MUSIC FOR SAXOPHONE by Daniel Dorff

Music by
DANIEL DORFF

home

SAXOPHONE

Barnyard Bash for Alto Saxophone and Piano

Duration: c. 2'
AVAILABLE from your favorite sheet music dealer, or direct from Presser.

Cool Street for Alto Saxophone and Piano

Duration: c. 2'
AVAILABLE from your favorite sheet music dealer, or direct from Presser.

Fantasy, Scherzo and Nocturne for SATB Saxophone Quartet

Duration: c. 11'
AVAILABLE from your favorite sheet music dealer, or direct from Presser.
RECORDED on Orange Note (Scherzo only) by the Harmo Saxophone Quartet (Japan).
FIRST PRIZE, Aspen Music Festival Composers' Competition, 1974.
"One hopes that many college ensembles will add this interesting selection to the short list of American saxophone quartets."
– MLA Notes (Steve Mauk), September 1979.
"The Fantasy is a lovely lyrical movement in medium tempo, followed by the fast, playful Scherzo. The slow Nocturne begins with a lovely duo for tenor and baritone saxophones. This is a dramatic and emotional movement... It's a good piece for both college students and professional players. The ensemble writing is excellent, with all four voices getting a chance to sing out. It is a remarkable work from such a young composer.
– Saxophone Journal (Susan Fancher), September/October 2007

Fast Walk for SATB Saxophone Quartet

Duration: c. 2½'
AVAILABLE from your favorite sheet music dealer, or direct from Presser.
RECORDED by the Harmo Saxophone Quartet on Meister Music CD MM-1016 (Japan) and also the "Harmo's Best" Greatest Hits CD.
Hundreds of performances by San Francisco Saxophone Quartet and Amherst Saxophone Quartet.
ALSO AVAILABLE for Clarinet Quartet, Bassoon Quartet, Orchestra
AUDIO EXCERPT from Harmo Saxophone Quartet CD
PROGRAM NOTES
ERRATUM: Baritone Saxophone part, bars 40-44 remain in a key signature of 2 sharps.
NYSSMA list of recommended contest pieces.
This short, upbeat piece makes a terrific opener for a concert, or as the first piece after intermission.
– Saxophone Journal (Susan Fancher), September/October 2007
"Daniel Dorff's 1991 "Fast Walk," followed the Gershwin Lullaby and made a nice antidote to its dreaminess with an animated, chattery and positive ambience."
– Buffalo (NY) News (Herman Trotter), January 24, 1994

In A Deep Funk Dance Set for Solo Baritone Saxophone (or Bass or Contrabass/Tubax)

Duration: c. 14'
Adapted by saxophonist Yo-Yo Su from the work originally for contrabassoon
1. Hustle Misterioso
2. Twist Variations
3. Bear Hug
4. Funk Scherzo
PREMIERED by Yo-Yo Su at the US Navy Band Saxophone Symposium, January 15, 2023.
AVAILABLE from your favorite sheet music dealer, or direct from Presser.
YOUTUBE of bass clarinet version by Barbara Haney
PROGRAM NOTES
"Based on the popular dance from the 1960s, [Mvt. 2] is a fun piece for the audience as well as the accomplished contra player. A standard rock and roll chord progression is treated in a variety of ways melodically and rhythmically, with a few nods in the direction of Dave Brubeck and other jazz musicians as well. Although its duration is less than six minutes, the piece is quite grueling. The entire four-movement set is quite a blow at around twelve minutes! ... the piece really is a hoot for both the player up to the challenge, and for the audience."
– The Double Reed (Jon Beebe), Vol. 26, No. 4, 2003

"To say that Daniel Dorff is a prolific composer is a huge understatement. Thanks to him, our repertoire is vastly enhanced by many compositions for clarinet solo and chamber music, all for which he chose colorful and fun titles… Dorff writes that he was somewhat inspired by the Bach dance suite model, but uses dance patterns from the present era rather than the Baroque. Bass clarinetist Barbara Haney premiered it at the 2014 ICA ClarinetFest, and one of her terrific performances is posted on YouTube. "Hustle Misterioso" uses a hustle rhythm and was inspired by cartoon music, "Twist Variations" (my favorite movement) uses a walking bass theme in a 12-bar blues, "Bear Hug" is a 12/8 slow dance, and "Funk Scherzo" is very rhythmic, inspired by R&B soul-funk bass riffs. In A Deep Funk is a very well done and audience-friendly addition to our bass clarinet repertoire."
– The Clarinet (Michèle Gingras), December 2015

