FLUTE (including Piccolo and Low Flutes)
April 2024 interview in The Flute Examiner
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9 Walks Down 7th Avenue
Rondo Variations for Flute and Piano |
Duration: c. 9'
COMMISSIONED by Julie
Seftick-McGough.
PREMIERED at Carnegie Hall's Weill Recital Hall by Julie Seftick-McGough and Donna Amato.
AVAILABLE from your favorite sheet music dealer, or direct from Presser.
RECORDED on Azica Records by Pamela Youngblood and Gabriel Bita.
YOUTUBE of Pamela Youngblood's recording
PROGRAM
NOTES
"Daniel Dorff's 9 Walks Down 7th Avenue has more than a clever title going for
it. While the title suggests New York and Gershwin or Bernstein, the music
sounds more like Paris and Poulenc. It is witty and sophisticated music."
P.E.R., La Scene
Musicale (Paris), December 2010
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Andante con
Variazioni
for Flute and Clarinet
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Duration: c. 5'
PREMIERED by Sharon Ostow flute, and Daniel Dorff clarinet, Bennington College, 1975.
AVAILABLE from your favorite sheet music dealer, or direct from Presser.
RECORDED on Albany Records by Leonard Garrison and Shannon Scott. More about this all-Dorff Flute-Clarinet CD by the Scott-Garrison Duo.
YOUTUBE of the Garrison-Scott CD recording
PROGRAM
NOTES
"interesting, imaginative... and certainly worthy of performance"
The Clarinet (West), Winter 1987.
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April Whirlwind
for Flute and Piano |
Duration: c. 7'
PREMIERED by Gary Schocker, April 1998, Brooklyn, NY.
AVAILABLE from your favorite sheet music dealer, or direct from Presser.
RECORDED (private label) by Angela Massey and Vahan Sargsyan.
YOUTUBE of Lisa Hedley's recording
PROGRAM NOTES
"Great piece!! April Whirlwind has everything - lovely lyricism, a spontaneous
spirit, and jazzy brilliance. I will look forward to sharing it with legions
of students."
Jeanne Baxtresser, principal flute, NY Philharmonic, July 1998
"Delightful... an exuberant and joyful paean to Spring."
Sid Grolnic, Penn Sounds, Winter 1999
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August Idyll
for solo Flute |
Duration: c. 4'
AVAILABLE from your favorite sheet music dealer, or direct from Presser.
RECORDED on Cantilena Records by Laurel Zucker.
RECORDED (private label) by Kristen Stoner.
RECORDED (private label) by Andrea Ceccamori.
YOUTUBE of Kristen Stoner's recording.
PROGRAM NOTES
Texas UIL Prescribed Music List for all-state audition repertoire.
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Ballade for Alto Flute, Bass Flute, and Piano |
Duration: c. 7'
PREMIERE by Kathleen Nester alto flute, Wendy Stern bass flute, Barbara Lee piano; New Jersey Flute Society annual flute fair, October 18, 2020.
AVAILABLE from your favorite sheet music dealer, or direct from Presser.
YOUTUBE of the premiere.
PROGRAM NOTES
WINNER, 2021 NFA Newly Published Music award for the Low Flutes category.
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Ballade for Alto Flute, Flugelhorn, and Piano |
Duration: c. 7'
COMMISSIONED by a consortium led by Therese Wacker and Kevin Eisensmith.
PREMIERED by Therese Wacker alto flute, Kevin Eisensmith flugelhorn, Evan Engelstad, in an all-Dorff concert at Indiana University of Pennsylvania, November 18, 2019.
AVAILABLE from your favorite sheet music dealer, or direct from Presser
YOUTUBE of Tabatha Easley, Rex Richardson, and Magdalena Adamek in live performance.
PROGRAM NOTES
WINNER, 2022 NFA Newly Published Music award for the Low Flutes category.
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Big Sky for Flute, Viola, and Harp |
Duration: c. 12'
1. Montana Morning
2. Dancing Under the Stars
COMMISSIONED by Hat Trick (April Clayton flute, David Wallace viola, Kristi Shade harp).
PREMIERE tour through the greater Salt Lake City region, September 2023.
AVAILABLE from your favorite sheet music dealer, or direct from Presser.
RECORDING on Bridge Records, via YouTube:
1. Montana Morning
2. Dancing Under the Stars
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Blue Jacaranda for Two Flutes and Piano |
Duration: c. 8'
COMMISSIONED by Laurel Zucker.
PREMIERE by Laurel Zucker & Shelly Monier flutes, Matthew Mazzoni, scheduled for March 15, 2025; presented by the Flute Society of St. Louis at Southern Illinois University, Edwardsville IL.
PUBLICATION forthcoming from Theodore Presser Company.
RECORDING forthcoming from Cantilena Records.
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Cape May Breezes
for Wind Quintet |
Duration: c. 18'
1. Breezing Into Town (Exit 0)
2. Autumn Monarch Migration
3. Victorian Garden Party
4. Dusk at Sunset Beach
5. Night Breezes on the Boardwalk
COMMISSIONED by The Monmouth Winds.
AVAILABLE from your favorite sheet music dealer, or direct from Presser.
PROGRAM NOTES
ERRATUM: Mvt. 1, bar 37, the Oboe's last note should be G-natural.
WINNER, 2016 Newly Published Music award, National Flute Association.
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Concertino for Flute and Orchestra (or Piano) |
INSTRUMENTATION: Solo Flute, 0121-1000, 1-2 Perc, Strings
Duration: c. 10-11'
Composed for Jasmine Choi.
PREMIERED by Jasmine Choi at the 2018 NFA Convention's orchestral gala concert, Christopher Confessore conducting.
Flute and Piano version AVAILABLE from your favorite sheet music dealer, or direct from Presser.
