Alan Seidler

Editor’s Note: This is as complete a list as Seidler and his afficianados were able to compile on relatively short notice; juvenilia (pieces written between ages seven and fifteen), pop, rock, blues and comic songs (see Not-So-Serious Works) are omitted, as are background scores for film and theatre (see Theatre and Film).When possible, details on premieres and recordings are given. In the case of vocal works, the name of the poet is given in parentheses. Works marked with an asterisk (*) indicate that the work in question is either undergoing revision or has been temporarily withdrawn from Seidler’s catalogue. The huge gap in the catalogue during most of the 1970s is indicative of Seidler’s preoccupation with non-concert music during that period. Scores and parts for nearly all works listed are available either from Seidler directly or from the American Music Center’s Wing at the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts in New York City, and in many cases are duplicated in the archives of the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C. There are as few annotations as possible, as most comments on the works are covered in “Through Alan’s Eyes.” (See also: Alan Seidler’s Concert Music on CD in Discography.)

1964

Poem 540 (Emily Dickinson) for tenor voice and piano. Performed at New Milford, CT, August 1964. William Brooks, tenor; Alan Seidler, piano

At dusk (e. e. cummings) for tenor voice, flute and piano. Performed at New Milford, CT, August, 1964. William Brooks, tenor; David Deifik, flute; Alan Seidler, piano

1965

Three Twelve-Tone Studies for Piano (permanently deleted by Seidler in 1970s)

1966

First Overture for Orchestra (a/k/a Homage to Ives)-incorportates fantasy on “Mary Had A Little Lamb”- manuscript only; unperformed

The Last Invocation (Walt Whitman) for high voice and piano. First version-performed at Juilliard Composers’ Forum, January 1967

1966-67

Music for Grand Piano, Quarter-tone (Upright) Piano and Organ. Unfinished-parts of manuscript may survive in Seidler’s portfolios.

1967-68

Why Cover Pigeonholes with Fortuna? (text by composer and Arnold Fern) for two-part mixed chorus and 3 trombones. Performed at Juilliard Composers’ Forum, March 1968. Slightly revised in 1990 under the name Pigeonholes.

Tracks for Orchestra for large orchestra including organ, four solo celli and multiple percussionists.  An acoustic attempt at simulating quadraphonic sound. Given partial reading at Juilliard Composer’s Forum, Spring 1969.

1969

Sonnet (Timothy Aurthur) for baritone voice, French horn and piano.  Performed at Alice Tully Hall, New York, NY, February 1972.  Gerald Lindahl, baritone; Ken Wiley, horn: Alan Seidler, piano. Live recording exists in American Music Center Collection at New York Public Library at Lincoln Center.

1969-70

Three Profundities (a/k/a Three Profundities for Screaming Unison Chorus) for unison or two-part chorus, speaker, flute, oboe, trumpet, 2 violins, piano and field drum. Alan Seidler, conductor. Performed at Juilliard Composers’ Forum, Spring 1971

1. Hairy Ape (Alan Seidler)
2. On the Final Illness and Lamentable Demise of Specataca-ta, Second-to-Last Emperor of Tierra del Fuego (Alan Seidler and Timothy Aurthur)
3. Yapskwuging Tune (Timothy Aurthur and Alan Seidler)

1977-80

Five English Poems for high voice and piano. Performed at Merkin Concert Hall, New York, NY, November 20, 1995. Steven Goldstein, tenor; Alan Seidler, piano

1. To A Lady On Her Marriage (William Bell)
2. Break, Break, Break (Alfred, Lord Tennyson)
3. Who Can Say (Alastair Reed)
4. Song: Do I Wander Away Too Far (Keith Douglas)
5. Weep You No More, Sad Fountains (Anonymous-17th Century)

1984

The Last Invocation (Walt Whitman)-second version. Revised and scored for high voice or unison chorus and small orchestra (piccolo, 3 flutes, 3 horns, 2 trumpets, 2 trombones, tuba, 3 percussionists, piano, celesta, strings). Unperformed to date.

1985-87

Sobhuza II (Timothy Aurthur)- dramatic cantata for mezzo-soprano and bass soloists, large chorus and orchestra. Includes Seidler’s first experiments with native percussion instruments (see The Mystic Trumpeter later); Overture consists of a fugue for 3 timpani. Last act exists in piano/vocal score only.

1988

*Quartet for Piano and Strings – Premiered at Hubbard Concert Hall, Manhattan School of Music,November 28, 1989. Performers unknown except for Richard Woitach, piano. Performed at Merkin Concert Hall, NYC, November 20, 1995-Patmore Lewis, violin; Katherine Greene, viola; Mary Wooten,cello; John Nauman, piano. Recorded Dec. 1995-Jan. 1996
at Clinton Recording Studios, NYC; re-recorded at PPI Studios, NYC, Spring 1997.
Same performers. Seidler has withdrawn all but the middle movement (see 2000 below), retitled Quasi Una Fantasia.

1989

Five Pieces for Woodwind Quintet

1. Prelude
2. Pastorale
3. Waltz
4. Chorale
5. Rondo

Oh, On An Early Morning (Robert Bly) for high voice and piano.

