Michael Gandolfi

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Selected Compositions, Scores and Audio Files

Please direct all inquiries to: mail@michaelgandolfi.com

Orchestra

Charles Jencks' Garden of Cosmic Speculation photo: Michael Gandolfi




Concerto for Bassoon and Orchestra (2007)

Commissioned by Yoichi Udagawa and the Melrose Symphony Orchestra
duration (20')
2.2.2.2/2.2.0.0/timp./1 perc./strings/ Bassoon Solo


I.
      II.
      III.

The Garden of Cosmic Speculation (2007)


This newly expanded version of 'Impressions from The Garden of Cosmic Speculation'
was commissioned by the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra.
Movements I, II, III and XI were commissioned by the Tanglewood Music Center in 2004.

It is intended that any arrangement of movements, in any order, may be selected for a given performance.

11-movement combined duration: 70'

3.3.3.3/4.3.3.1/timp./3 perc./hp/pno/strings

      Part 1: [**Movement timings are indicated in brackets]


The Zeroroom [3:20]    Streaming audio
      Soliton Waves [5:30]
      The Snail and the Poetics of Going Slow [3:30]
      Symmetry Break Terrace/Black Hole Terrace [6:30]
      The Willow Twist [5:00] (midi/sequenced)

      Part 2:

      The Universe Cascade [6:20]
      The Garden of the Senses Suite (in six movements): [ Total time for suite - 13:54]
               Allemande (Audition) [2:38] (midi/sequenced)
               Courante (Olfaction) [2:40] (midi/sequenced)
               Sarabande (Gustation) [3:06] (midi/sequenced)
               Passepied (Palpation) [1:23] (midi/sequenced)
               Gigue (Vision) / Chorale (The Sixth Sense: Intuition) [4:07] (midi/sequenced)

      Part 3:

      Fractal Terrace [3:40] (midi/sequenced)
      The Jumping Bridge [4:20] (midi/sequenced)
      The Quark Walk [7:10] (midi/sequenced)
      The Nonsense [9:30]

       ** All timings are based on actual peformance data, not midi-realization times.


Fantasia for Alto Saxophone and Orchestra (2006)

funded by a grant from the Fromm Music Foundation
duration (20')
2.2.2.2/2.2.1.0/timp./2 perc./hp/pno/strings/ Alto Saxophone Solo

Impressions from 'The Garden of Cosmic Speculation' (2004)

commissioned by the Tanglewood Music Center
duration (23')
3.3.3.3/4.3.3.1/timp./3 perc./hp/pno/strings


I. The Zeroroom    Streaming audio
      II. Soliton Waves
      III. The Snail and the Poetics of Going Slow
      IV. The Nonsense


View score (PDF)   View program notes

Notes from Childhood (2002)


commissioned by the Melrose Symphony Orchestra (Massachusetts)
duration (7')
2.2.2.2/2.1.1.0/timp. strings


Notes From Childhood    Streaming audio

View score (PDF)

Pinocchio's Adventures in Funland (arr. 2001 from 1999 chamber version)
words by Dana Bonstrom


commissioned by the Elaine Kaufman Cultural Center (NYC)
orchestration commissioned by the Concord Symphony Orchestra
duration (30')
2.2.2.2/2.1.1.0 pno perc strings narrator
  to Score and Sound Clips

Greatest Hits (2000)


commissioned by the New England Philharmonic
duration (11')
3.3.3.3/4.3.3.1 pno perc strings


Y2K Compliant (2000)
formerly 'Freshman Theory'


commissioned by the Pro Arte Chamber Orchestra (Boston)
duration (16')
2.2.2.2/2.0.0.0 strings


Transient Episodes (1996)


commissioned by the Riverside Symphony Orchestra (NYC)
duration (14')
2.2.2.2/2.1.1.0 pno perc strings


Points of Departure (1988)


commissioned by the Orpheus, St. Paul and Los Angeles Chamber Orchestras
through a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts
duration (17')
2.2.2.2/2.0.0.0 strings


I. Spirale    Streaming audio
      II. Strati
      III. Visione
      IV. Ritorno


View program notes


Transfigurations (1987)


Paul Jacobs commission (the Tanglewood Music center)
duration (11')
3.3.3.3/4.3.3.1 harp perc strings


Flute Concerto (1981)


duration (17')
0.1.1.1/1.1.1.0 /flute solo/pno/perc/strings (2.1.1.1)

Vientos y Tangos (2003)

Commissioned by the Frank L. Battisti 70th Birthday Commission Project
duration (11')
large concert wind ensemble
published by Boosey and Hawkes.