It Takes Four to Tango for SATB Saxophone Quartet

Duration: c. 2½'
AVAILABLE from your favorite sheet music dealer, or direct from Presser.
ALSO AVAILABLE for Clarinet Quartet, Bassoon Quartet, Flute Quartet, String Quartet, and other combinations.
RECORDED by the Harmo Saxophone Quartet on Meister Music CD MM-1016 (Japan).
RECORDED in jazz adaptation by The Osland Saxophone Quartet, Sea Breeze Records.
AUDIO EXCERPT from Harmo Saxophone Quartet CD.
(YouTubes are available for other instrumentations.)
PROGRAM NOTES
"It is a wonderful little soprano saxophone feature. You could program this anywhere on a concert, either on its own or right after Fast Walk, for example. It can be played "straight" as written, or more inflected in a jazz style."
– Saxophone Journal (Susan Fancher), September/October 2007

Musetta Steps Out for SATB Saxophone Quartet

Duration: c. 2½'
Swing adaptation of Musetta's Waltz from La Bohème.
PREMIERED by the Ellipsis Saxophone Quartet, NASA Biennial saxophone convention March 2014.
AVAILABLE from your favorite sheet music dealer, or direct from Presser.
YOUTUBE of the MaMiKaPi Quatuor de Saxophones (live recital in Luxembourg).
PROGRAM NOTES
ERRATA: The main tempo should be Quarter = c. 160, not c. 120
In the Tenor part, the m.73 marking at the left should be 72 instead, and the multi-rest at 74 should be -3- rather than -2-.

Quartet for Alto Saxophone, Violin, Cello, and Piano

Duration: c. 16'
PREMIERED at Cornell University, April 1977.
(temporarily unavailable)

Summer Strut for Alto Saxophone and Piano

Duration: c. 2'
AVAILABLE from your favorite sheet music dealer, or direct from Kendor Music.

The Beautiful Frog Pond Waltz for Alto Saxophone and Piano

Duration: c. 3'
PREMIERED by the Daniel Dorff saxophone and Michael Starobin piano, Bennington College.

The Seven Chakras for Tenor Saxophone and Piano

Duration: c. 19'
AVAILABLE from your favorite sheet music dealer, or direct from Presser.
YOUTUBE of Todd Groves tenor saxophone and Francesca Hurst piano (all-Dorff concert at University of Delaware, May 2019.
PROGRAM NOTES