Orchestral parts are AVAILABLE on rental.
RECORDED by Agnieszka Bartoszewicz flute and Katarzyna Nowaczewska-Manthey piano on the Sagittaria label, available on all streaming platforms.
YOUTUBE of the world premiere, Jasmine Choi flute, with NFA's festival orchestra.
YOUTUBE of the piano version, Patty Lazzara flute, Dave Malyszko piano.
View the complete orchestra score
WINNER, 2019 NFA Newly Published Music Awards (Flute & Piano category)
"This must have been the jewel of the event [2018 NFA Convention]! From the outset, this gem of a piece sparkles with colour, space and movement. It is wonderfully accessible to professional and more advanced flute players who fancy adding a new American work to their programmes. Daniel Dorff writes very sympathetically for the flute, creating lines and passages that give flight to the chord progressions throughout the work. It simply sails in sunlight...
It's such a wonderful piece to play as a soloist, and really offers a platform to show sound, dialogue, colour and personality. This is a true work for the concert flute player... fun, fast, sometimes frivolous, and fabulous!"
Pan Magazine (Lisa Nelsen), March 2019
"Sure to become a repertoire staple amongst concertizing flutists... lush, harmonically rich orchestration that provides a beautiful backdrop of color for the flutist... Dorff's Concertino is very fun to play, especially due to the composer's mindfulness to write idiomatically for our instrument."
Flutist Quarterly (Julie Koidin), Fall 2019
"This true showpiece in a romantic, attractive style... should gain favor for students and professional alike. The piece is a wonderful new addition to the flute and orchestra repertoire.
Flute Talk (Katherine Borst Jones), May/June 2019
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Dances and Canons
for Flute and Clarinet
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Duration: c. 7'
PREMIERED by Sharon Ostow flute, and Daniel Dorff clarinet, Bennington College, 1975.
PERFORMANCES include a spontaneous walk-on by Jean-Pierre Rampal, joining the composer on clarinet, Cabbagetown Cafe, Ithaca NY, Spring 1978.
AVAILABLE from your favorite sheet music dealer, or direct from Presser.
RECORDED on Albany Records by Leonard Garrison and Shannon Scott. More about this all-Dorff Flute-Clarinet CD by the Scott-Garrison Duo.
YOUTUBES of the Garrison-Scott CD of this suite of 9 short duets appear as 9 separate tracks. Here's Mvt. 1, which will lead to the following movements.
PROGRAM
NOTES
"interesting, imaginative... and certainly worthy of performance"
The Clarinet (West), Winter 1987.
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Desert Dusk for Alto Flute and Cello |
Duration: c. 8½'
Inspired by the composer's visit to Desert Hot Springs, in California's Coachella Valley near Joshua Tree National Park, DESERT DUSK captures the late afternoon's mourning doves, dramatic wind storms, and desert sunset.
COMMISSIONED by Mélomanie, for flutist Kimberly Reighley and cellist Douglas McNames, and premiered in May 2017.
AVAILABLE from your favorite sheet music dealer, or direct from Presser.
RECORDED by Agnieszka Bartoszewicz flute and Cecylia Stanecka cello on the Sagittaria label, available on all streaming platforms.
YOUTUBE of Agnieszka Bartoszewicz and Cecylia Stanecka, live at the Bydgoszcz Academy of Music, Poland
PROGRAM NOTES
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Fireworks for Flute Orchestra |
Duration: c. 5'INSTRUMENTATION: 2 Piccolos, 4 C Flutes, 2 Alto Flutes, 2 Bass Flutes, 1 Contrabass Flute (not optional, but Cello/Bassoon ossia is provided).
COMMISSIONED by the Flute Society of Washington to celebrate its 50th anniversary season.
PREMIERED by massed flute ensemble at February 2016 Mid-Atlantic Flute Convention, conducted by George Pope, Reston VA.
AVAILABLE from your favorite sheet music dealer, or direct from Presser.
YOUTUBE of the Yamaha Music Teachers Flute Orchestra (Tokyo).
NYSSMA list of recommended contest pieces.
1ST PRIZE (for Collated Sets), 2016 "Paul Revere" Music Engraving Awards from the Music Publishers Association of the US.
"Daniel Dorff's Fireworks lives up to its name, offering a high-energy piece for flute choirs of 11 or more players. Fireworks adeptly conveys an air of exuberance and jubilation.
"Dorff articulates the work's inspirations in the score, noting that 'real pyrotechnic fireworks typically shoot upward quickly and neatly, pop at the top, and then cascade downward slowly in a beautifully out-of-sync descent. Fireworks has many passages musically depicting this crisp upward whoosh exploding into downward sprinkles, often punctuated by a pop at the top.'
"Dorff beautifully illustrates this display with flowing runs, often overlapping or containing staggered entrances. These virtuosic passages are frequently contrasted against tutti rhythmic figures. The inclusion of bell tones in the latter portion of the piece creates additional interest and highlights the antiphonal echo audible at the end of the work.
"The score and parts reflect the same attention to detail as the work itself. Parts are clean and exhibit meticuous attention to detail, with clear instructions and carefully prescribed dynamics and articulations.
"The score is equally visually pleasing, with consistent spacing and clear notation. Dorff's choice to include a transposed score is an added bonus for the conductor.
"While the composite effect is harmonically and rhythmically adventurous, individual parts lay well on the instrument due to the scalar nature of technical runs. Daniel Dorff's Fireworks would make a dazzling addition to any flute choir recital."
The Flutist Quarterly (Shelley Martinson), Summer 2017
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Flash!
for Piccolo and Piano (versions with Orchestra and Band are listed below)
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Duration: c. 6½'
PREMIERED by and composed for Kate Prestia-Schaub, January 2009,
Murietta CA.
