STAGE WORKS

Fallings
(work-in-progress) ca. 30 minutes
A chamber music theater work for soprano, clarinet, violin, cello, piano, and pre-recorded sound.

Libretto: Seth Friedman

First Performance: TBA. Susan Narucki, soprano; the Contrasts Quartet.

Instrumentation: soprano, clarinet, violin, cello, piano, and pre-recorded sound NB: a CD or DAT of the pre-recorded material will be available from the composer.






Stew!
(1991-2) ca. 20 minutes
Educational Music Theater work that blends world cultures, food, and music.

See Young Performers/Young Audiences






A Vindictive Poem for a
Hot Summer's Evening -
A Malevolent Comic Opera
(1989)
Comic chamber opera
(UNFINISHED EXCERPT, CURRENTLY NOT AVAILBLE)

Commission: American Opera Projects, Inc.

First Performance: November 1989, WEDNESDAYS AT 7:00 series, Blue Door Studio, New York City.

Libretto: Bela-Lisa Friedman
Director: Grethe Holby
Producer: American Opera Projects
Instrumentation: Mary (coloratura soprano); Andy (Tenor); The Mother (mezzo-soprano); mixed chorus; piano.
NB: piano-vocal score only






Personals
(1985) two-act musical
Co-composer of award winning Off-Broadway hit musical revue about the trials and tribulations of trying to find love in modern times.

Prizes/awards: Voted one of the ten best shows of 1985; nominated for 4 Outer Critics Circle Awards (winning one) and 4 Drama Desk Awards including Best Score and Best Musical; winner 1980 American College Theater Festival and showcased at John F. Kennedy Center, Washington, D.C.; USO tour of Europe.

Book & Lyrics: David Crane, Seth Friedman, Marta Kauffman
Director: Paul Lazarus
Producers: Silverman/Hill/MacKenzie/Fujisankei (NYC original production)

Opening night: Brandeis University: November 1979 Kennedy Center: January 1980 USO European Tour: June-July 1980 Off-Broadway: November 24, 1985, Minetta Lane Theater, New York City. London/West End: June 2000, Apollo Theatre, London Additional performances: in over 150 cities worldwide

Recording: Original London Cast Recording (Jay Records, CDJAY 1319)

Published: Samuel French

Instrumentation: 2 kybds (I=pft+Yamaha Dx-7; II=2 Dx-7's); gtr (electric, acoustic, and banjo), bass (optional, covered by kybd II); 1 reed (a+t saxes, cl+ fl, cabasa); perc (drum set, cowbell, woodblock, bell tree, cabasa, tgl, rachet, vib, xyl, orchestral bells, Simmons synthesized drum set).

See Samuel French for details, materials, and Dx-7 RAM cartridges.






ASSORTED THEATER SONGS

Knock On The Door
(1987) 4 minutes
Theater song from the musical revue Let Freedom Sing.

Commission: the American Music Theater Festival for the Bicentennial Celebration of the Nation's Constitution

Lyrics: Seth Friedman
Director: Paul Lazarus
Producer: the American Music Theater Festival

Opening night: Shubert Theater: September 12, 1987, Philadelphia ,PA.
John F. Kennedy Center: January 1988, Washington, D.C.






Forgive and Forget
(1987) 6 minutes
Song from musical.

Co-author of words and music with Seth Friedman

Commission: TheatreWorks USA.






Trunk Songs
"Trunk songs" are outtakes from musicals that for various reasons are deleted from the final version of a musical. Joel's "trunk songs" are from earlier projects (including original chestnuts from Personals written in collaboration with his brother Seth Friedman). Many of these songs can be performed separately in a cabaret setting, as lighter fare for recitals, or as encores. For more information please contact the composer.






Incidental Music
Joel has written incidental music in numerous styles and for a variety of theatrical productions. Ranging from a Tango for Paul Coughlin's production of Cappuccino to brass band music for Alex Gelman's staging of Play Strindberg, Joel's stylistic diversity and knowledge of the theater make him a natural collaborator for productions.

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ORCHESTRAL

Past Imperfect
(1990) 15 minutes
UNDER REVISION--CURRENTLY NOT AVAILABLE
Chamber orchestra

Award: Riverside Symphony Orchestral Reading Program, May 17, 1996, Merkin Hall, NYC, Riverside Symphony; George Rothman conductor. First Performance: July 1990, Koger Arts Center, Columbia, South Carolina, Ray Egan, conductor.

