Allegro Volante
for Solo Xylophone and
Orchestra, or with Band or Piano
Duration: c. 4½'
A dazzling showpiece in the style of a Russian galop, with
jazzy American harmonies; Movement 3 from Concerto for Solo Percussion and
Orchestra.
INSTRUMENTATION: 2(Picc)222-4331 Timp 3Perc Hp Strings
PREMIERE of orchestra version: Alan Gilbert conducting the
Haddonfield Symphony (now Symphony in C); Dean Witten solo xylophone.
Xylophone and Orchestra version: on rental from Theodore Presser Company.
Xylophone and Band version AVAILABLE from your favorite sheet music dealer, or direct from Presser.
Xylophone and Piano version AVAILABLE from your favorite sheet music dealer, or direct from Presser.
Duration: c. 20' INSTRUMENTATION: 2(Picc)222-4331 Timp 3Perc Hp Strings
COMMISSIONED by the Polish Chapter of the
Percussive Arts Society for the International Music Workshops in Bydgoszcz,
Poland.
PREMIERED March 18, 1995 by Haddonfield (NJ) Symphony, Dean Witten, solo
percussion, Alan Gilbert, conductor.
Complete solo part AVAILABLE from your favorite sheet music dealer, or direct from Presser.
Complete piano reduction alone, AVAILABLE from your favorite sheet music dealer, or direct from Presser.
Complete orchestra score AVAILABLE from your favorite sheet music dealer, or direct from Presser.
Orchestra parts AVAILABLE on rental.
Complete review by John Beck in Percussive Notes
"impressive... highlighted the concert... It exploits the full range of
sonorities and technical possibilities of a whole arsenal of percussion
instruments... most arresting... a joyous finale... bold and extroverted but
also filled with sensitive details." – Camden Courier-Post (Baxter),
March 22, 1995.
"it is only a truly inventive and inspired composer like Mr. Dorff who is able
to go one step further [than just using many percussion instruments] and create
unusual sounds, textures, and combinations that work for the listener."
– Maestro Alan Gilbert
Shadowsfor solo Timpani
Duration: c. 11' for timpani alone (4 drums, 23" 26" 29" 32")
I. Fanfare
II. Spring Dance
III. Bedtime Story
IV. Summer
COMMISSIONED by West Chester University for timpanist Ralph Sorrentino.
PREMIERED by Luke Thurston, West Chester University senior recital, May 7, 2022.
AVAILABLE in late 2023 from your favorite sheet music dealer, or direct from Presser.
PROGRAM NOTES
Three Dance Etudesfor Marimba Duo or Ensemble
Duration: c. 17-21'
PREMIERED
SIMULTANEOUSLY by Hitoshi Maeda
and Brian Prechtl, Philadelphia, and by Nachiko Maekane (as solo player), Sacramento, November 8,
1985.
PERFORMANCES include the St. Louis Symphony's On Stage Series.
AVAILABLE from your favorite sheet music dealer, or direct from Presser.
Included on New York State's NYSSMA contest list.
YOUTUBE of Duo Anime (Mell Csicsila
and Andrew Pongracz) playing Dance Etude No. 1 at Cleveland's "Happy
Dog" December 2011
AUDIO EXCERPTS (1 & 2
"badly-miked" premiere by Hitoshi Maeda & Brian Prechtl; 3
by Florence Ierardi & Andrew Reamer) from
Dance Etude No. 1
"highly appealing, vigorous... coloristic, lively dances exploited the
instrument's best qualities."
– Philadelphia Inquirer, (Kimmelman),
November 11, 1985.
"in the hands of mature performers, Three Dance Etudes would be suitable for
most any recital or ensemble program."
– Percussive Notes (Holly), Fall 1987.
"in fact, I feel that they also make good solos."
– Modern
Percussionist (James Preiss), September 1987.
Three Mysteries of Nagasaki for Violin and Percussion
Duration: c. 13'
PREMIERED by Terry Vermillion (perc) and Marion Judish (vn), St. Cloud, MN.,
February 2000.
AVAILABLE from your favorite sheet music dealer, or direct from Presser.
"The sentiment behind the genesis of the piece, and the pairing of both unpitched and pitched metallics with a string instrument, is intriguing. The sections that weave the vibraphone along with the unpitched instruments, with the violin are, … quite lovely.... For an advanced graduate student or professional looking for a percussion and violin pairing outside of the common marimba/violin fare, this piece would make an interesting addition to a recital."
–
Percussive Notes (Marilyn K. Clark Silva), September 2018