Vientos y Tangos    Streaming audio


View program notes

Chamber Ensemble/Solo

The Nonsense Charles Jencks' Garden of Cosmic Speculation photo: © Ean White, incendiaryarts.org, 2006.

Preludes (2008)

Written for Vento Chiaro

duration (6')
Woodwind Quintet

I. Air Pentatonic
      II. Shuffle Glasgow



history of the world in seven acts (2008)
Music to join with computer animation by Jonathan Bachrach

duration (7')
Flute, Clarinet, Violin, Violoncello, Piano, Percussion


history of the world in seven acts





Trivia (2005)


commissioned by the Weilerstein Trio
duration (18')
vln,vc,pno


I. Multiverse    Streaming audio
      II. Time Traveler
      III. Coursing


View score (PDF)   View program notes


Plain Song, Fantastic Dances (2005)


commissioned by the St. Botolph Club for the Boston Symphony Chamber Players in celebration of the Club's 125th anniversary
duration (20')
cl,hn,bsn,vln,vla,vc,cb

View score (PDF)   View program notes

As Above (2005)
video by Ean White


commissioned by the Catherine and Paul Buttenwieser Foundation for Collage New Music
duration (10')
fl,ob,cl,hn,vln,vla,vc,cb,pno,perc


As Above    Streaming audio

View score (PDF) View program notes

Fantasia en Amarillo (2004)


funded by FleetBank Celebrity Series for Sergey Schepkin
duration (5')
pno


Fantasia en Amarillo    Streaming audio

View score (PDF) View program notes

Resonance Frames (2003)
Music to join with six films by Pamela Larson


funded by Harvard University 'First Nights'
duration (8')
cl,pno,perc,vln,vc


I. Photon Waves    Streaming audio
      II. Willow
      III. Zig Zag
      IV. U.F.O. / V. Spin / VI. Desert Dash


View score (PDF)   View program notes


Themes from a Midsummer Night (2001)


funded by the Shakespeare & Company
duration (18')
fl,ob,cl,hn,tpt,pno,hp,perc,2 vlns,vc,cb


I Air: Oberon in Flight    Streaming audio
      II. Theseus' Law
      III. Hermia's Helter Skelter Scherzo
      IV. Hermia and Lysander
      V. Bottom Brays
      VI. Sly Puck
      VII. Apotheosis...Morning
      VIII. Titannia's Fairies
      IX. Time Dream
      X. Postlude (the Most Gentle)


View score (PDF) View program notes


Pinocchio's Adventures in Funland (1999)
words by Dana Bonstrom


commissioned by the Elaine Kaufman Cultural Center (NYC)
duration (30')
fl,cl (Bb,A,bass),vln,vc,perc,pno,narrator
  to Score and Sound Clips

Geppetto's Workshop (1997)


commissioned by Elizabeth Ostling through a grant from the Fromm Foundation
duration (17')
fl,pno


I. A Piece of Magic Wood that Laughs and Cries Like a Child    Streaming audio
      II. Pinocchio Frolics with Punch and Judy, Which Incites the Menacing Fire-Eater
      III. The Talking Cricket Warns Pinocchio of the Dangers Ahead
      IV. Pinocchio Ignores the Talking Cricket's Warning and is Chased by the Fox and the Cat


View score (PDF)   View program notes


Cable Ready (1997)


commissioned by the Core Ensemble through a grant from Meet the Composer
duration (17')
vc,pno,perc