last updated October 8, 2023
home

SAXOPHONE
Barnyard Bash for Alto Saxophone and Piano
Duration: c. 2' AVAILABLE from your favorite sheet music dealer, or direct from Presser.
Cool Street for Alto Saxophone and Piano
Duration: c. 2' AVAILABLE from your favorite sheet music dealer, or direct from Presser.
Fantasy, Scherzo and Nocturne for SATB Saxophone Quartet
Duration: c. 11' AVAILABLE from your favorite sheet music dealer, or direct from Presser. RECORDED on Orange Note (Scherzo only) by the Harmo Saxophone Quartet (Japan). FIRST PRIZE, Aspen Music Festival Composers' Competition, 1974. "One hopes that many college ensembles will add this interesting selection to the short list of American saxophone quartets." – MLA Notes (Steve Mauk), September 1979. "The Fantasy is a lovely lyrical movement in medium tempo, followed by the fast, playful Scherzo. The slow Nocturne begins with a lovely duo for tenor and baritone saxophones. This is a dramatic and emotional movement... It's a good piece for both college students and professional players. The ensemble writing is excellent, with all four voices getting a chance to sing out. It is a remarkable work from such a young composer. – Saxophone Journal (Susan Fancher), September/October 2007
Fast Walk for SATB Saxophone Quartet
Duration: c. 2½' AVAILABLE from your favorite sheet music dealer, or direct from Presser. RECORDED by the Harmo Saxophone Quartet on Meister Music CD MM-1016 (Japan) and also the "Harmo's Best" Greatest Hits CD. Hundreds of performances by San Francisco Saxophone Quartet and Amherst Saxophone Quartet. ALSO AVAILABLE for Clarinet Quartet, Bassoon Quartet, Orchestra AUDIO EXCERPT from Harmo Saxophone Quartet CD PROGRAM NOTES ERRATUM: Baritone Saxophone part, bars 40-44 remain in a key signature of 2 sharps. NYSSMA list of recommended contest pieces. This short, upbeat piece makes a terrific opener for a concert, or as the first piece after intermission. – Saxophone Journal (Susan Fancher), September/October 2007 "Daniel Dorff's 1991 "Fast Walk," followed the Gershwin Lullaby and made a nice antidote to its dreaminess with an animated, chattery and positive ambience." – Buffalo (NY) News (Herman Trotter), January 24, 1994
In A Deep Funk Dance Set for Solo Baritone Saxophone (or Bass or Contrabass/Tubax)
Duration: c. 14' Adapted by saxophonist Yo-Yo Su from the work originally for contrabassoon 1. Hustle Misterioso 2. Twist Variations 3. Bear Hug 4. Funk Scherzo PREMIERED by Yo-Yo Su at the US Navy Band Saxophone Symposium, January 15, 2023. AVAILABLE from your favorite sheet music dealer, or direct from Presser. YOUTUBE of bass clarinet version by Barbara Haney PROGRAM NOTES "Based on the popular dance from the 1960s, [Mvt. 2] is a fun piece for the audience as well as the accomplished contra player. A standard rock and roll chord progression is treated in a variety of ways melodically and rhythmically, with a few nods in the direction of Dave Brubeck and other jazz musicians as well. Although its duration is less than six minutes, the piece is quite grueling. The entire four-movement set is quite a blow at around twelve minutes! ... the piece really is a hoot for both the player up to the challenge, and for the audience." – The Double Reed (Jon Beebe), Vol. 26, No. 4, 2003 "To say that Daniel Dorff is a prolific composer is a huge understatement. Thanks to him, our repertoire is vastly enhanced by many compositions for clarinet solo and chamber music, all for which he chose colorful and fun titles… Dorff writes that he was somewhat inspired by the Bach dance suite model, but uses dance patterns from the present era rather than the Baroque. Bass clarinetist Barbara Haney premiered it at the 2014 ICA ClarinetFest, and one of her terrific performances is posted on YouTube. "Hustle Misterioso" uses a hustle rhythm and was inspired by cartoon music, "Twist Variations" (my favorite movement) uses a walking bass theme in a 12-bar blues, "Bear Hug" is a 12/8 slow dance, and "Funk Scherzo" is very rhythmic, inspired by R&B soul-funk bass riffs. In A Deep Funk is a very well done and audience-friendly addition to our bass clarinet repertoire." – The Clarinet (Michèle Gingras), December 2015
It Takes Four to Tango for SATB Saxophone Quartet
Duration: c. 2½' AVAILABLE from your favorite sheet music dealer, or direct from Presser. ALSO AVAILABLE for Clarinet Quartet, Bassoon Quartet, Flute Quartet, String Quartet, and other combinations. RECORDED by the Harmo Saxophone Quartet on Meister Music CD MM-1016 (Japan). RECORDED in jazz adaptation by The Osland Saxophone Quartet, Sea Breeze Records. AUDIO EXCERPT from Harmo Saxophone Quartet CD. (YouTubes are available for other instrumentations.) PROGRAM NOTES "It is a wonderful little soprano saxophone feature. You could program this anywhere on a concert, either on its own or right after Fast Walk, for example. It can be played "straight" as written, or more inflected in a jazz style." – Saxophone Journal (Susan Fancher), September/October 2007
Musetta Steps Out for SATB Saxophone Quartet
Duration: c. 2½' Swing adaptation of Musetta's Waltz from La Bohème. PREMIERED by the Ellipsis Saxophone Quartet, NASA Biennial saxophone convention March 2014. AVAILABLE from your favorite sheet music dealer, or direct from Presser. YOUTUBE of the MaMiKaPi Quatuor de Saxophones (live recital in Luxembourg). PROGRAM NOTES ERRATA: The main tempo should be Quarter = c. 160, not c. 120 In the Tenor part, the m.73 marking at the left should be 72 instead, and the multi-rest at 74 should be -3- rather than -2-.
Quartet for Alto Saxophone, Violin, Cello, and Piano
Duration: c. 16' PREMIERED at Cornell University, April 1977. (temporarily unavailable)
Summer Strut for Alto Saxophone and Piano
Duration: c. 2' AVAILABLE from your favorite sheet music dealer, or direct from Kendor Music.
The Beautiful Frog Pond Waltz for Alto Saxophone and Piano
Duration: c. 3' PREMIERED by the Daniel Dorff saxophone and Michael Starobin piano, Bennington College.
The Seven Chakras for Tenor Saxophone and Piano
Duration: c. 19' AVAILABLE from your favorite sheet music dealer, or direct from Presser. YOUTUBE of Todd Groves tenor saxophone and Francesca Hurst piano (all-Dorff concert at University of Delaware, May 2019. PROGRAM NOTES
last updated October 8, 2023 *home*