Instrumentation: 1.1(+eh).1(+bcl).1-1.1.1.0-2 perc*-pft-strings * I = whip (or slapstick), glsp, SD, 2 crash cyms, 2 tom-t (high-low), BD (shared with II), susp.cym; II = timp, BD






Concerto (in the Form of Variations)
for Viola and Orchestra
(1988, Revised 1989) 21 minutes

Prizes: 1988 ASCAP Young Composers' Competition; 1989 New Music Orchestral Project competition (sponsored by the National Orchestral Association)

First Performance: January 19, 1990 at Carnegie Hall, New York City Paul Neubauer, viola (Carnegie Hall debut); Jorge Mester, conductor; The National Orchestral Association

Instrumentation: 2(II=picc.).2.2(II=bcl).2-2.2.2.1-hp-pft*-2perc**-strings * some light preparation is necessary (see score for details) ** I = lg susp.cym, high tam-t, TB, crot (w/bow), vib, BD, SD; II = lg susp.cym, low tam-t, BD, timp; to be shared (I&II)= 2 timb, 3 tom-t, mar NB:

For information on a chamber orchestra edition of the work please contact the composer.






One Evening's Poems - A Song Cycle
(1983, Revised 1987) 14 minutes
A song cycle for soprano, tenor, and chamber orchestra (settings of Chinese poems in English translation).

Prize: 1983 Malloy Miller Composition Award; performance by the Contemporary Collegium, November 1984, Charles Fussell, conductor. Text: Chinese poems by King Hsien, Chang Yueh, Wei Chuang, Wen T'ing Yun, Li Yu, and Li Po. English translations by Kang-I Sung and Stephen Owen

First Performance: May 1983, Boston University Composers' Forum concert series, Boston, MA. First Performance Revised Edition: February 1987, Underground Composers concert series, First and Second Church of Boston.

Kathryn Komidar, Soprano; Perrin Allen, tenor; Joel Phillip Friedman, conductor.

Instrumentation: soprano, tenor, 2(I=afl, II=picc).0.1(+bcl).1-pft-2perc*-2.1.1.0 * vib, mar, 25" timp, crot, 2 lg susp.cym, 3 tom-t, tgl, tamb (w/stand), gong, 2 cello or bass bows






BAND

Incontrovertible Counterpoint
(work-in-progress) ca. 8 minutes

Instrumentation: symphonic band






JAZZ COMPOSITIONS

Jazz has always been an important influence in Joel's music. It appears in his concert and theater composition, in his teaching of Jazz History (at both Swarthmore College and, previously, at Seton Hall University), and in the numerous jazz tunes and arrangements written years ago while playing (mostly) trumpet in jazz bands and during his private and classroom studies at the Berklee College of Music. These works, performed at various venues in the Boston area, range from simple lead sheets to more complex "little big band" arrangements. For more information please contact the composer.






ENSEMBLE / SOLO

Fallings
(work-in-progress) ca. 30 minutes
A chamber music theater work for soprano, clarinet, violin, cello, piano, and pre-recorded sound
See Stage Works






Incontrovertible Counterpoint (work-in-progress)
ca. 8 minutes
See Band






Trio de Janeiro
(1998) ca. 15 minutes
Trio for flute, cello, piano/synthesizer

Commission: the New Jersey Chamber Music Society and Seton Hall University Arts Council.

First Performance: April 21, 1998, Seton Hall University, South Orange, NJ, the New Jersey Chamber Music Society (Peggy Schechter, flute, Wayne Smith, cello, Kathy Supove, piano/synthesizer).






Extreme Measures
(1997) 14 minutes
Piano Trio (violin, cello, prepared piano)

First Performance: February 15, 1998, Kathryn Bache Miller Theatre, New York City. Marka Gustavsson, violin; Susannah Chapman, cello; Evelyne Luest, piano.

Instrumentation: violin, cello, prepared piano
NB: the score includes complete details for the simple piano preparation.






Elastic Band
(1996, revised 2004) 15 minutes
Sextet for clarinet, string quartet, and percussion

First Performance: Complete work – June 1, 2004, New York Chamber Music Ensemble (Alan Kay, conductor), Cape May Music Festival. Movement 1 - March 8, 1996, Speculum Musicae (William Purvis, conductor), Kathryn Bache Miller Theatre, New York City. Movement 3 - February 6, 2000, Eberli Ensemble/MATA, Anthology Film Archives, New York City (Paul Hostetter, conductor).

