Classical

The category “Classical” here is a loose one. Since I’m a self taught hack, there’s a lot of composing rules broken or ignored.  I just tried to put the puzzle pieces together and be funny where I could.

1st SYMPHONY 2023

BEETHOVEN PARODY  This is a full on rip of Beethoven’s fifth. I included riffs from all the other symphonies. I didn’t even consult the score. I know that piece so well.

BOWL ARROW  Like “Bolero”, I took one theme and played it over and over in different ways.

BUZZ IN THE HEAD WHILE TRYING TO SLEEP This is supposed to be irritating and keep you awake, just like it did for me

BYE, CALIFORNIA   A symphonic work made from the tunes that drive me mad all the time.

BYE CAL SYMPH 2 2022

CELLO PIECE  I just wanted to write something for cello and orchestra, because I own one. A cello that is, not an orchestra.

DARN GOOD THING

DIET PIECE23 NEW! Updated. I like to write classical music based on my songs. This is a good example

DIRTY DISH RAG This was the first full on piano piece I ever wrote. I think it was even on paper. Combined Bach with Scott Joplin.

DISH FIVE

DOWNERS BRING ME UP SYMPHONIC An orchestrated version of “Downers Bring Me Up” I think it’s funnier.

DONT TELL ANYONE   This is an orchestration of one of my old songs that worked better as an instrumental for flute and guitar.

EARLY QUARTET  The first 4 part thing I ever wrote.

FINAL SAY  This was an “end of relationship” piece with some optimism included. Mari and I performed it as a flute and guitar duet.

FLUTE SONATA For flute quartette, one of my better works, channeling Mozart and Webber.

FOR “Q” TOO  A little classical romp with a funny title.

FOR “Q” 2

FUGUE YOU  This was intended for my symphony, which remains unfinished.

GUITAR CONCERTO 2018  This is my biggest work. I tried to make it playable on classical guitar even though to get the synth to play it required some odd tricks. Inspired by Paganini.

IRISH PIECE  I listened to a bunch of Irish music, then wrote this. Someone told me it sounds more Scottish, but I already had one of those. So be it.

LIPSTICK  A piece featuring a lot of augmented 4ths

MANGLER  A spooky demented piece based on one of my reject songs called “Mary the Mangler”

MARI AGE TRIBUTE This supposed to represent my 12 year marriage to Mari in three minutes. Boy can I condense!

MOVING  Moving is traumatic. I was trying to capture that in a whole tone, 4/4/+3/4 piece.

MY GOOD SON A string quartette arrangement of my song of the same name.

NEW WORD SYMPHONY

NICHT FUR ELISE  A bold, funny parody of Beethoven’s famous piano piece.

NIGHTMARE

OCTO  Octives throughout. Annoying as heck.

OFFBEAT ORCHESTRA  Another orchestration of one of my weird songs.

OTHER WOMAN WALTZ*  Mari wrote a song with this title. so I borrowed the themes and wrote this waltz from it. Another teamwork effort.

OVERTURE TO “HATS”  An unfinished musical. So I have this to remember it by.

POOPED OUT How I felt after writing this.

PIANO QUINTETTE ADAGIO

RAPIDS  After I wrote this, I go the idea that it felt like rafting on a tempestuous river, hence the title.

RIGHT HANDED VIOLIN PIECE Only uses open strings on the violin, so when I lose my left hand, I’ll still be performing. Piano part needs two hands however.

ROTATE  Based on the song, “Turn, Turn, Turn”, Byrds version

SCOTTISH PIECE FOR GUITAR AND STRINGS

SHOES  Based on my song “Shoes Full of Sand”. Also did a version for flute and horn.

SWEET N LOW  Piano piece based on “Brown Sugar”.

SYMPHONY 6 Been working on this for 20 years. Supposed to be part of a symphony

TALKING AND GAWING

TENATE In 10/8…..get it?

THE “HORNY”  Called this because of the prominent horn parts

TIME IS NOT MONEY This is the orchestral version of music I wrote for an aborted musical. It’s in 7/8 and I think it holds it’s own without words.

TO THE NINES  A two part experiment in nine.

TRICKY ENDING  I always liked the end of Beethoven’s Fifth where it seems like it’s going to end, but doesn’t. Tried to do that here.

TWENTY ONE  Strange ditty that has 21 beats per phrase.

WALTZ DIZZY

VIOLIN PIECE FOR DAPHNA  My friend Daphna Rahmil put out a great album “Flying”. So I took the first song, “Way of the Wind”, stole the melodies and wrote a violin and orchestra piece with her in mind. Strangely enough she doesn’t seem to recognize her own song out of context, explains why plagiarism works.

XMAS MUDLEY  I wrote this for Mari’s woodwind quintette, and I think it got two performances, neither of which was recorded. I was well received, which is shocking, because I’m doing my best to make fun of Xmas tunes.