Piccolo and Piano version AVAILABLE from your favorite sheet music dealer, or direct from Presser.
RECORDED on on Talanton/Harmonia Mundi by Gudrun Hinze and Markus Zugehor.
RECORDED (private label) by Kate Prestia-Schaub and Martin Kennedy, private label.
RECORDED by Agnieszka Bartoszewicz and Katarzyna Nowaczewska-Manthey on the Sagittaria label, available on all streaming platforms.
YOUTUBE of Gudrun Hinze's CD.
PROGRAM NOTES
WINNER, International Piccolo Symposium 2009 biennial composition competition.
"Daniel Dorff's Flash! is a jazzy American-sounding piece with shades of Gershwin to my ears. It's a lot of fun to listen to and I imagine to play, and was at the time of the release of this CD being arranged for piccolo and wind orchestra."
online
review of Gudrun Hinze's CD, by Rosamund Plummer,
www.flutefocus.com
HIGHLIGHT ARTICLE in Flute Talk magazine's "Let's Talk Picc!"
feature by Cynthia Ellis.
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Flash!
for Piccolo and Orchestra
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Duration: c. 6½' INSTRUMENTATION: Solo Piccolo, 2222-2201, 2 Perc, Strings
COMMISSION AND PREMIERE of orchestra version: Sarah Jackson, 2014 NFA
annual convention; Clyde Mitchell conducting the Chicago Philharmonic in Symphony Hall.
Orchestra parts on rental from Theodore Presser Company.
View the complete orchestra score
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Flash!
for Piccolo and Band
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Duration: c. 6'
COMMISSIONED for Band by Walfrid Kujala.
PREMIERE of Band version by Walfrid Kujala piccolo, Mitch Fennell conducting the
California State - Northridge Wind Ensemble, 2010 NFA convention.
AVAILABLE from your favorite sheet music dealer, or
direct from Presser
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AUDIO EXCERPTS from Linda Toote's performance with the Boston University Wind Ensemble, David Martins conducting:
Recap of main theme, into Coda
From the middle section
PROGRAM NOTES
View the complete band score
"Daniel Dorff's Flash! is a jazzy American-sounding piece with shades of Gershwin to my ears. It's a lot of fun to listen to and I imagine to play, and was at the time of the release of [Gudrun Hinze's CD] being arranged for piccolo and wind orchestra."
online review of Gudrun Hinze's CD, by Rosamund Plummer, www.flutefocus.com
HIGHLIGHTED in the Flute Talk "Let's Talk Picc!" article by Cynthia Ellis.
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Walfrid Kujala and Daniel Dorff
following the world premiere
of the band version
Walfrid Kujala performing Flash!
Northwestern University Wind Ensemble
conducted by Mallory Thompson
February 3, 2012.
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Folk Song Suite for Two Flutes |
Duration: c. 8'1. Oh Susanna
2. Red River Valley
3. Shenandoah
4. Cindy
PREMIERED by Cindy Anne Broz and Ruth Washington Mayhew, Music at the Merc, Temecula CA, February 12, 2017.
AVAILABLE from your favorite sheet music dealer or direct from Presser.
YOUTUBE of live performance by the Jolly Jones Duo.
"The two parts are equally interesting and include new material interspersed with the familiar tunes. Page turns work fine for performance. These duos will be an excellent addition to the duo recital repertoire. Highly recommended."
Flute Talk, November 2017
"Daniel Dorff's Folk Song Suite for Two Flutes is a fun, light-hearted work that is also challenging enough to keep a more advanced flutist interested. Each of its four movements is presented with a playful sense of cheekiness that comes through clearly. Throughout the work, Dorff's use of grace notes and a sort of swung pseudo-syncopation bring in something a little bit rough and wild, rendering even the simplest aspects of the arrangements anything but plain.
"The 1st movement, "Oh Susanna," is dedicated to Ruth Washington Mayhew. It is lively and folksy, pairing the well-known melody with a running off-beat accompaniemnt. The 2nd movement is a setting of "Red River Valley" written for Cindy Anne Broz. This arrangement begins with one voice alone, playing the melody simply and at a sedate pace. As the range climbs, the tempo rises, and several modulations culminate in a fast final section labeled "subito hot bluegrass."
"Shenandoah," dedicated to Ellen Fisher Deerberg, delivers a tender, calm, and flowing melody that contrasts the music that came before. The final movement, "Cindy," was written for Cynthia Rugolo. Like the first movement, this one is fast and rollicking, providing a wonderful ending to the suite. Folk Song Suite is well-written and full of humor in its lovely settings of familiar tunes."
The Flutist Quarterly (Jessica Dunnavant), Winter 2018
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For Elise for Flute and Piano |
Duration: c. 7½'
COMMISSIONED by Cindy Anne Broz, in celebration of her granddaughter Elise.
PREMIERED by Cindy Anne Broz and Katie Leung at the 2018 NFA Convention, Orlando FL.
AVAILABLE from your favorite sheet music dealer or direct from Presser.
RECORDING by Cindy Anne Broz flute and Charles Abramovic piano, forthcoming from Albany Records.
"After a sensuous opening, the composer give us pointillism in music in a fast 6/8, bouncing around the flute, the piano, the registers, the keys, and the rhythms. In particular, syncopation in unusual forms and after-the-beat entrances make for a lively and shifting landscape with a recurring jazz waltz."
Flute Talk (Anne B. Reynolds), April 2019
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Duration: c. 3' First movement of a suite in progress.
YOUTUBE of premiere by Kevin Willois and Ellen Fisher Deerberg, Westminster Conservatory, Princeton, NJ.
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Invention after BWV 1013 for Two Flutes |
Duration: c. 2½'
COMMISSIONED by Dolce Suono Ensemble, in celebration of Julius Baker's centenary.
