mauldin, computer-engraved, download at https://michaelmauldin.musicaneo.com/sheetmusic/sm-329345_fajada_butte_an_epiphany.html  The complete track: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y-pxMFLtd34.

Excerpt from "Fajada Butte: An Epiphany". Tonal/modal, richly-orchestrated music, inspired by the sights, smells, shadows & grandeur of the scenic and spiritual landscape of New Mexico.

Commissioned by: The New Mexico Symphony Orchestra, Yoshimi Takeda, Music Director, and dedicated to Ellie Scott, "a close friend of the symphony, whose spirited appearance in New Mexico showered the arts with energies that will live indefinitely."  Premiere: NMSO (Takeda), March 11/12, 1983, Popejoy Hall, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque NM.

Recording: By the New Mexico Symphony Orchestra, conducted by the composer, on the CD "Enchanted Land" produced by M Mauldin.  Also recorded by the Kiev Philharmonic, conducted by Robert Ian Winstin, on Volume 9 of the Masterworks of the New Era produced by ERM Media.  Winstin sent Mauldin this note during the recording sessions:  "I am gaga over Fajada Butte: Epiphany.  It just seems to really resonate with me - with it's very snappy rhythms and terrific musical line."

Review: https://www.amazon.com/review/R3TL6QDLJ7K1D0/ref=cm_cr_dp_title?ie=UTF8&ASIN=B000CAANWI&channel=detail-glance&nodeID=5174&store=music

More info: http://mikemauldin.com/index.php/compositions

Fajada Butte - An Epiphany

This is a short piece written for dance, scored for a six or so instruments from the Garritan Personal Orchestra (synth voices). This has an interesting time signature of shifting threes and twos.

Sirocco: Slow Dance

This the the opening scene from a wonderful full-length dance work called Sirocco. It starts out spooky but then jumps into a complicated 5+6 time signature. This is written for chamber orchestra, performed by the Garritan Personal Orchestra (computer synth voices).

Sirocco: Opening Dance

Here is a recording I did at home on my grand. It's a solo piano piece that represents the feeling of someone learning how to ride a bike, the exuberance, comfort and security of finally knowing how to make this machine work. But in the middle section, the rider is suddenly feeling very unbalanced and out of control, followed by a return to the home block and familiarity once again.

My First Bicycle (piano solo)

These five short saxophone quartet pieces all are intended to represent the attitude and personality of imaginary old mechanical toys. Soprano, alto, tenor and baritone saxophones. Live performance. Sheet music is available at www.warrenparkmusic.com

Old American Mechanical Toys  #4

Old American Mechanical Toys  #3

Woodwind Quartet #3, 'Newfoundland' was written in the 1970s while I was visiting Newfoundland, Canada. Set for flute, oboe, clarinet and bassoon. Free sheet music (printed from hand-written instrumental parts) is available from www.warrenparkmusic.com.  This is the last of four movements. Total running time is around 20 minutes.

Woodwind Quartet #3, 4th Mvt

This is a very short composition (one minute) for bassoon and string orchestra written as part of a Delian Society (on-line tonal composers association) project. Several composers from all over the world wrote other short pieces too, all in honor of French writer, Paul Verlaine. The form is simple: a 30-second burst of music, followed by a direct and complete repeat. The second time through is even more hyper. Great performance. Note that the strings are using pizzicato throughout.

Vive Verlaine for Basson and Strings

Story Spinning is a great tune to play in the background while you are doing something else on the computer. It is 8 minutes long, and spins along very tunefully. It is play by a solo harp voice in the Garritan Personal Orchestra inside my computer. The piece began as a captured piano improv session which I edited  and gave to the harp to play.

Story Spinning for Solo Harp

With the help of Pete Effamy on clarinet and my brother Art Resnick on piano, here's a song I wrote last year. Art played with many luminaries of jazz, including Freddy Hubbard, Bobby Shew, Gary Bartz and others. I am on alto, but I've never played with anyone on that instrument, having served a life sentence on electric guitar, with John Mayall, Sugarcane Harris and some gigs with John Lee Hooker and Freddy King.

Sirocco: Opening Dance

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