Complaint (James Wright) for tenor voice, flute, clarinet, viola and cello (revised 1995). Performed at Merkin Concert Hall, NYC, November 20, 1995. Steven Goldstein, tenor; Janet Weiss, flute; Mitchell Weiss, clarinet; John Nauman, piano; Terry Woitach, violin; Mary Wooten, cello; Conducted by Richard Woitach.

1990

Playthings (a/k/a Four Preludes on Playthings of the Wind) (Carl Sandburg) for soprano voice, flute, clarinet, French horn, piano, violin, cello, percussion (2 players). Performed at Merkin Concert Hall, NYC, November 20, 1995.  Laura Last, soprano; Janet Weiss, flute; Mitchell Weiss, clarinet; Scott Temple, horn; John Nauman, piano; Terry Woitach, violin: Mary Wooten, cello: David Tancredi, David Wilson, percussion; Conducted by Richard Woitach. Included in Albany Records release Alan Seidler: Vocal and Choral Works 1990-2006. (See discography.)

1990-92

Two Sacred Pieces for a capella chorus.

1. Our Father (Biblical)
2. Psalm XXIII (Biblical)

Performed at Merkin Concert Hall, NYC, October 10, 2006 by The Collegiate Chorale.  Included on the Albany Records CD Alan Seidler: Vocal and Choral Works 1990-2006, recorded at PPI Studios, NYC, Sept. 2007-Feb. 2008 (See discography.)

1991-93

String Quartet #1; performed at Merkin Concert Hall, NYC, November 20,1995; Patmore Lewis, Terry Woitach, violins; Katherine Greene, viola; Mary Wooten, cello. Recorded with same performers at Clinton Recording Studios, NYC, Dec. 1995-Jan.1996; re-recorded at PPI Studios, NYC, Spring 1997. (See Discography.)

1994

Four Poems of William Blake for a capella chorus (SATB)

1. Memory Hither Come
2. How Sweet I Roam’d From Field to Field
3. The Sick Rose
4. The Tyger

1994-95

*Sonata for Violin and Piano – performed at Merkin Concert Hall, NYC, November 20, 1995-Patmore Lewis, violin; John Nauman, piano. Recorded at Clinton Recording Studios, Dec. 1995- Jan. 1996; This recording was included on Patmore Lewis’ Azatlan Records CD From The Soul (AZ-5119). Later re-recorded at PPI Studios, NYC, Spring 1997. That recording is included in the re-released You-Entertainment Records (B-0017RIE 3M), 2008 as part of the CD The Rillito River Project, produced by Lewis. In 2009, Seidler withdrew all but the middle (slow) movement for revision. (See 2009 below.)

1997-99

In The Arc of Your Mallet (Jelaluddin Rumi) – Four love poems for soprano voice, flute, clarinet, viola, cello, harp and percussion. Written for and dedicated to Laura Last. Performed at Merkin Concert Hall, NYC, October 10, 2006 by Laura Last, soprano; Linda Wetherill, flute; Ayako Oshima Neidich , clarinet; Susan Jolles, harp; William Trigg, Chris Nappi, Frank Cassara, Jeffrey Kraus, percussion; Martha Mooke, viola; and Michael Finckel, cello. Conducted by Joel Thome. Recorded at PPI Studios, NYC, Sept. 2007-Feb.2008. Included on Albany Records CD Alan Seidler: Vocal and Choral Works 1990-2006.

2000

Quasi Una Fantasia for violin, viola, cello and piano. Reworking of the second movement of the Quartet for Piano and Strings (see 1988)

Elegy for String Orchestra, essentially a transposition of the Andante from String Quartet #1 for full string orchestra.  Dedicated to Seidler’s mother, who subsequently died of complications from Alzheimer’s Disease in 2003. A performance at her funeral by the string section of The New York Pops under the baton of Lyle “Skitch” Henderson (1918-2007) was cancelled due to a low expected turnout and predicted inclement weather. Seidler has indicated that he would like the work played at his own funeral or memorial service.

2001

Simplify Me When I’m Dead (Keith Douglas) for baritone voice, guitar, viola, piano and percussion (2 players).  Dedicated to the memory of John Fahey (1939-2001), “musician, pioneer, genius.” Premiere scheduled for Fall 2009.

1999-2006

The Mystic Trumpeter: A Choral Symphony (Walt Whitman) Performed at Merkin Concert Hall, NYC, October 10,2006 by Laura Last, soprano; Steven Goldstein, tenor; Graham Ashton, solo trumpet; The Collegiate Chorale and The Orchestra of Our Time conducted by Joel Thome.  Recorded at PPI Studios, NYC, Sept.2007-Feb.2008.  Included on the Albany Records CD Alan Seidler: Vocal and Choral Works 1990-2006.

2009

Romanza for Violin and Piano, middle movement of Sonata for Violin and Piano (1994-95).  In Seidler’s opinion, the piece can stand on its own merits and he intends to issue one of the work’s recordings on a future CD compilation.

Works in Progress

“The Bete Noire Fragments” (Keith Douglas) for tenor vocalist/reciter, tenor saxophone, violin, cello and piano. (2008)-work suspended indefinitely; most of opening verses are extant in manuscript.

String Quintet for 2 violins, viola cello and double bass. (2008-09)- work temporarily suspended.  Opening sequence of first movement survives in manuscript.

Piano Sonata-current project as of this writing. (2009-?)