PREMIERED by Jeffrey Khaner and Mimi Stillman, Philadelphia, January 18, 2015.
AVAILABLE from your favorite sheet music dealer or direct from Presser.
YOUTUBE of the premiere by Jeffrey Khaner and Mimi Stillman
"... an interesting fantasy based on a very well-known work. It consists of two sections based on source material from the Allemande movement of the Bach Partita (BWV 1013). Dorff uses rhythm and texture to weave a new work from small snippets of the original tune. The new composition in its own compelling way, is not unlike a ransom note created by cutting letters from a magazine. The first section, "Moderato, with Baroque lightness" incomrporates an imitative texture and style reminscent of Bach's organ works, and the melody of the Allemande from is clearly recognizable, although there aren't any really direct quotes. The second section, "Faster, fiery," in 7/16, is driven by its asymmetrical meter into a rhythmic, Latineque dance that maintains the perpetual motion of the original music while discarding some of the gravitas inherent in the Partita. Where Bach's Partita is solemn, this duet is joyous, angular, and on the move. It is an exercise in carefully controlled chaos of which Bach himself might approve!"
The Flutist Quarterly (Jessica Dunnavant), Fall 2017
"This work was premiered by dedicatees Jeffrey Khaner and Mimi Stillman in celebration of Julius Baker's centenary. The piece is clever and challenging for two equal players. The opening moderato, with Baroque lightness, is reminiscent of J.S. Bach's Partita in A Minor. The faster, fiery second section is in 7/16 time. This would be excellent for studio recitals, especially if paired with another Bach work. Highly recommended."
Flute Talk (Katherine Borst Jones), May/June 2017
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Invention on Mozart's 11-tone Surprise
for Flute and Bb Clarinet
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Duration: c. 6'
WORLD PREMIERE by Katrina King and Tim Haas, July 2023 at the ICA ClarinetFest.
AVAILABLE from your favorite sheet music dealer, or direct from Presser.
YOUTUBE recording by Katrina King and Tim Haas.
PROGRAM NOTES
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It Takes Four to Tango
for 2 C Flutes, Alto
Flute (or 3 C Flutes), and Bass Flute |
Duration: c. 2½'
PREMIERE of Flute Quartet version by Flûtes de Salon, San Diego, July 28, 2011.
AVAILABLE from your favorite sheet music dealer or direct from Presser.
YOUTUBE by Flûtes de Salon
PROGRAM NOTES
"a short, sweet exploration of Latin rhythms and jazz
harmonies for classical players... The top
line is a great study in long, sustained
lines and ease in the high register; the other three parts are a great
test of internal pulse and rhythmic accuracy.
This piece could easily be added to a program as a little treat for
the audience with minimal rehearsal time required. The parts and score are
nicely printed and easy to read.
The Flutist Quarterly (Nicole Riner), Spring 2012
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It Takes Four to Tango
for Flute, Oboe, Bb Clarinet, and Bassoon
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Duration: c. 2½'
PREMIERED by members of the Johnston (PA) Symphony, May 2021.
AVAILABLE from your favorite sheet music dealer, or direct from Presser.
PROGRAM
NOTES
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It Takes Four to Tango
for Violin (or Flute) and Guitar
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Duration: c. 2½'
PREMIERED by Mimi Stillman flute and Allen Krantz guitar, March 16, 2006,
Philadelphia.
AVAILABLE from your favorite sheet music dealer, or direct from Presser.
PROGRAM
NOTES
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Midsummer Daydream for Flute, Trumpet, and Harp |
Duration: c. 7'
COMMISSIONED by a consortium led by the Astralis Chamber Ensemble.
PUBLICATION by Theodore Presser Company, in preparation.
YOUTUBE of World Premiere by Angela Massey flute, Kris Marshall trumpet, and Rachel O'Brien harp
PROGRAM NOTES
Midsummer Daydream for Flute, Viola, and Harp |
Duration: c. 7'
COMMISSIONED by a consortium led by the Astralis Chamber Ensemble.
PUBLICATION by Theodore Presser Company forthcoming in June 2024.
YOUTUBE of a live performance by Faith Wasson flute, Adam Brotnitsky viola, and Rebecca Simpson harp
PROGRAM NOTES
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Musetta Steps Out for Piccolo, C Flute, Alto Flute, and Bass Flute |
Duration: c. 3' Swing adaptation of "Musetta's Waltz" from Puccini's La Bohème.
AVAILABLE from your favorite sheet music dealer, or direct from Presser.
YOUTUBE of a live performance by PANdemonium4.
PROGRAM NOTES
"My student and I absolutely loved reading this quartet. Most flute students are classically trained in reading music first and then turning to jazz later, if at all. Consequently, my students initially had trouble swinging the eighth notes in the theme. We are very excited to program this piece in the future, and I cannot stress enough how much fun any quartet will have learning and performing this piece, which could be played by high school students but is appropriate for any advanced quartet. Expect this work to be a crowd pleaser when you perform it."
The Flutist Quarterly (Ronda Benson Ford), Fall 2018
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Nocturne Caprice
for solo Flute |
Duration: c. 7½'
COMMISSIONED and PREMIERED by Mimi Stillman, Philadelphia; November 2002.
AVAILABLE from your favorite sheet music dealer or direct from Presser.
RECORDED on the Dolce Suono label by Mimi Stillman.
YOUTUBE: live performance by Mimi Stillman
PROGRAM NOTES
1ST PRIZE (for Sheet Music), 2003 "Paul Revere" Music Engraving Awards from the Music Publishers Association of the US.
