Steven L. Rosenhaus

Lute Concerto

InstrumentationSolo 7-course lute; 1/1/0/1; 0/0/0/0; 0 perc; 3/3/3/1/1 or 1/1/1/1/1
Length12 minutes, in two movements.
DifficultySolo part: professional level, Orchestra: Can be done by good community or university group
CommentsOriginally commissioned by an English lutenist, who renegged on performing the solo part at virtually the last minute (a major British orchestra was negotiating terms for the premiere), because the music was not in the style(s) she was used to playing -- music of 1500s to 1750. The language is, however, primarily "20th Century tonal" and quite accessible. The orchestra parts are not all that difficult, but the solo part is idiomatically so.
SourcesMusic-Print Productions (ASCAP), but you can deal directly with me for now. Contact me at: musicprint@earthlink.net
Extras
HistoryPremiered February 26, 2011, by Dieter Hennings (lute), Ivar Lunde, Jr. (conductor), and the Eau Claire Chamber Orchestra (Eau Claire, WI).
Contributorthe composer
OtherThe Lute Concerto is an almost unique addition to the repertoire, by virtue of the solo part alone -- when was the last lute concerto written, anyway? First movement is sort of "New Age" -- but isn't. Second movement is subtitled "'Sonata Samba" -- as in "[It']s[o] not a Samba".

Violin Concerto

Instrumentationsolo vn; 2(+picc)-2-2-2, 2-0-0-0, timp, strings
Length18'00"
Difficultysolo vn = difficult; orchestra doable by college/community groups through professional.
CommentsCan be done with chamber orchestra or with a larger complement of strings. Winds and horns must be in pairs. Two timpani needed.
SourcesSample recording and/or score available. Contact the composer at musicprint@earthlink.net
Extras
HistoryComposed in 1994. Premiered at the 2002 Dresden Days of Contemporary Music festival. Soloist was Florian Mayer; Milko Kersten conducted the Dresden Sinfonietta. Has not been performed yet in the U.S. as of January 2009.
ContributorSteven L. Rosenhaus
Composer/arranger/conductor
URL: http://homepages.nyu.edu/~slr3
Other

Birkat haChamah (Blessing on the Sun)

InstrumentationOrchestra.
picc,2,2,2,2; 4,3,3,1; timp,4 perc; strings.
Length13'00"
DifficultyMedium Difficult (good college or community orchestra minimum). First clarinet must be able to play in Klezmer style in 2nd section of the piece.
Comments1. The work was commissioned by the Carson City (NV) Symphony for its 25th anniversary. The title comes from a little-known Jewish observance which holds that every 28 years the Sun returns to the spot in the sky where it was when the universe was created. In 2009 it fell out on the day of the first night of Passover--which was also two weeks before the scheduled premiere of the work. Birkat haChamah is the composer's emotional response to the concept behind the observance; it is not meant to be a ritual (or part of one), nor does it contain any prayers.

2. The work is in one movement with two discernible sections, the first on the slow side that gradually moves from a somewhat dissonant musical language to one that is more obviously tonal and consonant, the second more firmly rooted in tonality and ever increasing in tempo. The second section incorporates elements of Klezmer (sometimes known as "Jewish Jazz"), including a focus on a "wailing" clarinet, trumpet, trombone, and tuba.

3. All important thematic material is the composer's own.
SourcesPlease contact the composer through his publisher, Music-Print Productions.

Music-Print Productions e-mail: musicprint@earthlink.net

For more information on Steven L. Rosenhaus, "Birkat haChamah," or other Rosenhaus works, please see http://homepages.nyu.edu/~slr3 or contact the e-mail address above.
Extras
HistoryCommissioned by the Carson City Symphony for its 25th anniversary. Premiered April 25, 2009, with the composer conducting (Carson City, NV); second performance April 26, 2009, in Fallon, NV, with the same forces.
ContributorSteven L. Rosenhaus
Personal e-mail: srosenhaus@earthlink.net
Affiliation: New York University (Adjunct Assistant Professor, Composition)
Other

Accordances (Symphony No. 2)

InstrumentationPicc, 2 fl, 2 ob, Eh, 2 cl, b cl, 2 bn; 4 hn, 4 tp (off-stage in Mvt. 1), 2 tbn, tuba; timp (2), percussion (sn dr, bs dr, sus cym); strings
Length25'00"
DifficultyMovements 1, 2, 4, and 5 are difficult (5 out of 6); movement 3 is medium (4 out of 6). Professional, university/college/conservatory ensembles can play this work. Good high schools can play the middle movement.
CommentsCommissioned and premiered by the New York Repertory Orchestra, David Leibowitz, Music Director and Conductor (May 21, 2011). The work is in five movements. Movement 1 uses 4 trumpets off- stage (2 behind the audience, 1 on each side of the audience), the music balancing fanfare-ish music with a passacaglia. Movements 2 and 4 are scherzi -- and movement 4 is a literal palindrome of #2. Movement 3 is a ballad, in the sense of something Harry James or Glenn Miller might play today.

The work is challenging but certainly doable by community orchestras and above.
SourcesScores, parts, and a recording of the premiere are all available from the composer. Please contact at:
musicprint@earthlink.net
Extras
HistoryCommissioned and premiered (May 21, 2011) by the New York Repertory Orchestra, David Leibowitz, Music Director and Conductor.
Contributorthe composer
Other

Cinematic Escapades

InstrumentationString orchestra, 2 percussion (timpani/bells; snare drum/suspended cymbal).
Length8'00"
DifficultyGrade 4 (MD)
CommentsAppropriate for good high school ensemble and higher. Great for giving the winds and brass a rest. Two percussion parts can be split into four.

Three movements:
1. Adventure on the High Seas
2. Extraterrestrial Encounter
3. The Runaway Train Incident
SourcesAs of this writing (7/18/14) available from Music-Print Productions. Please e-mail musicprint@earthlink.net or phone composer Steven Rosenhaus at 718-268-8906.
Extras
HistoryCommissioned and premiered 5/20/2014 by the Linn-Mar HS Orchestra (Marion, IA), Joshua Reznicow, Director, conducted by the composer.
ContributorSteven L. Rosenhaus
musicprint@earthlink.net
Composer, arranger, conductor, educator; Adjunct Assistant Professor, Composition, NYU.
Other

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