Award: Selected for reading by Speculum Musicae, April 25, 1994. Instrumentation: Clarinet, 2 violins, viola, cello, and percussion* * mar, vib, BD, 3 tom-t (high tom may be SD), 3 cyms (hi-hat, crash, ride),WB,crot






Pas de Deux
(1994, revised 2001) 23 minutes
Cello and piano

Commission: Pamela and Stephen Dillon.

Private First Performance: May 14, 1994, New York City. Semyon Fridman, cello; Allison Voth, piano.

Concert First Performance: February 26, 1995, Kathryn Bache Miller Theatre, New York City. Maria Kitsopoulos, cello; Allison Voth, piano. Recording: Fred Sherry, cello; Stephen Gosling, piano (Label TBA).






Two by Two
(1994) 1:20 minutes
Two fanfares for two trumpets (or trombones)

Composed for: Carl Albach of the Orchestra of St. Luke's.

Concert First Performance: February 18, 1994, Kathryn Bache Miller Theatre, New York City. Chris Gekker and David Krauss, trumpets. Additional Performance (Fanfare No. 1 only): August 1991, Orchestra of St. Luke's pre-concert, Caramoor Music Festival.






Quicksilver
(1994) 3:30 minutes
Solo flute and pre-recorded sound (DAT or CD)

First Performance: April 26, 1994, A Concert of Music in Tribute to Mario Davidovsky, Kathryn Bache Miller Theatre, New York City. Margaret Lancaster, flute.

Award: Society of Composers, Inc., Region IV Conference, Ohio University, Athens, Ohio, October 20, 1995. Sherri Crosby, flute.

NB: DAT or CD of pre-recorded sound is available upon request from the composer.






Stew!
(1991-2) ca. 20 minutes
Educational music theater work that blends world cultures, food, and music Woodwind quintet plus student and teacher performers
See Young Performers / Young Audiences






Slow Dance and Quick March
(1990) 8 minutes
Arrangements for contrabassoon and piano of two movements from Harold Laudenslager's Little Suite for orchestra (Op. 23).

Commission: Laudenslager Music Productions.

First Performance: Clarion State College, PA, September 10, 1990, Susan L. Nigro (contrabassoon).

Recording: Susan Nigro, contrabassoon; Mark Lindeblad, piano (Crystal Records, CD348).






Flauto Oscuro
(1984, revised 1991) 7 minutes
For solo flute (or alto flute)

First Performance: December 1984, Boston University Composers' Forum concert series, Marianne Gedigian, flute. First Performance (revised version): 1991, St. John's in the Village, New York City, Margaret Lancaster, flute.






One Evening's Poems - A Song Cycle
(1983, Revised 1987) 14 minutes
A song cycle for soprano, tenor, and chamber orchestra (settings of Chinese poems in English translation)
See Orchestral






Echoes of Fanfares. . .
(1986) 5 minutes
Brass Quintet

First Performance: July, 1986, the Atlantic Brass Quintet Underground Composers concert series, Cambridge Adult Education Center, Cambridge MA. NB: Echoes of Fanfares is a spatial work. For optimal acoustical effect the quintet should be dispersed throughout the hall or, better yet, in a balcony (see score for suggested placement).






Boyar's Polonaise
(1984) 4 minutes
For Brass Quintet
See Young Audiences / Young Performers

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VOCAL / CHORAL

Fallings (work-in-progress)
ca. 30 minutes
A chamber music theater work for soprano, clarinet, violin, cello, piano, and pre-recorded sound
See Stage Works






Sweet Stillness
(work-in-progress) ca. 13 minutes
Setting of selected texts for 4 soloists (SATB), mixed choir (SATB), and string quintet (2vln, va, vc, cb) (or string orchestra).

Texts (compiled by the composer): Sweet Stillness (Barthold Heinrich Brockes, trans. Dr. K.M. Knittel, UT Austin); Sim Shalom (trans, Rabbi Rachael Gartner); Requiem Aeternum; Requiem Mass; Richard II (Excerpts, William Shakespeare).






Lullaby
(2001) 3 minutes
For voice and piano (co-composed with Jennifer Bilfield)

Text: Joel Phillip Friedman and Jennifer Bilfield

First Performance: April 7, 2001, Kozlowski Hall, Seton Hall University, South Orange, NJ (Joel Phillip Friedman, voice and piano).