"Daniel Dorff wrote his Nocturne Caprice expressly
for this event, and an express composition it was, with about three weeks
separating the commission and the premiere. It is an admirable addition to
the repertoire, structured in a circular manner, as inspired by Chopin
Nocturnes. Dorff encompasses a number of stylistic gestures, starting with
a bluesy motif that morphs into whole-tone rows and flashy arpeggios,
before settling back into a sweet repose. The elements are well integrated
and are set out with calm pacing. Stillman rendered the music with utter
confidence and palpable expressiveness."
Philadelphia City Paper (Peter Burwasser), November 6, 2002
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Nocturnes for the Nativity
for solo Flute |
Nocturne on Cantique de Noël
Nocturne on O Bambino
Nocturne on Silent Night
Nocturne on It Came Upon the Midnight Clear
COMMISSION and PREMIERE of Nocturne on Cantique de Noël by Anja Weinberger.
AVAILABLE from your favorite sheet music dealer or direct from Presser.
RECORDED on the Canticus Verlag label by Anja Weinberger (Nocturne on Cantique de Noël)
YOUTUBE of Nocturne on Cantique de Noël by Angela Massey.
YOUTUBE of Nocturne on It Came Upon the Midnight Clear by Jonathan Borja.
PROGRAM NOTES and SAMPLE PAGES
Awarded "Editors' Choice" (2020) by J.W. Pepper.
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Old New Borrowed Blue
for Flute and Bb Clarinet |
A collection of 3 flute/clarinet duets that are also available individually:
1. Dances and Canons
2. Three Little Waltzes
3. Andante con Variazioni
AVAILABLE from your favorite sheet music dealer or direct from Presser.
RECORDING of all 3 works on Albany Records by Leonard Garrison
flute, Shannon Scott clarinet.
YOUTUBES of each work are linked on this under each individual work's title.
Complete collection is on the NYSSMA list of recommended contest pieces.
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Perennials
for Flute, Clarinet in A, and Piano
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Duration: c. 20'
1. Joyous Overture
2. Romance
3. Scherzo
4. Winter
5. Spring Awakening
COMMISSIONED by Walfrid and Sherry Kujala in honor of the retirement of Helen Ann and Richard Shanley from Baylor University
PREMIERE by Sherry Kujala flute, Larry Combs clarinet, Nolan Pearson; Evanston IL piano, 10/12/11.
AVAILABLE from your favorite sheet music dealer or direct from Presser
RECORDING on Albany Records by Leonard Garrison flute, Shannon Scott clarinet, Rajung Yang piano.
RECORDING by Agnieszka Bartoszewicz flute, Przemystan Bucsek clarinet, and Katarzyna Nowaczewska-Manthey piano on the Sagittaria label, available on all streaming platforms.
YOUTUBES of each movement from the Albany CD, beginning with Mvt. 1 here, then sequencing through the following movements.
PROGRAM NOTES
review of the Perennials CD from Fanfare Magazine (David DeBoor Canfield)
review of the Perennials CD from Fanfare Magazine (Lynn René Bayley)
review of the Perennials CD from American Record Guide (Todd Gorman)
review of the Perennials CD from The Flute View (Tammy Evans Yonce)
review of the Perennials CD from Flutist Quarterly (Francesca Arnone)
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Perfect Storm
for Piccolo, Flute, and Piano
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Duration: c. 11'
I. Toccata
II. Sarabande
III. Rondo
COMMISSIONED by Duo Flautas Frescas (Julia Barnett & Alina Windell)
PREMIERE by Julia Barnett, Alina Windell, and Jeremy Samolesky through the Atlanta Flute Club, April 1, 2023.
AVAILABLE from your favorite sheet music dealer, or direct from Presser.
YOUTUBE of live premiere performance
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Serenade for Flute and Harp |
Duration: c. 16'
Five-movement suite inspired by "Helas! Je voy" by the 14th-century French composer Solage (original manuscript shown at the right).
I. Estampie
II. Mon coeur
III. Musette
IV. "Helas! Je voy mon cuer a fin venir"
V. Rondeau
COMMISSIONED by the Sparx Duo (Joan Sparks flute and Anne Sullivan harp)
AVAILABLE from your favorite sheet music dealer, or direct from Presser.
RECORDING by April Clayton flute, and Kristi Shade harp, on Crystal Records; available in late 2025.
PROGRAM NOTES
ERRATUM: Mvt. 5, bar 160, beat 3 needs a bass clef in the harp's lower staff.
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Serenade to Eve, After Rodin
for Flute and Guitar |
Duration: c. 11'
COMMISSIONED and PREMIERED by Eileen Grycky and Christiaan Taggart, West Chester PA, April 1999.
AVAILABLE from your favorite sheet music dealer or direct from Presser
RECORDED on Barking Dog Records by the Harris-Coates Duo.
RECORDED (private label) by Jenny Cline flute and Carlos Cuestas guitar.
YOUTUBE of live performance by Ljiljana Kobal, flute and Mladen Bucic, guitar
PROGRAM NOTES
Corrections to the first printing:
1) Bar 65 should read 8th note = c.120-126.
2) at bar 295, the flute should be marked ff.
3) The rehearsal mark for Bar 300 should be 5 bars later.
"Serenade to Eve, After Rodin, beginning passionately lyrical and moving to an astonishing virtuosic conclusion is yet another great addition to the contemporary repertoire for flute and guitar."
The Whole Note (Allan Pulker), review of Cline/Cuestas recording.
"Daniel Dorff's remarkable Serenade to Eve, After Rodin is nearly a conversation with Rodin's statue. Its music alters in response to Eve's changing moods. The work seems to say that being expelled from paradise is not the worst thing that can happen in life."
Fanfare Magazine (Dave Saemann)
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Sleepy Hollow
for Two Bass Flutes and Piano |
Duration: c. 9½'
COMMISSIONED by Wendy Stern and Peter Sheridan.
