Donald Sosin

Gita

Instrumentationpicc, 2fl, 2ob, 2cl, 2bsn, 2 hn, 2tpt, 2 trb, tuba, 2 perc. timp, hp, str. mezzo-soprano solo
Length23 min.
DifficultyModerate. Premiered by a community orchestra.
CommentsComposed in 1974, GITA was written as a ballet on the events of the beginning chapters of the Bhagavad-Gita, where the armies of good and evil fight each other on the field of Dharma. After the battle, Krishna sings a wordless song of transcendence to Arjuna.

The style is tonal, rhythmic, and accessible.
SourcesScore and CD available from Donald Sosin 41 Horseshoe Ln Lakeville CT 06039 dsosin@comcast.net. 860-435-4687
Extras
HistoryEmanuel Vardi conducted the premiere in 1975 with the Adelphi Chamber Orchestra of New Jersey.
ContributorDonald Sosin, ASCAP
Other

Cinderella

Instrumentationpicc, 2fl, 2ob, 2cl, 2bsn, 2 hn, 2tpt, 2 trb, tuba, 2 perc. timp, hp, hpschd, strings, soprano solo, optional children's chorus
Length52 min.
DifficultyModerate to difficult.
CommentsCINDERELLA (2004)was written for the DVD release of the 1914 film starring Mary Pickford. The DVD has a synthesized version of the score, but I think the piece would make a wonderful concert piece accompanying the film, or excerpted. The story follows the familiar fairy tale, with the addition of some charming scenes with fairies, dwarves, and an animated clock.

The music is by turns lyrical and Celtic for the fairies, with nods. I thought of Pulcinella and of course Prokoviev's ballet score in writing some of the stepsister's music. There is a ballad sung by Cinderella as an internal monologue while she walks with the prince in his garden.
SourcesScore and CD available from Donald Sosin 41 Horseshoe Ln Lakeville CT 06039 dsosin@comcast.net. 860-435-4687
Extras
HistoryDVD release Feb. 2005 from Milestone Films. Advance copies on request.
ContributorDonald Sosin, ASCAP
Other

Manhatta

Instrumentation2/2/2/2, 2/1/1/0, timp/1, piano, strings
Length12 min.
DifficultyModerate
CommentsMANHATTA is an orchestral tone poem written to accompany the first American avant-garde film, made in 1920 by the celebrated painter Charles Sheeler and the photographer Paul Strand. The music was commissioned for the 2008 digital restoration of the film, and is being recorded in March by the Slovak Sinfonietta in Kosice under the direction of Peter Breiner. The score is designed to be played with or without the film.
SourcesScore, parts, recording and DVD with optional click track from:
Donald Sosin,
41 Horseshoe Ln
Lakeville CT 06039
860-435-4687
dsosin@comcast.net.
Website: http://www.newmoviemusic.com

Synth version online now, live version later this spring.
Extras
HistorySynth version commissioned for UNSEEN CINEMA DVD release, 2005. Orchestral version commissioned 2008 by curator Bruce Posner and supported by Anthology Film Archives, MoMA, Turner Movie Classics, the Library of Congress, National Gallery of Art, Nederlands Filmmuseum, and British Film Institute.
Contributorthe composer
Other

Three Psalms for Orchestra

Instrumentation2/2/2/2 4/2/3 Timp, 1 perc., harp, strings
Length11:00
DifficultyModerately difficult
CommentsOrchestral versions of three choral settings of psalms (121, 133, 150). A 13-bar splashy tutti intro leads to the quiet opening of Ps. 121, I Lift My =Eyes Unto the Hills, written =for chorus in 1979. The melodic material follows the cadences of the English text. The slow canonic middle section of this =triptych is taken from my ballet GITA (1976); here the =melody fits both the familiar English and Hebrew text: How good it is when brethren dwell together =in unity (Hine matov umanayim shevet achim gamyachad). Quiet and meditative. =Third section is a rousing setting of Ps. 150 Halleluyah! Praise ye the =Lord! from the choral setting I did in 2002. Lots of brass, changing rhythms but not tremendously difficult to =pick up. There would be more percussion but =I was limited by the size of the orchestra I wrote for (see below). May add some in the future. Needs a good sized string section, lots =of divisi. Great for =all kinds of programs, very accessible in style, lyrical, post-romantic harmonies, Bernstein, early Barber/Copland style.
SourcesScore and parts from Donald Sosin dsosin@gmail.com 41 Horseshoe Ln Lakeville CT 06039
860-435-4687 http://donaldsosin.com.
ExtrasHope to have a recording after 10.1.09 at http://donaldsosin.com/multimedia/psalms.mp3
HistoryCommissioned by Peter Breiner for Rosh Hashanah concert of Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra at Crown Hall, Jerusalem 10.1.09. Will be broadcast and then rebroadcast in 20 countries.
Contributorthe composer
Composer/Publisher (Farmhouse Window Productions/ASCAP)
Other

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