Composing an American Life

Text & Music


Video Frame: Inside Piano

Theme: Mysticism Icon representing the Mysticism theme. Theme: Text & Music Icon representing the Text & Music theme.
Choral

The Nothing That Is 2004

  • Text
    Excerpts from Apollo 13 flight transcript, Psalms 90, 13, and 131, Ptolemy, John Donne, Charles Pierce & John F. Kennedy, adpt. Libby Larsen
  • Baritone, 2 speakers (backstage, amplified), child's voice (on-stage, amplified), SATB chorus, chamber orchestra: 1d1, 1,1,1/1,0,0,0/timp/perc*/pno/synth, vln,vnc, db.
Theme: Text & Music Icon representing the Text & Music theme.
Opera

Frankenstein, or the Modern Prometheus 1990

Opera in three acts
  • Librettist
    Libby Larsen
  • Sound enhancement needed for proper electro-acoustical mix, flute (doubles piccolo), oboe (doubles English horn), clarinet (doubles bass clarinet), bassoon (doubles contrabassoon), horn, trumpet, 2 percussion, timpani, keyboard (piano, DX7 synthesizer), string quintet. Other requirements: Video and slide projection system needed to project details of eyes, hands, etc. on various layers of the scrim. Sound system needed to project backstage chorus into the hall and to amplify body microphones and mix orchestral sound.
Theme: Mysticism Icon representing the Mysticism theme. Theme: Text & Music Icon representing the Text & Music theme.
CantataChoral

I It Am: The Shewings of Julian of Norwich 2003

  • Text
    John Mauropus, Folquet de Marseille, Josephus, Konrad von Wuerzburg, Ratpert of Saint Gall, Theodore of Studite, Mechthild of Magdeburg & Psalms 17, 18, 27, 41, 54
  • Soprano, countertenor, baritone, SSAATTBB chorus, chamber orchestra: 2fl, 2ob, ob d’amore, hrn, 3 tpt, timp, str.
Theme: Weather / Nature Icon representing the Weather / Nature theme. Theme: Mysticism Icon representing the Mysticism theme. Theme: Text & Music Icon representing the Text & Music theme.
VocalOrchestral

Emergency Haying 2023

For Baritone Solo Voice and Orchestra
  • Text
    On the Poem "Emergency Haying" by Hayden Carruth
  • Solo voice: Bass/Baritone; 1 Flute (doubles piccolo); 1 Oboe (doubles English horn); 1 Bb clarinet; Bass clarinet; 1 Bassoon; 2 Horns; 1 Bb Trumpet; Timpani; Percussion; Piano/celeste; Strings

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