PREMIERED by Kathleen Nester and Wendy Stern bass flutes, Katie Leung piano, 2019 NFA Convention.
AVAILABLE from your favorite sheet music dealer or direct from Presser.
YOUTUBE of world premiere by Kathleen Nester and Wendy Stern bass flutes, and Katie Leung piano. YOUTUBE of live performance by Matthew Angelo and Mary Matthews bass flutes, and Paul Thurmond piano.
PROGRAM
NOTES
"Programmatic in nature, it is scored well for the two bass flutes and piano. The work is in several sections culminating in an atmospheric ending which has the instruction "pale." This will be an excellent recital selection.
Flute Talk (Anne B. Reynolds), March 2020.
"Dorff has created an atmospheric work for the rarely seen combination of two bass flutes and piano. Beginning with an expressive dialogue between the two flutes, the full range of the bass flute is explored in a gradual build into the third register through long and lyrical lines. Sleepy Hollow is a fairly straight forward piece that allows effort to be put into creating varied tone colours in the bass flute which would really make the piece come to life. It is a welcome addition to the ever-expanding low flute repertoire."
Pan Magazine (Gavin Stewart), March 2020
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Snow Angel
for Flute and Piano |
Duration: c. 5½'
COMMISSIONED by Ray-Michael Kauffman, in loving memory of his mother.
PREMIERED by Ray-Michael Kauffman flute, Betsy Buzzelli-Clarke, Pocono Flute Camp, East Stroudsburg PA, July 2018.
AVAILABLE from your favorite sheet music dealer or direct from Presser.
Recorded (on private label) by Patricia Surman flute and Jooeun Pak piano.
Recorded (on private label) by Sharon Sparrow, flute and piano.
YOUTUBE of live performance (with video collage) by Lisa Hedley and John Sparkman.
YOUTUBE of Sharon Sparrow's recording.
PROGRAM
NOTES
"The simplicity in the writing makes Snow Angel an ideal piece for the intermediate student to work on tone colours and flexibility whilst allowing for expressive playing and providing a slight challenge."
Pan Magazine (Gavin Stewart), November 2019
"This is a pleasant and lilting song that allows the flute to sing in the lower and middle registers. With its optimistic rising motives, the overall quality is gentle and hopeful."
Flute Talk (Diane Boyd Schultz), November 2019

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Sonata (Spirit of the Hudson)
for Bass Flute and Piano |
Duration: c. 14'
I. Sprawling, burbling
II. Sparkling, glistening
III. Under Winter
IV. Spring Spirits
COMMISSIONED by Peter Sheridan.
PREMIERED by Peter Sheridan and Hyeeun Hahm at the 1st International Low Flutes Festival, Reston VA, April 2018.
AVAILABLE from your favorite sheet music dealer or direct from Presser.
RECORDED by Agnieszka Bartoszewicz bass flute and Katarzyna Nowaczewska-Manthey piano on the Sagittaria label, available on all streaming platforms.
YOUTUBE of live performance by Peter Sheridan.
PROGRAM NOTES
WINNER, 2020 NFA Newly Published Music awards (Low Flutes category).
"A truly stunning composition. One will never hear the bass flute the same... The emotional colours that are invoked through Dorff's use of lyricism and rhythmic drive set this Gem in a league of its own... Thank you for inspiring the next generation."
Peter Sheridan
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Sonata (Three Lakes) for Flute
and Piano |
Duration: c. 17-19'
I. Lake Wallenpaupack
II. Kezar Lake
III. Salmon Lake
COMMISSIONED by Cindy Anne Broz.
PREMIERED by Cindy Anne Broz flute and Corry Bell piano, Temecula CA, November 14, 2013.
AVAILABLE from your favorite sheet music dealer or direct from Presser.
RECORDED on Centaur Records by Patricia Surman and Kostas Chardas.
RECORDED (private label) by Patricia Lazzara and Kristin Johnson.
YOUTUBES: Over 40 flutists have posted complete or partial live performances on YouTube; here are the most-viewed performances:
YOUTUBE of Cindy Anne Broz and Matthew Bengtson, at St. Joseph's University.
YOUTUBE of Amy Porter and Tim Carey, at University of Michigan.
PROGRAM NOTES (and UPDATES following the first printing).
WINNER, 2015 NFA Newly Published Music awards.
"In this work for flute and piano, composer Daniel Dorff deftly captures the beauty of three American lakes that hold special memories for him. The work begins with an interweaving of long, vocally conceived melodies with both simple harmonic undercurrents and unexpected, adventurous turns in the harmonic context. There is both an elegant poignancy and likability on first listening that will surely lend this sonata to programs given for a variety of audience types. Sonata (Three Lakes) not only provides flutists an excellent forum within which to demonstrate their full range of color possibilities (including a hauntingly beautiful passage of harmonics) but also challenges the performers to maintain rhythmic accuracy and technical brilliance, especially in the third movement. A tour de force with a steady well of intensity, at approximately 20 minutes total performance length, the work is a true duo sonata, with musically satisfying passages of collaboration and exchange between the piano and flute.
The Flutist Quarterly (Danilo Mezzadri), Fall 2015
"This is a lovely work, and one of its chief assets is the piano writing which is sparse and really supports the flute line when the two instruments play together... This work should have a place in the standard repertoire.
Flute Talk magazine (Anne Reynolds), July 2014.
"What a marvelous and and evocative piece of music you have written. The long lines and beautiful lyricism of the first movement with the contrasting rhythmic moments is so beautiful - I love the harmonies under the flute that give so many cues to the player for color and nuance. The second movement is heartbreakingly touching - I was very moved. It brought to mind similar memories of my family summers in a little cabin on Lake Superior. But even without your program notes, I would have had a very personal reaction to your music. You captured something that can't really be described. The innocent playfulness of the third movement is a perfect balance to movements one and two and sounds like a pleasure to play and to hear. ....what a gift to us all."