I. Power Chords    Streaming audio
      II. The All-Interval Tetrachord Blues
      III. Fully Inserted


View score (PDF)   View program notes


Grooved Surfaces (1996)


commissioned by the Boston Musica Viva
duration (12')
fl,cl,vln,vc,pno,perc


I. Frame Shifting    Streaming audio
      II. Pitching Rotation
      III. Flipside


View score (PDF)   View program notes


Punch Lines (1996)


duration (7')
harp solo


Design School (1994/5)


commissioned by Parnassus (NYC)
duration (20')
fl,ob,cl,bsn,vln,vla,vc,cb,pno


I Fibonacci's Fanfare    Streaming audio
      II. Photoelectric Effect
      III. Reptiles
      IV. Matrix Mechanics


View score (PDF) View program notes


Caution to the Wind (1993)
concerto for flute and chamber ensemble


commissioned by the Koussevitsky Music Foundation
for flutist Peggy Friedland and the Griffin New Music Ensemble
duration (21')
flute solo, 2 vlns,vla,vc,cb hp,perc


I Introduction    Streaming audio
      II. Excursion
      III. Recitative
      IV. Divisions
      V. Soliloquy
      VI. Incursion/Exit


Harlequin Sketches (1991)


commissioned by William Matthews
duration (15')
guitar


I Twilight Promenade    Streaming audio
      II. Minimetalism
      III. Once and for All
      IV. Nylon Drumming
      V. Ricochet


View score (PDF) View program notes


Line of Approach (1990)


duration (11')
fl,hp,perc


Personae (1986)


commissioned by Speculum Musicae, Sonor, the San Francisco Contemprary Music Players
through a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts
duration (20')
fl,ob,cl,hn,vln,vla,vc,cb,pno


Concertino (1984)


commissioned by Parnassus
duration (14')
fl,ob,cl,vln,vc,cb,pno


Il Ventaglio di Josephine (1983)


duration (5')
written for my sister Josephine Gandolfi
piano


Il Ventaglio di Josephine    Streaming audio
   (recorded by Josephine Gandolfi)

View score (PDF)


String Trio (1981)


duration (12')
vln,vla,vc


Four Miniatures (1979)


duration (8')
flute

Dramatic/Theatrical Works

The Universe Cascade Charles Jencks' Garden of Cosmic Speculation photo: © Ean White, incendiaryarts.org, 2006.

Gwendolyn Gets Her Wish (1999)
original story by Dana Bonstrom


commissioned by the Los Angeles Philharmonic Education Division
duration (12')
fl,cl (Bb,A,bass),vln,vc,perc,pno,narrator


Pinocchio's Adventures in Funland (1999)
words by Dana Bonstrom


commissioned by the Elaine Kaufman Cultural Center (NYC)
duration (30')
see instrumentation details in chamber ensemble and orchestral music above


I. Introduction    Streaming audio
      II. Geppetto's Workshop
      III. Pinocchio's Escape
      IV. The History of Pinocchio
      V. The Blue Fairy
      VI. Pinocchio and Candleflame
      VII. The Coach to Funland
      VIII. The Trip to Funland
      IX. Funland
      X. Donkeyland
      XI. The Coachman's Return
      XII. The Circus
      XIII. Pinocchio's Lament
      XIV. A Watery Adventure
      XV. Pinocchio's Return


View score (PDF)   View program notes


Budget Cuts (1995)
a septet for three players and conductor


commissioned (without funds) by the Boston Musica Viva
duration (16')
violin (doubling viola*)
piano (doubling clarinet or some other treble wind instrument*)
percussion (doubling horn or some other tenor wind instrument*)
conductor (doubling alto melodica or cornet, violin, piano*)
*The instruments that are doubled are not intended to be well-played.

The Blessed Virgin's Expostulation (1998)


commissioned by Naomi Gurt Lind
text by Nahum Tate
duration (7')
soprano, pno

Jazz/Funk Ensemble works and Arrangements

The Funk Project I (1999)


duration (7')
tpt,tbn,tenor sax,electric guitar,electric bass,drums,percussion (3 players)


The Funk Project II (2000)


duration (8')
tpt,tbn,tenor sax,electric guitar,electric bass,drums,percussion (3 players)


I Got Rhythm (1999)


duration (5')
arrangement for six pianos of the Gershwin classic