One into One
(1995) Complete Song Cycle 20 minutes
A Song Cycle for soprano and piano

1. In the Solitude of Sounds 2. What the Living Do 3. One into One Texts: Bela-Lisa Friedman, Marie Howe, Seth Friedman.

First Performance: April 9, 1995, Kathryn Bache Miller Theatre, New York City (Susan Narucki, soprano; Allison Voth, piano). NB: May be performed as a complete cycle or as individual songs




In the Solitude of Sounds
(1995) 8:30 minutes
Song for soprano and piano (from One into One)

Text: Bela-Lisa Friedman




What the Living Do
(1995, revised 1999) 6:40 minutes
Song for soprano and piano (from One into One)

Text: Marie Howe

First Performance (revised version): March 26, 2000, Tisch Center for the Arts, 92nd St. Y, NYC, Susan Narucki, soprano; Alan Feinberg, piano. Recording: Extraordinary Vistas: The MacDowell Colony Project (Americus, AMR20011020)




One into One
(1995) 5 minutes
Song for soprano and piano (from One into One)
Text: Seth Friedman




Five Songs of Edward Macdowell
(1988-89) 12 minutes
A set of MacDowell songs arranged for mixed chorus (some a capella, some with piano accompaniment)
See Music for Young Performers/Young Audiences
NB: May be performed as a complete cycle or as individual songs




POP / ROCK

Predominantly during his high school and college years Joel wrote and performed Rock music. While not generally available to the public, a few of these songs have been written and/or performed in the recent past including Stay As You Are and Lullaby, which he co-wrote with his wife Jenny for their daughter Hallie. While teaching at Seton Hall University Joel was faculty advisor, bass player-vocalist-guitarist-keyboard player, and sometime composer and arranger, for a student/faculty band (The Tone Rangers) that performed annual concerts on campus. Some material, including a lascivious arrangement of Lennon & McCartney's I Saw Her Standing There, is available in archival recording upon request. For more information please contact the composer




YOUNG PERFORMERS / YOUNG AUDIENCES

Incontrovertible Counterpoint (work-in-progress)

Instrumentation: Symphonic Band
See Band




Stew!
(1991-2) ca. 20 minutes
Educational music theater work that blends world cultures, food, and music. For wind quintet, children, and teachers.

Commission: Meet The Composer (Education Residency Program) for the Manhattan Wind Quintet's educational residency at P.S. 25 in Yonkers (in cooperation with the National Orchestral Association and the Hudson River Museum).

Book and lyrics: Joel Phillip Friedman

First Performance: April 1991. P.S. 25 (5th Grade), Yonkers, New York

Instrumentation: wind quintet, children's and teachers voices, and percussion/home-made instruments.

Using the metaphor of creating a wonderful meal by blending and cooking different ingredients from around the world, Stew! celebrates cultural differences and reinforces the point that working together results in good things. Originally written for a class of 5th graders, the work is perfect for a professional ensemble's educational residency program with younger students. Stew! invites the musical and theatrical participation of the students and their teachers - depending upon their skill and comfort level with performance - along with the professional ensemble. It was also designed to enhance the class curriculum with units on art (the nature of collaboration and composition, music, dance, theater, and set design), different cultures and their foods, as well as nutrition. If you would like to learn more about adapting Stew!
For your educational residency program ask Joel by clicking here




Five Songs of Edward Macdowell
(1988-89) ca. 12 minutes A set of MacDowell songs arranged for mixed chorus (some a capella, some with piano accompaniment)

1. The Brook (a cappella) 2. Slumber Song (a cappella) 3. Menie (with piano accompaniment) 4. Midsummer Lullaby (a cappella) 5. A Fantasy on "A Maid Sings Light and a Maid Sings Low" (with original piano accompaniment and additional lyrics by Joel Phillip Friedman)

Commission: BirchTree Music Group, Ltd.
Texts: The Brook and Slumber Song (from Two Northern Songs, Op. 43) E. A. MacDowell; Menie, Robert Burns; Midsummer Lullaby (from Op. 47, no. 2) text after Johann Wolfgang von Goethe; A Maid Sings Light and a Maid Sings Low (from Op. 56 Four Songs, no. 3), E. A. MacDowell.

NB: May be performed as a complete cycle or as individual songs




Boyar's Polonaise
(1984) 4 minutes For Brass Quintet

First Performance: March 16, 1984, Back Bay Brass Quintet.
From the incidental music to Play Strindberg




RECORDINGS

Americus

Crystal Records

Jay/Ter




PUBLISHERS

Samuel French, Inc.

Grey Bird Music




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©2005 Joel Phillip Friedman