Jeanne Baxtresser, Principal Flute, New York Philharmonic
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Sonatine de Giverny
for Piccolo and Piano
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Duration: c. 10'
I. Les fleurs ravissantes
II. Les jardins d'eau
III. En ville
COMMISSIONED by the Piccolo Committee of the NFA.
PREMIERED by Jan Gippo at the NFA 2000 Convention.
AVAILABLE from your favorite sheet music dealer or direct from Presser.
RECORDED on Crystal Records by Lois Bliss Herbine and Charles Abramovic.
RECORDED on Talanton/Harmonia Mundi by Gudrun Hinze and Markus Zügehor.
RECORDED on ATR by Therese Wacker and Judith Radell.
YOUTUBE excerpt from Gudrun Hinze's CD.
AUDIO EXCERPTS from Lois Herbine's CD:
Mvt. 1, "Les fleurs ravissantes" - opening
Mvt. 2, "Les jardins d'eau" - middle section
Mvt. 3, "En ville" - final section
PROGRAM NOTES
Texas UIL Prescribed Music List for all-state audition repertoire.
NYSSMA (New York State School Music Association) all-state audition repertoire.
REQUIRED COMPETITION PIECE at many NFA Conventions and regional auditions.
"Bravo! This is a wonderful piece. The impressionist mood is so lovely and the piccolo fits into this environment beautifully. I am delighted with this piece of music. Congratulations - your piece makes me wish I still played piccolo."
Jeanne Baxtresser, Principal Flute, New York Philharmonic
"Daniel Dorff's Sonatine de Giverny is the first composition for piccolo and piano that is in the great tradition of the French School. Giverny will become the landmark composition for expressive French piccolo playing. We are grateful for Dorff's fine effort. Giverny now
becomes a musical standard which other composers must attain.
Jan Gippo, solo Piccolo, Saint Louis Symphony, May 2000
"...a beautiful French-flavoured piece inspired by a visit to Monet's home and its famous gardens. The work contains much lovely writing for the piccolo and, although very challenging when in the high register, Gudrun produces a sweet and relaxed tone, making it easy to picture flowers, water, and birds in the delightful French setting of Giverny."
online review of Gudrun Hinze's CD, by Rosamund Plummer, www.flutefocus.com
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Songs of the Open Road
for Solo Flute
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Duration: c. 12'
Five Inspirations from Walt Whitman
1. Afoot and light-hearted I take to the open road
2. However calm these waters we must not anchor here
3. Strong and content I travel the open road
4. I ordain myself loos'd of limits and imaginary lines
5. Will you travel with me?
COMMISSIONED by the Flute Pro Shop.
PREMIERED by Joan Sparks, Wilmington DE, October 13, 2022.
AVAILABLE from your favorite sheet music dealer, or direct from Presser.
YOUTUBE of Lisa Hedley's performance, interpreted with scenic video.
YOUTUBE of Amy Porter's performance, interpreted with extended Whitman poetry.
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Swans
for Two Alto Flutes and Piano
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Duration: c. 8'
COMMISSIONED by the Nestern Duo (Kathleen Nester and Wendy Stern)
WORLD PREMIERE by the commissioners, National Flute Association annual convention, August 2022.
AVAILABLE from your favorite sheet music dealer or direct from Presser.
YOUTUBE of a live recital by Laura Benning and Gwyn Jones alto flute, Natasha Dukan piano
PROGRAM
NOTES
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Three Little Waltzes
for Flute and Bb Clarinet
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Duration: c. 5'
COMMISSIONED by Cindy Anne Broz
AVAILABLE from your favorite sheet music dealer or direct from Presser.
RECORDED on Albany Records by Leonard Garrison flute and Shannon Scott clarinet.
YOUTUBE of Little Waltz No. 1 from the Scott-Garrison CD; all three waltzes are on YouTube as separate tracks.
PROGRAM NOTES
"Little gems with a Peter Schickele-esque whimsical quality. These duos rise above the mundane with interesting harmonic twists."
The Clarinet (Gregory Barrett), March 2016
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Three Romances
for Flute and Bb Clarinet |
Duration: c. 8'
I. Languid
II. Sultry
III. Frisky
AVAILABLE from your favorite sheet music dealer or direct from Presser.
RECORDED on Albany Records by Leonard Garrison flute and Shannon Scott clarinet.
YOUTUBE of a live performance of
Mvt. 2, by Lois Herbine and Arne Running at Philadelphia's Kimmel Center.
Many more YouTubes are available, including the Scott-Garrison CD.
PROGRAM NOTES (and PERFORMANCE SUGGESTIONS)
NYSSMA list of recommended contest pieces.
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Through a Misty
Arch...
for Flute Ensemble, optional dance, and/or narrator
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Duration: c. 5'
COMPOSED IN RESIDENCE at Ardmore Avenue Elementary School, Lansdowne, Pa., after a poem by 6th grader Joy MacAlister.
PREMIERED two days later by an ensemble of 2nd-year flutists; subsequently performed frequently at university recitals, including multi-media adaptations.
AVAILABLE from your favorite sheet music dealer or direct from Presser.
WATCH a live performance at the 2021 MMEA Winter Festival by students at University of Minnesota-Duluth (starts at 9:30 into the video).
"A very nice piece, with pleasing harmonic progressions."
New Flute Review, Winter-Spring 1988.
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Trees (after the poem by Joyce
Kilmer) for
solo Flute with narration |
Duration: c. 5'
COMPOSED for Tiffany Holmes
PREMIERED by Tiffany Holmes flute and Cindy Anne Broz narrator, February 2009, Mid-Atlantic Flute Fair, Reston VA.
AVAILABLE from your favorite sheet music dealer or direct from Presser.
YOUTUBE
Performance by Bonnie Cochran, videography by Brian Terranova
PROGRAM NOTES
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Tweet
for solo Piccolo
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Duration: c. 4½'
COMMISSIONED by Lois Bliss Herbine
PREMIERED by Lois Bliss Herbine at NFA 2011.
AVAILABLE from your favorite sheet music dealer or direct from Presser.
RECORDED on Powell Flutes promotional CD 2018, by Lois Bliss Herbine.
YOUTUBE performed by Gudrun Hinze at Gohlis Castle in Leipzig (over 500,000 views).
PROGRAM NOTES
FINALIST, 2012 NFA Newly Published Music competition.
"Dorff has created an exuberant and refreshingly tonal work that avoids any sense of frenzy despite its continual motion. The cover art is especially attractive."
Flute Talk (Diane Boyd Schultz), December 2012
PERFORMANCE GUIDE by the composer, March 2018, The Flute Examiner.
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Cover art (and matching tie) by Julia Mieko Dorff

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Two Cats
for Flute and Bb Clarinet |
Duration: c. 8' 1. Hootie 2. Tiki
COMPOSED FOR the Dutchess County (NY) SPCA's annual fundraising gala.
AVAILABLE from your favorite sheet music dealer or direct from Presser.
RECORDED on Blue Griffin Recording by the Crescent Duo (Joanna Cowan White and Kennen White).
RECORDED (private label) by Martha Grener.
RECORDED on Albany Records by Leonard Garrison and Shannon Scott.
YOUTUBE of the Scott-Garrison CD.
PROGRAM NOTES
FINALIST, 2010 NFA Newly Published Music awards.
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Woodland Reverie
for solo Flute
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Duration: c. 3'
PREMIERED by Cindy Anne Broz at NFA 2011.
AVAILABLE from your favorite sheet music dealer or direct from Presser.
YOUTUBE of a live performance by Ruth Washington Mayhew.
FINALIST, 2012 NFA Newly Published Music awards.
"This gentle work sounds like a summer daydream, with its rising lines, legato passages, subtle embellishments of the main theme, interesting but not jarring contrasts, and generally meandering feel. It is not technically demanding but contains many delightful opportunities for expression."
Flute Talk magazine (Diane Boyd Schultz), March 2012
"This short mood-setting piece would work well for
intermediate student-level sight-reading, for students learning to
discover their own internal pacing for expressive playing (perhaps as a
precursor to more sophisticated material like Syrinx), or simply
for any flutist searching for contemplative expressions of natural
landscapes.
The Flutist Quarterly (Cynthia Stevens), Spring 2012
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The Year of the
Rabbit A
Watercolor for 3 C Flutes and Alto Flute (quartet or ensemble)
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Duration: c. 7'
PREMIERED by the Columbia Flute Choir at the February 1999 Mid-Atlantic Flute Fair, Bethesda, MD, Alexandra Molnar-Suhajda conducting.
AVAILABLE (in a new, improved 2nd Edition in 2014) from your favorite sheet music dealer or direct from Presser.
YOUTUBE of a live performance by the Lyra Ensemble.
PROGRAM NOTES (and errata)
WINNER, 2000 NFA Newly Published Music awards.
NYSSMA list of recommended contest pieces.
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Zoe
& Xena A Romp in the Park for
Piccolo and Bass Clarinet |
Duration: c. 7'
COMMISSIONED by Leonard Garrison, for Shannon Scott in honor of their dogs Xena and Zoe.
PREMIERED by Leonard Garrison and Shannon Scott at the 2015 NFA Convention.
AVAILABLE from your favorite sheet music dealer or direct from Presser.
RECORDED on Albany Records by Leonard Garrison and Shannon Scott.
YOUTUBE by Leonard Garrison and Shannon Scott, featuring the real Zoe and Xena.
PROGRAM NOTES
"Perennials was devoted to the amiable music of Daniel Dorff, a release hailed by Fanfare critic Peter Burwasser as "a rich soufflé of wonderfully conceived and executed chamber music." Similar could be said of this new release... Dorff's delightful Zoe and Xena: A Romp in the Park (2015) is a concept left over from the earlier CD, and realized instead for this release. The composer did not care to write yet another work for clarinet and flute, so produced for his two friends a sprightly mouse-and-elephant sort of dance for piccolo and bass clarinet. Of course, the image one is supposed to get is of the couple's young chocolate Labrador and golden retriever cavorting in a park; that works for me, too."
Fanfare Magazine (Ronald E. Grames), February 2017
"Zoe and Xena: A Romp in the Park was composed for the duo's two dogs. Because Dorff had already written Two Cats for clarinet and flute, he wanted a different challenge, so he scored this for the unusual combination of piccolo and bass clarinet. This too is a fun, toe-tapping piece, gaining added interest by the wide difference in pitch separating the two instruments (there is no piano in this piece to bridge that gap). The music is picturesque and in the best sense of the word, catchy."
Fanfare Magazine (Henry Fogel) February 2017
"I have positively reviewed a few works by Daniel Dorff prior to his present Zoe and Xena: A Romp in the Park, a piece for the delightful and quite unorthodox duo of piccolo and bass clarinet. The work is an exuberant portrayal of the two dogs owned by Scott and Garrison, and is a sequel to Dorff's previous Two Cats, an equally delightful work portraying the feline contingent of the Scott-Garrison household."
Fanfare Magazine (David DeBoor Canfield) February 2017 |

Leonard Garrison & Shannon Scott 's CD of
Zoe & Xena on Albany Records

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last updated October 25, 2024
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